• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To MakeupMakeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup

A beauty blog blooming with fresh makeup reviews, swatches and beauty tips from your friendly neighborhood beauty addict

  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
    • Advertising & Media
  • Categories
    • Product Reviews
    • Makeup
    • Skincare & Fragrance
    • Style & Fashion
    • Hair
    • Nails
    • Tips & Tutorials
    • Just for Fun
  • Brands
  • Store

How Sensitive Are Your Eyes?

July 31st, 2018 by Karen 18 Comments

sensitive eyes

Do yours start to water at the very thought of lining your waterline, or can your eyes handle everything — glitters, loose pigments and All. The. Colors?

Inquiring minds want to know.

I used to fall into the latter category, but not so much anymore. Up until about a year ago (don’t ask me why this has changed because I don’t know), I could wear almost anything on my eyes, and I’d be fine. Occasionally, a purple shadow or liner would make my left eye tear a little, but that was the extent of the drama.

Now, though? Totally different story. Around the the last time my skin changed (as it tends to do every few years for me, it seems), the skin around my eyes and my lids also got much drier. My lids, lash lines and inner corners are picker than they used to be, especially my water lines. I can only tolerate certain liners now, and I’m hesitant to stray beyond my eye comfort zone, lest I end up in Weepy City.

Purple and orange shadows are usually the worst offenders for me, as are glitters and shimmers (and, strangely, my left eye). At least for the time being, I can still wear most mascara and liquid liners, but we’ll see how long that lasts!

What’s the situation with your peepers? Are they super sensitive or totally chill? Are some colors, products or brands more irritating for you than others?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

How Sensitive Are Your Eyes? / Originally published July 31st, 2018

There are 18 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun

Previous Post: More From the Mally Beauty Mallywood Collection: Mallywood Eyeshadow Palette, Mallywood Wazza Wazzup! Ombré Highlighting Trio, and Mallywood Highlighting Blush
Next Post: New Hair! (Or When Your Hair Stylist Has an Intervention With You) — and the Advantages of Demi Permanent Hair Color

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Chelsea says

    July 31st, 2018 at 8:49 am

    My eyes have always been a bit sensitive, but it’s gotten so much worse! I have trouble with powders, especially glittery ones, and I have to be really careful not to use powders too close to the lash line, like a liner. No shimmers in my eyeliners, which is sad because I love them, and I still have trouble with some liners (Damn you Chanel Mat Taupe!). A lot of mascaras are problematic too.

    I rarely wear powder eyeshadow anymore because it’s not worth it, so I tend to just use a primer or cream shadow, liner, and mascara.

    Reply
  2. Savannah says

    July 31st, 2018 at 9:03 am

    Mine never used to bother me but now they’re getting more and more sensitive. 🙁 I stay away from glitters entirely, and I don’t really use eyeliner on my waterline anymore. The last time I tightlined? Whoo, boy. That sucked ha ha. I also have to replace my mascara once a month. I tried to stretch it a bit once and my eyes got sooo pissed at me I’m never doing that again!

    Reply
  3. Kim says

    July 31st, 2018 at 9:45 am

    My eyes tend to be on the sensitive side. I don’t care for anything on my water lines, but anything with glitter or sparkle is the worst. I once tightlined with a Clinique pencil (Black Diamond, I think) and what a scene that was. I almost never look in a mirror but I was in the bathroom every 10 minutes wiping away the mess. Disaster. And my eyes do tend to tear up, especially if it’s cold/windy.

    Be prepared to be proud. You’d suggested ages ago that I try a nude lip with red gloss, but I didn’t have a true red gloss. Well, I got one (Givenchy Gloss Interdit – Rouge Thriller) yesterday so I went with the combo this AM. It was a bit on the orange side because of the nude lipstick I picked, but I liked it. I might actually do just the gloss tomorrow. Shocking, right? HAHA!

    Reply
  4. Renee says

    July 31st, 2018 at 10:00 am

    I swear I could poke my eye & it wouldn’t faze me. However, I am still limited to certain liners for my waterline due to my contact lenses. I’m SO bummed because Urban Decay’s amazing liners coat my contact lenses with a film causing them to blur. Thank goodness Marc Jacobs liners don’t and I think they are just as good as UD’s.

    Reply
  5. Ditte K. says

    July 31st, 2018 at 11:09 am

    Cliniques high impact mascara make my eyes water – and then it collects goop in the corner of my eye. Very messy. Too Faced better than sex ends up under my eyes before lunchtime.

    Reply
  6. kellly says

    July 31st, 2018 at 11:22 am

    I can’t wear anything on my eyes that contains carmine. And carmine is in most of the reds and oranges and a lot of rose golds and all the colors I love and that look great with my coloring. (*SOB!*)

    Reply
  7. Ali says

    July 31st, 2018 at 1:05 pm

    Very! I had an awful case of ocular allergies a few years ago, to the point where I couldn’t wear any eye makeup at all for about a year. Since then, I can tolerate eyeshadow, but I almost never use mascara or eyeliner. When I do use eyeliner, I put it on my upper lashline only — never by my waterlines.

    My eyes are a bit better — using two types of eye drops has helped pretty decently, but my eyes are still rather dry. I normally don’t wear any kind of eye makeup at all now, since I don’t want to tempt fate (or end up rubbing my eyes like crazy all day). I’m more a fan of lip products, so that suits me just fine.

    Reply
  8. Tatiana says

    July 31st, 2018 at 1:29 pm

    I’ve always had slightly sensitive eyes, until the day I had a make over at a popular makeup brand counter. Woke up the next day with red, swollen, itchy eyes and thought it was an infection. Eye doc said no, it was an allergy and proceeded to ask me if the shadows used in my make over were either red or reddish purple. Well yes. Since then my eyes have just become more and more sensitive and more and more allergic to things.
    To be honest I’ve never been able to stand anything on my water lines. If I accidentally touch the base of my lashes with my mascara wand I have to take a damp cotton swab and clean it up immediately, or my eyes will water until I take the mascara off. And I have to be picky about which mascara I use. NARS Audacious burns and itches almost immediately upon application. So far, knock wood, I’m good with anything Chanel, as long as there isn’t any glitter in it.

    Reply
  9. Lacy says

    July 31st, 2018 at 1:37 pm

    Makeup doesn’t irritate my eyes but I finally figured out that the facial oil from Arbonne I’ve been using for months mixed with my night time moisturizer irritates my eyes!

    But the most important thing, I love the look you’re rocking AND i need to know what lipstick you are wearing, it’s lovely.

    Reply
  10. Rachel Runyan says

    July 31st, 2018 at 3:29 pm

    As far as makeup, mine are really sensitive to mascaras and liquid eyeliners. Red, purple, and glitter shadows don’t bother me.

    Smoke and pollen irritate the heck out of my eyes and make them water like crazy, preventing me from wearing much eye makeup some days.

    Reply
  11. Michele DiCola says

    July 31st, 2018 at 4:03 pm

    Back when I wore contacts my eyes were always RED !
    Turns out I have dry eye treated w Ristassis ( like the commercial )
    But not until 2 eye drs later and quite by accident did I receive treatment. My daughter kept asking me : “ why do you blink so much ?”
    So now , the blinking has subsided , the redness is gone ( laser surgery ) and no more problems w eye makeup !

    Reply
  12. Kate says

    July 31st, 2018 at 6:36 pm

    Do you think it’s your contacts? My eyes bothered me so much, to the point where I would have to remove one contact lens while driving just so it wouldn’t bother me while driving. everything got better once I changed my contact lens cleaner to the one with hydrogen peroxide. (Clear Care—avail at Costco.) Now, my sensitivity’s pretty much non existent.

    Reply
  13. Neisha says

    August 1st, 2018 at 9:44 am

    Super sensitive! No tightlining, no lower last mascara, and a lot of BB creams with chemical SPF irritate. 🙁 So, most days you’ll see me rocking a bold lip!

    Reply
  14. Lana says

    August 1st, 2018 at 11:40 am

    I definitely developed dry eye and some kind of blepharitis. I think as we age, the natural oils get clogged which aggravates and causes the dry eye. I blame a lot of these new high powered eye liners that contain alcohol, waxy concealers and heavy eye creams that are overly clogging. Coconut oil is a big no. My opthomalogist suggests fish oil that keeps the tear ducts and glands smooth and daily warm compresses that relieve the congestion. Just massage them in.

    Reply
  15. Betty Valls says

    August 1st, 2018 at 11:55 am

    A few short years ago I could wear anything but not any more. I wish I could do tightlining, I love how it looks but i haven’t figured out if there is any brand of eye pencil my sensitive, dry eyes can tolerate. Mascaras are getting problematic for me too, I am testing a few to see which ones work for me, forget any with fibers etc. My eyes are even sensitive to concealers and foundations if I accidentally get too close to the eye. Bother.

    Reply
  16. jaclyn Levy says

    August 1st, 2018 at 2:18 pm

    Yes, I think so! I bought a NYX eye palette full of crazy colors and used it for Pride but my eyes were red for 2 straight days after. Then I came to the sad realization that my new Lorac palette I’ve lusted over for months also irritates my eyes! I’m keeping it, though I refuse to give it up! I’ve used my Urban Decay palette almost daily for 2 years without a problem. I should do a little sleuthing and compare the ingredient lists of the NYX and Lorac palettes to see if there are any common ingredients that might be what’s triggering my eye tantrums.

    Reply
  17. Frances says

    August 2nd, 2018 at 9:31 am

    I can’t wear any eyeshadow that has red pigment in it, because it causes my eyelids to swell and become dry and red and itchy and flaky. It’s sad, because it means I can’t wear mauves or plums, or some reddish taupes, or even some warmer browns. There’s also some lipsticks that cause my lips to be dry and itchy red, but I haven’t yet figured out the ingredient that causes it.

    Reply
    • Olekalani says

      August 13th, 2018 at 7:35 am

      It’s carmine. I have exactly the same problem. Can’t wear anything purple/mauve and I have green/hazel eyes! So unfair! Try some indie brands that are 100% vegan and cruelty free or simply search for make up with no carmine in it (and it’s REALLY hard to find anything)

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog

Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog! My name is Karen, and I’m a freelance writer obsessed with makeup.

Makeup and Beauty Blog features daily product reviews, makeup tips and beauty news — like an interactive version of a monthly print magazine, except with occasional pictures of my cat.

Recent Posts

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 878

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 894

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 893

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 892

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 891

/* real people should not fill this in and expect good things – do not remove this or risk form bot signups */

Social

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Featured Posts

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 771

Lady Unicorn

Weird Things I Like to Do

brows fill out beforehand

Before You Pluck or Wax Your Brows, You Must Do This

current bare skin status

What’s One Thing That Drastically Changed Your Skin for the Better?

Copyright © 2025 Makeup and Beauty Blog. Get in touch.