Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn moreIf you have glaucoma, getting your eye makeup to stay put can be a challenge – but it’s not necessarily the condition itself that’s making your eyes water. As makeup artist Nicola Chapman (@nicolachapman) explains, many people with glaucoma experience dry eyes, which can cause them to water more, while the eye drops used to help manage the condition can also cause redness and sensitivity.It’s a problem Chapman knows particularly well. Her mum has glaucoma, something she has previously spoken about in her videos, and as a makeup artist, she’s become used to adapting the way she does her mum’s makeup around her sensitive eyes. It’s also a surprisingly useful conversation for anyone who struggles with watery eyes. Because whether your eyes are watering because of glaucoma treatment, sensitivity, the weather or simply because they seem to have a mind of their own, the same makeup problems tend to crop up – smudged mascara, disappearing eyeliner and eyeshadow that somehow ends up where it definitely wasn’t supposed to be. The 7 make-up tips Nicola Chapman swears by for watery, sensitive eyesWith an estimated 1.1 million people in the UK living with glaucoma – around 3 per cent of the population aged 40 and over – it’s a condition that plenty of us will encounter, whether personally or through a family member. And while makeup obviously can’t solve the underlying cause of watery or sensitive eyes, Chapman has some very clever tricks for making your products work harder without making your eyes feel worse.From the mascara formula she reaches for to why she prefers matte eyeshadow, these are the makeup tips she swears by for her mum – and they’re worth knowing if you struggle with watery, sensitive eyes, too.Look for eye makeup that has been ophthalmologically testedWhen you have sensitive eyes, Chapman says it’s worth looking beyond claims such as ‘hypoallergenic’ and checking whether a product has been ophthalmologically tested.‘Really you want it to be hypoallergenic,’ she explains, pointing to brands including No7, which she says ophthalmologically tests its products. She also rates brands such as ILIA, bareMinerals, Clinique and Jane Iredale when it comes to makeup for sensitive eyes.The important thing, she says, is finding the balance between a formula that is gentle enough for your eyes but still has enough staying power. ‘It’s finding what fits in the middle for you and works for you personally.’Try an eye primer instead of concealerIf your first instinct is to reach for concealer to disguise redness around the eyes, Chapman has another suggestion: eye primer.‘When I do my mother’s makeup, I will use a primer on her eyes to hold everything in place,’ she says. She likes a skin-toned primer, applying it across the lid and close to the lash line, both above and below the eye.The reason? Concealer can be more emollient and may move around as the eyes water, whereas a good eye primer can create a more stable base.Chapman likes the bareMinerals and Trish McEvoy eye primers, and says that, if needed, she’ll lightly set the primer with a soft matte eyeshadow or setting powder.Matte eyeshadow is your friendOne of Chapman’s biggest makeup rules for watery eyes is surprisingly simple: skip the glitter.‘I would probably go for a matte stick eyeshadow,’ she says. ‘So you’re not getting the powder fall into your eye.’A cream or stick formula means there’s less loose powder to potentially migrate into the eye, while choosing a matte finish avoids the glittery particles that Chapman says can make watering worse.She recommends looking at brands including Victoria Beckham Beauty, VIEVE and Urban Decay for matte stick formulas.And if your eyes are particularly red, consider your colour choice, too. Rather than leaning into red-toned browns or burgundies, Chapman suggests trying more taupe or slightly purple-toned shades, which can be less likely to emphasise redness around the eyes.Waterproof mascara? Yes – but think about removalIt sounds counterintuitive, but waterproof mascara isn’t necessarily off the table if you have watery eyes. In fact, Chapman says it can be useful – provided you consider how you’re going to get it off.‘Waterproof, yes, or water resistant,’ she says. ‘But I do think the tubing ones are quite nice.’Tubing mascaras are a particularly good option because they tend to resist water and can usually be removed with warm water, meaning you don’t necessarily need to rub at the delicate eye area to remove them.What Chapman would avoid, however, is anything with lots of fibres. ‘Definitely stay away from fibres,’ she says, because these can be more difficult to remove and may not be the best option for sensitive eyes.Her mascara pick? No7’s newer tubing mascara. She also mentions RUM as another tubing mascara worth considering for sensitive eyes.Think about your eyeliner textureEyeliner can be useful if watery eyes have made the whites of your eyes look red, as it can help to define the lash line and make lashes appear more prominent.Chapman particularly likes Rare Beauty and ILIA’s eyeliners, but says texture is key.‘You want to go for a softer pencil so that it’s easy to put on and doesn’t irritate the eye as you’re putting it on,’ she says. The caveat? If a pencil is too soft, it can crumble or contain more wax, so finding one that glides without being overly soft is the sweet spot.And while tightlining is a popular makeup trick for making lashes look fuller, Chapman points out that it isn’t necessarily ideal for sensitive eyes. ‘We’re all tightlining our eyes and stuff, which we shouldn’t really be doing full stop,’ she says. ‘But we do it because that’s the thing of beauty.’Be just as careful about how you remove your makeupFor Chapman, makeup removal is just as important as the products you put on.‘If it’s a tubing mascara, warm water,’ she says, recommending keeping the removal process as gentle and uncomplicated as possible.She also advises being mindful about using very oily products around the eyes. ‘You want to make sure you’re using things that aren’t going to block the tear ducts too much,’ she says, suggesting that a simpler, less oily approach may work better for her mum.And this is perhaps the biggest takeaway from Chapman’s advice: there isn’t one magical makeup formula that will work for everyone with glaucoma or sensitive eyes. What works brilliantly for one person may irritate another, so it’s about experimenting carefully and paying attention to how your own eyes respond.On really watery-eye days, embrace the sunglassesSometimes, the best beauty trick is not a beauty product at all.‘Big sunglasses,’ Chapman says when asked what she recommends on particularly bad eye days.She explains that sunglasses can help protect the eyes from wind and bright light – two things that can make watering more noticeable – while also giving you a little confidence boost when you’re not feeling your best.‘My mum often will say, “Oh, my eyes are really, really red”,’ Chapman says. ‘We can cover it, but at the same time, she just opts for sunglasses because her eyes are super sensitive as well.’Honestly, we’re sold. Chapman says, ‘you have to do what works best for you’Ultimately, Chapman’s advice is about finding the middle ground between wanting your makeup to stay put and keeping your eyes as comfortable as possible. As she says, ‘you have to do what works best for you’.And while these tips come from Chapman’s experience doing makeup for her mum, they’re useful beyond glaucoma, too. As she points out, ‘sensitive eyes always want to know anyway’ – so whether your eyes water constantly, react easily to makeup or you simply find eye makeup uncomfortable, there are plenty of small changes worth trying.Looking to upgrade your beauty routine? This month's YOU Magazine Beauty Box includes top essentials our editors swear by. YOU Summer Beauty Box Curated by YOU's trusted beauty team, discover the Summer Beauty Box, a handpicked collection of seven luxury skincare products, worth £188.70. £60 Shop