While the longer days and warmer temperatures may be welcomed after a cold winter, spring is also the start of allergy season, resulting in everything from watery eyes to red noses. To keep your face looking fresh and clear no matter what allergies you may suffer from, take a look at some of these useful makeup tips.
Cool Down and Contour
Leaks in capillary beds are commonly caused by allergies, and this results in the swelling of the skin, especially around the eyes. Before applying any makeup to your face, you need to first cool your skin down, which can easily be done by placing refrigerated metal spoons over your eyelids for a few minutes. A frozen washcloth, or even cucumber slices, works in the same way, and will really help you to de-puff. Once you have done this, give contouring a try, as this can really help to chisel your face and detract from any puffiness.
Hiding a Red Nose
Red noses are another issue that allergy sufferers have to deal with all-too-often, and, to begin with, you should only be using soft tissues that will not irritate your nose even more. When it comes to hiding the redness, a green-tinged primer is best, onto which you can then apply your usual concealer and foundation, resulting in your nose looking absolutely flawless.
Clear Mascara
If your eyes tend to frequently run because of allergies, then a dark colored mascara is the last thing that you want to be wearing. However, for those who still want to accentuate their eyes, a clear colored mascara will do the job in a more subtle way, and can be emphasized with a thin line of waterproof black eyeliner.
Counteract Red Eyes
Eye redness is a common side effect of allergies, but there is an easy way to counter this. Simply line the inner rims of your lower lids with a flesh colored pencil, preferably one that has been clinically proven to be safe to be used on the inner rims, as unsafe products can cause infections. While you may think that white would do the job even better, this tends to be much too obvious, whereas a flesh colored pencil will counteract red eyes in a much more subtle way.
Create a Distraction
There will always be those mornings where you do not have enough time to spend covering up red noses and puffy eyes to perfection, and will have to make do with a quick swipe of makeup instead. On these days, one of the best ways to draw attention away from your allergies is by creating a distraction, which is most easiest done with your lips, requiring nothing but a lip liner and a bold shade of lipstick. Alternatively, a creative hairstyle could make your hair, rather than your face, the focal point of your look.
While your allergies may affect your appearance more often than you would like, there are several ways in which you can combat this. With the clever use of makeup, you will be able to hide everything from runny eyes to puffy skin, leaving you with a smooth and flawless complexion.
