We have some bad news for all of you eyeliner addicts -- and by the way, that includes me. It looks like one of the most popular ways to apply eyeliner is terribly unhealthy and irritating, especially if you wear contact lenses or have sensitive eyes.
Do you apply liner to your waterline? That's the part of your eyelids just under your lash line, the closest part to your eyeball. Well, it was that particular eyeliner application that a small study looked at. What they found was that glitter and pigment made its way into the "tear film" 15 to 30 percent more often with eyeliner applied to the waterline, as opposed to eyeliner applied above the lash line. Tear film is a protective layer around your eyeball.
In fact, when you line your inner eyelids the pigment migrates faster to your tear film. And researchers found glitter still swimming into that barrier two hours after application.
All righty then. Thank you, science. Good thing I don't wear contact lenses. I shall continue applying eyeliner to my waterline as per my usual.
It's going to take a lot to wrestle my black Make Up For Ever Artist Liner our of my hand and get me to stop lining my inner eyelids. I am thoroughly addicted to that look. I spent years in my youth applying liner above the lashes and it always looked weird on me, like it was just sitting there on my eyelids, not really doing anything. And then I discovered the waterline trick, and it was a total game-changer. Now there's a seamless layer of black from my eyeballs to my eyelids, blending into my eye shadow, and suddenly everything makes sense.
More from The Stir: 12 Gorgeous Ways to Get Out of Your Eyeliner Rut
Look, I grew up in the 80s, looking at Joan Jett's squinty raccoon eyes. In fact, I think the older you get the better too much black eyeliner looks on a woman -- particularly if you have brown eyes. Hell, I even love Jack Sparrow's look. Stop lining my inner eyelids? You tell 'em, Kim Gordon.
I'm so careful about everything else. I eat organic vegetables, get plenty of rest, drink green tea. I don't smoke or eat much sugar. I think I can allow myself this one vice, can't I?
In conclusion:
Do you line your inner eyelids? Does this news make you want to stop, or will you keep doing it anyway?
Image via Paul Hakimata Photography/Shutterstock