Quick answer: After her ophthalmologist diagnosed extreme dry eyes from constant screen time, Nikol tried a gentle Ayurvedic eye wash ritual — a rose-and-lavender rinse used with a small glass eye cup — and was genuinely surprised by how refreshed and soothed her eyes felt afterward. She treats it as a weekly comfort ritual, not a medical cure, and recommends seeing an eye doctor if you have persistent dry-eye symptoms.
Key takeaways
- Nikol was diagnosed with extreme dry eyes, largely from heavy screen time, and wanted a gentle, holistic addition to the drops her doctor suggested.
- The Ayurvedic eye wash ritual uses a rose-and-lavender solution and a small glass eye cup; she does it about once a week, on Sundays.
- Her honest verdict: it felt incredibly refreshing and soothing — she went in skeptical and came away pleasantly surprised.
- It is a comfort ritual, not a treatment: research it, patch-test, and ask your eye doctor before trying it.
- She also walks through a soft evening matte eye look using her Rewrite The Rules palette, announced for a spring 2024 launch.
Hey ladies! In this video, Nikol Johnson — licensed esthetician and founder of Nikol Beauty — gets honest about something she genuinely didn't expect to work. After an ophthalmologist visit revealed she has extreme dry eyes (hello, endless screen time), she went looking for a gentle, holistic ritual to add to her routine. Here is what she tried, how it felt, and the soft evening eye look she created afterward.
What Is the Ayurvedic Eye Wash Ritual Nikol Tried?
Nikol has loved the philosophy of Ayurveda since her esthetician training, so when she found an Ayurvedic eye wash ritual kit online (she ordered hers through Amazon), she was curious to test it. The kit includes a small glass cup shaped to fit the eye and a soothing rose-and-lavender solution. In Ayurvedic terms she describes herself as running warm, or having a lot of heat, so the idea of a cooling, calming rinse appealed to her. She frames the ritual as something meant to gently cleanse and refresh tired eyes — not as medicine.
Alongside it, she still uses the lubricating eye drops her ophthalmologist suggested (she picked up an over-the-counter version at the drugstore and uses them a few times a day) and mentions a caffeine eye cream for morning de-puffing. Those are third-party products she happens to reach for, not Nikol Beauty items.
How Do You Do the Eye Wash Ritual, Step by Step?
Here is the gentle routine Nikol demonstrates in the video. Always follow the directions that come with your own kit, keep everything clean, and check with an eye-care professional first.
- Fill the glass eye cup about halfway with the rose-and-lavender solution — there is no need to use the whole cup.
- Press the cup gently against your eye and tilt your head back so the solution covers the eye.
- Open and close the eye, rotating your eyeball around so the rinse reaches all areas, for about 15 to 30 seconds.
- Release the cup, discard the used solution, and gently pat around (not on) the eye with a clean towel to keep the hydration in.
- Repeat on the other eye with fresh solution, then rest for a moment so everything can settle.
Nikol does this about once a week, on Sundays, and uses individual biodegradable face towels to avoid transferring bacteria.
Did It Actually Work for Her Dry Eyes?
Her honest reaction: she went in skeptical — I didn't think this would work — and came away genuinely surprised by how refreshing and soothing it felt. She says her eyes felt incredible afterward and that she is happy to have added it to her weekly wellness routine.
Important context: this is Nikol's personal experience, not a medical claim. An eye wash ritual is about comfort and refreshment, not curing dry eye. If your eyes are persistently dry or irritated, or your vision changes, please see an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Patch-test anything new, research it for your own situation, and ask your doctor before trying an eye rinse — especially if you wear contact lenses or have an existing eye condition.
What Makeup Look Did Nikol Create in This Video?
With her eyes freshly soothed, Nikol built a soft, event-ready evening look — think grays blended into pinks, perfect for a wedding or cocktail party. She starts on a hydrated, primed base (she used a La Mer emulsion and an Inkey List caffeine eye cream that day, both third-party products she happened to reach for).
On the eyes, she reaches for her long-loved eye primer, then her Rewrite The Rules matte eyeshadow palette — the cool-toned matte set she designed for mature lids, announced for a spring 2024 launch (she is working with her final lab samples here). She washes the mid-tone shade over the lid, brightens the brow bone with the bone shade, and smudges the deepest shade into the lash line as a soft liner. A lash curler, waterproof charcoal eyeliner, and Volume Up mascara finish the eyes.
For skin, she color-corrects with Just Peachy and No Redness (and mentions Extreme Cancel for deeper darkness), conceals with her Creamy Concealer, and — just for this video — tried a radiance liquid foundation from Estée Lauder instead of her usual BB Cream. She sets under the eyes with Nikita Banana brightening powder, warms the cheeks with the St. Barths cream blush and her Crème Brûlée hybrid bronzer, grooms her brows with Milk Chocolate brow mascara to cover grays, and finishes the lips with Rose Lip Balm, Silk lip liner, and a mix of the Pretty Smart and Actually I Can lipsticks topped with Manifest & Glow gloss.
The bottom line
Nikol's takeaway is simple: gentle, consistent care can make dry, screen-tired eyes feel a lot more comfortable — and sometimes the rituals you are most skeptical about surprise you. Just keep it in the comfort-not-cure lane and loop in your eye doctor. When you are ready to build a soft evening eye look of your own, explore her eye collection, browse the eyeshadows, and prep a glowing base with her face essentials.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Ayurvedic eye wash ritual?
It is a gentle traditional practice of bathing the eyes with a soothing herbal solution. In Nikol's case that means a rose-and-lavender blend used with a small glass eye cup shaped to fit the eye, meant to cleanse, refresh, and calm tired eyes. She treats it as a weekly wellness ritual, not a medical treatment or cure.
Does the eye wash ritual cure dry eyes?
No. It is a comfort-and-refreshment ritual, not a medical treatment or cure, and Nikol shares only her personal experience of feeling more soothed and refreshed. If you have persistent, worsening, or painful dry-eye symptoms, see an optometrist or ophthalmologist and follow their guidance before trying anything new.
How often does Nikol do the eye wash ritual?
About once a week, and she does hers on Sundays. In the video she pours roughly half a cup of the rose-and-lavender solution into the glass eye cup, presses it gently to each eye, tilts back, and moves her eye around for 15 to 30 seconds before switching sides. Consistency matters more than intensity.
Is the eye wash ritual safe to try at home?
Nikol stresses doing your own research, patch-testing, and asking your doctor first, since everyone's eyes are different. Use clean tools, follow the directions in your kit, and stop right away if you feel irritation. Anyone who wears contact lenses or has an eye condition or ongoing symptoms should get professional advice before adding an eye rinse.
What eyeshadow palette does Nikol use in this video?
She uses her Rewrite The Rules matte eyeshadow palette, a cool-toned matte set she designed for mature lids and announced for a spring 2024 launch. In the video she is working with her final lab samples, building a soft evening look from a light bone shade up to a deeper contour shade.
What is the makeup look in this video?
A soft, cool-toned evening eye with grays blended into pinks, worked over a primed, refreshed base. Nikol layers eye primer, her matte palette, waterproof charcoal liner and volume mascara, then color-corrects, conceals, adds cream blush and a hybrid bronzer, and finishes with a pretty pink lip. It is an event-ready look for a wedding or cocktail party.
