An Ophthalmologist's Guide to Wearing Makeup with Sensitive Eyes

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Having sensitive eyes, which often includes symptoms like redness, itchiness and irritation, is zero fun. Then you add in eye makeup and things get even trickier. "Eye irritation is extremely common and can be exacerbated by the products we use around our eyes," says Dr. Ashley Brissette, an ophthalmologist based in New York City. But as long as you follow some best practices for sensitive eyes, including choosing the right products and ingredients and cleansing properly, reaction-free eye makeup is just a few steps away. Below, Dr. Brissette shares the best practices for sensitive eyes.

Wash Around The Eyes Daily

If you only take away one tip, let it be this one: Remove your makeup before bed every night. "Never sleep in your eye makeup as the particles can migrate into the eyes, leading to irritation and even scratches and infections," Dr. Brissette says. Be sure to wash well around the eyelids and eyelashes, too. "Bacteria, allergens and pollution build up on our eyelids daily and can lead to irritation, redness and dryness." For best results, she recommends using a cleanser with antimicrobial properties to gently clean around the eyes.

And speaking of skincare, if topical retinol is part of your beauty routine, it’s important to be careful when applying it on the skin around the eyes as retinol can cause eye dryness and irritation.

Avoid Waterproof Makeup

Waterproof makeup does a great job at staying in place, no matter the activity on your agenda, but it’s not the best option for those susceptible to irritation. "It can be really difficult to remove and cause you to pull or rub the eyelids and lashes too hard," Dr. Brissette says. "The eyelid skin is 10 times [thinner] than the skin elsewhere on your face, and it's very prone to show any small amounts of swelling and redness or irritation. This is why it's really important not to touch your eyes too much."

“The eyelid skin is 10 times [thinner] than the skin elsewhere on your face, and it's very prone to show any small amounts of swelling and redness or irritation.”

Use Cream-Based Eyeshadows

When possible, opt for cream-based eyeshadowss. "It is less likely for the particles to flake off and find their way into the eyes, which can happen with a lot of powder-based products," Dr. Brissette says. "I often see a lot of makeup debris that migrates into the eyes leading to irritation and redness."

Buy Products Made For Sensitive Skin

For those with sensitive eyes, shopping for eye makeup can be tricky for two reasons: Firstly, everyone may react differently to products. Second, many makeup products aren't rigorously tested. "Makeup and skincare don't need to be regulated the same way that other products do, and so ingredients don't need to be tested as stringently," Dr. Brissette says. For this reason, she recommends looking for eye makeup that's been clinically tested on patients with sensitive eyes..

Keep Eyes Moisturized

Got dry eyes? Grab some over-the-counter artificial tears from your local drugstore. Dr. Brissette says eye drops help moisturize the eyes and are safe to use during the day, even when you have eye makeup on. "I recommend just gently dabbing around the eyes if the drops run onto the face [to] avoid rubbing the eyelids," she says.

"Makeup and skincare doesn't need to be regulated the same way that other products do, and so ingredients don't need to be tested as stringently.”

Put Contacts In First

If you wear contacts, there are some best practices Dr. Brissette recommends following to avoid irritation. Put the contacts in before applying your makeup. This prevents makeup particles from getting trapped under the contacts. When it's time to take your makeup off, remove the contacts first and then wash off the eye makeup to avoid getting particles trapped between the eyes and the lenses.

Furthermore, Dr. Brissette suggests using daily disposable lenses if possible. "They have the least risk of infection associated with them," she says. Or, as a more long-term solution, you could consider laser eye surgery. "It's effective, safe, and you don't have to bother with using contacts."