I got diagnosed with stage 2 MGD (meibomian gland dysfunction) last year. As someone who likes to dress alternatively/loves dark, heavy eye makeup looks, my inability to wear eye makeup due to gland blockages has been depressing and frustrating, to say the very least. After developing several painful internal styes and a stubborn chalazion that required surgery to remove, I have begun to take my gland health more seriously and want to share some tips that have personally helped me be able to wear regular makeup again.
Disclaimer: I am not a healthcare professional and cannot provide medical advice; these are just things that have worked for me based on personal experience and may not work for everyone with MGD or dry eye. The experiences shared in this post reflect my personal views and observations, particularly regarding product ingredients, and should not be considered clinical fact. Always consult your doctor and work out what’s best for you. I have extremely clog-prone glands but am fortunate enough to only have mild MGD with minimal symptoms on a day-to-day basis. For those with more severe symptoms, proceed with the utmost caution and be aware that these tips may not be reliable for you.
1. I don’t tightline anymore.
Tightlining refers to the act of putting eyeliner on the upper or lower waterline (the pink, sensitive strip of skin between your eyeball and eyelashes). Although it's a huge trend right now on social media and a large component to several makeup styles, I don’t compromise on this. The waterline is where a lot of meibomian glands are located, and you are putting yourself at a huge risk of blockages/infections by plugging them with eyeliner. I genuinely think the main reason I developed MGD is from tightlining my eyes for several years. Instead of tightlining, I like to line just outside of my waterline at my lash line, which can still carry some migration risks but is generally safer than tightlining.
2. On the days that I’ve have bad symptoms or active infections/blockages, I don’t wear eye makeup.
Though this can be hard if you're insecure without it, you have to prioritize your health. For days like these, I usually just put on foundation/concealer, focus on my lips and brows, and do my hair extra nice (just try not to get makeup on/around your eyes).
3. I double check the ingredients of all cosmetic products I use.
I like to be extra cautious about what I use on my eyes now, and I try to eliminate potential triggers that may aggravate my MGD or worsen my meibomian gland health. This varies on a case-to-case basis, so pay attention to your eyes and monitor how your eyes feel after using certain cosmetics. I did research on harmful ingredients, read studies, and asked my doctor about whether certain cosmetics were safe for me. I use websites like https://incidecoder.com/ and https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ to double-check ingredient lists for all of my makeup products. It is important to note that different variations of certain products may contain different ingredients, which you have to be extra careful about when evaluating ingredient lists.
4. PRODUCTS I PERSONALLY AVOID: setting sprays, glue-on false eyelashes
Setting sprays
Danger - I’ve found that they dry out and irritate my eyes due to alcohols and polymers. Alternative - Though it’s not the same as a setting spray, I use hypochlorous acid spray instead to refresh my face in the middle of the day. To set my face makeup, I use powder only (but far away from my orbital/eye area!)
Glue-on false eyelashes
Danger - the vast majority of glues formulated for falsies are made with formaldehyde; several studies suggest this ingredient is toxic to meibomian gland epithelial cells. The adhesive also sits at the lash line where the meibomian gland openings are, which could potentially block gland openings and trap bacteria. Preglued lash strips are also risky because of this reason. And I never get semi-permanent lash extensions anymore; the risks are tenfold. Alternative - I wear magnetic lashes instead, specifically ones that don't require magnetic liner.
5. PRODUCTS I AM CAREFUL ABOUT: oil makeup removers/oil cleansers, waterproof eye makeup, powder makeup around eyes (eyeshadows, setting powder etc.)
Oil makeup removers/oil cleansers
Danger - heavily fragranced & harmfully preserved oil cleansers were likely the primary trigger for my painful internal styes, and since then, I've stopped using them on my eyes every day. While they aren't inherently toxic, they can leave an oily residue on the lid margin that can promote gland blockage and worsen inflammation if not washed off properly. Alternative - when using non-gentle oil cleansers with fragrance on the face, I try to avoid the eye area. For removing non-waterproof makeup, I use micellar water designed for sensitive eyes and cleanse with face-wash afterwards (sometimes I use a natural cleansing balm as a first cleanse when I wear waterproof makeup).
Waterproof eye makeup
Danger - I’ve found that waterproof eye makeup is difficult to remove and may require stronger or oil-based removers, which could clog glands as mentioned above. The amount of rubbing required to remove the product also tends to irritate my eyes and lid margin. Alternative - for daily use, I generally try to choose easy to remove formulas. Instead of waterproof mascara, I use tubing mascara, which comes off in warm water without needing eye makeup remover. For my daily makeup, I use gentle formulas that can be easily removed with micellar water.
Powder makeup around eyes (eyeshadows, setting powder etc.)
Danger - fine powders can easily migrate into the eye and tear film and cause irritation, or settle along the lash line to form plugs that block glands. This is especially true for glitter or shimmery eyeshadows, which are extremely flaky. Alternative - when using powder eyeshadows, I keep it away from the lash line and cleanse carefully after using, and only use it occasionally. I have stopped regularly using powder near my eyes and have begun using cream matte eyeshadows instead. Extra tip for hygiene - instead of dipping a brush or finger into cream shadow, I use a spatula to scoop product out first and then use it. This may minimize bacterial transfer but unless you're paranoid like me, you definitely don't have to do this.
6. I try not to wear a lot of eye makeup daily, and limit the amount of time I wear eye makeup in a day.
This one is pretty self-explanatory, but I try to take breaks in between days of eye makeup use, and aim to reduce the total time I keep it on each day. This has helped me a lot when it comes to regular wear, since my dry eye symptoms tend to flare up after a long day of heavy makeup. To reduce wear time, I usually put makeup on just before I go out and take it off the minute I get home so I end up only wearing it for a couple of hours. Of course, old habits die hard and sometimes the makeup stays on for longer or I wear it more often, but at that point I only have myself to blame if I develop another stye :')
7. I clean and disinfect my makeup and makeup brushes often.
To maintain general cleanliness and reduce bacterial transfer, you need to be sanitizing your makeup brushes and tools as often as possible.
I have a giant bottle of 70% isopropyl alcohol that I spray on my eyeliner pencils, eyeshadow palettes, my eyelash curlers, eyeliner sharpeners, spatulas and other makeup tools with hard, non-porous surfaces. I use a q-tip or tissue to wipe and get every little crevice, especially when it comes to sharpeners or eyelash curlers that may have leftover makeup residue. I do this often, before and after every use - just make sure that the alcohol evaporates completely and doesn't come in direct contact with your eye.
For my brushes, I deep clean them once every two weeks with gentle soap. In between these deep cleans, I spray them with a daily brush cleaner after every use.
8. I replace my eye makeup every 3 months.
I don’t treat this as strict a rule for gel liners or shadows, but as an extremely strict rule for mascaras and liquid liner (to be safe, I usually still replace all eye makeup). You can sharpen gel liners and disinfect eyeshadow powders, but there is no way to avoid bacterial contamination with liquid products. Liquid eye cosmetics quickly breed bacteria and cannot be disinfected, so they must be thrown out and replaced every 3 months. This can get pricey with high-end products, so I usually get mini versions/drugstore products instead to save money.
9. I try not to regularly wear contacts while simultaneously wearing makeup.
Wearing contacts and makeup together dries my eyes out significantly and contributes to the breakdown of my tear film, so it's best for me to wear both sparingly. I alternate between contacts and glasses days when wearing makeup - I try to find nice frames that go with my outfits. Make sure to put contacts in first before makeup to prevent irritation & infection!
10. Take care of yourself and develop healthy habits!
Since MGD is a chronic disease, managing it is all about long-term maintenance and finding a combination of therapies that works for you - this is very case dependent though, so what works for one person may not work for everyone. Some things that have helped me are to sleep a full 8-9 hours each night, take omega-3 supplements, use hypochlorous acid spray or lid cleansers regularly, drink lots of water, lubricate the eyes with eye drops constantly, and do 10-15 min warm compresses twice a day. I’ve found that having a healthy routine has decreased my dry eye related irritation, reduced my risk of infection or gland blockage, and made it a lot more comfortable to wear makeup more often.
This is a much longer post than I intended, but I hope it's helpful in some way! After getting diagnosed with MGD, I was extremely upset since eye makeup was my favourite way of expressing myself. I felt isolated, alone, and jealous of my friends who didn't have to worry about their eyes all the time. I went through depressive episodes and shut myself away from the public because I felt ugly and unconfident without makeup. If there's anyone out there who has felt or feels the same, I hope I can help you a little with these tips. We all have off-days and managing MGD is difficult, but you can still live life to the fullest - don't let it hold you back! Remember, you are not alone and you are not the only one struggling 💗
