Beauty Buzz: How to be gorgeous through pollen season

By Andi Douglas, nwaMotherlode.com beauty editor

I woke up yesterday about to claw out my itchy, puffy eyes.

Allergy eye drops and two Claritin later, I ventured outside (to go to Rhea Lana, of course) and saw the culprit: a thick layer of yellow pollen covered my car. Ah-choo! And there went my make-up and any hope I had of looking like a normal, functioning human being.

Ideally, I would close myself up in a bubble for a couple of months, but the kids insist on playing outside, participating in group sports, getting fresh air, yada-yada-yada…all things I suffer through with a smile on my face and a pocket full of kleenex (mostly unused). 

There are a few tricks and tips to surviving this bloomin’ season with your dignity intact.

If your main complaint is:

Puffy Face: Brace yourself because my advice is two-fold and both suggestions suck.

Dunk your face into a bowl of ice water in the morning or use a wet washcloth that has been chilled in the freezer to calm and depuff your skin. To avoid puffiness altogether, you might want to avoid alcohol consumption. Yes, that means no more wine on the patio.

When I started having crazy reactions every time I imbibed, Dr. Hedberg of Hedgerg Allergy told me I was not, in fact, allergic to wine (whew!) but the alcohol caused my pores to relax and open up, allowing all of the airborne allergens to invade. Basically, everything you usually feel in your eyes, ears and throat, was happening directly on my skin. And it was itchy…really itchy. I believe I have an extreme case brought on by having my third baby (another great hormone mystery), but the pore thing is real. There, that’s me being all science-y.

Itchy, watery eyes: If you haven’t already, now is a good time to try waterproof mascara. Yes, it can be drier than traditional formula and can flake. It helps to replace your mascara every 3 to 6 months (which you should do anyway) or you can add a drop of saline to rehydrate your mascara to buy a little more time.

If you’re hesitant because it is hard to remove, a hot shower usually does the trick or sitting with a hot, moist washcloth on your eyes before bed. Harsh makeup remover or tugging at your lashes is going to do way more damage than sleeping with a little mascara on. And since it’s waterproof you don’t have to worry about mascara ruining your pillowcases!

Dry, red nose: Aquaphor is the greatest all-purpose moisturizer I know and a dab around your sore nose will put you on the road to recovery.

But, you will sneeze again, and blow again, and oh my gosh, when will it stop! so, to cover the redness around your nose, apply a green color concealer with your finger to the problem area. Then continue with your normal foundation routine. 

If you suffer from all of the above: I feel your pain, and we may want to revisit that whole bubble idea.

Andi Douglas is a mama of three and loves to play with makeup. She shares her advice and real-life adventures with makeup and makeup accessories here on Motherlode. To ask her a question, just email it to mamas{at}nwamotherlode{dot}com.