Every woman who ever juggled the early-morning routine of putting on contacts and applying makeup knows one blink of the eye and one resulting slip of the mascara wand can spell disaster. Make the most of your contact lenses and keep your eyes beautiful and healthy with these tips on using makeup.
Start by tossing out old makeup.
The surest way to introduce an infection into your eyes is using old makeup that may contain bacteria. Replenish your makeup stash periodically with new products. Keep makeup container tightly sealed once you’ve opened the fresh supply.
Give red eyes a break.
Don’t wear eye makeup when your eyes are swollen, red or infected. Don’t insert contact lenses, either.
Use products formulated for contact lens wearers.
Look for makeup products that are safe for contact lenses wearers and sensitive eyes. The label should say hypoallergenic or ophthalmologist-tested for contact lenses.
Look for good quality makeup brushes.
Cheap makeup brushes shed bristles easily, and those little suckers are going straight into your eyes. Poor quality brushes can cause powder to fall into the eyes.
Wash your hands thoroughly.
Make sure your fingers are clean before you insert lenses. Skip cleansers with oils, fragrance, dyes or hand lotions. If these ingredients adhere to the lenses, they’re going into your eyes.
Apply contacts first, makeup second.
There’s a chance you’ll have makeup on your fingers if you insert contacts after putting on makeup. Avoid the possibility of discomfort and even infection by applying makeup before lenses.
Lose the lash-building mascaras.
Avoid mascaras with lashing-building fibers that will flake into the eyes.
Stick to eyeliner and mascara that don’t flake.
Long-wearing mascara and eyeliner that won’t flake off into the eyes are kinder to contact lens wearers. That’s especially true if allergies make your eyes water.
Save the glue for your crafts.
Avoid wearing false eyelashes when wearing contact lenses. Don’t even think about applying glue around your contacts.
Wield the mascara wand with care.
Don’t slip up and poke yourself in the eye with the mascara wand. Building mascara from the base of the lashes can place the mascara and mascara wand too close to the eyes. Instead, start applying from the middle of the lashes and sweep through to the tips.
Avoid applying eye liner to the inside of the lash line.
Contact lenses wearers should keep eye liner away from the flat part of the lid. Clogging up the important oil -producing tear glands can cause infection. Infection can produce dry eyes, filmy lenses and even sties.
Replace powder shadows and use cream eye shadow.
Controlling the dust from cream eye shadow is easier than trying to avoid getting powdered shadow in the eyes. Adhere shadow to the lid with an eye shadow primer.
Switch to a water-based foundation.
Using a water-based, hypoallergenic liquid foundation can avoid the irritation that cream makeup in your eyes can cause.
Remove contact lenses first, eye makeup second.
There’s a chance you may damage or contaminate the lenses even if you are extra careful wiping off makeup while wearing your contacts.
