5 Things Lurking In Your Makeup Bag That Might Be Causing An Allergic Reaction On Your Face

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We are going to look at some of the most popular problems women face today in allergic reactions to cosmetics. I see more and more women acquiring rashes, flakey problematic skin and peeling dry lips, like never before. Here we will take a look at the problems, symptoms and solutions to these complex conditions.

1. Problem: Allergic Reaction To Chapstick

Symptoms: Lip allergies are mysterious and can be painful. A person that is allergic to lip balms, chapstick, or gloss is hard to figure out. When you are allergic to waxy, petroleum based lip balms your lips can peel, dry and crack and over time it can cause your lips to shrivel, lose collagen and cause your lip line to fade. The person using these products, don’t ever realize that the balm that is suppose to help heal the lips, it’s actually ruining their lips! Lips do not irrupt in rashes or bumps, they peel and dry out. Women think they need to use more of the balm almost like an addiction, applying it more and more to keep their lips moist and hydrated, but what they don’t know is they are making the problem worse, by using the lip protectant, causing an allergic reaction breaking down the lips, thus chapping and cracking occurs.

Another problem with petroleum based lip products, they seal in a waxy layer on the lips not allowing air flow so lips dry out. When your delicate lips are not exposed to air they will dry out and chap. Imagine a plump grape sealed with no air, it will dry up over time causing it to shrivel and your lips will have this same drying effect. Chapstick with a waxy, mineral oil, and petroleum base is the number one problem associated to dry, peeling, cracked lips. Why you may ask? Because, chapstick uses a strong protectant; wax, mineral oil and petroleum to seal the lips and protect them from exposure to harsh weather. While it is beneficial to use when in salt water, snow and windy weather conditions, chapstick will seal the lips like saran wrap, not allowing air to the area, thus drying out the lips, causing them to crack and peel. Chapstick is not a hydrator it is a protectant only to be used to protect the lips from harsh weather conditions. Unless you windsurf, ski or swim to work you do not need this on a daily basis!

Solution: Stop using chapstick or lip balms with petroleum, mineral oil waxy ingredients listed above immediately. If you are experiencing these symptoms find a lipstick or lip hydrator that has a Vitamin E base or a gloss with peptides. This will not only solve the dry, chapped lips and allergic reaction damaging the lips, but it will hydrate the lips giving them a plumper appearance which is a healthier choice overall.

2. Problem: Time Sensitive Organic Skin Care Products

Symptoms: Some women think by using organic skin care products are good for the skin. Sometimes it is okay, but if you are suddenly having skin problems, like rashes, breakouts, dry flakey skin and blotchiness, this is a red flag for the organic skin care product could be harmful to the skin. Aromatherapy is not for everyone, and even though it says natural it is not always “clean”, you can be allergic to the ingredients, especially sensitive skin types and if the person is allergic to pollen and wheat grass. In addition Aromatherapy and organic skin care products go rancid very fast because companies do not use proper stabilizers to secure shelf life. It is hard to believe that organic skin care products could possibly cause a threat to the skin, but it can.

Solution: Pharmaceutical scientifically based products are the safest and the most beneficial for a lot of diverse skin types. Using products with peptides, DMAE and Lipioc Acid is not only better for the skin but it helps to heal the skin from the inside out, reducing premature aging.

3. Problem: Dry Peeling Skin Around The Eye Area

Symptoms: The skin peeling, lines forming and dryness around the eye area indicates a severe allergic reaction to a product the person is using, sometimes called “contact dermatitis”. Like the lips, this delicate area around the eye, does not irrupt in rashes or bumps, it dries out and peels. It could be the eye cream, the concealer or the eye shadow the user is applying that is causing this inflammation. In addition, old eye shadows and dirty cosmetic brushes cause severe allergic reactions to the eye area causing it to break down, dry out and wrinkle.

Solution: Clean all instruments including eye shadow and concealer brushes with an anti-bacterial soap. Try a different concealer or eye shadow. Throw away all old eye shadows, if they are older than one year. Use an eye cream that is lightweight with a good anti-depuffer, instead of a thick cream. After changing products, you should notice a dramatic difference in the eye area in less than a week and the eye area should look smoother, hydrated and healthier, not dry. Diagnosed early you can save your eye area from future damage and wrinkles.

4. Problem: Allergic Reaction To Your “Go To” Cream You Have Been Using For Years

Symptoms: All of a sudden your skin is breaking out, blotchy, red, flakey and dry for no reason. You have been using your face cream for decades and you know that what your skin is experiencing it can’t be caused by your treasured facial lotion. You keep using your product, thinking I’ve been using this product for years I must be breaking out because of my imbalanced hormones. Allergies sometimes sneak up on us in ways we don’t expect and this can cause severe allergic discomfort. What you don’t know is what used to be a wonderful product, suddenly is causing the skin to freak out. People don’t realize that companies try to cut cost, so after time they take out the expensive ingredient and use fillers in the product, with a less expensive ingredient. What used to be a superb product is now causing havoc on the skin.

Solution: Check the label, see if the ingredients are different, especially if the bottle or jar has been changed. Changing the label, jar or bottle is a red flag; because the packaging has not only changed, but they most certainly have altered the ingredients. It would be worth the time to research a new skin care line that is updated and with the latest technologies for optimum future skin care health.

5. Problem: Allergic Reaction To The Red Pigment In Purple Eye Shadows

Symptoms: Women don’t realize that red dyes in cosmetics cause all sorts of eye problems, from eyes swelling to contact dermatitis, dry eye lids and serious allergic reactions. What we do know, is that most, if not all purple eye shadows and eye pencils have red dye and this dye is dangerous to the person who is susceptible to this toxic allergic effect. It causes eye lids to sag, wrinkle and dry out causing pre-mature aging.

Solution: The solution of course and obvious is to avoid purple eye shadows, eye pencils and eye liner creams. The good news is you can use anything else as long as it is brown, black or blue. Neutral tones are free of red pigment.