Alexia asks: I was genetically condemned with the most colorless lashes in the world, which make me look like an alien or a corpse (or maybe an alien corpse?) I was thinking about dying my lashes but I found that it’s illegal in some places because several people went blind! Then, I found a product called Colorsport 30-day Mascara, which is supposed to be a permanent eyelash color. I’m desperate to try it, but I’m also partial to eyesight. Will I go blind if I dye my lashes?
The Right Brain shows her the light:
You’re right, Alexia, in the U.S. eyelash dying products are considered to be illegal and unsafe.
What is eyelash dye?
Eyelash dying products use the same kind of dyes as permanent hair colors. For example, the Colorsport product you mentioned contains 2-Chloro-p-phenylenediamine; 2,6 Diaminopyridine and m-Aminophenol. These chemicals are referred to as “oxidative dyes” because they must be mixed with an oxidizing agent (usually hydrogen peroxide) before they will work. The oxidizing agent causes the dye molecules to polymerize, or link together, to create intense shades.
Why is dying lashes dangerous?
Oxidative dyes are very reactive chemicals and can induce an allergic reaction in some people that causes painful rash or even blistering. That’s why permanent hair colors instruct you to test the product on a small spot of your skin before applying it to your scalp. (Not many people do it, but read the label on your Clairol or L’Oreal dye and you’ll see it.) Since your eyes are even more sensitive than your scalp, an allergic reaction there is much more dangerous. There have been a few cases, dating back to the 1930s, of women being blinded (and even killed!) from allergic reactions to these kinds of dyes.
That’s why the U.S. FDA says these dyes represent “an acute, severe hazard to health with the possibility of permanent injury; i.e.,impaired sight, including blindness.”
“Permanent eyelash and eyebrow tints and dyes have been known to cause serious eye injuries, including blindness. There are no color additives approved by FDA for permanent dyeing or tinting of eyelashes and eyebrows.”
How can Colorsport sell an illegal product?
There are two reasons : First, Colorsport is made in the UK and these products are not illegal there because the jurisdiction of the FDA is limited to the US. For reasons we can’t fathom, the European Union does not seem to be as concerned about this danger and so there are several eyelash dyes available in the UK. The FDA tries to stop these products from being brought into the US but it’s tough to stop people from ordering them online.
Second, there are salons in the US that still offer this service but they’re just that are just ignoring the law (and the danger!) They use the argument that “I’ve been dying eyelashes for years and never had a problem.” But the reality is, every credible source on this topic says that the risk is not worth the reward. So stick with a good mascara and leave the hair dyes off your lashes.
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wow, im glad i didn’t buy it… thanks brains
A “wow” from me, too. I wondered why I was seeing this service at some salons if it was considered dangerous. I thought maybe there were new safer ingredients.
Thanks, Beauty Brains, for helping us not waste our money AND protecting our well being!
Actually, there IS a safe eyelash dye that is absolutely fabulous! The name of it is Swiss O Par. It comes in brown and black.
:)
NO HYDROGEN PEROXIDE AND NO TAR. FDA APPROVED. The website has more extensive information on their product. Check out the link here. http://www.eyestodyefor.com/
Happy Eyelash Tinting!
Spangle
You have to see this. The power of make-up. click to view:
The Power of Make-up
hey just wanted you girls to know that there is a product out there for dying the lashes that does NOT contain the same stuff as hair dyes….it also takes much less time…it takes about 1-2 seconds to work. there is a chemical reaction but its NOT the one that is in hair dyes and its not dangerous, especially since you only leave it on for 2 seconds and thats not a lot of time to “drip” I know for sure that its called “Swiss O’ Par” and I have used it myself. I dont remember what the dying ingredient is but I think it contains silver…or something like that
I looked at the Swiss O Par website and I have to say I’m a bit skeptical. I’m suspicious of any company that makes wild claims and doesn’t even have the guts to put their ingredients on their website. What is the stuff? Why should anyone believe what the company is saying?
If it is ANY chemical reaction I certainly couldn’t recommend that people use it. Until we see more information (like an ingredient list) I say Beauty Brain community, stay away. These are your eyes we’re talking about.
I have been looking into buying the Swiss O Par. The last few times I have dyed my lashes, I got a chemical burn. Here are the ingredients- bleching agent- 1,2,4 trihydroxybenzene, citric acid, sodium sulflite, disodium PEG5 laurylcitrate, sulfosuccinate SLS.Dye elements contain-silver nitrate, ammonium hydroxide, acrylates/C10-3- Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer. Should I buy it?
You can get eyelash tint from brands like neutrogena and such which are more natural than mascara. It takes 2 seconds to apply and you shouldn’t lose your eyesight from it.
I love having my eyelashes dyed. I come from Australia and cannot believe that you cannot get it done in the US. I believe that Australia uses vegetable dyes and the blue black makes my eyes awesome. Are these dyes somehow different to others? Wish I could find out more.
I had my eyelashes tinted and the tech wasn’t very professional with making sure all the dye was off of my lashes before having me open my eyes. I suffered chemical burns from the dye and had much more problems from it. I wish I never tinted them.
To “S”. I, too had chemical burns after having my lashes dyed. It’s now a year and 1/2 later and I still suffer from severe dry eye, redness and irritation.
Although there is no evidence of the burns now, it has left damage to the eye. Reaching out to you as you went through the same thing. Did your eyes improve after time? I wish I had never done it as well.
I use Swiss O Par and I love it. It does work really freak’n fast. I have sensitive skin but I’ve never had an allergic reaction to this product. Being clutsy, I have gotten it right in my eyes twice, it stung a bit, I rinsed it out and was fine. I originally bought it from a Shopper Drug Mart in Toronto.When I heard they wouldn’t be carrying it anymore, I bought their last 3 kits. The salons I’ve been to used either ColorSport or Swiss O Par. My suggestion, get it done at a salon – at least once (they can get right to the lash line better than I ever could). Don’t cheap out on the salon, pick a good one, where they take care of you. A couple of years ago, the price was $17.50, my last one cost $25 (plus tip) and I had good experiences. IMPORTANT: Don’t be afraid to ask them to stop/pause/wait if you start to tear up. If you cry, the colour will run, and then it’ll start to sting a little, then a little more. If that ever happens, DON’T try to tough it out! My eyes always water when they have me look up at that bright light. Now, I get it done with the lights dimmed and its fine. It actually doesn’t need to sit long at all, when I’ve done it at home, the colour change is almost instant. Like they say, it last between 4-6 weeks. Hope this helps.
The last time i went to a salon to have my eyelashes tinted, the woman was so rough removing the dye that i saw scary lines inhibiting my eyesight the next day. Had to see an opthamologist & leave my eyes alone for a while.
I have been using Refectocil for a long time, on & off, which i buy from a Beauty Supply store on Yonge Street, Toronto.
However, i recently ordered & received 1000 Hour Brow & Lash tint from Australia and tried that out yesterday. The first thing i noticed on the dye tube was the word “poison”….YIKES – went ahead & tried it anyway, being very freaking careful.
Was not impressed with the results, so went over it with my Refectocil for better results.
I use a large magnifying mirror to apply any dye to my lashes cuz this helps in applying any dye.
I do like the applicator that comes with the 1000 hours, and i will try it again. I like to give beauty items 2 or 3 chances before tossing it out.
At my age, and lacking in nice lashes & brows, all i can suggest is to be very careful applying dyes on your own. Make sure the time you start is very quiet, no ringing telephones, or people running around you.
Once you get the hang of it, it beats paying through the nose to someone who might land up hurting your eyes.
@Kathy – I think that video should be called “The Power of Photoshop”.
I live in the SF Bay Area of CA. For several years in the late 90s, I routinely visited a salon to have my light blonde lashes tinted with what was claimed to be a vegetable dye. I never had a problem with irritation from the dye.
While the results were nice, they were hardly dramatic, as my lashes are so short and sparse. What I really needed were lash extensions! LOL
Frankly, given the crappy lashes that nature gave me, it really wasn’t worth the time and money to keep the visits up on a regular basis, so I quit going.
I too have used Swiss O Par and though I found it messy, it gave very good results. I did get a bit in my eye and it stung, but I did not have an allergic reaction or any pain or stinging following application. I think I will continue to use it to dye my eyebrows, but not my lashes. (I really do need mascara for it’s thickening and lengthening properties; eyelash dye doesn’t do enough for my lashes.)
Anyway, I purchased the brown Swiss O Par on eBay and it is a nice, deep brown. It’s pricey buying it in the US as most people who sell it on eBay bring it back from Europe and sell it at a markup. But even at $20 with about 8-10 applications in a box, it’s well worth the money to me. It lasts about 4 to 6 weeks.
Im from the uk and studying beauty therapy and we tint our eyelashes and eyebrows a lot and its never hurt any of us
I used Swiss O Par, but to me, it wasn’t worth the money. The two chemicals that one is supposed to mix together to get the final dye solution do not mix very well. They look very clumpy and keep separating. Although there is some initial difference in color of the eyelashes, that difference is way too insignificant and subtle to cost you over $15. You certainly do not get rid of your mascara by using this product, like they claim on their website. It does work better on eyebrows than on lashes, however, so I would recommend it to someone who wants to dye their brows a darker shade. But getting black eye lashes remains an empty dream for me.
I use Roux Eyebrow & Eyelash Tint that you can purchase at Sally’s Beauty Supply. I use the black as I really want my eyelashes to stand out. I am naturally blond but dye the hair on my head different shades of brown/black depending on my mood. My eyebrows and eyelashes are so light blond that I call them “clear”. The Roux tint (dye) lasts 4-6 weeks, it’s permanent, so it lasts as long as your eyebrows/eyelashes take to shed. I have never had an allergic or negative reaction to this product. If I accidentally stick it “in my eye”, which I have done a few times, it burns a bit until I wipe it out. For me, using the black makes it possible to not wear any mascara at all. I love it!
Have just tried coulor-sport and am now the proud owner of some fab eyebrows!! Was a bit scared but heres how i did it………first i ran lots of vaseline into my eyebrows…then i dried my brows with the hairdrier [this makes them stand out] then safely applied the cream.vaseline protects skin ..Dont forget to wash it off after!
I live here in the UK and this is the first time I have heard about these ingredients being banned. I am a qualified therapist and have been having my eyelashes and brows tinted for years but NO MORE I will not be having it done again nor will it be a service that I will offer to my clients eyesight is far too precious to loose I am afraid I am on a mission girls lol
Does this mean there really is not much of a danger if you’re using the same product you have used for years since the real risk is caused from an allergic reaction? I have been going to the same salon for the past two years because a friend of mine was offering their services for free. When she stopped working there, she bought the products i used so I could continue dying my lashes and brows at home. After using the refectocil at home though, I noticed a very blatant warning label repeated four times on the box, tube and instructions. The warnings really freaked me out =/ Until I searched online for dangers, I thought she might have accidentally bought the wrong product. Seems quite clear now though that there are no US eyelash dying products.
additionally, are eyebrows a lot safer since it is much more difficult to get the dye in your actual eye? I know I won’t accidentally make that mistake so should I cease my concern?
I have been a beautician(in Australia) and also an aestetician in the United States. I have been using eyelash and brow dyes for 35 years! I have had 2 customers in all that time that had a reaction. They had a rey eye for 24hours with no other ongoing problem. I have even flicked a chunk of dye in my own eyes as I was attempting to dye my own with eyes open. Had no short or long term problem.
I think part of the bad rap they have received is some salons are probably using too strong a peroxide to mix with the eyelash dyes. Using a 3% solution is safer and will less likely cause problems.
If you are blonde or have vitiligo this is a much needed beauty fix. Nothing like looking in the mirror first thing in the morning and you have eyes and eyebrows. it really frames your face. All the products available are european.
I hope this helps some of you see things from a professional perspective.
i just haaaaaaaaaaaaad to post! I have been dying my eyelashes since i knew what eyelash dye was, which was a couple years back now. i lived in canada so i guess we can do it here haha, its so safe or why would so many people do it?? i get mine done at a salon because i fear with my clumsyness id get it in my eye ( which wont blinde you it just feels like you poked urself in ur eye with mascara, so just let urself tear up n ur ok ) but anyway, i have girlfriends that use 30-day mascara and it works wonders!
but this is just my 2 cents!