Increasingly sensitive eyes - lash extensions?

[sighbynight]

I think it is a premenopausal thing. My eyes are increasingly sensitive and dry. I used to wear contact lens regularly, but there is no way I can do that now. They just won't come out at the end of the day. My mascara choice is reduced to Blinc, so a special trip to Harvey Nicks for that. Any eye shadow or liner makes my eyes all uncomfortable.

So I'm wondering, has anyone with sensitive eyes tried lash extensions to get away from using eye makeup. Even typing this, I know that this is mad, that the glue etc would send me over the edge. But I'm so hopeful. Anything to help my poor little piggie eyes?

Kind friend plus MN recommendation (can't find link to thread just now, sorry) led me to Rapid Lash. I, like you, have become increasingly sensitive to eye make up. The poor Bobbi Brown make up person who tried to put stuff on me was horrified as my eyes spontaneously wept all her products, so carefully applied, down my face.
It's only Day 14 of my Rapid Lash regime, but, that, together with eyelash tinting at salon might be my successful way to look less piggy eyed and more 'finished' . It might work for you?

I developed very sensitive skin on my eyelids a year or so ago and have been having lash extensions since November last year to get away from wearing make up..... All was well until my last appointment, 2 weeks ago, when my reaction flared up even though my therapist did nothing different .

I think my skin is so sensitized that it doesn't take much at all to trigger the reaction.

Sorry, I feel your pain....

I've ordered some of your hopeinajar, WhiteHairReally, so thank you for that!
And HorsesDogsNails, I'm sorry. I know what you are saying.

Oh wow this sounds so sore and annoying, do you think maybe you are allergic to a face product as opposed to the makeup? I find k have this trouble when I use some eye creams. But if I don't use eye cream then I'm fine.

Yes what allie said. My eyes were getting really dry and awful and just kept getting worse. Then I stopped using all the eye creams I'd been putting on them to help the situation and they cleared up to a huge degree and I can now wear contacts and mascara again (and eyeliner when I go out). I dont think my eyes would handle extensions at all. I'm not perimenopausal or even close (I don't think !) but have become increasingly sensitised to everything too. I'm starting to wonder if they are changing formulas to include an ingredient or ingredients that are irritating. My friend is the same and is using antihistamines almost every day to combat it.

It may be, Allie82. Any products containing sunscreen make my eyes much worse. But likewise, I need sunscreen so I don't know how to get around that one.

I don't use any specific eye creams, and at night I use facial oil, which I don't react to at all. Might go and stick some teabags on my eyes now. Late night screens don't help the burning sensation!

Be careful with the oil. I don't otherwise react to the products that irritated my eyes (ie they are fine on the rest of my face/body).

Lash extensions irritate my eyes. I find tinting my eyelashes a much better option.

I would steer clear of lash extensions. I used to apply the cluster lashes and also trained in applying singular lashes. We used a very light glue which was almost like a tack (for the cluster lashes) but any good salon/beautician will have you sign a form of some sort to say you have no allergies etc, so nothing can come back on them. So I would steer clear just for the reasons that if you were to have some sort of reaction, there's not a lot you would be able to do, and your eyes are one thing you don't want to be messing with!
Sorry that I can't give you any actual product advice though, good luck with your search!

Ok. Sensible advice all of you. Thank you. I won't do it, but I'll have a go with the lash serum.

You could try LVL Lashes (or any kind of lash tint and lift). It's all your own natural lashes, straightened, tinted and give you the effect of wearing mascara, you get 3-4 good weeks out of them before they start dropping and you can get them done every 6 weeks.

OP just another message, I think before you try anything on/near your eyes again, you might want to see what it is that's causing the reactions. It took me a good while when I was younger to find out what was causing my skin issues (alcohol in products) so I can steer clear of it now and find alternative products.
Even if something seems gentler (like the serum you've mentioned) it could still have an ingredient in that doesn't agree with you.
Good luck!

I think the problem is eye dryness rather than sensitivity per se. My eyes are dry and not flushing out tiny flakes or traces of stuff as they should, so they begin to feel gritty and inflamed. I have been using lubricating drops for this as sometimes my eyeball sticks to my lids overnight, and then it hurts to open my eyes in the morning. I've spoken to the optician but there isn't much to be done about it other than the drops.

I had this and what has helped me was changing the face cream I had been using for years, and only putting mascara on the upper lashes. It's frustrating. Also could you have hay fever which is making it worse? My sensitive eyes are largely worse in the spring summer.

There are a few illnesses, Sjogren's syndrome and ocular rosacea, that cause this. Discontinue all creams and cosmetics for a week to check that it is not cosmetics allergy; if that does not help, consult an eye doctor. It could be that your tear production is low - I have this and cannot wear contacts any more. Have you tried artificial tear eye drops?

I've seen an optometrist. No underlying conditions, just dry eyes. And I use lubricating eye drops, which offer a limited amount of relief. I think I need to relearn how to blink.