if i remeraber right it is the nickel in them? My mom gets all rashy/scaly and has to use hydrocortisone cream for a few days. Now she just uses eye liner. Here are some things that i found in my search...
bismuth oxychloride, which is a natural mineral derived ingredient. It lenRAB shimmer and a smoothness of texture. She could also have a sensitivity to a colorant, like carmine (natural red pigment) or the D&C dyes. Red pigment is used not only in red and pink colors, but in blue, purple, brown, black, peach, coral, some greens, and on and on. Pretty much the whole rainbow *possibly* could contain carmine.
another site i read that it is the red dyes which are in browns, red, purple, pink etc. Have you tried the new mineral eye shadows?