About 100 billion people in the world wear contact lenses. The newer ones are very comfortable, even for people with sensitive eyes. But there is one problem that even eye doctors can’t solve: women who wear contact lenses often become sensitive to eye makeup. Here are some tips that may help.
Always wash your hands
It’s important to wash your hands before handling contact lenses. Don’t use scented or oily soaps that may leave residue on the contact lenses. So if you apply moisturizer, or use any lotions, do this after you’re done taking your contact lens on or off.
Put contact lenses before you apply makeup
For obvious reasons, you need to see what you’re doing. But this also avoids smudging your makeup and getting some of the product on the lens.
Choose hypo allergenic makeup
These have much gentler formulas and are less likely to irritate your eye, which is already prone to fatigue from wearing lenses. Some good brands are Almay and Clinique, which are dermatologist-tested.
Cream vs. Powder eyeshadow
One good thing about cream eye shadow is that there’s lower chance of any particles getting into the eye. These are also ideal for hot or humid climates, where you are more prone to sweating. However, the harsher formulas can bem ore irritating on the rare chance that they do get in your eye. If you have a tendency to ‘tear up’ choose cream eyeshadow that is water based so it’s easier to wash off.
If you wear powder eyeshadow close that particular eye when you apply makeup. Tilt your face slightly upward so that you don’t get any residue into the eye. Brush off any excess with a fluffy makeup brush before opening your eye.
Tips for eyeliner
Avoid applying eyeliner between lashes and your eye. If you want to get as close to the lashes as possible, smudge the eyeliner with a small brush and go over the line with dark eyeshadow. You may also want to use gel eyeliner instead of liquid, which is less likely to smudge into the sensitive area.
Tip for removing eye makeup
Remove your contacts before cleaning the eye area. Use makeup remover that’s specially designed for the eye.
Rest your eyes
Let your eye muscles rest by wearing eyeglasses on some days. Here are some tips on how to pick eyeglasses for your face shape.