Watery Eyes Ruining Your Makeup? An Ophthalmologist Just Told Me How to Stop It

For as long as I can remember, I've always had watery eyes, and I've always loved eye makeup. However, the two don't go well together. All it takes is a slight gust of wind or a sudden change in temperature, and my watery eyes stream and ruin my makeup.

And if you're anything like me, you've probably had your eye makeup ruined on more than one occasion thanks to those rogue tears that seemingly come from nowhere and melt away eyeliner and eyeshadow in their wake. I've lost count of the number of times a soft, smoky wing has disappeared. I have watery eyes year-round, but with hayfever season in full swing right now, I've been on a quest to find out how to stop watery eyes from ruining my makeup, once and for all.

So, I enlisted the help of Dr Elizabeth Hawkes, a consultant oculoplastic surgeon and ophthalmologist, to find out the causes of watery eyes and how to stop them from ruining your eye makeup.

What Causes Watery Eyes?

"Blepharitis is the number one cause of dry eye, which is an umbrella term that encompasses lots of symptoms, i.e., redness or a gritty or foreign body sensation and, ironically, dry eyes as the eye makes excess tears when dry," says Dr Hawkes. "There can be many causes, such as allergies, medical conditions or as a result of certain oral medications, but it’s always best to see an eye specialist or an optician as there are subtle differences."

Blocked Tear Ducts: "If it’s just one eye, it could be a blocked tear duct. If you have a blockage, you will have a watery eye, which can be caused by trauma to the tear duct. It can be congenital or caused by an infection, but it needs a thorough assessment," says Dr Hawkes. "A common test eye specialists conduct is to ask patients if their eyes are watering indoors and outdoors. If they water indoors, it’s highly suggestive of blockage. If it’s a duct blockage, you need surgery, but it depends on what layer or level the obstruction is at, as this determines how invasive it needs to be," she adds.

Dry Eyes: "If it’s blepharitis and associated dry eye—watery eye syndrome—the mainstay of treatment is ironically with lubricating eye drops, which can be a tricky concept for patients to get their heads around," says Dr Hawkes. "This is because the more lubricated the ocular surface is, the less likely you are to trigger the lacrimal gland to produce tears." Eye drops can help to rehydrate the eyes and prevent them from overcompensating with excessive tears.

Allergies: "If it’s allergy-related, it needs to be investigated and looked at for the cause. Either way, there are lots of different eye drop options available to the different causes that can all treat the condition efficiently," she says.

Can Makeup Make Watery Eyes Worse?

Depending on the cause of your watery eyes, you may find that makeup can exacerbate symptoms. "Blepharitis is the most common cause, which causes blockage of the meibomian glands, which are specialised glands in between the eyelashes, that secrete an oily layer of tear film," says Dr Hawkes. "They open on the waterline, so when you apply eyeliner or mascara, you’re irritating and directly blocking these glands," she says.

"Generally, I would avoid using eyeliner on the waterline and use products suitable for sensitive skin. Clinique has a brilliant 'eye safety promise’ as the products undergo rigorous testing on how they affect the ocular surface, which not many brands do," she says. "Be cautious with application and always remove eye makeup properly, especially if you have sensitive eyes."

How to Stop Watery Eyes From Ruining Makeup

Preventing watery eyes is the key step to minimise the risk of them ruining your eye makeup, and there are some preventative steps you can take to reduce watery eyes.

Cleanse the Eyes: "Much like a thorough skincare routine and ensuring your skin is in a healthy condition to create a good base for makeup, proper cleansing and care of the eye is key here," says Dr Hawkes. "Ophthalmologists call it ‘lid hygiene’, and this is a must, removing in between the lashes morning and evening to ensure glands don’t get blocked," she says. "Optase Life Sensitive Eye Makeup Remover (£10) is a great one. It has no harsh surfactants that affect the lipid layer on the eyes and does a great job at thoroughly removing makeup."

Practice Good Makeup Hygiene: "Having good makeup hygiene is vital. This includes removing makeup properly, cleaning your brushes, not keeping mascara for years or using expired or dried-out products," she says. Typically, you should replace your mascara every 3-6 months, cream eyeshadows every 12-18 months and powder eyeshadows every 1-2 years. As a general rule of thumb, cream formulations tend to expire more quickly, so go through your makeup bag and check the expiry dates on the products you're using. Additionally, ensure you're regularly washing your makeup brushes, too.

Opt for Cream Eye Makeup: Whilst Dr Hawkes doesn't flag any particular ingredients to avoid in your makeup, she does favour cream over powder formulas. "Specific ingredients in makeup aren’t as important; however, I always advise cream-based eyeshadows and makeup, because powder particles might go into the eye and cause irritation," she says.

Eye Makeup to Avoid: Having spoken to makeup artists over the years, I've learned that it's best to avoid eyeshadows with glitter or shimmer, as they can cause fallout and further irritate the eyes. As for your lashes, tubing mascaras are great as they're long-wearing, but remove easily from the eyes with warm water. Waterproof mascaras are great for avoiding smudges; however, they are more difficult to remove, so look for a good eye makeup remover to fully remove them.

Look for Eye-Safe Brands: "Additionally, I recommend products and brands that have been tested, much like Clinique’s eye safety promise," she says. Look for brands and products that have been ophthalmologist-tested to minimise eye irritation. Additionally, if you're a contact lens wearer, Dr Hawkes says that this can cause problems in itself, so be very mindful to take extra care of your eyes. She also recommends avoiding eyelash extensions if you're prone to issues.

If your watery eyes persist, always seek medical advice. "If you leave anything too long, it can affect your vision, so it’s best to be safe and cautious when it comes to your eyesight," says Dr Hawkes.

How to Fix Eye Makeup

Whether it's a windy day or there is a high pollen count on an important occasion, there are times when smudged eye makeup just needs to be fixed. I've lost count of the number of times I've had my makeup professionally done for a wedding or special occasion, only for it to be ruined by my watering eyes. Here are my tips for fixing it.

Dab, don't rub: Avoid rubbing the area and instead dab with a tissue to remove any excess tears. Often, the area can become dry, so you can rehydrate the area with a sensitive skin-friendly eye cream. This will help to hydrate and soothe any irritation around the eyes. For quick fixes, a Q-tip can help clean up smaller smudges, or you can use a small makeup brush to tidy up smudged eyeliner wings.

Fix the Base: If the situation requires you to fully reapply the makeup, there are a few things you can do. Applying a little concealer can help create a gripper canvas for eye makeup, and it can then be fixed with a pressed setting powder to create a waterproof barrier. Applying with a puff rather than a brush is best to avoid particles from going into the eyes. Tap onto the skin to set the concealer.

Apply Eye Makeup: Waterproof eyeliners or long-wearing eyeshadows (such as cream-to-powder formulas) will provide the best wear. You can also apply a small amount of powder eyeshadow over a cream formula to set your eye makeup. Just ensure the area is fully dry from tears; otherwise, the eye makeup won't adhere. Then, you can apply a setting spray to help lock it in (just keep your eyes closed when you're misting, of course!).

Carry the Essentials: Keep some of your core products with you in case it needs fixing or topping up throughout the day. Alongside your makeup, eye drops or mists can help refresh the eyes throughout the day, and sunglasses are useful for shielding eyes from gusts of wind, or even hiding smudged eye makeup as a last resort.

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