Hello! I have lupus and I’ve had dry sensitive eyes and dry skin around my eyes for some time. I suspect it might be sjogren's but getting a diagnosis feels like too much effort. I get by okay with moisturisers but haven’t been able to wear makeup near my eyes for years.
I’m getting married next year and I’d really like to be able to wear something without triggering red/flakey/angry skin around my eyes. I’ve tried some more natural brands of makeup but without success.
Has anyone else had this problem and can you recommend any makeup that has worked for you? I’d particularly like to wear eye liner, mascara and a concealer for my wedding. Any tips for wearing makeup with dry, sensitive eyes would also be appreciated!
Thanks!
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Fernlife
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Sjögrens disease here. I also get rashes across my eyelids and cheeks. I love wearing makeup but don’t wear much eyeshadow these days, more a personal choice than anything else but it doesn’t jive well with the rashes on the eyelids
I can recommend anything by Victoria Beckham Beauty - her eye kohls are fabulous and do not irritate. Creamy, no tugging and just glide on. There’s a sponge smudging tool at the opposite end of the pencil which is great for blending out. I tightline my upper lid with them too and no issues. They really do last all day too and once on, they don’t budge. Great for weddings! I also love her Vast Lash mascara, but you’ll either need a balm cleanser or a good micellar water like Bioderma Sensibio (red/pink cap colour) to remove it. An alternative is Byredo - I love their mascaras and they are easy to remove. Both brand mascaras last all day with no smudging or transfer.
VBB is a clean beauty brand too.
Concealer - my favourite go to at the moment is Merit Beauty's Minimalist stick which can double up as a concealer or foundation. Merit is another clean beauty brand. I use it under the eyes and to add some coverage to the rashes on my cheeks. Blends well and looks natural, no caking. I find less is more with rashes, applying thin layers until the desired level of coverage is reached. Merit also do a fabulous balm stick highlighter. I rub some on the tips of my fingers and then lightly dab it on the high points of my cheek bones for a lit-from-within natural glow I love this product as it looks so natural.
Another concealer which is excellent but spendy is Tom Ford’s soft matte concealer. Another firm favourite of mine.
Best applicator brush is Trinny London Blush Bronzer T brush - I use it for all cream products like concealer, blush, highlighter. Honestly, it’s the only brush I use now - my other concealer and face brushes are gathering dust it’s perfection and works well whether using it lightly or with a firmer hand for blending
I tend to lightly set concealer with Make Up Forever’s translucent pressed HD powder which is the best I’ve ever used.
I conceal the rashes on my eyelids with either Laura Mercier’s matte eye colour stick in Natural or Victoria Beckham Beauty’s eye stick in Trench, and then blend with my finger.
If you’re looking for blushes, Westman Atelier have superb cream blush sticks. I have a couple and use them daily. Cream blushes work well with dry skin.
I’d recommend moisturising and exfoliating the skin before applying cream products otherwise the products will catch in the dry patches. I use Dermalogica’s Daily Microfoliant or Milkfoliant granules (depending on whether there are cheek rashes or not) and my SPF 50 acts as a morning moisturiser as it’s fairly emollient. I leave it to absorb for about half an hour before applying makeup to avoid it all slipping and sliding off.
I hope this helps and that you have a wonderful wedding day looking fabulous!
Wow! Thank you so much for the super thorough response. I really appreciate it! Now I have some idea of where to start and what to other things I need to do to help. Xx
I use bobbi brown cream eye colour sticks. It's less drying than powder shadow. I also have my eyelashes and eyebrows tinted. I found mascara was difficult because of eye drops and eyes running tears a lot. I use sensitive skin moisturiser like aveeno or e45 twice a day on face and body. I also have a water softener for my whole house which has stopped nearly all my dry skin problems. Use something like micellar water for make up removal not soap and water. If you use soap get a pH neutral sensitive soap. Drink loads of water at least 1.5 litres a day. You just have to try things out and see what works best for you.
Yes! Cream eyeshadow sticks are fantastic - and very forgiving on the eyes too. So many good options available. Bobbi Brown does some excellent sticks too.
Yes I got fed up with powder shadow rubbing off with all the drops and for me I have one runny eye and one bone dry. I'm not a heavy make up person but I like a bit of colour so I was glad when I found that cream eye make up doesn't rub off so easy. I'm in my 50s but I still like to look feminine and that can be hard sometimes with all we have to deal with. Also the good make up is not cheap but it does last so its swings and roundabouts I guess.
I’m terrible with eye drops during the day. I just don’t do it 🙄. Been told off by optician. I like to wear makeup during day and I have a professional occupation so like to look my best for work. I do load up at night with the unguent ones, I use Xailin.
I’ve long concluded that you get what you pay for with good makeup. More shade options and quality overall is much better. However, not all high end brands are equal and I’ve found overpriced duds along the way. I also steer clear of clean beauty brand lipsticks as they go off within 6-12 months (from past experience) and who gets through a whole lipstick in that period of time? Not that I wear much lipstick these days as my bottom lip is now affected by the autoimmune issues. Tinted balm is where it’s at for me right now
It’s always worth holding out for a promotional offer - online retailers and department stores often have sales with anything between 10-20% off.
Gosh if you need eye drops then do it. Don't wait for them to feel dry or painful as that's too late. I do theoloz duo twice a day, another eye drop when needed, maybe 4 times a day and a cream like hylo night at night. I hope you're getting them on prescription but xailin is not the best eye ointment its just like vaseline really. Try hylonight or hycosan night as you get the vitamin e aswell. If you have dry eye then it pays to keep on top of it. If you aim right you can just about miss your eyelid most of the time so the make up stays in tact! I hope you get to do a heated eye mask once or twice a day. That works so well and so soothing. Listen to your optician but try and see an ophthalmologist re. eye drops as they really know their stuff when it comes to eye care and the latest drops etc..
Hi. Eyes aren’t too bad tbh during the day. I use preservative free drops only as preservatives irritate my eyes. Haven’t been to an ophthalmologist for years, since initial Sjögrens diagnosis 14 years ago. I had a GP who used to be an ophthalmologist and he was good at recommending what to use in the eyes. I use Viscotears and Xaillin at night - mostly Xaillin at night as optician said I need to use it more to prevent surface damage to the cornea. Viscotears tends to gum my lids together at night and he said this can cause damage to the cornea when prising the lids open
If I really need drops during the day I use Celluvisc minims. I get all of this on prescription and luckily have an exemption card due to being in thyroxine.
Rheumatologist is quite good too at advice re eye dryness.
But you’re right, I ought to use drops more during the day!
Do you know sometimes its remembering to do the drops but usually my eyes tell me I've waited too long! Don't forget to keep those meibomian glands free flowing too with the eye mask! Lucky you get free prescriptions although I do the yearly nhs certificate now which makes a big difference in cost with everything you have to take.
I have had terribly dry eyes and lupus for 25 years. I have never been helped much by any lubricating or moisturizing drops. A year ago my ophthalmologist prescribed Xiidra eye drops. They work by reducing the inflammation that causes “dry eye”. I only use one drop per day per eye at bedtime and do not need any other drops to moisturize during the day. It is an option to use Xiidra twice a day as well. My eyes had been so dry that the edges of my eyelids sometimes stuck together when I blinked. Also my vision was blurry because my cornea was so dry. I am so happy that Xiidra has helped so much. I hope it will help you, too, Fernlife … and anyone else who may read this and try it! Best Wishes to you on your wedding day!!
Hi Fermlife , so happy to hear you are getting married, congratulations 🥂.
I have my go to products , I have very dry skin round eyes and I use Clinique eyecream morning and night I also love their mascara . I love Lancôme Ombre Hypnôse Stylo Cream eyeshadow stick , so easy to apply. I use no 7 concealer stick though I would like something that lasts longer. For eyeliner I use maybelline liquid eyeliner which is like a fine felt tip .
I have had bad allergies in the past and at the moment these work for me - though everyone is different 🤷♀️
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