Eczema affects a large proportion of women in Ireland. Whilst the symptoms for eczema are most commonly thought of just as dry patches and itchiness, what is often forgotten is the disheartening feelings that come along with having eczema and psoriasis or any sensitive skin condition.
Eczema can bring with it frustration and upset: a constant need to watch how you wash your clothes, the type of materials you can wear and the products you can use in the shower or to moisturise your skin. There can be a constant desire to hide flare ups of eczema with long sleeve tops or jeans, which can in turn aggravate the condition. It is a catch 22. Do you let the sunlight and air at your skin? Or do you hide the flare ups? A flare up can look different on each person, some will experience mild redness, other will develop cuts and/or burn-like patches. Each eczema sufferer is different.
Masking facial eczema can be more difficult. There is no straightforward way of hiding this when you have a flare up. Stress-induced eczema is often the culprit of facial eczema. I suffer from stress-induced facial eczema, and as a wedding make-up artist, I see many brides suffering from it as they approach their big day. Over the years, I have discovered many tips and tricks for disguising flare ups and making my skin look its best. This has come from years of dealing with personal flare ups, and also from helping other women look their best on one of the biggest days of their lives. You shouldn’t fear make-up when you have a skin condition, you just have to find what works for you.
Kate shares her top tips for applying make-up when you have eczema or sensitive skin.
Here are some other important steps I have learned along the way, not only from my work, but also from my own journey with eczema.
Trying to balance any sensitive skin condition and make-up can be tricky but it should not be feared. Embrace your skin, implement some of the tips above and remember that consistency is the most important aspect to your skincare. Once you have your routine locked down, your make-up routine will fall into place. Find the right products for you and stick with them.