While there are separate techniques to put on makeup while wearing glasses, there are just as many special ways to apply makeup while wearing contact lenses. If you wear contact lenses, you know how challenging it can be to maintain comfort for enough hours of the day before you have to take them off. But with these makeup tips, you can learn how to put on natural-looking eye makeup while wearing contact lenses.
Wash your hands
First thing’s first, wash your hands! Before applying makeup and putting on your contact lenses, make sure your hands are clean and dry. Any dirt and residue that is left on your fingers can end up on your lenses, and you don’t want that. When bacteria or parasites enter your eyes, it can cause irritation and inflammation that can end up causing eye problems, in the worst cases.
Wash your hands properly, especially underneath the fingernails. Then, don’t forget to dry them with a clean towel. Using wet hands to put on your contact lenses can transfer water-borne bacteria to your eyes.
Opt for oil-free makeup products
Oil-based makeup products that are applied around the eyes can end up in your eyes. Often, this is unavoidable, especially that our makeup tends to smudge around the eyes. When this happens, the product that ends up in your lenses can make your eyes cloudy. Switch to oil-free makeup products, at least for eye makeup.
Consider daily contact lenses
If you tend to wear a lot of eye makeup every day and it’s starting to affect your eyes (e.g., red eyes, inflammation, itching), consider switching to daily contact lenses. Daily contact lenses can be more comfortable for you, and even safer, especially if you like to wear makeup.
Don’t apply makeup to your lid edge
Avoid applying makeup to the part of your eyelid that touches your eyeballs. This part is where the glands of the eyes are, and when these glands are blocked with a product, you can develop dry eyes. Moreover, your contact lenses can become dirty due to the lack of tears.
Choose the right kind of mascara
When picking out mascara, choose a product that doesn’t clump easily. Clumps of mascara can fall off of your eyelashes and end up on your eyeballs, causing irritation and discomfort. Stay away from fiber mascaras and opt for the traditional lengthening and volumizing mascaras.
Keep your lenses clean
Establish a cleaning routine for your lenses every day. Wash your lenses with a sterile solution for about 20 seconds before storing them overnight. Don’t forget to wash your contact lens case with solution, too.
Don’t rush with your makeup
If you see people applying makeup while on the go, don’t think that it’s going to be safe for you, too. Don’t rush while applying makeup lest you want to accidentally get the product into your eyes. If you don’t have enough time in the mornings, stick to a more natural makeup look, at least around your eyes.
Keep your brushes clean
Another important hygiene tip for makeup lovers is to keep your brushes clean. Wash your brushes regularly with soap and water, especially if you use them every day. Replace brushes and mascara wands that are too worn out to use. If you use dirty brushes or wands, you risk getting old products and bacteria into your eyes and onto your contact lenses.
Wear minimal eye makeup
A key factor to the whole natural look is to wear less makeup. Thus, a good tip for people who want to go for a natural makeup look while wearing contact lenses is to simply wear less makeup. With less makeup around your eyes, there is less risk of getting nasty things into your eyes.
Instead of focusing on eye makeup, work on your foundation, blush, or lipstick.
Give your eyes a break
If you wear makeup every day, it helps to give your eyes a break once in a while. Take a few days of the week to not wear makeup, or at least just around the eyes. Moreover, you can also try not wearing contact lenses for at least a day or so. Giving your eyes a break can boost the health of the skin around your eyes while keeping your eyesight from getting strained.
Don’t share makeup
Just about anyone who uses makeup knows the golden rule of not sharing products with other people. Sharing makeup products can transfer bacteria from one person to another, and you definitely don’t want that to happen, especially if you are wearing contact lenses.
Remove contacts before taking off makeup
When you’re done for the day and heading to bed, make sure to take out your contact lenses before taking off your makeup. Otherwise, you can smudge your makeup into your eyelids and can contaminate your contact lenses. Moreover, not all makeup removers are sterilized products. If these removers get into your contact lenses, it can cause a painful stinging.
Use a solution to blend
Blending your eye makeup is a great way to achieve a pseudo-natural makeup look. But if you blend your makeup, don’t use plain old water. Use a sterile solution instead. And before mixing your makeup, make sure your brushes are clean and dry.
Try cream shadows
Try using cream shadows for your eyes instead of powdered shadows. Powdered shadows have a greater risk of falling into your eyes than cream ones. However, make sure to use water-based creams as oil-based products can irritate your eyeballs.
Avoid eyeliner
When you go for a natural look, eyeliner is usually skipped. But if you must wear your liner for the day, avoid the waterline and stay as far away as possible from your eyeballs. Otherwise, you are putting product directly onto the surface of your eyeballs, which can cause itching and reddening.
Conclusion
Natural makeup is easy to achieve as an everyday look, but if you are a regular contact lens wearer, it can be a bit more challenging. But with these tips in mind, you can put on your makeup safely, hygienically, and beautifully every time.
