May 28, 2021: I’ve been wearing glasses for more than two-thirds of my life, and the struggle to keep makeup from rubbing off on them has been a losing battle for as long as I can remember. I’m no stranger to getting mascara and glitter on my lenses, or ending up with nose makeup smeared on the frames. That said, there’s a reason why you will rarely see Glasses Amanda IRL, and it’s mostly because doing my makeup with my glasses feels…impossible.

Well, after scrolling through TikTok for an absurd amount of time (per usual), I discovered makeup artist Janine Holmes has a trick for combating this pressing issue. “This is my biggest stress of being a celebrity makeup artist,” Holmes says in the video, referring to when stars put on sunnies after she perfects a full face of glam. “I’ve come to accept that celebrities will always want to wear their sunglasses, but I don’t let it stress me out anymore because I’ve figured out an amazing technique to make sure sunglasses don’t ruin the makeup around the nose area.” 

@j9homiemakeup

A PRO technique to sunglass-proof your makeup! 🕶 #promakeuptip #celebritymakeupartist #demilovatomakeup #adamlevine

♬ Quirky – Oleg Kirilkov

Holmes’ process starts with an eye primer, one without pigment. “You want to press it into the sides of the nose where the sunglasses make contact,” she instructs. “Then, apply concealer or foundation over the top and blend that in.” In her video, she uses Urban Decay’s Original Eyeshadow Primer Potion and e.l.f. Cosmetics Hydrating Camo Concealer. I decided to try my hand at the hack using Rare Beauty Always An Optimist Illuminating Primer and Fenty Beauty’s Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Concealer.

I do have to preface this by noting that I usually avoid the mishap of melting makeup by not wearing foundation (and also, simply put, I don’t enjoy wearing it). But today, for you readers, I dutifully applied KVD Beauty Good Apple Full Coverage Foundation, one of the few foundations I’ve found perfectly matches my skin’s neutral undertones. Normally I use Katie Jane Hughes’ manner of applying foundation, dotting the product only in specific places on my face and using a small fluffy brush to blend out. Today, though, I went full-full coverage so that we could really see the effects of Holmes’ hack.

Then, I continued following the makeup artist’s steps, grabbing a setting spray, setting powder, and a makeup sponge. “Soak a sponge in a long-lasting setting spray and grab a fair amount of loose setting powder,” Holmes explains in the video. “Pack it over the top [of the concealer or foundation] and let it marinate for a few minutes.” 

I grabbed my setting spray—Holmes used All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray  from Urban Decay, which I also have but couldn’t find today, so I swapped in my favorite setting spray of all time, the one that makes me look like my skin was made of melted down pearls all day every day, Iconic London’s Prep Set Glow Hydrating Spray—as well as my powder (Glossier Wowder) and a makeup sponge, and applied it to the sides of my nose. I baked long enough for a Top Chef Quickfire, so ten minutes, which is probably longer than most people but less than a drag queen, my optimal place in life. 

Holmes has an additional step of wiping down the pads of her glasses with alcohol and applying more powder on top, but this look is just here for a good time, not a long time. If I was expecting to be in glasses or sunglasses all day, that might be a great option, but I was willing to risk it. Next, it was time to put the hack to the test. It’s overcast in New York today, so I waited for a moment of brightness before heading out for coffee and a sandwich. I popped on the silliest glasses I had (brand new, super clean ones, FYI) and took a 20-minute walk around my neighborhood.

sunglasses
Credit: Photo by Amanda Mitchell

I got home and quickly went to take photos of my face as well as examine the pads of my glasses. Good news: The pads were clean, untouched, an amazing feat. However, the makeup on the sides of my nose had shifted, and I can only imagine what it would be like if I had done this on a warmer day. But perhaps I’m being too picky since I don’t wear foundation often? Take a look for yourselves:

sunglasses
The after.

I would be willing to try this hack again with the same products Holmes used and my regular glasses, but this feels like a very extensive extra step for something most people never notice. After all, it’s not like I’m a celebrity who’s always being photographed and scrutinized. Sorry, all, in my opinion, the wheel stays unreinvented—this is one for the stars and the stars only.