Do you ever wonder why you often get eye infections, or chapped lips? Or how your fairly smooth skin suddenly developed an acne-like issue? Chances are you are going to bed with makeup on. 

It is common to be too exhausted to do anything once one gets home, but, dermatologists have many times stated the need to wash the makeup off before going to bed. 

"A lot can make us forget to remove our makeup, it could be exhaustion and all you want is to get into bed,” says Aida Uwamahoro, a university graduate, who shares her own experience regarding sleeping with makeup on.

A lesson learned

"Women love things that make them look beautiful, or enhance their features, and so makeup was one of my favourite things back in university. I always wanted to look beautiful for my morning classes and for work as I was working as a receptionist at a hotel. I had to look beautiful and presentable, but remembering to wash it off before bed was another thing,” she says.

She would get home tired, unable to do anything, and so would go to sleep with makeup on. It started with the consolation that she would wash it off in the morning, and that it wouldn’t be a habit. 

"I started sleeping with makeup on telling myself it was a one-time thing, but it slowly turned into a habit, and because my skin didn’t look affected, I thought all the ‘dangers’ people talked about were mere exaggeration. But it did not end well,” she says.

Uwamahoro started having skin sores, and eventually, acne. Her skin was in bad shape, and the skin products she bought to help with the problems didn’t work. She decided to see a dermatologist who advised her to start a skincare routine and stop the bad habit. She followed the advice, which eventually worked and made her skin healthier.

She never thought that something like makeup could cause such skin problems, and many people could be doing the same, thinking nothing will happen.

Wash it off

Dr Francoise Gahongayire, a dermatologist, says that nothing can affect your skin if well taken care of, even while using makeup. 

"A healthy skin is a clean skin, so if you sleep with makeup on you are not allowing the skin to breath at night, the complete replacement of damaged tissue with new tissue which we call regeneration that normally happens at night can’t take place,” he says. 

At night, your skin switches from ‘protect’ mode to ‘repair’, and it’s time for the skin to recover from the day’s stress. 

"Melatonin and human growth hormone (HGH) production are boosted, which in turn accelerates skin regeneration and the production of antioxidant enzymes,”

Dr Gahongayire says, adding that sleeping with makeup one can cause a lot of damage to the skin, causing allergies and dry skin, so it is best to have a skincare routine, and if any changes are seen on your skin, see a doctor and get treatment. 

Understand your skin 

Ivan Mugemanyi, a makeup artist, says people have different skin, and it handles makeup its own way. 

"Not all skin has issues when it comes to makeup. I have worked with many people and all of them had different stories regarding makeup. There could be someone with no skincare routine and still has flawless skin, and someone who never misses a routine but still has problems.

"I would advise makeup users and even those who don’t to take care of their skin, drink enough water, eat healthy and moisturise their skin,” he adds.

"A simple and effective night wash routine can make cleansing your face before sleep a relaxing and easy process. Failing to remove makeup creates a barrier on your skin, preventing the absorption of skin products. Be sure to always remove makeup before sleeping so that moisturizing and anti-aging products can take effect,” an article published by Dermatology Consultants of Short Hills states. 

During the cell turnover process, the aforementioned article states, new skin cells push to the surface while your skin sheds old cells. Makeup traps these dead skin cells, leaving a dull complexion while causing your skin to appear aged. Throughout the day, dirt and makeup become trapped from oxidative stress, causing the skin barrier to break down. Sleeping with makeup prevents the skin from this much-needed renewal, resulting in healthy collagen breaking down. Light is unable to reflect off the skin, making your skin appear old and rough. As makeup interrupts cell turnover, fine lines and wrinkles can occur. To keep skin looking radiant and youthful, allow your skin to rejuvenate by removing your makeup!

"Residual eye makeup can irritate eye tissue, and cause eye infections. Mascara and thick liner clogs tiny hair follicles and oil glands on your eyelids. When you fail to remove mascara, eyelashes become fragile and can break off quicker. Meanwhile, sleeping with lipstick on causes lips to lose moisture and become chapped. If you want to keep your skin healthy, all makeup needs to come off; otherwise, it can have disastrous effects,” the consultants note.