Washing Eyes With Baby Shampoo | Is Baby Shampoo Safe for Inflamed Eyelids?

How To Clean Eyelids With Baby Shampoo

The short answer to how to clean your eyelids with baby shampoo is...

Don't Do It!

For years, eye doctors told their patients to clean their eyelids with baby shampoo. It seemed like a simple solution - no tears, right? But actually, using baby shampoo as a cleanser can be harmful for those with irritated eyes and eyelids.

Baby shampoo contains multiple synthetic ingredients and detergents that throw off the pH balance of your eyelids, and many of the ingredients can actually lead to eye allergies (including Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Phenoxyethanol, and fragrance). It's difficult to even pronounce most of the ingredients! These harsh chemicals can irritate your eyes, which is the exact opposite of the outcome you're looking for.

Don't use baby shampoo to clean your eyelids

Inflamed Eyelids: Definition & Causes

Inflammation of the eyelids comes in many forms, but the symptoms most experience are all very similar. This may include "crusties" that form along your eyelash margin and eyelashes. This crust is made up of dead skin cells and bacteria, and can cause eye irritation and redness if left untreated.

Forgetting to properly clean your eyelids daily can contribute to build-up on your eyelids and lashes. In turn, this contributes to inflammation of the eyelids and eventually inflammation of the eyes. Other things that can worsen this issue are Demodex eyelash mites. These little parasites live in our eyelash follicles and feed on the oils and bacteria there...yet another reason to keep those eyelids and eyelashes squeaky clean!

What Do I Clean My Eyelids With Instead?

With all of the bacteria that naturally live on our eyelids and skin, it is so important that those who suffer from eyelid conditions ensure that they're keeping everything clean. Eyelid cleansing should be done twice per day, similar to when you brush your teeth.

Thankfully, there are much more effective ways of cleaning than using harsh baby shampoo, and a hypochlorous-based cleanser is a wonderful option. Hypochlorous acid is made naturally in your body by neutrophils, and it's a very gentle option for this purpose.

This particular spray is effective yet super gentle, and it requires no scrubbing. If you want to keep it super simple, spray it onto a cotton ball or round and apply to the base of your eyelashes. There's no need to even rinse it off.

The Heyedrate Lid and Lash Cleanser contains just 3 ingredients:

Hypochlorous Acid, Electrolyzed Water, and Sodium Chloride.

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Shampoo in Your Eye? Do This...

Now that you've learned all about how to cleanse your eyelids properly, let's quickly cover a topic we get asked about all the time. What are you supposed to do when you get shampoo in your eye? If you've been using baby shampoo on your eyelids, this won't burn your eyes because it is gentle enough for those little humans in your life. However, if you're in the shower and some of your everyday shampoo in your hair runs down into your eyes, you'll need to take quick action.

First, make sure to run water over your eyelids (and you might even want to open your eyes slightly to really rinse your eyes out). You'll want to continue rinsing your eyes for 2-3 minutes so that no more soap is left in your eyes. Once you've done that, your eyes are going to feel irritated and dry because of the shampoo and the dousing of water, but this is normal and will subside. Use a hypochlorous acid cleanser to ensure that your eyelids are clean and free of shampoo, and then consider using some preservative free artificial tears in the hours following.

5 Alternatives to Baby Shampoo

5. Wash Face with Tea Tree Oil Soap

Washing your face is so important, and we recommend a tea tree oil based face wash. Once or twice per day, remove all makeup and lather on your face wash, ensuring that you rinse thoroughly (especially if using the product around the eyes).

4. Hypochlorous Acid Eyelid Cleanser

After washing your face, cleanse your eyelids with a hypochlorous acid solution. Hypochlorous acid is made naturally by the body, and it's a fantastic cleanser for the eyelids and lashes (as we discussed above). It is nontoxic, gentle, and easy to use. Simply spray the solution onto a cotton ball or round, rub it into the base of your eyelashes, and let it dry. There's no need to rinse!

3. Heat With a Warm Compress

Yes, heat! After you remove your makeup (we recommend using a tea tree eyelid wipe) and wash your face, use a warm compress. A warm compress eye mask can be beneficial for helping heat up the oil within the meibomian glands. When this oil is hardened and stagnant, the glands can begin to atrophy (which we don't want). A warm compress may help loosen the oil and get it flowing normally when used consistently. The MediViz Mask with Removable Cover is a great option.

2. BlephEx or NuLids

When bacteria accumulate, they begin to form biofilm. Biofilm is a subtance that acts like a fortress for bacteria, protecting it from anything trying to remove it. It is hard to penetrate, so using NuLids at home or having BlephEx done in your doctor's office can support the health of your eyelids. NuLids is easy to use and takes only 60 seconds per day. If that's not something you're comfortable with, ask your doctor about BlephEx.

1. Eyelid Wipes

Eyelid wipes are a great way to keep you healthy eyelids and eyes. Specifically formulated eyelid wipes are gentle and easy to use. Tear open the individually wrapped wipes, close your eyes, and wipe back and forth. No need to rinse off. We like the MediViz Eyelid Wipes with Tea Tree Oil.

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We, Eye Love, LLC, are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. MediViz and Heyedrate branded products are made by our company, Eye Love, but we truly believe that our products are the best on the market! It is important to know that our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

This is my third mask

This is my third mask. I use it every morning for my dry eye therapy.

The wash is good but the new pump head is bad

The wash is good but the new pump is bad. After less than 10 pumps, the pump head got stuck and I need to pull it up manually. I like the old package better. Please improve the pump head.

Wouldn’t live without

I would not live without these cleaners! They have helped me so much with my dry eye

Face and eye foam wash.

I love this product! It keeps my face clean without causing wrinkles, and it also keeps me from having eyelid issues. It is a very good everyday maintenance product for face.

I cannot make it without this spray

I cannot make it without this spray. I’ve used it for years. Thank you for this product.

love

love this item

Love the Foam Wash and Cleanser!

I love the Foam Wash and Cleanser! I was recently diagnosed with MGD and an increase of eyelash mites. After I started using these products in addition to warm eye compresses and preservative-free drops, it made a huge difference. The mask didn't work for me, it was a bit too heavy and the pressure was uncomfortable. I have glaucoma and am sensitive to extra pressure on my eyes, but it does hold heat wonderfully and I'm sure it's great for a lot of people. But EyeLove refunded the cost of the mask after I reached out. Amazing customer service!

Excellent

Excellent product!!!

I wish EyeLove would bring back the bar soap

I wish EyeLove would bring back the bar soap. The foam is too drying to use on the whole face. The bar soap worked wonders for my rosacea and was not drying like the foam.

I love it

I love it. It really keeps those little glands in your eyelids from clogging so much.

I'm a senior (87) and I love my Lid and Lash cleanser - been using it for years

I'm a senior (87) and I love my Lid and Lash cleanser - been using it for years.

I have been using this product for a few years and I am very happy it

I have been using this product for a few years and I am very happy it.

it really helps my

it really helps my Blephariitis

Heyedrate Lid & Lash Cleanser is my daily start to my face cleaning and nourishing ritual

Heyedrate Lid & Lash Cleanser is my daily start to my face cleaning and nourishing ritual, both morning and taking off my sunscreen at night. Works Great!!

I just love using this to spritz my face after washing my eyes out

I just love using this to spritz my face after washing my eyes out. It is so refreshing and clean feeling especially in the hot summer days.

By a person with blepharitis

I talked to a person with blepharitis and ocular rosacea. She highly recommended this. I’ve only used it a couple of weeks, but my eyes feel less itchy and much better. I think this will be a great tool in my ongoing battle with blepharitis.

I want to cancel the subscription and you refuse

I want to cancel the subscription and you refuse to!

These are excellent for getting rid of crusty eyelids and removing any residual mascara

These are excellent for getting rid of crusty eyelids and removing any residual mascara. I split one in half and use half in the morning and the other half at night.

I am so happy with the lash cleaner

I am so happy with the lash cleaner. My eyes feel much beter than the previous foam stuff my eye doctor started me on. I just started the vitamins. All I can say is that I think they are helping but it's early. I will be reordering these

Can’t do without these pills

Can’t do without these pills. They help so much!

Love the product! Please start a refill process or bigger bottles!

LOVE Heyedrate Foaming Tea Tree Face Wash and Eyelid Cleanser! It doesn't dry out my skin, it eliminates acne, and makes my skin feel and look great! ONLY request I have is to be more environmentally friendly and sell the product in bigger bottles to use less waste...please! I would make a refill station in my town if you needed one! LOVE the product, just not the packaging. Thank you!

Very pleased!

Works great!

I haven't used any other face wash since I found

I haven't used any other face wash since I found this one

It’s great stuff

Like to have it and sometimes more is better!

Bring back the bar soap PLEASE!!!!

Bring back the bar soap PLEASE!!!! It works SO well for dry eye AND rosacea. If you want to make more profit, sell it in a smaller size or charge more per bar! It was the best product for folks like me suffering from dry eye, rosacea and I had a friend who had a sty and she said it was a “miracle soap”. Soap bars are also great for travel. Thank you!