Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, eye care professional, or medical provider. This article is based on my personal experiences with sensitive eyes and information I have been told over the years. It is not medical advice. If symptoms persist, worsen, affect your vision, or concern you, please contact a healthcare professional.
When Beauty Testing Goes Wrong
One of the fun parts of having Twilight Kaleidoscope is trying new beauty products. One of the less fun parts? Discovering that your eyes absolutely hate one of them.
My skin is sensitive, but my eyes are in a category all their own.
Over the years, I’ve learned there are certain brands I simply cannot use. For me, ColourPop, some Essence products, and some LA Colors products have caused reactions. Everyone’s sensitivities are different, but because of my experiences, you probably won’t see many ColourPop reviews here.
Recently, I tested a new eye makeup product for the website. My eyes responded with a full-scale protest. The result was watery eyes, irritation, crusting, and that lovely feeling that your eyelids have been glued shut overnight. If you’ve experienced it, you know exactly what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, consider yourself lucky.
The First Thing I Reach For: Hot Water
Sometimes the simplest things are the most effective. When my eyes are irritated, I start with warm compresses. Not blazing hot, but comfortably warm water.
The warmth helps loosen crusting and makes my eyes feel cleaner and more comfortable. It is one of those old-fashioned remedies that has stood the test of time.
Disposable Towels Are Your Friend
This is where my stash of Kirkland disposable towels or Clean Skin Club towels comes in handy. When your eyes are already irritated, the last thing you want is little towel fuzzies sticking to your lashes and eyelids. These disposable towels don’t leave behind lint, and they haven’t been washed in laundry detergent that may contain fragrances or residues.
When my eyes are angry, simpler is usually better.
The Number One Hero: Baby Shampoo
If I had to choose one beauty emergency product for irritated eyes, it would be baby shampoo. I usually use Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, but I have also used store brands, including Target’s version.
When my eyes react to makeup, I gently wash the eyelids and lash area with baby shampoo and warm water. It is important to understand that this is not an instant miracle cure. Sometimes one cleansing is enough. Sometimes it takes several washes before things settle down.
For me, it helps remove lingering makeup residue and makes my eyes far more comfortable. Perhaps most importantly, it helps reduce that awful “my eyes are glued shut” feeling the next morning.
Why Has Baby Shampoo Been Around So Long?
Baby care products have been around for more than a century, and Johnson’s Baby products date back to the late 1800s. Johnson’s famous “No More Tears” Baby Shampoo arrived in the 1950s and was designed to be gentler around the eye area than traditional shampoos. That means generations of parents, grandparents, and sensitive-eyed adults have kept a bottle nearby. There’s something comforting about a simple product that has survived decades of changing beauty trends.
Baby Shampoo Uses Beyond Baby Hair
Baby shampoo has earned a permanent place in many bathrooms for reasons that have nothing to do with babies.
Cleaning Makeup Brushes
Baby shampoo can gently remove foundation, eyeshadow, and powder buildup from brushes without being overly harsh on the bristles.
Washing Sensitive Skin
Many adults use baby cleansers when their skin feels irritated or when traditional cleansers are too stripping.
Removing Stubborn Makeup Residue
Some people use baby shampoo to help remove lingering mascara and eye makeup around the lash line.
Washing Delicates
A small amount of baby shampoo can be useful for hand-washing delicate clothing items.
Eyelid Hygiene
As talked about here.
What About Styes?
Another reason many people keep baby shampoo around is for eyelid hygiene during a stye. In addition to gentle cleansing, warm compresses can help soothe the area. If you’ve ever dealt with a stye, you know patience is required. Holding a warm compress against the area for several minutes often feels especially comforting. Of course, if symptoms worsen or fail to improve, it is important to seek medical care.
About Those Eye Photos
You will notice some extremely close-up photos of my eyes in this article. Fair warning: they are not glamorous. There are no filters. As well as no makeup. No moisturizer and the full eye area is swollen a bit and certainly sore.
There is definitely no flattering influencer lighting. Just real skin, real irritation, and real life. With every pore.
Sometimes blogging is pretty lipstick and perfectly blended eyeshadow. Sometimes blogging is documenting what happens when a product and your face decide they are no longer on speaking terms.
Final Thoughts
With the holiday season approaching, many of us will be experimenting with glitter shadows, festive makeup looks, new gift sets, and products we’ve never tried before. Most of them will be wonderful. But every once in a while, a product reminds us that sensitive eyes have opinions. When that happens, having a simple routine can make the experience a little less miserable.
For me, that routine includes warm water, disposable towels, patience, and a bottle of baby shampoo. And sometimes followed by eye wash. I use bausch & lomb eye wash, but any quality eye wash will work.
Hopefully you’ll never need this trick. But if you do, now you have a plan.
And if you’ve ever woken up with your eyelashes mysteriously glued together after trying a new makeup product, welcome to the club. It’s not a club anyone wants to join, but the members are very understanding.
Also I may use links and I may not, if you use the links I may get a small portion of that sale. And in 9 months I may be able to buy myself a coffee. Thanks!
Leave a Reply