5 Crucial Makeup Tips Every Spring Allergy Sufferer Needs to Know

by Marissa Gold

Delphine Achard
Delphine Achard

I can't tell you how many times one ill-timed sneeze ruined all of my hard work with a mascara wand. #allergyproblems. Can any of you relate?


When you have allergies, your relationship with makeup becomes a little complicated. On the one hand, you don't want to pile on a lot of products, because maybe your skin is sensitive, your eyes are watery, or you tend to rub your eyes or blow your nose and smudge it all off. On the other hand, the worse your allergy symptoms are, the more it shows in your face ("Allergy Face" is the term Zyrtec coined for it). So makeup can become pretty important when you need to look presentable despite frightening pollen counts.

Celebrity makeup artist Jamie Greenberg came to New York City a few weeks ago to talk about her tips for allergy sufferers. I took notes and then did what any responsible editor would do--I peeked into her makeup bag, of course! Here are the five most important makeup tips for anyone with allergies, along with a few product recommendations you might like.

1. For a puffy face: Take a page from Real Housewife Sonja Morgan's book and dunk your face into a bowl of ice water in the morning. You can also stick a wet washcloth in the freezer for a few minutes (remove before it gets stiff) and apply to your face like a mask before makeup to calm skin and depuff. Also your friend: contouring. "When we wear black, we look slimmer. In the same way, shading and highlighting can help us chisel and define a puffy face," says Greenberg. Sweep bronzer under your cheekbones, down each side of your nose, and on the outer edges of your forehead to give the illusion of less puffiness.

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2. Don't experiment too much with your skin care: If you have reactive, sensitive eyes and skin, lay off the heavy duty anti-aging skin care ingredients, especially around your eyes. Find a basic eye cream and moisturizer that works for you and stick to it. Don't have a favorite? Most makeup artists carry a tube of Embryolisse--this old-school moisturizer is simple and affordable, and a little goes a long way. It gives a smooth finish to skin, and, as one of Greenberg's fellow artists put it to me, "I've never seen anyone have a bad reaction to it."


3. If your eyes water, use waterproof mascara: While you might shy away from waterproof makeup, it might actually make your allergy-ridden life easier--especially if you're prone to smudged liner and flaky mascara. The more watery your eyes are, the more you need a formula that will stay put. Greenberg's other trick: "Putting on a ton of eye makeup doesn't always help. Instead, consider adhering comfortable, fake lashes. This will wake up your face without having to wear any additional eye makeup."

4. To conceal a red nose: "Apply a green-color primer to cancel out redness," says Greenberg. Apply with your fingers (or a brush or sponge) just onto the red areas, then top with your regular foundation or tinted moisturizer. This is an important extra step, as most of us get used to the redness we see on our own faces and don't realize what a difference this can make.

Try: Make Up for Ever HD Microperfecting Primer in Green, $34, sephora.com; or 5 Camouflage Cream Palette in No. 1, $38, sephora.com (a palette containing four shades of concealer, plus a green redness-canceling corrector).

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5. Keep everything super clean: If I don't regularly swipe my eyelash curler with an alcohol pad, I notice the buildup of makeup on the pad makes my eyes feel itchy and watery within just a few days. I highly recommend you keep a box of alcohol swabs in your medicine cabinet and quickly clean off your eyelash curler after each use. And cleaning your makeup brushes goes without saying. Keep shortcuts around to make it easier to do regularly, like makeup brush cleaning wipes or Japonesque Solid Brush Cleanser. It's a solidified block of brush cleanser that you simply swirl a wet brush onto, then rinse the brush and let it dry.


Talk to me about your allergies and makeup routine! What do you love to use, and what type of things do you shy away from?

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