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Up close shot applying black mascara to eyelashes.

I'm Allergic To Mascara! What Should I Do?

Do red, itchy, irritated eyes make a common appearance in your makeup looks? Well, the likely culprit causing discomfort is your mascara. No matter what brand you try, or formula, after you swipe it on, the same soreness seems to occur.

Does that mean you have to choose between long lashes and comfort? No! It's not exactly the mascara, but instead specific ingredients in mascara that are triggering eye allergies. 

Female applying mineral mascara to lashes.

So, today we're going to breakdown what ingredients you should be avoiding to keep your eyes clear and comfortable.

Ingredients In Mascara You Should Avoid

Coal Tar Derived Dyes

We know, Coal Tar doesn't sound like something that should be anywhere near your eyes, but it's actually a very common ingredient in black mascaras. If you get irritated eyes and reactions to the surrounding skin, Coal Tar is probably the culprit. It also can cause staining, which is something we definitely don't want.

It can be listed under different names. You want to check for:

  • CI 77266 Carbon Black
  • Black 2
  • Coal tar black

Fragrance and Parfum

You may be questioning why something around your eyes needs artificial fragrance, because let's be honest, it shouldn't! Added Fragrance and Parfum causes burning, redness and stinging, along with often being the trigger of eyelid dermatitis. Crosscheck your ingredients for anything listed as Fragrance or Parfum because if you've got sensitive eyes, this is a non-negotiable.

Heavy Fragrance Preservatives

Some mascaras use preservative systems that are much more sensitising; known for causing contact dermatitis and eye irritation. These sneaky ingredients are also known for causing delayed allergic reactions. So, every time you think you're in the clear, finally finding mascara that works because a nasty reaction doesn't show up until later, you're mascara is still most likely to blame.

Look out for ingredients like:

  • Methylisothiazolinone
  • Methylchloroisothiazolinone
  • Bronopol
  • Chlorphenesin

Are Any Mascaras Safe For Sensitive Eyes?

Don't lose hope! It may feel like you've tried most mascaras out there, but have you ever heard of mineral mascara? Mineral mascaras tend to be gentler because of the type of pigments, base ingredients, and overall formulation style they usually use. Mineral pigments are chemically stable and non-reactive, which means they sit on the surface instead of interacting with your skin or eye tissue. This lowers the chance of stinging, redness, or allergic reactions, and is why we use them in our High Tide Mineral Mascara. 

Instead of the harsh Coal Tar Dyes, we use ethically-sourced mineral pigments like iron oxides, titanium dioxide, mica and ultramarines instead. You also won't find any added Fragrance or Parfums in our formula; why would we add one of the biggest sensitive eye irritants out there to any eye product?

Woman holding up Burleigh Minerals High Tide Mineral Mascara.

Another big difference between High Tide and conventional mascaras is that our formula is water-based rather than solvent-heavy. This reduces dryness, stinging and that tight feeling some mascaras cause while also helping prevent irritation of your eye surface and make flaking worse (little flakes getting in your eyes is also guaranteed to leave them red and itchy!).

Make Your Move To Mineral Mascara

If you struggle with itchy, irritated eyes, constant watering or wear contact lens', it's time to swap to High Tide Mineral Mascara. Once you make your move, you won't ever be able to go back!

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