Not everyone is comfortable wearing spectacles. Contact lenses can be your best bet if you are someone who keeps losing or breaking your specs. The only problem with wearing contact lenses is sporting makeup, especially eye makeup. You have to be extremely careful about the products you use as well as how you use them. However, it is possible to wear contact lenses along with makeup and avoid infections or irritations to the eye. Here's how:

Go clean
Before you start, wash your hands. You can never be too careful while handling contact lenses. The risk of infecting your eye or ruining your lenses is exceptionally high. Hence, it is imperative to start with clean hands and makeup products and tools. Remember to wash your hands after applying any lotions or creams. The remnants of your cream will be picked up by your lenses while you are putting them on and will cause irritation.

Wear it
It makes sense to wear lenses only after you have finished doing up your eyes. But if you are new to using contacts, it would be better if you put them on first. Initially, your eyes might water quite a bit while wearing lenses. This can totally ruin your makeup if you have already made up your eyes. Gradually, when you get used to lenses, you can wear them after makeup.

Playing safe
You can never be too careful while wearing contact lenses. So, make sure all the products that you use are safe enough to be worn along with lenses. Do away with products that will irritate your eyes and/or react with your lenses, causing infections. Invest in products that are oil-free and hypoallergenic rather than spending exorbitant amounts on treating infections.

Storing lenses
How you store your lenses goes a long way in determining how long they will last. Make sure you don't store them near nail polishes, nail polish removers, glues — for example, eyelash glues — or any type of fragrance. Basically, keep them away from any strong-smelling products.

Taking them off
It is advisable to take off your lenses before you take off your makeup. Nobody said wearing contact lenses came without its share of hassle. Also, make sure not to pull or tug at your eyes.

The eye makeup removers that you use should be oil and fragrance-free. Water-based makeup removers is what you should opt for. Always use cotton balls especially meant for cleaning makeup. You don't want to be using something that leaves fibres behind.

When it comes to eyes, it is better to take a little pain and go that extra mile than nursing an itchy, red, sore, infection-ridden eye. Though there are many horror stories about contact lenses, eye makeup need not be restricted to the bare minimum if you are wearing lenses. With a little care, you can have as much fun as you like with your makeup.

Mascara-wise
Mascara opens up your eyes and most women can't do without their daily dose of it. While you don't have to give up wearing it, what you can do is, give mascaras that contain fibres a miss. Mascaras that promise to lengthen lashes contain fibres and are prone to flaking. Flaking makeup irritates anyway, but with lenses, the problem is even worse. Itching your eyes while wearing contact lenses is a bad idea. So, choose your mascara wisely.

Makeup- free waterlines
Most girls love going all around their waterline with their kohl sticks. However, you might want to refrain from doing so if you wear lenses. You are bound to get the product on your lenses if you wear them after lining your waterline. Also, lining the waterline might cause dry eyes, hazy lenses, cysts and yes, infections.

The powder trap
It is convenient and practical to use powder-based products when you are living in a city as humid as Mumbai and if you have oily skin (which most of us do). However, you are better off without powder-based products when using lenses. Choose cream eye shadows over powder shadows. If cream shadow is too runny for your skin type, mix your powder shadow with a mixing agent so you don't have much fallout. Clamp your eyes shut when you are dusting your face with compact powder to ensure that none of it gets into your eyes.

Source: timesofindia

Ends/RG/09/04/13