I don't believe that beauty should have rules, so if I want to wear neon makeup in the fall or a deep purple lip in the summer, I'm going to do that. However, there is one cardinal rule I do believe in: don't sleep in your make-up. If I end up dozing off before my nighttime cleanse, I'll wake up looking dazed with various colourful matte and shimmery pigments all over my face and my bedding. So I was rather shocked to see how glamorous Jennifer Lopez looked in her leftover makeup.
Lopez posted a selfie to Instagram the morning of August 28 with the caption, “Good morning and Happy Monday! It’s going to be a great week!!.” She looks nice and comfortable lying in her bed with a slight smile on her face. Her blonde-highlighted hair was untied and fell around her shoulders and onto her pillows. Given the major volume at her roots, I wonder if it's the result of an old blowout or barrel curls.
Remnants of black eyeliner around her eyes and in her waterline remained. It's also likely that some of the darkness around her eyes is from smudged mascara. The rest of her face, save for her eyebrows, seems mostly free of makeup. Because there aren't any tan splotches on her pillow, I'm willing to bet that J.Lo did wash her face the night before and just didn't remove all her eye makeup.
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Sleeping in her makeup is arguably one of the most relatable things Lopez has ever done, and on one hand, I love that she's showing a more casual side of herself. On the other, I'm wincing a little. Sleeping in eye makeup can be a recipe for ocular disaster because the area is sensitive and prone to irritation. That irritation can lead to more serious issues, including “contact dermatitis, dry skin, hyperpigmentation, and issues on the lid margin such as blepharitis [an eye condition that causes itchy, burning eyes or lids]," according to New York-based, board-certified optometrist Jennifer Tsai, OD.
Additionally, “Sleeping with eye makeup can cause buildup of bacteria on the lid margin and lead to clogging of the meibomian glands,” Dr. Tsai says. “These glands are critical to produce oil as part of your tear film, and if they become clogged, this eventually leads to dry eyes.” New York-based board-certified ophthalmologist Ashley Brissette, MD, seconds this and regales to Allure how much worse things can get if makeup travels into your eye overnight. It can “lead to irritation and scratches, or even infections,” she explains.
Is this what the kids call “balletcore?”
Because the eye area is sensitive, both doctors recommend using gentle cleansers, particularly micellar water, makeup removers, and cleansing balms, to remove eye makeup.
Many can probably relate to J.Lo sleeping in her makeup, even if you look less glamorous than her when you do it (I know I do). But don't forgo your nightly cleanse even if your bed is calling your name; sacrificing a few minutes of sleep is better than dealing with an eye infection later.
This article was originally published on Allure.
