DR. DIANE HILAL-CAMPO

INTERVIEW WITH DR. DIANE HILAL-CAMPO FOUNDER OF 20/20 BEAUTY

By Beauty Editor Kian Stave

our products are designed not only to be safe for the ocular surface, but also to give eyes moisture and protection. You’re the first ophthalmologist to have created such a line.

Why has it taken so long for a product line like yours to emerge in the marketplace? Makeup products weren't originally designed to support the wearer's health, merely enhance their beauty. It's only in recent years that we are seeing a dramatic increase in dry eyes in women and also a dramatic rise in ocular complications from poor eye beauty habits, and the link realized by eye doctors. We have been realizing it, and discussing in our conferences, but as doctors it is difficult to be in a position to do anything about it. I was lucky enough to have a patient who was in the industry and helped me to get in touch with the proper team to help me to formulate these products and the brand. I consider twenty/twenty beauty to be part of the next generation of good-for-you beauty.

What motivated you to create Twenty Twenty Beauty? I've been a board-certified ophthalmologist for over 25 years in my own General Ophthalmology practice in NJ. In recent years, I have seen a dramatic increase in patients I have been treating with complications from their eye makeup and eye beauty practices, The number of dry eye patients in America has tripled in recent years, and is estimated to be 35 million. Two thirds of these are women. These patients can’t tolerate regular eye cosmetics, and we eye doctors believe that inflammatory toxins in the cosmetics are causing dry eyes. I made products that do not cause dry eyes, and can be tolerated by dry eye patients. Additionally, my products focus on hygiene, so they treat and prevent blepharitis, styes, and dry eye caused by harmful beauty products and practices. Healthy eyes are beautiful eyes; no one should have to choose between safety and style.

When a product description includes ‘ophthalmologist tested’ on its packaging what does that actually mean in terms of product safety? Ophthalmologist tested means that it's been submitted to clinical testing performed by an ophthalmologist, who has deemed it safe for use in the eye area. I have developed and conducted tests on all of my products,and have had them tested by independent ophthalmologists well.

How responsible is the FDA in terms of regulating the product safety of cosmetics in general? In my opinion, the FDA is being needlessly irresponsible. The EU and Canada hav banned about 1300 hazardous ingredients for use in cosmetics, while fewer than 15 are prohibited from use in cosmetics in the United States. The founders of many brands, myself included, take it upon themselves to avoid these harmful ingredients, but it's time that the FDA reexamined standards for the industry at large. The current standards are from 1938 and have not been changed since that time.

Over 30 million Americans suffer from dry eye disease. Is our excessive dependence on computers contributing to to this epidemic? What are computers actually doing to our eyes? Dry eye disease is caused by many factors, device use being one of them. Think about your habits when scrolling through your phone, working on your computer, or watching television — you blink less frequently, depriving your eyes of essential moisture and nourishment. When you don’t blink as frequently, the oils are not expressed into the tear film and the tears evaporate quicker, drying eyes out. Every twenty minutes of device use, you should take a twenty second break to look twenty feet away — blinking as much as is comfortable — to give your eyes a much-needed break. You can also use preservative free tear drops to lubricate when you are on the computer for long periods of time. What cosmetic ingredients threaten ocular health? What should the consumer avoid wearing at all costs? Some ingredients that I won't formulate with due to their hazardous nature include carbon black, a byproduct of petroleum; glitter, loose powders, or loose mica, which can cause corneal abrasion and contaminate the tear film; prostaglandins and prostaglandin analogues, the harmful ingredients in most growth serums; and benzalkonium chloride, which can be damaging to the skin as well as the meibomian glands.

What are the safest eye drops to use? The best and safest eye drops to use are preservative free tear drops. They can be used as frequently as you want throughout the day with and without contact lenses. They will keep your eyes feeling moist and comfortable, and provide moisture to your eye structures.

Like most women, I have been wearing eye makeup since I was in high school. What are the potential risks of wearing eye makeup over time? The chemicals especially powders can leach into the tear film and release onto the ocular surface and cause dry eyes. Also pigments can release onto the conjunctival surface and cause pigment tattooing of the conjunctiva. Applying makeup to the waterline and failing to remove your makeup every night can cause permanent damage to

the meibomian glands, leaving eyes feeling perpetually dry, scratchy and irritated. Infections from eye makeup are also quite common, often due to using old product or contaminated products or tools.

Does 20/20 have an eye makeup remover in development? If not, what do you personally use to remove your makeup at night? Yes, we do have an eye makeup remover coming down the pipeline — stay tuned! Until then I recommend use cotton pads or a microfiber cloth saturated with plant oils like poppy seed oil to remove makeup. They're clean, safe, and gently remove makeup without stripping the eye area.

When will your mascara launch, and what will set it apart from other existing formulations? I launched my first mascara, Clean Sweep, in April. It is better than other mascaras because it does not have usual allergens like carnauba wax or beeswax that cause eye irritation at the end of the day. I also use a safer preservative than other mascaras, so it is safer for the ocular surface. I have a second mascara launching which will provide a more dramatic result than my first formula, Clean Sweep, which was developed to create a subtle, daytime look. My new mascara is different, it's a tubing formula designed without the hazardous ingredients you'll find in most mascaras. It's gentle and easy to remove — all you need to take it off is warm water — and is safe for sensitive eyes. The two can be worn together to really create a dramatic look.

What are the most important things I’ve can do to prevent eye disease and vision loss? Practicing proper hygiene is one of the most important things you can do to keep your eyes healthy. I love recommending my Easy on the Eyes face mist to help sanitize the skin, lids and lashes. Avoiding hazardous beauty practices, taking breaks from using technology and wearing contact lenses to keep your eyes oxygenated and hydrated, and wearing sunglasses when outdoors will also help preserve your ocular health. Above all, you should schedule regular, yearly visits to your eye doctor. Checkups with them will allow them to track any changes to your eyes and keep you in good health. We only get one set of eyes — it's critical that you do all you can to preserve them.

" HEALTHY EYES ARE BEAUTIFUL EYES; NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN SAFETY AND STYLE."

- DR. CAMPO