It’s a real eyesore.
A Toronto-based optometrist is sharing how waterproof makeup can harm eyes.
“Waterproof makeup doesn’t dissolve in our tears. It can actually stick around in our eye and clog our oil glands that produce oil into our tears,” Dr. Alexa Hecht explained in a May TikTok that has resurfaced.
In the 37-second clip, she highlights photos of people she says faced the consequences of using waterproof makeup products such as eyeliner, mascara and eyeshadow.
“In really bad scenarios, it can get stuck under your eyelid and can get trapped there and cause irritation and dry eye,” Hecht said.
She also noted that “there are a lot of chemicals found in waterproof makeup to make them last longer, including things called forever chemicals.”
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are a controversial group of chemicals used, in part, to make products greaseproof, waterproof, stickproof and stain-resistant, explains Clean Water Action.
The Post reached out to Hecht for comment.
Her remarks may come as a disappointment to makeup lovers who prefer waterproof products because they keep their makeup intact for an extended period.
In a follow-up video from June, she emphasized that “a recent study found that [a] majority of the waterproof mascaras on the market actually contain toxic chemicals — the same ones found in nonstick cookware.”
The chemicals make cosmetics hard to remove, Hecht argued, causing users to experience irritation, lash loss and wrinkles around their eyes when they scrub off the makeup.
Other makeup products she warns against include glitter eyeshadow and lash tint and lift.
She recommends using Twenty/Twenty Beauty Clean Sweep Mascara.
“I just want you to be more cautious about using these products every day,” Hecht reasons.
Attempts to achieve surface-level beauty could produce ramifications that are far more than skin deep, experts warn.
82% of waterproof mascaras were found to contain high levels of fluorine, an indicator of PFAS, according to an alarming 2021 study by the University of Notre Dame.
“These results are particularly concerning when you consider the risk of exposure,” lead researcher Graham Peaslee, a Notre Dame professor of physics, said at the time.
“These are products that are applied around the eyes and mouth with the potential for absorption through the skin or at the tear duct, as well as possible inhalation or ingestion.”