Are you allergic to your makeup?

Even if you’ve used a cosmetic for years with no problems, one or more ingredients can still trigger an allergic reaction. Your body may build up sensitivities to these ingredients, causing your immune systemdefine to overreact suddenly, producing allergy symptoms.

If you develop a rash or other reaction that seems to be linked to makeup, stop using all of your cosmetics until the symptoms have abated. Then try reintroducing them one at a time to see which one is causing the problem. If the irritation continues, consult a dermatologist.

Though, makeup is safe for most people, but do observe these commonsense rules.

• Wash your hands and your face before applying makeup.

• Don't share: Sharing cosmetics means sharing germs, whether the makeup belongs to your best friend or sits on a store counter for any customer to test.

• Don’t apply eye makeup if you have an infection, such as conjunctivitis.

• Toss out old cosmetics: Every time you open a bottle of foundation, microorganisms in the air have an opportunity to rush in. Most cosmetics have enough preservatives to kill off the bugs for about one year.

• Test new cosmetics before you buy: If you tend to have allergic reactions to cosmetics, ask for free samples before buying. Products labeled ‘allergy-tested’, ‘dermatologist-tested’ or ‘hypo-allergenic’ may or may not help you to avoid the ingredients that bother you.

Such definitions are governed only by the usual legal provisions about truth in labeling, which state that any claim must not mislead or misinform the consumer/purchaser.

• Apply mascara with care: Use it only on the outer two-thirds of the lashes; do not start at the roots. And never apply eyeliner to the inner eyelid margins. Use it only above the eyelashes of the upper lid and below the eyelashes of the lower lid.

• If you wear contact lenses, avoid frosted eye shadow. The iridescent particles can flake, get in the eyes and attach themselves to contact lens, causing enough friction to scratch the corneadefine.

• Don’t be misled by the word ‘Natural’: If you have an allergy to the ‘natural’ ingredient, you could have an allergic reaction. For instance, lanolin, extracted from sheep wool, is an ingredient in many moisturizers and a common cause of contact dermatitis.