Waterproof mascara should be removed before bed, experts warn

Optometrists say this makeup product might not be optimal.

An eye doctor who often posts tips on TikTok and Instagram as @eyestheticsofficial revealed a dangerous — and disgusting — potential side effect of wearing waterproof mascara to bed.

Dr. Gurleen Dhanoa shocked her social media followers when she appeared to suggest that failing to remove the popular beauty product could lead to a gross side effect.

“If you sleep in your waterproof mascara, flip your eyelids,” she challenged viewers in the video. “I dare you.”

After advising viewers to check their eyes, she moved to the side of her screen to reveal a photo of the inside of a woman’s eyelid with what appeared to be mold, or specks of mascara.

She recommended that instead of waterproof makeup, people switch to water-resistant mascara.

Dr. Dhanoa did not name the possible reaction or give any further explanation.

The photo appears to be pulled from a previous issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), reported by BuzzFeed News in 2018.

According to the study, a 50-year-old Australian woman developed the serious eye condition after “25 years of heavy mascara use with inadequate removal” before bedtime.

“The mascara had formed tiny hard deposits that were embedded in the skin under her eyelids — some were coming out and scratching her eyeballs,” BuzzFeed News explained.

The woman also developed follicular conjunctivitis — an infection in the mucus membrane that covers the eye and the eyelid.

The study did not appear to specify what type of mascara the unnamed woman wore.

The “rare” condition could be exacerbated by the use of waterproof mascara, as it is typically more difficult to remove.

User beware, said Dr. Rebecca Taylor, clinical spokesperson for the AAO and an ophthalmologist.

“Your eyelashes need to be clean because they are protecting the eyes … they are nourished by oil glands and if those glands or the follicles are clogged, that can be a problem,” Taylor told BuzzFeed News.

Not removing all eye makeup before bed can also lead to pink eye or other bacterial and viral infections, experts warn.