Women cautioned on the effects of makeup

A Dermatologist, Dr Idi Martins, has warned against excessive use of make-up, saying that it exposes the skin to considerable amounts of germs and harmful toxins.

Martins on Friday in Abuja stated that excessive use of makeup could cause skin irritation, allergies and even skin cancer because of the chemical content.

He said that make-up could have severe adverse effects on the skin and other parts of the body, including the eyes.

“The chemicals found in lipsticks, eye pencils, mascara, kajal, among others, could cause serious health problems.”

He advised that women who apply make-up should clean their faces before going to bed, to remove all traces of chemicals from the skin.

“It is very imperative to use suitable face washes, cleansers, toners and scrubs to wash off the make-up on the skin daily, especially at night, to avert any skin irritation or disease,” Martins said.

Similarly, Mrs Pamela Adebowale, a beautician and make-up dealer, said that the wrong application of make-up could result in skin irritation.

Adebowale, stressed the need for women to know their skin type in order to know the appropriate type of make-up to apply, particularly on the face.

“You have to know your skin type to enable you to know the appropriate make-up to use for the best effect.”

She said wrong application of make-up, rather than enhance beauty, could mar it.

Meanwhile, some women who spoke to NAN said they could not do without make-up, particularly when going out of their house.

Esther Yusuf, a banker, said she cannot step out of her house without applying make-up to enhance her facial features.

“I cannot leave my house without applying make-up on my face. I am so used to make-up on my face that I feel naked without it.

“I have to apply make-up, no matter how late I am for an appointment; even if it’s just powder,’’ she said.

Similarly, Jamila Umar, a civil servant, said the application of make-up on her face builds her confidence and makes her look more radiant.

“I don’t apply it much on my face; I use make-up to highlight my features because it makes me look more beautiful and it enhances my confidence.

“I look so dull without make-up; as if I just woke up from sleep. It’s so obvious that when people see me, they usually ask if I was ill or going through some difficulties,” she said.

Also commenting on the use of make-up, some men said that they preferred to see a woman without any make-up on her face because it made them look younger and natural.

According to the respondents, the real beauty of a woman becomes evident when she is not wearing make-up.

Mr Emmanuel Hezekiah, said he preferred to see his wife without any make-up on her face.

“I prefer to see my wife in her natural face, without any form of artificial adornment or make-up. It brings out her real beauty and makes her look younger.

“Keeping a natural face also saves time for other things, rather than spending it on applying make-up,” he said.

Similary, Mr Enoch Musa said he appreciates the use of make-up on a woman’s face, but when it is applied wrongly or excessively, it could make such women look older and unappealing.

“Some women actually look beautiful wearing make-up, but when it is excessively used, it makes them look so unappealing and older,” Musa said.