Dry eyes? PSA: It could be sexy lash dandruff (AKA Blepharitis)

How to treat dry (and tired) eyes, plus a few new shopping bits.

Sick of the site of myself in the same spectacles, I took a well-scheduled trip (I never have time to shop on a whim, which is probably for the best) to Jimmy Fairly and tried on every pair in the store. I landed on two aviator styles - sticking with what I like but pushing the boat out with The Steam in tortoiseshell and The Lars black frames with yellow lenses (links included here if you’re curious).

The service was great, and despite having had my eyes tested recently, they kindly checked that my new pairs had the right prescription. During this test, the optometrist told me I had Blepharitis and needed to switch up my eye routine. I've spent years caring for myself for fun, then for future-proofing, and now it feels like I’m constantly dealing with far less glamorous - but far more essential - concerns. Someone should tell all the Sephora tweens to start saving now.

I’d had dry, slightly uncomfortable eyes for a while, had stopped wearing my contacts because they made it worse, but ignored it (which, let’s be honest, a lot of us do with minor but annoying issues). But you know it’s never great when someone hands you a pamphlet.

Optometrist advice for dry eyes

Working in beauty for years means I’ve been lucky to try a lot of products and access some incredible experts. One of our agency clients, Peep Club, was founded by Optometrist Nicola Alexander-Cross, who gave me some great advice on Blepharitis treatment and the best products for dry eyes generally. I wanted to share, in case you’ve also been ignoring your dry eyes - which, if you’re reading this, could very well be you (considering 80% of people who stare at screens all day experience dryness of some kind).

What causes Blepharitis?

According to Nicola, the most common cause is poor lid hygiene or using out-of-date eye care or makeup products. The pamphlet from Jimmy Fairly also mentioned that dry eyes can contribute (I’m blaming too much screen time rather than poor hygiene for mine, thanks). Nicola explained: “Just like our skin microbiome, our eyelids and eyelashes have a delicate balance of bacteria as part of the body’s natural defence system, making them highly vulnerable to inflammation and infection.”

Symptoms to watch out for

Blepharitis symptoms include red, swollen, itchy eyelids, sore or gritty-feeling eyes, flakes or crusting around the eyelashes, and eyelids sticking together in the morning (which explains why I just thought I’d caught conjunctivitis from my three-year-old son, Rudy - again).

My new dreamy eye care routine for dry eyes

To tackle it, I’ve started a new routine:

• Cleansing thoroughly with Peep Club Soothing Coconut Eye Balm – I have to use waterproof mascara as my eyes are always watering and this shifts it effortlessly.

• Twice daily massaging with their Heated Eye Wand (to be honest I’m pretty obsessed and you might catch me absently sitting on any Zoom call I can, gliding it along my under-eye area).

• Morning cleanse followed by double cleansing at night (with Dirty Faace of course).

• Applying the Estée Lauder Eye Care Day Wear Eye Cooling Antioxidant Gel twice daily.

• Frequent spritzing of the Peep Club Instant Relief Eye Spray over closed eyes.

Whilst my new routine is a treat to use, Blepharitis symptoms could take months to clear up - according the pamphlet - which is quite annoying. Hoping I can get back to future-proofing rather than just treating soon.

Credits to linked websites

Since we’re on the subject, I’m obsessed with my new Asics + Cecilie Bahnsen sneaks (even though I have absolutely nothing to wear with them). Does anyone else constantly buy things they love, only to be let down by the rest of their wardrobe, which never has anything that matches?

I’m also loving my new Tenth Muse solid perfume in Wildflower Haze - there’s something deeply satisfying about rubbing the balmy texture onto my wrists and inhaling the gorgeous scent. Maybe it’s just me, but I swear it lingers on my skin longer than my usual spray-on EDPs.