My husband indicated that one of his colleagues asked him to ask me about mascara. She is a contact wearer and indicated she needed a waterproof formula for sensitive eyes. I wrote what my husband called a small essay but I thought it was useful information that anyone could use!
Q: JT help! What mascaras would you recommend for sensitive-eyed contact lens wearers that prefer waterproof formulas?
I'm not sure what price point you are looking at, but you
have a few options. First of all, anything that is "waterproof" is
going to have not so nice ingredients in it which may cause eye
irritation if yours are particularly sensitive. If it's only the
contacts you are concerned about, you are likely more worried about
flaking (which can occur with any mascara and especially drier formulas
or tubes that have dried out).
If your eyes are sensitive, I
would recommend Neutrogena Healthy Volume mascara. Fairly inexpensive
at the drugstore and the Neutrogena line in general is known for putting
out products that aren't nearly as irritating as some of the more
standard lines. A few years ago, I had a bad case of tearing eyes and
this didn't add extra irritation.
If you have some money to
spend, I would recommend tubing mascaras. They coat the lashes in a
coil and are easily removed with warm water and gentle pressure. One of
the more popular ones is Blinc (which you can get at Sephora). A plus,
if it doesn't work for you, you can easily return it (same for the
Neutrogena at CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens).
If you get
flaking, you may need to replace your mascara more often. The
recommended time frame is generally 3-6 months depending on the formula.
Another thing I want to mention is removal. If you aren't removing all
of your mascara, it can lead to irritation, especially if specks get in
your eyes overnight. I would highly recommend an oil-based cleanser just
to ensure you are getting every bit of mascara off. Even the most
sensitive eye friendly mascaras will cause irritation if they aren't
thoroughly removed.
Agree or disagree? If you have any additional tips for my husband's coworker, I can always follow up!
