Wearing makeup and contact lenses?

Nala

Hi all,
Well I've just started wearing contacts again after a 3 year break and was looking at a few sites to see if any cosmetics can cause problems. I looked at a number of contact lens organisation sites and they all said different things. Some said to wet eyeshadow before applying, others said this is a bad idea. Some said only use eye pencil, others said only liquid eyeliner. Some said waterproof mascara is best whereas others said to avoid it. The only advice they all gave was to avoid oil-based products and to close your eyes when using hairspray. As for mascara anyway I only buy ones that are labelled as safe for contact lens wearers (so they won't flake into your eye). And I do wet eyeshadow before applying it because I figured it is more likely to get into my eye if its dry and powdery.
Has your optician given any advice?

Faith

I've never asked for, nor been given advice, with regards to make up while wearing contacts. But I've had contacts for about 5 years, and have never had any problems with any types of make up. I use both liquid and pencil eyeliner, and normal mascara. Oh, and I never wet my eyeshadow .

Nala

I use Barry M loose eyeshadow and it goes everywhere so I wet it to stop it dusting into my eye. Maybelline are great for labelling their mascaras, their Volum' Express is suitable for contacts.

catspring

well, i've been wearing contacts for 10 years and make-up for about 8 and i've never had any problems. i have happily use both pencil and liquid eyeliner (although a male optician did once say that it's a bad idea to wear pencil eyeliner on the inner rims, but i have since changed to a female optician who has never passed comment on it), as well as plenty of mascaras and eye shadows (wet and dry) and haven't had any difficulties. the only difference with wearing contact lenses is that it hurts less when you stick the mascara wand in your eye

Malteaser!

ive been wearing contacts for a few years and wear liquid eyeliner, pencil, eye shadow etc everyday as well, i've never had any problems at all with it!

though the last time i went to the optician he said it looked like there was a lot of glitter floating around in my eye, it had gotten onto the contact and then into the eye but it wasnt at all irritable, i just had to take more care when i was putting on make up!

he also said it want a good idea to put eyeliner on the inner rims but thats because it can cause on infection of the tear ducts coz it ends up clogging them with gunk!!

Nala

oh yeah and is there any way to put wetting drops in your eye without ruining your makeup and/or washing out the contact lense too?!?!

Malteaser!

i've never been able to!!

Faith

Nala wrote:

oh yeah and is there any way to put wetting drops in your eye without ruining your makeup and/or washing out the contact lense too?!?!

Yeah, just hold your head back as far as you can, and use your fingers to keep your lids open. Put the drops in and wait until they've settled a bit, then you should be okay.