Allergies and The Blues

My allergies have hit me full force with a no holding back smack along side the head, and I know I'm not the only one.  I wake up (that is if I can even sleep,) everyday to congestion, sneezing and devil red eyes that itch so bad that no amount of prescription eyedrops can alleviate!  Today they were accompanied with a headache, body aches and even a little fever on and off all day, typical symptoms of cedar fever which are just not quite bad enough to call into work.  So I sucked it up and went....


I love this aqua skirt and since the temperature made it's way up to the 80's today, (a bit of a luxury in January,) I figured it was the perfect day to wear it.  It's hard to see in the pictures but it has tiny pleats all the way around it and is very floaty when I walk, which sort of enhanced the the medicated haze that I was roaming around in all day.  I really wanted to wear it with a gold sequined tank but the two together were not quite right, but the texture and fit of this navy tank worked well, so I decided to keep the color theme going with the navy booties, and right on up to my eyes...

(Photo via)
Nothing like the blues to chase away the red eyes. I used Goddess Eyeshadow from Urban Decay, which I think is now discontinued.  Rumor has it that lining red eyes in navy creates the illusion that your eyes are less red...I promise you it works!  I probably should actually use (and recommend) a liner instead of a shadow that has some glitter in it while the allergies are bad, but this was what I had on hand. 

Now if it could only get rid of the puffiness and stop the constant itch...I swear it's like someone is touching my eye with the tip of a blade of grass, and it waters up so much that occasionally I have tears running down my cheeks...yeah, it's that maddening.

J.

Coping

Every year around this time, central Texas is under siege by severe allergies. It affects probably 98% of the local population in varying degrees. This year's bout has hit me directly in the eyes. One day I had rubbed my makeup off twice before I'd even started working...and I start work no later than 7:30 a.m. There are times when I'm scratching at them so badly that I'm forced to go to bed just to ignore my misery!

Needless to say, allergies have forced me to change my makeup routine. I like playing with fun eye makeup but smearing it all over my face ruins it. So how do I cope?

My Allergy Proof Look

1) It starts with skincare my routine. I switch from my foamy cleanser to a creamier version and dot on more moisturizer than I normally would use on my (typically) oily skin.
2) A red nose is inevitable so I use a yellow based foundation, (I find liquid foundation to be a little more moisturizing for me,) followed by powder.
3) I steering clear of the shadows with glitter, and dab a creamy highlighter on my brow bones only- I seem to miss this area when I'm involuntarily (and frantically) scratching at my lids, but it really wouldn't be too messy if it I couldn't avoid it.
4) I fill in my brows with a pencil, not powder, which could fall into my already irritated eyes.
5) Mascara is optional. I admit that I love it and am willing to deal with raccoon eyes for the day, but a good eyelash curler could easily get me through the day.
6) Finally, an area I usually ignore, I brush on a pink "as if I've been outside" blush on the apples of my cheeks which does a pretty good job of masking my "I feel like death" look.

For my lips I just use a chapstick, preferably something with a little menthol scent in it so I might have some moment of breathing clarity through my nose -even if it is for 5 seconds.

And I still recommend a pocket full of kleenex.

J.