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A STUDENT claims her makeup is better than that of other beautiful women because she uses a ballpoint pen as eyeliner.
She has already been publicly reprimanded by a doctor for putting ink around her eyes.
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Shelagh Kratz (@shagzcantshred) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19, posted a viral video online with a Papermate ballpoint pen to apply her winged eyeliner.
“When I tell people my secret to long-lasting eyeliner, it’s a ballpoint pen,” she wrote in the caption.
She claimed her makeup looked “the best” that day because the writing instrument allowed her to apply her makeup “super precisely.”
The marketing student was also convinced that it was more resistant to sweat, as it stayed intact longer when she went out than when she used regular eyeliner.
CONCERNED CROWD
After she posted the hack on TikTok, many people filled the comments asking what pen she used.
Some expressed concern, asking, “Is this safe?”
The YouTuber, who often makes makeup tutorials and workout videos, says she’s only done it a few times because she knows it “may not be so good for her eyes.”
She has also said she does not want to “advocate ink poisoning.”
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Dr. Julian Prosia, a licensed optometrist, responded to Shelagh’s video by calling the TikTok trend “ridiculous.”
“I thought it was obvious not to use pen ink in or around the eyes,” said Dr. Prosia.
Another controversial makeup trick she shared saw her use sunscreen to accentuate the contours of her face, using a “lower SPF” as a base and a higher one on her high points.
However, many claimed she was “risking skin cancer” by deliberately using less sunscreen to contrast her skin tone.
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“I have some controversial makeup takes,” Kratz said.
“With this one I was completely out of eyeliner. I was traveling in Albania and I dropped my eyeliner in the toilet. I never bought another one.
“We went outside and I was in a pinch. I had to be ready in a few minutes.
“I wore a full face of makeup, like my clubbing look.
“I thought, ‘I have a Papermate pen. You know what? This is going to work.’
“It’s just a regular ballpoint pen. I just used it as a regular eyeliner to do a winged flick at the end, to add a little bit of pizzazz to it.
“I honestly think this was one of the best days I’ve ever had doing my makeup.
“We all know how to operate a ballpoint pen, so it’s very precise.
“If there was a ballpoint eyeliner, that would be a really good business idea.
“It took much longer [than normal eyeliner]. It stayed on despite my sweat, because I was dancing around.”
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
In response to the negative comments, Kratz stated that she does not want to “advocate ink poisoning” and admitted that she has only performed the “secret” trick a few times when she was desperate.
“I think it’s pretty, but I realize it might not be the best for your eyes,” she said.
“I think I only did it three or four times because I really ran out of eyeliner.
“I’ve seen doctors or medical professionals on Instagram under my video and I’m like, ‘Oh my god, of course I’m not advocating ink poisoning or anything like that.’
“I don’t do it every day. Since then I bought a regular eyeliner.
“The reactions were pretty funny. They were like, ‘Oh, this is nothing, I used to use Sharpie in high school.’ I don’t know if I would be that bold.
“It was a mix of finding people who are doing the same thing and people who want to try it out and are curious about the results and whether it works.
“And there are people who say, ‘This is terrible for you, don’t put this kind of stuff online where children can see it.’”
Kratz also revealed that this isn’t the first time a makeup trick of hers has gone viral due to controversy.
After she posted a video sharing a contouring trick where she applied sunscreen to the high points of her face to create a natural highlighter, many people reacted angrily, saying, “You’ll also get skin cancer.”
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Kratz says it works for her and that she normally applies a base coat of SPF first.
“Every now and then my TikTok videos blow up and people get really angry,” she added.
“I posted a video showing how I apply sunscreen to my face for contouring, but the same way you would apply highlighter.
“I would leave blank areas where you want a tan and apply a little sunscreen to the areas you want to keep pale.
“It gives your cheeks and nose a nice blush.
“I’ve been doing it for a few years now, probably since I started wearing makeup.
“What I haven’t shown the internet is that I actually apply a protective layer or a lower SPF first.
“It’s always the dumbest videos that you don’t expect that go viral.
“General [the response was] negative, then they say: ‘You will get skin cancer.’
“But I use SPF all over my face and then I put another layer on top.
“I’ve never had any problems with it and it works.”
DOCTOR’S ORDER
“Although ballpoint pens no longer pose significant toxicity because they no longer contain lead, the eye is still a very vulnerable structure,” adds Dr. Prosia.
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“The skin of the eyelids is the thinnest skin on the body. If someone picks up a ballpoint pen, which can be quite sharp, it can damage the eye if you are not careful.
“Also, it’s not suitable for the eyeball or eyelid, so it’s probably not a good idea to use it on or around those areas.
“One person can use it and it might not be a problem for them, but it can also encourage young people who don’t really know the risks to do it anyway.
“That can really damage the eyeball. You could get puncture wounds or you could get toxicity and inflammatory problems.
“The most important thing about TikTok is that it influences the younger generation.
“If you’re careful as an adult and use it on your eyelids, you might not have a reaction, but that young girl who looks like you might sting her eye.”
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