Add water to mascara? Looking beautiful, it’s not only a state of mind. It takes that perfect morning makeup ritual. Mascara is that ideal item to help offer you fuller and longer-looking eyelashes that will help make your eyes pop and complete that perfect look.

While mascara is a relatively inexpensive makeup product that will offer you excellent results, sometimes, your perfect shade of color will dry out in the tube.

Can I add water to mascara?

Never add water to dried-out mascara. By introducing additional water into your mascara tube, you will alter the formula and change the end results and look of the product. Additionally, adding water can introduce other bacteria into the container. This introduction increases the likelihood of infections and irritations around your eyes. This liquid, especially tap water, contains bacteria and is a risk you should never take.

Also consider, if your mascara has dried out, it is likely near to its expiration date. Here, the likelihood that your mascara has gone bad has increased. Remember, mascara has a shelf life of between 2 to 4 months.

Why you shouldn’t add water to mascara.

As indicated, tap water contains bacteria. If you had this to your dried-out mascara, then you risk the likelihood of increasing bacteria production within the mascara tube.

This bacteria, along with other germs and dust particles from daily use on your eyelashes, will greatly reduce the useful life of your mascara.

Contaminated mascara can offer you several health risks and irritations around the eyes. These items, such as pink eye or conjunctivitis and skin irritations, likely mean that your mascara has gone bad.

Manufacturers will generally indicate that you should change out your mascara every six months. This period may be an optimistic time frame. I recommend changing your mascara every 2 to 4 months to ensure that you are receiving the best results from the formula. Additionally, this practice will help avoid infections and irritations.

What should you do if your mascara dries out?

If your mascara dries out, the first and obvious answer is to throw it away.

You might consider that you were throwing money down the drain, but you are simply safeguarding your health.

To help reduce the likelihood of your mascara going bad, consider the following items:

Only purchase one to two items of mascara at a time.

Once you make your purchase, date the packages to know when you purchase them. In addition, you should always date or take note of when you opened the tube. This way, you can accurately track the amount of time you’ve been using this product.

If you have additional unopened tubes in mascara, you should store them in a cool, dry place. The refrigerator is the perfect location to keep unused and unopened Mascara good for between 1 to 2 years.

You might also want to consider purchasing travel-size mascara tubes. While your price per ounce may be more than buying regular-sized tubes, you will most likely use the entire tube and then move on to the next.

When it comes to your eyes, the price of a discarded tube of mascara should never be a consideration. This inexpensive makeup product is readily available, so hoarding is not needed.

Can I add water to mascara to thin it?

Never use water to thin your mascara. The risks are too significant, and this practice should be avoided.

If you need to thin your mascara, try heating a cup of warm water, and then let the mascara tube sit in the water to warm the product. This method will naturally help thin the liquid and give you that perfect look.

While I personally don’t advise adding other liquids to your mascara, some practices are quite common.

Liquids such as eye drops and aloe vera can be added to the next year to send the product. However, if you’re in a situation where your mascara needs thinning, the likelihood is that it is close to going bad.

If you add eye drops or aloe vera to your mascara, you should definitely only use it for one additional week. The breeding ground for bacteria within the tube is the perfect location for this product to go bad.

You should check your mascara daily by looking for a bad smell, a clumpy texture, or separation of the liquids. If any of these are the case, throw your mascara away immediately—no need to take a chance with a contaminated mascara product.

Remember, 2 to 4 months is a reasonable period for using your mascara. After this time, dispose of your mascara and start with a fresh tube. This practice dramatically reduces the overall risk of infections and irritations, and we’ll have to keep your eyelashes looking amazing.

Should I add water to my mascara to rejuvenate?

The best practice is never to add water or other liquids to your mascara to bring it back to life. If your mascara has dried out or just trying to get the last bit out of the bottle, you significantly increase your risk of bacterial and fungal infections.

In this instance, we use mascara to improve the look of her eyelashes and make them look fuller and longer. Getting an infection such as pinkeye does not increase our Beauty look. So why would we want to take the chance?

What should I do if I get an infection from my mascara?

If you get an infection around your eyes, such as pink eye or skin irritation, throw your mascara away!

If skin irritations arise, watch the area frequently to remove germs, dust and bacteria and use a good quality moisturizer to help hydrate and reduce puffiness.

Pink eye or conjunctivitis is another issue altogether. This bacterial infection is highly contagious and is spread to others easily.

Here, you should consult a doctor and obtain an antibiotic ointment that will help to heal this infection. If left untreated, these types of conditions are not only unsightly what can cause health risks to your eyes and vision.

For puffiness around the eyes, you might want to consider cold or warm compresses. This practice will help to reduce irritation and clear your skin.

Always remember to wash your hands frequently. This practice will help reduce the likelihood of spreading bacteria to others.

Once your skin around the eyes has been clear for four weeks, you can then resume your regular mascara makeup routine with a fresh tube. Remember, to help reduce the likelihood of your mascara going bad, you should note the date and what you open the tube.

If you would like more mascara advice checkout my article on Do you need Eyeliner with Mascara here.