Contact lens friendly makeup, does it exist?

I have worked in the makeup industry professionally for around 3 years now, and I have to admit, I didn't really understand what anyone was talking about when they'd ask me "Is this contact lens friendly?"

(image from www.goodlookingoptics.co.uk)

And being a newcomer with lenses I still don't understand.
So what exactly is contact lens friendly makeup?! And what products are suitable?

Well in short, no such thing exists, and it was all started by people.

It was one of the first things I asked when I went for my lens fitting 5 months ago, and my optician looked at me strangely and replied with 'The amount of people who ask me that and there isn't any need for waterproof makeup, waterproof mascara is damaging to the eye'

Which kind of makes sense.
He then said contact lenses go in first then makeup, which is probably where most people are going wrong.

I've had no trouble with any of my makeup going into my eyes, or flaking off.

But for people who are self conscious here are my top 5 eye products great for contact lens eyes.

1) An eye shadow primer.

Always always wear a good eye shadow primer. This will ensure no oil transfers onto the lashes encouraging formulas to break down and smear off onto the face, eye or in your lens.

The Pixi Eye shadow Primer works wonders. Not only does the colour brighten the eyes but it helps keep oil at bay. I use this alone even when I do not wear makeup, just to keep oil at bay.

If you would like just a single colour, try the Pixi Lid Last Shadow Pens. They are fantastic and can even be used as eye shadow primers and highlighters on the face. These come in a range of colours.

2) Removing ALL makeup properly.

Soap and water does not work. Soap strips your skin of it's natural oils, causes spots and can make makeup sit unevenly on the face due to the dryer areas, especially under the eyes, which can cause makeup to slip and move.

Use chamomile water, rose water or cleanser toner and moisturizer to efficiently balance out skins moisture and keep skin in tip top condition.

3) Eyeliner.

"Contact lens friendly eyeliner" is one of the things I hear on a daily basis. No such thing exists. Investing in a good quality eyeliner helps, as it will stay on better, and fight through watery eyes when wearing lenses.

NARS Larger Than Life eyeliners are fantastic for watery eyes.
They stay on the waterline and on the lash line perfect.
To ensure they stay on all day I always double draw my eyeliner, once eye at a time then going back and redoing it. This almost seals the liner under neath in.

4) A Good Mascara.

BREAKING NEWS. Mascara has a life of usually 4-6 months. Mascara after this time should be thrown out, not only for hygiene reasons but for the formulation.
The formulations in mascara do not last a life time, and as the air gets trapped inside the bottle, the formula dries up. This can cause the mascara to Flake off or not sit well on the lashes.

A good mascara I use is Smashbox Full Exposure mascara. It doesn't clump, it has a big brush which is great for small and large lashes and is the standard pine cone brush so there's no fuss in using the brush in a special way. This doesn't flake, has vitamins to coat the lashes and protect them and is easy to remove.

5) Water based products

Not only are they healthier for the skin, but they last better on the skin too. They hydrate, keep skin plump and usually have anti aging properties and vitamins.
Don't be scared to ask the consultant if the products Are oil free, or check the packets for "oil-free" labels.

Pixi, Smashbox, Pop Beauty, Guerlain are good choices for oil free products.