Eww! So Sleeping In Your Make-Up Is Even More Gross Than You Thought

It’s late. Like, really late, and you can’t quite muster up the energy to grab a face wipe of your dresser and swipe off your make-up.

What’s the worse that could happen, eh? Surely your skin will just look a bit dull and dry in the morning, and maybe, just maybe, an extra pimple might pop up, right?

Um, wrong, because apparently sleeping in your make-up (especially when you do it regularly) can have fairly nasty consequences.

And it’s not just pimples you need to worry about; it’s infections.

Dr Sue Ann Wee, an NYC-based dermatolgoist, tells Byrdie that some make-up harbours harmful pathogens which can result in inflammation and skin infections, and in some cases may cause an allergic reaction, if not removed before bed.

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In particular, infections like blepharitis and conjunctivitis can flare up by failing to remove your make-up, and you may encounter red, blotchy (and sometimes painful) skin irritations as well as swelling.

Dr Wee adds that the eye area is particularly vulnerable explaining that left on mascara or liner can “result in both allergic and irritant contact dermatitis of the skin or red, itchy flaky patches.”

Worse again, dried on mascara weakens the lashes and can cause them to come out in clumps. Yikes!

The moral of the story? Sleeping with your slap on really isn’t worth it, and those 10 extra seconds of effort before sleep could save you some major agro come morning.

• Beauty
• skin
• skincare