Cosmetics That Care for Eyes

In the realm of eye health, true innovation lies in preventive care.

Topical skincare products can contribute to ocular surface disease, and with the majority of individuals using facial skincare and cosmetics regularly, understanding this link is essential. Over 90 percent of women under 55 use cosmetics, and more than 50 percent of girls as young as 12 use mascara that can damage the ocular surface. In addition, the male grooming market is expanding rapidly. Many patients apply cosmetics and skincare products around their eyes on a daily basis, not just makeup! But such products remain largely unregulated, containing ingredients that can disrupt the delicate periocular and skin microbiome.

A recent TFOS Lifestyle report, “Impact of cosmetics on the ocular surface,” highlights a critical link between lifestyle choices – including cosmetics use and clinical treatments – and ocular health, showing that certain ingredients and procedures can be harmful to the eyes (1). Such ingredients are toxic to meibomian gland epithelial, corneal, and conjunctival cells, even at concentrations thousands of times lower than cosmetic regulations permit, exacerbating dry eye symptoms and ocular surface disease. Moreover, infections and disruptions to the skin, nasal, and gut microbiomes can trigger inflammation, contributing to autoimmune dry eye disease.

Eye-safe skin care
 

Èyes Are The Story from ÈSSIRI Labs is a range of cosmetics and skincare products that is clinically proven to be safe for sensitive eyes and skin and could help prevent lifestyle related dry eye. The first optocosmetics brand to leverage ocular surface science, ÈYES is developed with eye-safe ingredients, removing harmful chemicals commonly found in conventional cosmetics and skincare products. ÈYES products are formulated without ingredients such as formaldehyde, parabens, and retinols, which can disrupt the periocular microbiome and damage eye cells.

When integrated into eye care protocols and mainstream cosmetic routines, ÈYES products have the potential to reduce the burden of dry eye disease through preventive care, allowing patients to actively support and maintain their eye health between visits to their eye care practitioner (ECP). The range caters to informed consumers seeking safe beauty options that avoid eye-related issues while enhancing aesthetics. It also offers ECPs a tool to extend clinical care at-home, promoting a healthier periocular microbiome and reducing eye sensitivity. Just as daily teethbrushing maintains oral hygiene, ÈYES supports daily periocular hygiene to protect, preserve, and optimize the ocular surface.

ÈYES can enhance the effectiveness of in-clinic treatments and even surgical outcomes. Dr. Rachna Murthy,* a consultant ophthalmic, aesthetic, oculoplastic, and reconstructive surgeon at FaceRestoration London, previously Cambridge University Hospital & East Suffolk NHS Trust, notes that her patients “expect optimal surgical outcomes, minimal downtime, and a quick return to their routines, even attending black-tie events shortly after blepharoplasty.” Dr. Murthy’s practice however was an early adopter of Èyes Are The Story – and with these products, she says, she is able to “have patients ready for public appearances within days, and I’ve seen dramatic improvements in rosacea and sensitive eye conditions even before beginning other treatments.”

Setting a new standard
 

Securing EU approval is a significant challenge for US-made brands, given the stark contrast in regulations – only 11 chemicals are banned in the US, while over 1,300 are restricted in the EU. Èyes Are The Story, however, is currently approved in more than 30 countries, and selling in the US, Canada, France, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. The range’s formulations are grounded in peer-reviewed, science-based research, with clinical trials underscoring ÈSSIRI Labs’ commitment to advancing beauty products that prioritize eye health and set a new standard for responsible, science-driven cosmetics.

In an age that values longevity and wellness, Èyes Are The Story establishes a new benchmark for safety in beauty, leading a movement that aligns with the priorities of a health-conscious, globally minded, and aesthetically discerning audience.

Patient VISIA skin analysis (courtesy of Dr. R Murthy). Images show cutaneous and subcutaneous redness indicating rosacea. Left: Before ÈYES topical skin and eye care. Right: One month after ÈYES topical skin and eye care. NB. The patient has consented for publication of her photographs on VISIA. (VISIA, Canfield Scientific, Inc., New Jersey USA.)

* Rachna Murthy BSc (Hons) MB BS FRCOphth, Consultant Ophthalmic, Aesthetic, Oculoplastic & Reconstructive Surgeon, FaceRestoration.com; Allergan Medical Institute Faculty – Complications; Council Royal Society of Medicine (Ophthalmology Section). Previously Consultant Ophthalmologist, Oculoplastic & Reconstructive Surgeon, Cambridge University Hospital & East Suffolk NHS Trust.

For more details, please contact info@essirilabs.com or visit eyesarethestory.com