Beauty and Makeup Tips for Women Who Wear Contact Lenses

You pop in your contact lenses and expertly apply your makeup and you’re definitely feeling yourself when you leave the house. A few hours later, after your eyeballs suddenly rebel and your contacts start to feel weird, you take a look in the mirror to see wild, watery, red eyes and mascara streaming down your face. You look less like Beyoncé at this juncture and more like a kindergartener who raided her mom’s vanity. Ugh.

The struggle of mixing contacts and makeup. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be so hard. As your friendly neighborhood, well, online, Canadian contact lens retailer, Fresh Lens is here to help you navigate through the process with some handy dandy tips for wearing makeup with contacts. 

10 Contact Lens Beauty Do’s

1. Do visit an eye care professional and get fitted for contact lenses before ordering contacts online for the first time. Don’t try to buy contact lenses without a prescription from a site that’s not reputable or take any other shortcuts. Make sure the pair of contacts you decide on are comfortable. If they’re not, or you’re having underlying problems like dry eye, adding makeup into the situation won’t help. If your eyes are healthy and you’re wearing quality lenses, they’re less likely to get irritated.
2. Do wash your hands before putting your contact lenses in and again before applying your makeup. You don’t want to spread any germs to your applicators, which will then get into your eyes and can lead to infection.
3. Do put your contact lenses in before putting on your makeup and take them out before removing your makeup. This makes it less likely you’ll get mascara, shadow or anything else on your lenses. If you forgot this step and you’re wondering how to get makeup off of contact lenses, first, wash your hands again. Then, remove your contact lenses. Flush them with solution and gently rub them to try to remove the offending makeup. That should typically do the trick. Other times, they may require a little more soaking. If it’s hopeless and they’re completely covered, it’s always best to just toss them and put in new contacts.
4. Do use cream-based eye shadows. They don’t contain tiny, loose granules that will flake off into your eyes and nestle under your contacts. Ouch. If you just can’t give up on your powder shadow, see our next point. 
5. Do use a primer on your eyelids if you’ll be sporting a powder eye shadow. A primer will set the stage for perfect shadow application and ensure it doesn’t stray and end up on or under you contact lenses.
6. Do use oil-free products in the eye area. The oil can get on your lenses and make your vision cloudy.  
7. Do use waterproof mascara and eyeliners as they’re much less likely to smudge or run into your eyes. Bonus points if they’re water-based and formulated for sensitive eyes.
8. Do clean your brushes and applicators frequently. Germs and contact lenses don’t mix! Replace brushes, applicators and makeup according to the general guidelines.
9. Do consider getting daily contact lenses. You can start with a fresh pair every day and you won’t have to worry as much about bacteria, infection and irritation in general. They won’t have any residue or lingering makeup particles. 
10. Do follow the rules when it comes to cleaning and disinfecting your contact lenses and contact lens case if dailies aren’t an option. This will get rid of makeup residue and bacteria allowing you to maintain healthy eyes. 

6 Contact Lens Beauty Don’ts

1. Don’t use eye shadow with chunks of glitter in it. A shimmery cream shadow will look still look sparkly without the unnecessary pain and hassle of an eye full of glitter. 
2. Don’t apply liner on the inside of the lash line on what’s known as the waterline. This is a surefire way to get makeup on your contacts or on your eye and will lead to discomfort. Aim for just above or below the lash line.
3. Don’t swipe on mascara too close to your eyes. It’s best if you start applying mid-lash. 
4. Don’t pile on the fake lashes. Unfortunately, if you wear contact lenses, you’ll probably have to avoid them altogether. The glue can be extremely irritating and can even get stuck on lenses. 
5. Don’t use just any eye makeup remover. Opt for one that’s made for sensitive eyes or is labeled hypoallergenic.
6. Don’t use mascaras with fiber particles. These particles often flake and can get trapped under lenses, which is never fun. Traditional lengthening and volumizing mascaras are best. 

 The Best Makeup for Contact Lens Wearers

If you’re vigilant about hygiene and follow our do’s and don’ts for wearing makeup with contacts, you can most likely make your favorite brands work. However, there are some that are better than others. If possible, choose products that are labeled “ophthalmologist tested” and “safe for contact lens wearers.” Here are a few of our favorite contact lens-friendly makeup products:

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Crème Colour Concentrates

Made with natural ingredients, these shadows are much less likely to cause irritation. The cream formula doesn’t have particles that will fall into your eyes and it will last for the entire day (or night out). 

Clinique High Impact Waterproof Mascara 

It doesn’t flake, clump or smudge. The mascara is ophthalmologist tested and non-irritating. Plus, it stays on forever. 

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner 

Aside from the fact that it’s longwearing and waterproof, the easy-to-use applicator means you won’t poke yourself in the eye or accidentally brush liner on your lenses. 

Bobbi Brown Eye Makeup Remover 

This gentle, water-based formula will dissolve all traces of makeup without irritating your eyes. As an added bonus, it contains aloe vera to soothe the skin. 

bareMinerals Prime Time Eyelid Primer 

Prime Time ensures eye shadow doesn’t budge. The formula is oil-free, fragrance-free, allergy-tested and dermatologist-tested, which are all definite selling points if you wear contacts.

Start your new beauty routine with a good base: awesome contact lenses. Be sure to check our large selection of top brands and consider our tip about switching to dailies if you wear a lot of makeup on a regular basis. However, no matter what type of contacts you’re looking for, Fresh Lens offers competitive prices and free, super fast shipping on contact lenses in Canada and the United States. That means more scratch for your makeup budget.  

Related Articles:

• Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About Colored Contact Lenses
• A Guide to Cleaning Your Contact Lenses

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