EyeVida is a new beauty reminder system designed to help consumers remember when to replace makeup and skin care products. The product, launched by Melissa Barnett, OD, FAAO, FSLS, FBLCA, ACC is intended to address the gap between clinical advice and daily beauty habits.
Dr. Barnett says she has advised patients for years that older makeup products can bring bacteria into direct contact with ocular mucous membranes, risking chronic inflammation. However, many patients continue using products longer than recommended because contamination is not visible or because the products are expensive, she says.
True Beauty Remembers
EyeVida, which carries the tagline “True Beauty Remembers,” is a simple replacement-tracking system that contains includes 144 month stickers, with 12 stickers for each month. Users place the appropriate sticker on a product when it is opened, creating a visible reminder of when it should be replaced. For example, a mascara or liquid eyeliner opened in June would receive a September sticker, reflecting the three-month replacement timeline.
According to Dr. Barnett, general replacement timelines for beauty products include:
- Mascara and liquid eyeliner: 3 months
- Vitamin C serums and eye creams: about 6 months
- Foundation, concealer and moisturizer: 12 months
- Lipstick and powder products: up to 24 months
“As an eye doctor, I often see irritation, inflammation, and infections, including styes—associated with expired or overused beauty products, usually without people realizing the cause,” Dr. Barnett says.
Why to Replace Beauty Products
EyeVida includes an insert from Dr. Barnett explaining the importance of replacing beauty products. The system is designed for cosmetics and skin care products that may become contaminated or degrade over time, including mascara, eyeliner, eye shadow, face serums, lip products, foundations, concealers, and moisturizers.
Dr. Barnett explains that products that do not come directly into contact with the eyes are problematic as well. “Face serums break down, which can be a trigger for eczema or rosacea,” she says. “Lip products are rife with bacteria because they come into contact with saliva at every use. And when people use the same brushes or their fingers to apply foundations or concealers, infections can occur.”
Further Education
The EyeVida website also includes educational information on cosmetic contamination and replacement timing. For instance, it cites a 2019 study in the Journal of Applied Microbiology that found bacterial contamination in 79% to 90% of used cosmetics, including mascara and lip gloss.
EyeVida is available through the product website and on Amazon.
For more information, contact EyeVida here.