The skin on your eyelid is the thinnest on your body — about 0.55 mm — and it sits just 1–2 mm from the tear duct. Eye makeup also stays on the longest of any product: 12 to 16 hours. That combination is exactly why what your eyeliner and mascara are made of deserves a closer look.
The “forever chemicals” problem
A 2021 University of Notre Dame study tested 231 cosmetics and found PFAS markers in 82% of waterproof mascaras — and in most cases the substances were not listed on the label. PFAS are nicknamed “forever chemicals” because they do not break down; the US CDC/ATSDR link high exposure to effects on the kidneys and thyroid. They are used to make eye makeup smudge-proof and long-wearing.
The allergens hiding in eye makeup
Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives (such as Quaternium-15 and DMDM hydantoin), colophony and shellac are among the most-reported triggers of eyelid allergy in conventional eye makeup. None of them appear in our COSMOS-certified formulas.
An honest trade-off
Our eye makeup is not “plastic-strong” waterproof — it removes with warm water. That is deliberate: extreme staying-power comes from the very chemistry we avoid, and gentle removal is kinder to your lashes and lids over time.
See our Organic Liquid Eyeliner or explore certified-organic makeup.
Sources
- Whitehead et al., Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 2021 — doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00240
- US CDC / ATSDR — PFAS health information
- North American Contact Dermatitis Group / Dermatitis
- COSMOS-Standard — cosmos-standard.org