Make-up & contacts – tips for easee use

Contact lenses and make-up can both irritate your eyes. When used as a combination, it can get even worse. If you are one of us contact lens users that also like to get their game face on with make-up, you’ve probably experienced the classic “mascara stuck on the contact lens” situation once or twice. We’ve put together some tips to easee up the makeup routine for minimum risk of irritation and infection.

Please note that these tips apply to soft contact lenses use only – the instruction can be slightly different if you’re wearing hard lenses.

Wash your hands properly is rule number one before touching your contacts. When putting your contacts in, all substances on your fingers can end up on the contact lens and from there in your eyes. Therefore, your hands should be clean dry before you start.

Put your contacts in first before applying any makeup. If you start with the makeup, it is quite likely that there is already makeup on your tear film and in between the contacts and your eyes.

Choose oil-free products and preferably non-allergenic options at least in your eye makeup. The oils in makeup find their way into your eyes easily –that’s not a good thing if you wear contacts as they contain a lot of water. Oil and water do not mix well together, therefore the oil sticks on the contact lenses, making your vision blurry.

Never apply eyeliner between your lashes and the eye. Apply it only on the part of your lashes that is away from the eye.

Replace your makeup frequently – at least every few months. Bacteria tends to get into your products over time. It will also make its way into your eyes where it could cause an infection. Sharing makeup with others can have the same effect.

Consider daily disposable contact lenses especially if you tend to suffer from irritation. When wearing contact lenses, makeup and other substances will end upon them eventually. With daily disposable lenses, you minimize the risk since you get a new fresh pair every day.

Do not wear contact lenses or makeup in case your eyes are infected, swollen or red –visit your health care professional for a further check. To summarize, the key point is to minimize the risk of getting makeup in between your eyes and contacts and maintain good eye hygiene. We hope that these tips will help you on your way to irritation-free eyes and a flawless look!