Lashes are lashing out

August 26, 2012 10:54 AM

I developed a mascara allergy on Thursday at a dentist appointment. No, it doesn't make any sense to me either. What do I do now?

I thought it was pink eye, started antibiotic drops and was fine. Until last night, when I put mascara on again. Left eye got swollen and itchy and felt like there was a pebble in it. Right eye is fine.

I threw out the first tube of mascara and bought a new tube (both are cover girl or maybelline or whatever). So it's not that. I don't yet know if all eye makeup will also be a problem; I have health issues that could be causing it, but that's not really the issue. Just can't wear mascara anymore.

Has anyone dealt with this? What do you wear instead? I have long lashes, but they're pretty light, so I need something. Will more expensive brands be different? (I don't want to spend a million dollars on extension upkeep.)

posted by crankyrogalsky to clothing, beauty, & fashion (12 answers total)

Well, if your allergy is confirmed by a doc, you could try just curling your lashes, which does a good job of opening up your eyes. I have pretty sparse lashes and just curling makes them stand out. I also used to use a clear brow/lash gel on my lashes to just comb them out and separate them rather than coating them with mascara on no-make-up days. I don't know if you would have a reaction to that as well, though.
posted by sundaydriver at 11:02 AM on August 26, 2012

Maybe give yourself a week or two off? I've had random dermatitis concurrent with physical stress before, too, and generally I just have to take it easy and let my histamines settle down.

Were you given any numbing agents at the dentist? Some kinds of *caines are mixed with epinephrine, which can jack up your system for a bit.
posted by Lyn Never at 11:09 AM on August 26, 2012 [3 favorites]

Definitely try with different brands before you give up entirely. Some brands irritate my eyes (like Stila) and others don't (Makeup Forever). I haven't noticed a clear pattern on cheap v. expensive. If you go to Sephora you can probably get a few samples to test out, and if you have to buy a whole tube to try and it doesn't work out then they have a good return policy.
posted by lilac girl at 11:10 AM on August 26, 2012 [1 favorite]

I have no idea if the problem ingredient will carry over, but you could also try getting your lashes tinted at a salon. You might ask to do a patch test on your forearm the day before, so that you can look for a reaction.
posted by ambrosia at 11:11 AM on August 26, 2012

My eyes get irritated by some brands of mascara, and not by others. I suspect there is a certain ingredient that is only in some brands that bothers me but I haven't been able to suss out yet precisely which it is. (I have this same problem with lotions, shampoos and conditioners, actually.)

Mostly natural, higher-end brands seem to work best for me. I've had good luck with mascaras from Lavera and The Body Shop, which, yes, are triple the cost of some drugstore brands, but when it comes to cosmetics that go practically in my eyes, I'm willing to spend a bit more.

Personally, I would so, so not do the tinting thing unless I knew exactly what it was that was irritating me. Sure you can do a skin test, but the skin on your eyelids is probably a lot more sensitive than the skin on your arm.
posted by BlueJae at 11:38 AM on August 26, 2012

I was going to suggesting tinting as well, but failing that, a "natural" mascara might be the ticket. You can go high end, but drugstores also have natural brands (I think Almay and Physician's Formula, plus I've seen random "organic" lines at the drug store). You can also check health food stores, since they often stock a few super-crunchy, natural cosmetics; mine has one type of mascara.
posted by peacrow at 11:51 AM on August 26, 2012

Thanks for the tips. Lyn - you might be absolutely right. I did have some kind of -caine, which now that I think about it is exactly when it started. Also, I have several autoimmune conditions that might be exacerbating it.

But right after the shots - and I had several - my eye went crazy. Even the assistant couldn't believe it was still bothering me. OH AND, the shots were also in my left eye.

Genius! Hopefully another suggestion will help tide me over.
posted by crankyrogalsky at 11:54 AM on August 26, 2012

I have been allergic to mascara and was fine when I switched to Almaywhich is hypoallergenic.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 11:56 AM on August 26, 2012

I use L'Oreal tubing mascara - something something with Beauty Tubes. It isn't like other mascaras, it's a coating that (I'm guessing here) polymerizes. I've had some friends who said it dried out their eyelashes, but I use the included primer and just wipe it off after holding a warm washcloth to each eye for about a minute (or running water on my face for a minute in the shower and then pinching it off with a washcloth or my fingers) and have not had any issues.
posted by Lyn Never at 1:42 PM on August 26, 2012

I and my sons became allergic to eggs while living in a house where we were being exposed more than usual to various chemicals. We all have some health issues to begin with and sulfur allergy runs in the family. After we moved out, we eventually stopped reacting allergically to eggs and went back to our normal situation that eating eggs is fine, in moderation.

So maybe it was a case of "the final straw", chemically? If so, you might recover faster by taking something for liver support (like milk thistle), reducing your exposure to other stressors and chemicals, and taking warm salt water baths to help your body process out the chemicals faster.
posted by Michele in California at 3:36 PM on August 26, 2012

Seconding the suggestion to get your eyelashes dyed after a patch test. It's cheap and works great and all you need is an eyelash curler to look like you're wearing mascara.
posted by DarlingBri at 4:30 PM on August 26, 2012

I started getting similar irritation after getting laser eye last year, and I also have light lashes so I prefer daily mascaras, but couldn't wear the brands I used to wear daily (even brand-new).

What I've found works for me now is:

1) careful application starting a little further away from your eye than usual, to make the tips visible - curl the lashes first

2) choosing the more gentle/hypoallergenic brands - I've been using this one, which is very reasonably priced, letting you replace it as often as you're supposed to.

3) always cleaning it off completely before bed, and the occasional day off to give your eyes a break.

I think the main factor is the brand you use, though - try a few advertised as gentle/natural/hypoallergenic and one will probably work for you.
posted by randomnity at 7:45 AM on August 27, 2012