Ah…the wonders of makeup. When you were a little girl, you stood back in awe as your mother applied her rouge and mascara. As a teen, sparkly blue eye shadow made you feel grown up and pretty. Even now, as an adult, that rush you feel when you find the perfect tube of lipstick is hard to describe. But makeup, like so many things, has to be used safely.

If you use makeup, the following are some safety tips to help you avoid injury and infection:

  • Follow the instructions on the label. Always read the label and use the cosmetic according to the manufacturer's instructions.
  • Never drive and apply makeup. If you are applying makeup while driving, you are not watching the road. This can lead to a serious accident. In addition, you could hit a bump or pothole, which could cause you to scratch your eyeball.
  • Watch for allergic reactions. If you wear contact lenses, have allergies or sensitive skin, then you're more likely to have an allergic reaction. You may be allergic to fragrances or other ingredients in the cosmetics, such as rosin (a substance from trees), nickel, or lanolin. You may have tearing, itching, or red eyes, as well as swelling and flaking of the eyelids. Nail polish is the number one cause of eyelid reactions. Stop using the makeup if you have these problems. If the symptoms don't go away, call your doctor.
  • Don't share makeup. Each person has different skin bacteria. If you contaminate your cosmetics with another person's bacteria, you may get an infection. Also, stay away from shared-use "tester" cosmetics found at cosmetic counters in many stores. Sharing lipstick, for example, may spread cold sores.
  • Never use saliva to thin old or clumped makeup or to wet a mascara wand. Your saliva contains bacteria from your mouth.
  • Throw away old makeup. Although old makeup probably won't cause any harm, replace cosmetics every six months (more often if you wear contact lenses). This is to avoid excess contamination with skin bacteria. Also, if makeup changes consistency or smells bad, throw it out.
  • Do not use eye makeup if you have an eye infection. Also, throw away any eye makeup you were using when the infection started. You could get frequent conjunctivitis (infection of the outer part of the eyeball) due to contamination.
  • Natural does not necessarily mean safe, pure, or clean. In addition, the terms hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and noncomedogenic have no official government definitions. Claims that a product is "dermatologist-tested," "sensitivity-tested," "allergy-tested," or "non-irritating" carry no guarantee that it won't cause reactions.
  • Keep makeup out of sunlight and heat. Light and heat can break down the preservatives in makeup.
  • Keep makeup containers tightly closed. This will help keep out contaminants. Plus, your makeup will stay fresh and last longer.
  • Never use an aerosol spray near heat or while smoking. Aerosol can catch on fire.
  • Don't inhale hairspray or powders. Intentionally inhaling products like these can lead to lung damage and even death.

For information on how to report an adverse reaction to a cosmetic, visit the Food and Drug Administration.