There are many benefits to wearing contact lenses. Some include enhanced clarity, peripheral vision, and even convenient vision correction when playing sports, so you’re not worrying about your eye gear.
If you love experimenting with your appearance and want complete control over your look, there’s another perk: contact lenses eliminate glasses frames from the equation. That means it’s easier to apply the make-up you want! You can also change the color of your eyes with contacts, giving further options when it comes to your outfit and make-up.
However, wearing make-up with contact lenses does come with a few supplementary responsibilities to protect your eyes. Here’s how to wear contacts with make-up the right way.
Use daily contact lenses
When frequently using make-up with contact lenses, it might be best to wear dailies. That way, you’re always using a new pair of contacts free of powder, oil, and residue that can obstruct your vision and even cause infections. If you see yourself pairing make-up with lenses often, consider buying contact lenses online so you can purchase them in bulk while leveraging vision insurance or discounts. Clearly.ca is a great place to start browsing due to the multiple brands of dailies they offer, like Total1 and MyDay. Use daily contact lenses to ensure the pair you wear is pristine and fresh for your make-up needs.
Be strict with your hygiene
Your eyes are sensitive. Touching them with unclean hands or blemished contacts can result in inflammations or diseases like pink eye. These conditions can cause discomfort and make it far more difficult to put on make-up, so follow the best hygiene practices for putting on your contact lenses. Always wash your hands thoroughly before you wear them, and avoid touching your eyes throughout the day. Never wear contact lenses when you have severe eye illnesses like blepharitis or are suffering from allergies.
Additionally, put your contacts on before your make-up: putting them on after means products like concealer, eyeshadow, and eyeliner can get between the lens and your eye. You can also still wear contacts with make-up if your eyes are a little dry—just use some rewetting eye drops. These will improve your comfort and remove debris from under your contact lenses, so you can wear them with make-up for longer.
Practice extra vigilance with mascara
Mascara is a make-up product worn particularly close to your contact lenses, so it has a greater chance of clouding them than anything else you apply to the eye area. It’s thus crucial to practice extra caution when applying it. Try sweeping the mascara wand from the middle of your lashes to the tips rather than starting at the base of your lids, where it will be closer to your contacts. It’s also best to avoid lashes-building mascaras, which can flake and get in your eyes. If you want that prominent eyelash look without the hassle, consider purchasing high-quality false lashes from brands like Velour instead. You can easily apply and position them in a way that doesn’t affect your contacts.
Avoid oil-based products
This step is particularly recommended if you wear make-up with contacts—and for good reason. Oil-based creams and primers can flow far too easily across the contours of your face and slip directly into your contacts, obstructing your vision. When shopping for cosmetics you’re going to use with contact lenses, lean towards water-based products instead. That way, you can upgrade your appearance without fretting about cloudy contacts.
Wearing contacts with make-up can be challenging, but the end result is a gorgeous look unobstructed by glasses frames. Follow the above tips to take great care of your eyes while achieving your desired look.
