Seasonal allergies? Staring at screens too much? Sociopolitical rage/burnout? Depleted surge capacity? Existential crisis? Ennui? Regardless of why, are you finding that your eyes are a bit more red than you’d like, lately? Got to (appear to) get your shit together before the day’s nth Zoom meeting?
I got you.
Who says cosmetics are only for your skin, hair, and nails? I’ve been using Lumify eye drops for about two years now–yeah, since the before times–and nothing obliterates redness the same way. NOTHING. Not Visene, not Ben Stein Clear Eyes, not Rohto, not any damn thing.
Putting Lumify Simply
Lumify is real-life Photoshop. Or a real life filter. Honestly, it’s almost eerie how stark white your eyes end up. I’ve used it after crying when I would prefer to look as though I had not just been crying and the redness was gone in under a minute. It was almost a little creepy. Put it this way – I had to check over the bottle’s fine print to make sure I hadn’t a share of my soul for this witchcraft.
Unfortunately, I’m not in the habit of taking photos when I look like hell, so I can’t demonstrate its efficacy this in a series of opportune selfies. Suffice to say I am rarely this enthusiastic about a product’s performance, let alone such an odd product’s.
A Word of Caution
Like classic Visine and similar products, Lumify is an astringent eye drop. There’s a trade off for how effective it is (and it isn’t your soul): it is also a bit drying – which means it can create a bit of a usage loop if you aren’t cautious about keeping your eyes hydrated. Dryness begets redness and so forth.
If I know I’m struggling with conditions like allergies, I’ll usually use a hydrating drop as soon as I get up in the morning, before I put my makeup on. Then, if I find I need some help with redness, I’ll use Lumify to brighten things up.
I don’t recommend heavy usage. It probably shouldn’t be something you’re using multiple times a day for long periods. You also should not use it if you have chronic dry eye or, hell, any eye conditions, without talking to your eye doctor.
The Bottom Line
Curiously, its a little challenging to get your hands on at the moment from Amazon, which is where I typically buy. There, it often goes on sale AND has a clickable coupon in the listing.
It is also available in drugstores, Target, Walmart, etc. Price varies depending on the barometric pressure, it seems, but unless you simply MUST have it immediately, don’t pay over $17 for a bottle. Even that, to me, is steep. Similarly, check iBotta for rebates if you purchase from a more conventional store.