Use Nerdwax to Prevent Your Glasses From Slipping
Keeping the glasses off your face is a constant struggle. This is the classic nerd stereotype that holds true for me, and I lose my fight against gravity. But I found some help in the form of Nerdwax .
Many people have no problem keeping glasses; it depends entirely on your nose, your choice of frames, and possibly your skin’s inherent oils. I’m partial to plastic frames with a retro flair, but unfortunately these frames take more aesthetics than functionality and lack those little rubber nose pads that hold metal frames in place. The lack of rubber pads combined with heavy plastic makes the glasses slippery, especially in wet and slippery New York summer. Even if you don’t wear prescription lenses, the problem is even more common with sunglasses, which are often larger, heavier, and sometimes made of glossy plastic.
I recently bought new frames and found myself constantly having to re-assert my place on my nose, adopting this classic nerd mannerism. The constant slipping of new frames was annoying enough, so I decided to just go back to my old pair. What can you do!
Nerdwax is simply a beeswax-based substance that you apply under the bridge of the nose of the frame – the part where your glasses meet your nose. It is slightly tacky to the touch, which helps keep the glasses in place. It comes in a small tube that looks like chapstick.
Working? Yes, sort of. It helps.
Once a day in the morning, when I usually clean my lenses, I also rub some wax under the bridge of my nose. Not huge heaps of stuff; it is more like drawing a line with soft chalk. It doesn’t stick your frames to your face, but it makes them a little more grippy.
It’s not perfect, but it certainly adds much-needed friction. Over time, the wax wears off, distils and wipes off natural sebum. I only use it in the morning, but some people use it more often. It really made my new glasses wearable. An alternative would be clumsy rubber feathers , nose pads, or some sort of solution that makes it look like I’m going to play sports or ride a roller coaster, and I need glasses to keep my grip on my face. Call me conceited, but I don’t want my glasses to look like a medical device (which I guess they are, literally).
Nerdwax started as a Kickstarter project in 2014 by Don Haney and was later featured on Shark Tank . (Mr. Wonderful and Troy Carter made offers, but Haney and his wife ultimately turned down.) But life goes on, like the wax on my glasses, and you can buy one pipe for about ten dollars on Amazon.
I still have to adjust my glasses quite often, but a little less often than before.