Makeup Tips For Contact Lens Wearers

According to the American Optometric Association, how makeup interacts with your contact lenses can be one of the biggest challenges that contact lens wearers face. How to prevent common problems related to wearing makeup and contact lenses is easy once you know some quick tips. Picking the right makeup products and applying them carefully will help you stay away from these issues. Follow our tips and your makeup will look and feel great without irritating your contact lenses!

1. Maintain Proper Hygiene

Considering you touch a thousand things during the day and may even miss out on washing your hands, you definitely would not like million’s of bacteria to enter your eyes through your fingertips. Hence, always ensure washing your hands thoroughly before wearing lenses.

2. Thumb Rule 

It is advised to always  wear your contact lenses before you begin with your make-up ritual. This minimizes the chances of makeup getting on the contact lens and also reduces the probability of your eyes catching any infection.

3. Clean Make-up Tools

Clean make-up tools: It is advised to clean the make-up tools before applying makeup considering dust and dirt tends to clog the makeup brushes when used continuously. This step is especially vital when you are wearing contact lenses. You can immerse the makeup tools in hot water mixed with some gentle baby shampoo.

4. Be Careful

It is advised to refrain from applying kajal or liner on your waterline, if you wear contact lenses. However if you must, then invest in a kajal pencil that is most importantly smudge-proof and sharpened, in order to avoid getting any of it on your lenses.

5. Use Oil Free Or Waterproof Mascara

Opting for waterproof and oil-free mascara while wearing contact lenses is a better option, since using mascaras with strong oil-based substances can cause it to flake, and enter the eyes thus causing irritation.

6. Be Careful With Your Waterline

It is usually advised to refrain from applying kajal or liner on your waterline, if you wear contact lenses. However if you must, then invest in a kajal pencil that is most importantly smudge-proof and sharpened, in order to avoid getting any of it on your lenses.

7. Always Keep a Check on The Expiry Of Your Products

Like everything else, makeup products too have an expiry date. Hence, avoid using old products as the ingredients become toxic and can harm your eyes. Also, avoid sharing eye makeup with others, as this increases the chances of contacting an infection.

8. Replace Contact Lenses Regularly

However careful one may be, dirt particles get transferred on to the lens which may eventually cause irritability or infection. Hence, in order to maintain a healthy regime, it is advised for contact lens wearers to switch from yearly contact lens to shorter replacement modality like monthly/daily disposable options.

9. Use Cream Eye Shadows Instead of Powder

Though both types of eye shadow can get into the eyes when being applied, it is easier to control the dust from cream shadows. Using an eye shadow primer can help the shadow adhere to the lids.

10. Use Cosmetics That Are Designed Specifically For Contact Lens Wearers

These products are free of nylon and rayon fibers and mica articles that can flake off in your eyes and damage your contact lenses. They’re water-soluble for easy removal; and they’re hypoallergenic, so you’re less likely to experience a sensitivity reaction to them.

Other Useful Makeup Tips For contact lens wearers-

Tip 1- Wash and dry your hands thoroughly before inserting your contact lenses. Avoid soaps containing oils, fragrances, dyes, and anti-bacterial or anti-fungal agents. These substances can remain on your fingers and contaminate your contact lenses.

Tip 2-  Insert your contact lenses before you apply makeup. This prevents makeup on your hands from getting on your hands from getting on your contact lenses and it allows you to see better when applying makeup.

Tip 3- Apply mascara only to the tips of your eyelashes and never use mascara as eyeliner. Apply eyeliner outside your eyelashes, never to the inside rim of your eyelids. This will help prevent the mascara wand from accidentally brushing your eye or contact lens and will help prevent your eye makeup from flaking off into your eyes.  Eyeliner on the inside rim of the lids can plug oil glands and lead to infection.

Tip 4- Remove your contact lenses before you remove your makeup. Makeup formulated for contact lens wearers is easy to take off without oil-based removers that could damage your lenses. However, even gentle rubbing of your eyelids and lashes could dislodge your contact lenses or contaminate them with soap or makeup. With your lenses off, you can gently use a fragrance and oil free cleanser to remove makeup.

Tip 5- Close eye makeup containers between uses, discard opened containers after three months, and don’t share friend’s makeup or use department store samples. Open or shared eye-makeup containers can become contaminated and act as a breeding ground for bacteria, leading to eye infections.

Tip 6- Don’t handle nail care products immediately before handling your contact lenses. Nail polish and nail polish remover can damage your contact lenses. Nail polish should be thoroughly washed off before handling lenses.

Tip 7- Try to avoid using aerosol hair spray, deodorant, cologne, and other aerosol products when wearing your contact lenses. These products adhere to contact lens surfaces and can be difficult to remove. If you use these products while wearing contact lenses, keep your eyes closed when applying.

While wearing lenses, should you develop any eye irritation or pain, immediately remove your contact lenses and contact an eye care professional. Prompts diagnosis and treatment is important for your eye health