How to Prevent Makeup from Destroying your Skin

For many women, makeup is part of a daily routine and something that not only makes us look better, but also feel better. But the long term effects of daily makeup wear are often overlooked, and the damage our skin takes can result in serious health problems. However, if we take the proper steps and practice good daily skin care, we can keep a healthy and glowing canvas all year round.

The Acne Cycle

Acne has always been an issue when it comes to the long term use of makeup. It seems that the more makeup you use to cover up your acne, the more breakouts you end up with.

The first thing to know is why the breakouts happen in the first place. Makeup is essentially a thin layer of liquid or powder over the skin. When worn for long periods of time, it begins to clog the pores in your skin and allow for the build up of bacteria in your pores. This build up is what is referred to as “black heads”. Your skin then launches an immune response to the bacteria causing swelling, redness, and puss formation which is hence defined as acne. Having a proper daily skin routine that includes the use of a facial cleanser, facial scrub, moisturizer, acne treatment serum or oil, and sunscreen can help reduce these breakouts. 

Eye Infections

We love having long thick lashes and eyelids that we can dress up in our favorite eye shadows and wing tip liners. But sometimes an overly generous amount of mascara or eye shadow can accidentally get into your eyes without you even noticing. This of course can lead to an unpleasant eye infection and possible long term damage to your eyes. The good news is that if you keep your mascara fresh and apply little bits at a time, you can avoid a potential eye infection. Another simple method is to use over the counter saline drops after applying eye makeup to help ensure you don’t get any bacterial build up in your eyes. Note however, that if you do suspect that you have an eye infection, see your doctor or health care professional right away. 

Allergic Reactions

Although a rare occurrence, skin reactions have been known to happen with the use of makeup products. It’s important to always look for products that are marked as “hypo-allergenic” if you have sensitive or allergic skin. However, there may be cases where certain skin types are allergic to minerals or metals. Such individuals can have skin reactions to zinc, copper, or nickel. Although these elements aren’t necessarily allergenic, they may cause a reaction in a small group of people with sensitivity to these metals. It’s always a good idea to test your makeup by putting a little bit of product on your wrist or behind your ear if you suspect that have a skin reaction to any of your makeup products.

Makeup Destroying your Skin

Skin Discoloration

Regular use of makeup that has harsh chemicals or parabens in them can sometimes lead to skin discoloration. This can show up as spots or light colored patches on the skin. Some of these discolorations can be permanent and therefore it’s important to look for products that are “paraben free”. When it comes to the use of skin care products such as lightening/brightening creams, or dark circle removers, be sure to check the ingredients for chemicals such as Hydroquinone, Mercury, BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene) and Kojic acid which have been shown to be cytotoxic and can lead to serious skin damage.