In the day or two after Halloween, you might notice that your skin has broken out in little red bumps or has become irritated. If you wore face paint, costume makeup, or even used lipstick on your face as part of an outfit there is a huge possibility that the oils and dyes in those products are causing your scary skin.
Face paint and costume makeup are chockful of oils and waxes that can be highly pore-clogging. When the natural oils in your pores aren't able to be freely distributed and are instead clogged by other oils or waxes from beauty products, this excess oil will become stuck in the pores. The result of this oil abundance creates inflammation inside your pores and can then lead to swelling, redness, and, sometimes, pain.
Without a doubt, most face paint and bold makeup contain dyes, which can be incredibly irritating. Red and yellow dyes are especially to blame for little bumps that might crop up within the next day. Although, you might not necessarily be in the clear if you don't notice any irritation in the skin after a day or two. Some skin types can experience these irritation bumps up to a week after having worn the offending product. These bumps are not always itchy or painful, but can often exhibit those side-effects in some instances. Lipsticks and lip pencils very heavily utilize red dyes, which is something to keep an eye on if these products are used anywhere other than on your lips.
The most surprising contributor to irritated skin is a product that one would think is helping to remedy the situation, not further it. That product is... makeup remover.
Some removers can often leave a film on the skin caused by various conditioners or softeners within the product. Many makeup removing clothes or pads, or even baby wipes, contain these pore-clogging conditioners, so make sure to keep those products away, unless you want to keep your scary skin!
The first step to soothe inflamed skin is to start with washing your face. Makeup remover needs to be thoroughly removed by a cleanser that is suitable for your skin-type. I can be contacted via email for personalized information, but as a general rule, an ideal cleanser should rinse easily and not feel too tight or dry afterwards.
To continue calming your skin, I would also recommend giving yourself an at-home facial. While your skin is healing, refrain from using "harsh" products to irritated skin that include: drying cleansers, benzoyl peroxide, or any products that contain alcohol as an ingredient. The use of these "harsh" products should be under close supervision of an esthetic professional with an appointed regimen.
If your skin doesn't clear up within two weeks, it might be a good idea to see an esthetician about what might be contributing to your skincare issues or to receive a skin-soothing facial.
I offer a free service called the Eval By Email Online Skincare Consultation that helps tackle problematic skin and provides a personalized skincare routine along with a sample packet of products. While my facial studio is based in Chicago, IL, you can still benefit from the consultation even if you're from out of state (US and Canada only). You'll get a skincare regimen that's tailored just for you! :)
