Safety

Safety

Because cosmetics are loosely regulated by the FDA, consideration for the ingredients, age, and usage of the mascara is advisable. A substance is considered a cosmetic if it is used in conjunction with the body in a manner that does not alter the structure of the body or its functions. This leaves a great deal of freedom for the beauty industry in the formulation of cosmetics. Of course, some chemicals are explicitly forbidden from inclusion in a cosmetic. These include biothional, choloroform, halogenated salicylanilides, hexachlorophene, methylene chloride, vinyl chloride and mercury compounds. As an exception, mercury compounds can be used as a preservative in eye make-up and so is occasionally found in mascara ^[24].

There is some concern for a select few individual ingredients found in mascara since they have been found to cause cancer in mice, and others are known to be highly toxic to the human body or volatile. Despite these disconcerting facts, they exist in minute quantities in mascara, and their presence has not been positively linked to negatively affect health ^[25].

Proper use of mascara includes disposal of tube and brush after four to six months. Mascara should also be disposed of if found to smell different, strange, or especially pungent. It is unlikely and unusual, but mascara does have the capability to grow bacteria ^[26]. Because of this and the nature of its usage, people using mascara have a slight risk of eye infection or conjunctivitis, but this is rare ^[27].

It is more common to develop a stye, or commoner still, swollen eyelids ^[28]. Stys and swollen eyelids are better classified as allergic reactions. The allergic reactions can be stimulated by any of the components of mascara but is usually attributed to methylparaben, aluminum powder, ceteareth-20, butylparaben, or benzyl alcohol