It’s been 16 years since I’ve been on the staff at Happi. One of the perks of covering household and personal care products is testing the goods. Editors have access to product samples to review and give life to the news we consider in the illustrious pages of Happi.
 
However, the odds rise for mistakes when we get to test assorted products—the more times we get to spritz that new fragrance or swipe that skincare SKU, there is a small chance of an allergic reaction. Or, improper usage if we don’t follow directions or consider the components and how they might work (or not work!) to your advantage.
 
I am on my third beauty blunder as a beauty editor—the past offenses involving a sunscreen and allergic reaction that resulted in topicals and pills as well as an exfoliation device that aggravated hereditary rosacea. Today I ended up at the eye doctor for trying a different eye makeup remover.
 
For the past year or two, my go-to has been mass market eye makeup wipes. It’s portable and so effective! However, while scoping #beauty trends on @TikTok, one #influencer noted that makeup wipes can cause micro tears in the eye region and increase aging and wrinkles. Not wanting that, I decided to try a different eye makeup removal resource.
 
A sample of a prestige cleansing balm showed up at my desk right on time for the test. With luxurious packaging and a rich texture, I tried this product as a makeup remover. It was touted for sensitive skin and even is doctor approved.
 
What I didn’t think was that I’d actually end up at a doctor a few days later.
 
Over the weekend and after only two uses, my eyelids started to feel heavy and I woke up with irritation. By Monday morning I was off to seek medical assistance. After an exam, the specialist determined that my tear ducts have clogged from the oil. He prescribed both medical eye drops and pills to treat the condition.
 
Lesson learned? If it ain’t broke—don’t fix it! My trusty makeup wipes will be back in action once I can actually wear eye makeup again.