Allergy symptoms have you feeling less like Wonder Woman and more like Ugly Betty? These beauty tips from top Hollywood makeup artists will help.
Sniff, sniff. That's an all-too-familiar sound during allergy season, when thousands of allergy sufferers are reaching for tissues and rummaging through makeup bags to find the right cover-up for red noses or itchy, watery eyes.
If this description hits close to home, you're not alone. Approximately 40 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergic rhinitis, or nasal allergies. Women spend thousands of dollars on beauty products to hide blemishes that are aggravated by their allergies.
Don't fret if your allergies -- and the accompanying symptoms like itchy eyes and a runny nose -- leave you feeling less like Wonder Woman and more like Ugly Betty. Here, top Hollywood makeup artists dish on the best ways to put your best face forward, even when your allergies are in overdrive.
When women are dealing with allergies, they tend to overcompensate with makeup, says Shalini Vadhera, celebrity makeup artist and author of Passport to Beauty: Secrets and Tips from Around the World for Becoming a Global Goddess.
"What they don't understand is usually when they're having allergies, their skin tends to get drier from taking antihistamines so the makeup actually looks more pronounced," she says. "That's why you should go with a little bit less and just use it in key areas versus packing it on."
"I am big proponent of 'less is more,'" says Vadhera. "My philosophy is to enhance what you already have and make you look more beautiful than trying to change with a lot of makeup."
The Truth About Allergies and Face Time
You need just a few key things in your makeup bag to look flawless all the time, says Vadhera.
Every woman should have a silicone-based primer, she says, which fills in your fine lines and pores. "You'll notice, especially on the days you have allergies, you won't need to wear as much makeup -- and the makeup you do wear will look 10 times better," she says.
Keep a bronzer on hand that has brown rather than red undertones. "A bronzer is great to use as a contour or as a blush to chisel the face and take away the appearance of puffiness," she says.
A good bronzer can even make you look refreshed when you have allergies. "One that has a little bit of shimmer, not too much, is going to help really wake you up and give you a more perked up look rather than if you go with matte textures," she says.
For trouble spots, makeup artists like to apply a green corrector that you can pick up at the drugstore. "Green cancels red. It's one of our tricks," says Joanna Schlip, celebrity makeup artist and author of Glamour Gurlz: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide to Great Make-up and Gurl Smarts.
Carry a touchup bag with you during the day. "When you make facial expressions, makeup moves," she says. "You laugh or cry as you go through your day and what you put on at 9 a.m. isn't usually there at 9 p.m."
Red Nose? Color Me Happy
"Any time you're congested, you tend to look more red around the nose," says Vadhera. So you want to use colors in your cosmetic arsenal to your advantage.
Invest in a golden or yellow-based concealer and stay away from those with beige and pink undertones. "That will really help to counter any redness on your face around your eyes and nose," she says. It's especially handy to cover up allergic shiners, or the dark circles that may appear under your eyes during allergy season.
Choose a deep blue or bright blue eyeliner and rim the inside of your eyes or try applying a blue mascara. "That brightens the whites of your eyes so it makes you look more rested and not like you're falling apart when you're having an allergy attack," she says.
The Tools of the Trade
Look for hypoallergenic makeup and read the labels closely. "Just because it says natural doesn't mean it is," Schlip says.
"If you're already having any issues, you don't want to increase it," she says. "We're trying to make you feel more confident and more beautiful so you don't want to add to the problem."
Sometimes women think they're allergic to cosmetics, but it's their makeup brushes that are triggering a reaction. Wash them before using and be sure to keep them clean. Also, clean or replace old powder puffs and sponges every two to three weeks.
"They transfer bacteria, so it's not worth [hurting] your skin and self-confidence," says Schlip.
Go Out With Confidence
Don't forget to drink water to stay hydrated all day. "Even though you're trying to cover up the outside, don't forget to work on the inside," Vadhera says.
If you're running late and don't have time to cover up your allergy symptoms, lipstick and a pair of sunglasses are your best accessories, Schlip says.
"Take five seconds, look in the mirror right before you go out the door and give yourself props," she says. "There's nothing more beautiful than a confident woman, especially if she's smiling. That's your best accessory. That's your best weapon."
Jennifer Soong - WebMD
