Mascara: how to choose, apply and wear it safely

Choosing it for deep skin

Black or brown-black suits most people.
Washable mascara is gentler. Waterproof lasts in heat but needs an oil remover; rubbing it off pulls out lashes.
"Ophthalmologist-tested" and fragrance-free are good signs for sensitive eyes and contact lenses.
"Lash serums" that promise growth are not mascara. Avoid ones with prostaglandin-like ingredients.

How to apply

Wash your handsWash and dry your hands first. Germs on your fingers can cause eye infections.
Sit still, never in a moving vehicleA bump on the road can push an applicator into your eye. Apply only when you are still, even as a passenger.
Wipe the wandWipe extra off on the tube neck. Do not pump the wand; it pushes air and germs in.
Start at the rootsWiggle the wand at the lash roots, then pull up and out.
Go light on lower lashesUse the tip of the wand for lower lashes.
Separate before it driesComb through with a clean lash comb if lashes clump.

How long to wear it

Mascara lasts the day. In heat it may flake; remove flakes with a cotton bud, do not rub.
Remove it every night. Hold an oil remover on the closed eye for 10 seconds, then wipe down.
Never sleep in mascara; flakes can get into your eye.

Don’t use it if

During a stye, conjunctivitis or any eye infection.
During eyelid eczema or swelling.
After eye surgery, until your eye doctor says makeup is fine.
Someone else's mascara, or a shop tester.
If it has dried out. Never add water or saliva to it.

Safety and the evidence

Replace mascara about every 3 months. Never add water or saliva; it adds germs and weakens the preservative.
Evidence D — regulator guidance · FDA — Cosmetics safety Q&A: shelf life
Used mascara often grows bacteria, and contamination grows with time.
Evidence C — lab study · Aston Univ. 2019 — used makeup contamination
Lash serums with prostaglandin-like ingredients (for example isopropyl cloprostenate) can permanently darken the iris. EU experts found none safe for cosmetic use.
Evidence C — case report; EU expert opinion · ANSES 2026 — eyelash growth serums may change eye colour
Eyelid rashes can come from mascara, but also from nail polish, fragrance or lash glue.
Evidence C — patch-test case series · DermNet — Eyelid contact dermatitis

Evidence grades: A systematic reviews or several trials; B at least one trial or consistent controlled studies; C observational studies, surveys or case reports; D expert opinion.

Keep it clean

Never share mascara, not even with your best friend.
Write the opening date on the tube. Throw it away after about 3 months, or if dry or smelly.
Throw away mascara used during an eye infection.
Keep it out of heat and sun: not in a parked car, on a sunny dressing table or in a handbag left outside. Heat spoils makeup before its date.

Important

See a doctor if

Go to an eye clinic or emergency the same day for eye pain, a change in vision or new sensitivity to light.
If the wand scratches your eye and it keeps hurting or watering, go the same day.
See a doctor for an itchy, red or swollen eyelid that does not settle after stopping.

Emergency in Nigeria: call 112 or go to the nearest hospital.

Doctor review pending. Education only, not a diagnosis. Product types, not brands.

At a glance