Not to rain on your parade, but this week’s beauty tip be a bit of a bummer: lining your inner rims with eyeliner may pose more harm than it’s worth. Since the eyeliner is so close to your eye, potential bacteria, infection and other nasties may come about. Still, I know many – and I mean MANY – absolutely love this look, so there are a few ways to keep it as hygienic as possible.
To minimize the risk, save this ultra-glam look for special occasions. Ophthalmologists strongly advise against it, but if you really have to, don’t do it so often. One ‘layer’ of eyeliner is enough, don’t go over your inner rims with more layers – yuck, eye infection for sure!
Also, sharpen your eyeliner pencil each time. This mean clean, new product each time so less risk. Also, clean your pencil sharpener throughly at least once a week.
And that’s it, really. Do you line your inner rims? I used to but it makes my eyes look smaller so I stopped!
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{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
okay so u might know (or may not) but here in the sub continent women line their inner rims as part of daily routine with something called ‘surma’ or ‘kajal’ specially hashmi’s surma is very popular all over. its the deepest black organically produced pigment which women (aswell as men somtimes) put in their eyes to keep them from getting infection! the best part about it is that it doesnt bleed out like most eye pencils or cosmetically produced kajal does and safe to say is safe
its originally made in pakistan but all the actresses from india and makeup artists import major amounts of it from here. you should probably try getting your hands on some! (i know lucky us )
http://www.hashmisurma.com/ there u go!
Thanks Maria for the link and info!
I have heard of kajal, I think they should have it here; I’ll ask my indian friends about it! Come to think of it one of them always has really deep, dark eyeliner… I wonder if she is using them!?
Ah just stopped by your blog and I was curious about Maria’s links about kajal and came upon this O___________O
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/pr2007/pr027-07.shtml
I tried this once. It makes my eyes look sooo small, and kinda like I’ve been crying. Not a good look for me.
Same, I looked a little too squinty for my liking, it really does make your eyes looks smaller!
I wish I could use eyeliner
My eyes just look tiny it always smudges everywhere.
Although I did used to do it all the time in high school, and I did have a tendency to get eye ulcers back then, but I thought it was from misuse of my contacts? Of course I haven’t had a problem since I quit lining my eyes, so maybe…?
Oh dear! Eye ulcers?! That sounds horrible
What about regular eyeliner, are your eyes OK with that? I were contacts too and it is absolutely vital you clean them properly so it could be that. A friend of mine got some nasty bad infections from misusing her contacts… yikes!
I really like this look… and white eyeliner too. Sometimes it does make my eyes itch and stuff. i just leave lining the inner rims for some big event…
Yeah Lorlori, that’s probably the best the only use it once in a while – less risk of infection and whatnot!
I line my inner rims each day ! I just love how it looks so i don’t think I’ll stop :/ But I do sharpen my pencil each time :p
And it does look good ’cause you have big beautiful eyes!
Girls like me with smaller eyes, it might not suit so much. Good job that you are sharpening the pencil each time, though; very important 
I only line my waterline sometimes but that’s it. I love how it looks when you line your inner rims but I already have small eyes and that makes them look even smaller, so I avoid it.
Same here. I love the look, though!
makes my eyes look all squinty so if i do line ‘em its with white liner, just occasionally
Yup, white liner in the inner rims has the opposite effect of black eyeliner – makes eyes look bigger! I tried it once but I think I did it all wrong so it looked SO bad, haha.
Good tips–I always line the inner rims of my eyes, I know it’s bad but I do love it so!
Thanks Jessica! That’s alright, as long as you do it ‘safely’!
I don’t line my inner rims with black since it makes my eyes look smaller. I do use white or fleshy tones to make my eyes appear brighter, though.
Yup, that’s a good trick for bigger eyes as well. I tried to get a flesh colored one but I couldn’t seem to find anywhere that sold that kinda color :S
Not anymore!!! I used to line but just like u said, it makes the eyes look smaller, it works on people with big eyes for sure!
Then I find out that the best for me would be a beige eyeliner, so it would open up my eyes!! I bought one and since then it´s what i use! Specially if im wearing dark eyeshadows, I line my immer rims( i didnt that´s was the name in english LOL, now i do) with the beige or nude eyeliner. People always say to use white eyeliner if u have small eyes, but the white makes u look crazy, so i prefer the nude ones. It really helps!!
=)
(I didnt know that was the name in english) that´s what I meant, sorry hahaha
No problem, now you know
I have to agree with you that white sometimes makes you look crazy, especially with those with darker skintones… a beige/flesh color is better. Which brand makes beige liners, which one do you use, Deb? I’ve been looking but haven’t found one…!
Ohh i wear a brasilian brand called Contém 1g (Contains 1g)!! I dont think they sell around the world though =/ !! But I guess M.A.C does, doesnt???
Do you know of a beige or peach toned eyeliner pencil (retractable/sharpen) one that is inexpensive?
yes true ! i also dont look good with it! my eyes tend to look more sharp.
Same :/ More sharp, squinty, generally much smaller. I use to do this in highschool and when I look back in photos it makes my eyes look so small, so my nose and mouth look extra BIG and in your face. Haha, not a good look!
i can only do my undereyes, dont know how to do the top… HELP!
All you have to do is practice. Try to get a day when you’re not doing anything and just go for it. lifting your eyebrow with your finger helps sometimes, too. Personally, I lift my eyebrow, use a light hand, and “aim” more for my lashes.
Hope this helps.
I do this every day! I didn’t realise how bad it is for you, although I do try my best to be hygienic with my make-up products.