Many moms turn to cosmetics when they want to amp up their natural beauty a bit; however, in some cases, these cosmetics may do more harm than good. While some women can pile on cosmetics to their heart’s content without feeling any ill-effects, others experience allergic reactions to these beauty aids. If you find that your most recent experiment with cosmetics has left your skin a little irritated, it is quite possible that you, like many, suffer from a cosmetic allergy and may need to exercise a little more care when selecting your cosmetics in the future.

Prevalence

While many women who use cosmetics experience no allergic reactions, 10 percent of the population will experience some allergic reaction as the result of cosmetic use, reports WebMD. Men are just as able to suffer these reactions as women, but women are more likely to feel the impact of cosmetic allergic reaction because they, as a gender, use substantially more cosmetic products than their male counterparts.

Allergic Reaction vs. Irritation

Allergic reaction to cosmetics often appears as a skin irritation, but not all skin irritation is necessarily the result of an allergic reaction. If you notice that your skin appears inflamed or upset after the use of cosmetics, this could be the result of two different irritation types, reports WebMD. Skin upset after makeup application could be due to either irritant contact dermatitis or allergic contact dermatitis. Irritant contact dermatitis occurs when an irritant is placed on the skin and, as a result, the skin becomes inflamed. Anyone is susceptible to this type of skin upset, as it is not based upon an allergy. Allergic contact dermatitis, on the other hand, occurs when the cosmetic applier suffers an allergic reaction to one or more of the chemicals in a cosmetic. Because the skin upset that occurs with these two distinctive reactions is nearly identical, it is often necessary to seek medical attention to determine the specific cause of your irritation.

Allergic Reaction Response

If you suffer redness, itching or rash development after applying cosmetics, it is a sign that your body is not responding well to that product. To alleviate these symptoms, stop using all cosmetics until the symptoms disappear, then gradually start adding products back into your daily cosmetics regiment. As you add these products back into your routine, be on the look out for skin upset, allowing yourself the opportunity to isolate the product causing the problem.

Treatment

In most cases, irritation caused by allergic reaction to cosmetics can be resolved by avoiding the irritating product in the future, reports HealthGuidance.org. If you are trying to get over the effects of an allergic reaction, you may find that creams and ointments, such as hydrocortisone, ease the itching and reduce the redness caused by your allergic reaction, allowing you to reclaim your radiant glow more quickly.

Allergic Reaction Prevention

If you know that you are prone to allergic reactions, it may be wise to take steps to avoid a cosmetic-related reaction. To do this, select simple products with few ingredients, recommends HealthGuidance.org. By doing this, you can reduce the number of potential allergens in the products you use. Also, if you are using a new product, try a patch-test first, placing some of the product in an out-of-the-way place on your body, such as the back of your neck, and monitoring the patch of irritation before applying the product lavishly to your entire face.