When you wear glasses, your eyelashes can press against the glass of your glasses, and leaving you with smudged lenses and streaked or flaky mascara.
I know it drives me mad, and my lashes are pretty short. When your lashes brush against your lenses every time you blink, it also feels really uncomfortable and annoying. Here are some tips on how you can keep your lashes from smudging your glasses.
Why Do Your Eyelashes Smudge Against Glasses?
There are a few reasons your lashes can touch and smudge your lenses. Long lashes and/or a strong curl can bring the tips of your lashes closer to your glasses, so the length and curl matters a lot.
If you apply lash serums, have lash extensions or you’ve had a lash lift done, your lashes may keep growing longer, or hold a tighter curl. This will leave them brushing your lenses more often, and an eyelash curler can push your lashes forward, and increase the contact.
Your makeup and skin oils also add to the issue. Mascara, oils from your skin, or residue from serums transfer to the lens, when your lashes touch them. Wearing a waterproof and smudge-proof mascara can reduce transfer, but regular cleaning of your lenses with a microfiber cloth is still important.
How Frame Fit Affects Lash Contact
The way your glasses fit your face, changes how often your lashes will touch the lenses. If your frames sit too close to your eyes, long or curled lashes end up brushing the lenses and leaving smudged. Having a small gap between your lashes and your lenses will prevent contact, and keep both your lashes and lenses cleaner.
Your frame style matters too. Rimless frames and semi-rimless frames will sit closer to your eyes, and can increase the lash contact.
While full-rim frames often give you a little more distance. Larger frame sizes usually give extra space for lashes, but the shape of your frames all matter; deep frames will let lashes clear the lens more easily.
The material of your frames and the bridge design affect fit too. Lightweight materials may sit higher or slip, changing the gap throughout the day. Having a poor fit will push the frame toward your lashes whenever you smile or move your head.
Having professional glasses fittings at an optician when choosing your frames, lets you try different frame styles and sizes, and they chan adjust your nose pads, or temple arms for a better fit.
Adjusting Nose Pads For A Better Fit
If your eyelashes are smudging your lenses – check your nose pads. Frames with adjustable nose pads let you move the pads closer to your nose, so your lenses will sit further away from your eyelashes.
Hold the bridge of your glasses with one hand, and gently push the nose pads inward or outward with the other. Push the pads closer together to raise your frames, or spread them to lower it. Make small moves and try the glasses on between the adjustments you make.
When tweaking your nose pads, use a soft cloth to protect your lenses and a small flat screwdriver (or pliers) wrapped in tape for the metal pad arms. If your pads are silicone or soft, press carefully by hand to avoid tearing or damaging them.
If your frames have replaceable or adjustable nose pads, you can swap out your worn pads for new ones. New pads can improve the fit and keep your lenses away from your eyelashes.
Best Type Of Mascara For Glasses Wearers
Choose a mascara that doesn’t transfer easily and stays near against your lenses. Tubing mascaras form tiny tubes on each of your eyelashes, so the product is less likely to rub off on your lenses, and they slide off with arm water, preventing flakes throughout the day.
If you want more length, choose a lengthening mascara with a slimmer wand, to separate the lashes and put product mainly at the tips, so the area near your lens is cleaner. Use a lash comb after applying your mascara (when the mascara is still wet), to remove clumps and space your lashes so they don’t touch your lenses.
Using a silicone-based lash primer can smooth your lashes and improve your mascara adhesion without adding bulk to your lashes, limiting smudging for longer wear, especially with lens coatings that show marks easily.
