I recently started wearing contact lenses and they are so comfortable, I wonder why I did not start using them earlier. The only negative thing about them is that they need to be handled with extreme caution or they could lead to an eye infection requiring one time consuming trip to the ophthalmologist, not to mention the discomfort and even pain associated with it. Handling them acquires an even Herculean importance if makeup comes into purview. Here are a couple of tips that I amassed during my short span of wearing lenses along with makeup. Hope you find them helpful.
The contacts always go in before you put on the makeup. Wash your face and hands. Dry them with a clean towel (read freshly washed) or paper towels, as is your inclination and then insert your lenses. Only then are you to go about doing anything you wish to with your face. This should be followed religiously. Do it the other way round and you risk damaging your lenses from the makeup on your eye area . Worse still, you risk an infection if in the course of inserting the lenses some makeup transfers on to them.
By quality products I don’t mean exorbitantly priced products, but hypoallergenic and oil free. Sadly, more often than not, these two qualities in makeup products always coincide. But do let me know if you know of relatively cheaper products that are safe to wear with lenses.
Do I need to explain why? You have a delicate material sticking on to your eyeballs. Tight lining requires stretching and pulling your eye area, putting unnecessary pressure there. Also, the chances of the makeup transferring from the inner part of the lashes to your lenses, is exponentially higher than when you apply the makeup on the outer side. Same goes with wearing kohl. Anything very near to the waterline is a potential irritant.
Applying false lashes entails glue. And contact lenses + glue is not a good combination. I know a friend who does this expertly, but I don’t think it’s worth the risk. Weigh the pros and cons before you make a decision.
No matter how good the eye shadow is, if it is in the form of powder there almost certainly will be fall out which could get in your eyes leading to irritation. If eye shadows are something you cannot go without, try the cream ones. I find them easy to apply and they are comparatively safer than powder shadows when contacts are involved.
Mascaras that lengthen or provide volume tend to flake. The flakes could get in your eyes inadvertently and cause irritation. Avoid them like plague. I generally avoid mascara when wearing lenses.
We all know this. Pressure should never be applied when applying makeup. Even more so, when you are wearing contacts. I have noticed that for me, using brushes entails lesser pressure than using fingers or sponges. So, I stick to brushes whenever I am wearing contacts. When I have to use fingers, I pat them gently against the skin.
You heard it. Before as well as after. You cannot be too careful with hygiene when it comes to handling contact lenses. So, don’t be slacker. Wash your brushes both before and after usage. This might involve a bit of planning and changing your habits a teeny bit as washing the brushes in the morning, not to mention the time required for them to dry before usage might be an issue for someone with a busy morning schedule. But, with a little perseverance and discipline this can be incorporated in the everyday makeup rituals.
Take the lenses off before going through your makeup removal ritual. You cannot afford to put the amount of pressure that is required when taking off the eye makeup with lenses on .
Anyone who uses contact lens knows this. But let me again reiterate that lenses need to be washed with whatever solution you use, every time you take them off. Wash the containers as well and then store them in the solution till the next time.
Very helpful post! I also wear lenses and I know how difficult it gets.
Though, I still apply false lashes and also tightline my eyes but I am very careful.
Very informative post! thanks for sharing!