Tinted, extended and constantly rubbed – our lashes don’t have an easy life. We asked a doctor what we should do to take care of them.
Our eyes are one of the most delicate parts of our body. Yet, we are constantly touching, rubbing, applying products on and in them and, generally, taking very little care of them. Our lashes, in particular, are one of the parts that we care about the most but also mistreat frequently.
Most people have approximately 150-200 eyelashes on the top of each eye and 50-100 on the bottom. They protect the eye from dust, debris, sun and general dirt and affect the airflow around the eye, protecting the surface of the eyeball, or cornea. We can safely say that they have a very important job to do.
Like hair, eyelashes are made of the protein keratin, and we lose between one to four of them each day. They also get shorter, thinner and lighter with age. But is there a way to keep them healthy? We asked Dr Elizabeth Hawkes, Consultant Ophthalmic and Oculoplastic surgeon, to give us three tips to take better care of our lashes.
Is there a better way to remove makeup to protect our lashes?
Soak a make-up pad in your chosen make-up remover and then hold on the eye for a few seconds. This allows the formula to gently break up the mascara so that when you wipe the pad away it wipes the mascara away with it and doesn’t pull off any delicate eyelashes.
I would also advise using fabric reusable pads rather than cotton-wool ones, not only because the fibres from cotton-wool can often get into eyes causing irritation, aggravation and blood-shot eyes, but also because it’s kinder to the environment.
Keep repeating the process again until your eyelashes are clean. Don’t be tempted to pull or pick any remaining mascara as this will undoubtedly break or pull your lashes out. It’s important to remove all the products from lashes in order to prevent broken lashes and irritation, as well as corneal abrasions and in worst cases infections.
After cleaning, take a clean pad and slowly push down towards the lash line on the upper lid and then, with a second clean pad, upwards towards the lower lash line. Our eyes have hundreds of tiny glands that line the upper and lower eyelids, just behind the lash line. Called meibomian glands, they secrete oil that lubricates the eye surface. By cleaning in this manner we can prevent them from getting blocked and prevent blepharitis.
Which products should we be applying?
I would recommend RevitaLash Advanced Eyelash Conditioner & Serum for lash growth and health. This Ophthalmologist developed eyelash conditioner enhances the look of the lashes and protects against breakage, whilst also improving health, flexibility and strength, allowing lashes to thrive naturally.
HyloTear eye drops are carefully formulated and contain 0.1% Hyaluronic Acid that can quickly relieve dry eye symptoms. Hyaluronic Acid is a very natural and long-acting ingredient which is actually present in many parts of our body, including the eye.
Blephaclean wipes can be used for the daily hygiene of eyelids and sensitive skin (especially in cases of blepharitis). Blephaclean wipes are free from detergents and preservatives and gently cleanse without irritating the eyes or damaging the outer layers of skin.
Should we give our lashes a break from mascara?
Eyelashes are made of the protein keratin, produced by a hair follicle and coated in sebum from the sebaceous gland. Like all hair, they grow and then go through a cycle before falling out and only grow about 10mm before falling out.
Generally speaking, mascara isn’t bad for the eyes however waterproof mascara is designed to not come off which can lead to eyelashes falling out more than they should and breaking. As with anything makeup related, I would suggest that if you can give it a break from mascara during lockdown it will help to let your eyelashes recover and ensure they’re at optimum health but continued use won’t be a problem so long as it’s in date and you’re washing your eyes regularly.
