Are Cosmetic Trends Harming Your Eye Health?

Raheleh Najafi

With the continuous waves of popularity among influential social media platforms, cosmetic application methods and beauty trends have taken to TikTok and Instagram to dominate mass audience attention. Ranging from simple colour blending tips to videos suggesting that heating eyeliner pencils produces greater results, these 30 second makeup transformations allure viewers with the promise of a transformation that upholds conventional beauty standards.

However, an often missing piece of information in these videos consists of the long term consequences and potential negative effects of some of the more dangerous trends. Additionally, due to the complete independence of the creators behind these videos, they hold zero obligation to include these caution warnings which enables a false promise of safety for audiences who were witness to only a single shot of the trendy practice going safely. This is especially worrisome for specific beauty applications that focalize on the eyes, an especially sensitive feature of the face. In fact, some of the most common, openly practiced cosmetic trends can potentially harm the eye health of participants.

Firstly, false eyelashes have become one of the most common cosmetic enhancements, so much so that they’ve become an accepted norm. Temporary false lashes can be found as strip lashes or single individual lashes and are often made of synthetic material making up the “hairs” of the lash which are held together by a band where lash glue is applied to attach to one’s lash line on their eye.

The major concern for this beauty technique is found with the adhesives of the glue and the potential allergic reactions this product can cause to the lash line due to harsh ingredients such as formaldehyde and latex. There’s an acknowledged correlation between the use of false lashes and allergic contact dermatitis, abrasions, and blepharoconjunctivitis. Additionally, the surrounding areas in contact with the false lashes are quite sensitive and, even without an allergic reaction, can suffer repercussions from irritants in the form of redness, inflammation, swelling and even possibly escalating infections.

Next, an equally prevalent ocular beauty trend is a more permanent version of false lashes, eyelash extensions. These extensions consist of synthetic, mink or silk fibers that are connected to one’s natural lash fringe, usually with individual strands of lashes, using a stronger glue than the one used with false lashes. In addition to the same set of risks that come with false lashes, extensions possess the unique trait of being applied by a professional at the midway point of one’s individual eyelashes. Consequently, there is a higher risk of infection during this process as subpar hygiene practices can cause a detrimental spread of bacteria to especially susceptible cavities of one’s face. This conflict with hygiene is even more pronounced after the initial application of eyelash extensions since most participants avoid effective cleaning of their eye’s surroundings in order to prevent lash loss. This set of priorities increases one’s susceptibility to developing bacteria and fungi along their eye’s lid.

Moreover, both false lashes and lash extensions add a load of weight to the lash line on which they’re attached which leads to negative side-effects when the additional weight changes one’s normal blink rate. To maintain hydration of the eye, a regular and speedy blink rate is critical due to oils that are naturally expressed from the lids during each blink and the prevention of over-evaporation along the surface of the eye. By altering this blink rate, people who excessively wear false lashes and lash extensions can find themselves victim to increased dry eye symptoms.

All in all, it’s up to each individual to carefully consider the possible consequences and side-effects to each popular trend to prevent unnecessary ocular damage. Additionally, the avoidance of blindly following cosmetic applications only briefly virtually seen beforehand, encourages an improved balance between physical health and beauty.