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Sal Avatar

I don’t know if you’d classify it as an allergy, but after 2 continuous days of Sally Hansen’s Lip Inflation, I noticed tiny white bumps on my lips. Not many, maybe 3 in all. I realised it was from the constant irritation from that lip product, and those bumps became PAINFUL after awhile, even after I stopped. Thankfully they went away. I guess it was my lip’s version of a painful blocked pore/ pimple. I don’t use that stuff as often now. I actually find the burning sensation kind of annoying.

Having said that, I’m one of the lucky ones not to have an allergic reaction to anything. Whee!

Michelle Avatar

I used an Estée Lauder moisturizer once; I think it was something like “Daily Wear”. My face started burning right away, and even after I hastily washed it, I had the WORST rash afterward; itchy, swollen cheeks, stinging. It practically left blisters, and my skin was rough for about weeks afterward. I don’t know what in the world I could have been reacting to, but that was awful.

Sanayhs Avatar

I had a really bad reaction to an eye makeup remover once… My eyes got swollen to the point where I had to just lay down and do nothing for a few hours til they got better and I could see properly again. Yeah, that went in the garbage.

Eva Avatar

I have a reaction to these eye make up remover pads..I think mine were from Nivea, but stupid me tested another brand, same reaction: swollen, red eyelids, scaly skin…

vinna Avatar

Pond’s moisturizer … made me break out into a rash. It was hooooorrible. I hid under my bed covers until it went away after a few days. Now i’m too scared to use drugstore moisturizers.

Gabby Avatar

i thought that i was the only one in the planet that was allergic to pond’s moisturizer, i also had an awful breakout and a pretty bad rash!!!

Tanya Avatar

I’m allergic to Sodium Lauryl (Laureth) Sulfate. It’s a foaming agent, and is in everything. I have to be really careful when I buy any toiletries or makeup remover – if I use it, I get a nice scaly itchy rash anywhere that it touched.

Mikella Avatar

There are many cleansing products that don’t contain SLS; so many great natural cleansers to try, and also many non-natural options. Just have to check the label. Usually the non-natural products are grouped under “sensitive skin”, “non foaming”, “soap free” or the like. SLS shouldn’t be used on the skin anyways, really… unless it is in a super small amount. I’m sure, since you’re allergic to SLS, that you’ve found cleansers that don’t contain it, but let me know if you want me to suggest more options! Allergies suck don’t they.

Tanya Avatar

Yes, I usually go to Whole Foods for shampoo and toothpaste. For face cleanser, I just use Dove for sensitive skin – have you found a good face cleanser that is SLS free?

Eva Avatar

SLS is plant based as well, I think. It´s just been treated chemically.. :o/
To the OP: California Baby makes some good gentle cleansers that are SLS-free and can actually be used as a shampoo as well.
Diana Yvonne…that´s all I can think of right now..

Ashley Avatar

Yes, I have quiet a few. I’m a allergic to MAC’s natural MSFs especially when I use it with strobe cream; my skin hates this combo. Others are Clinique tinted moisturizer with SPF and Dior Black Out Mascara.

Ashley Avatar

Well, I felt like the repeatitive use of this combo clogs my pores. Not only that, but also I developed mild irritation in my forhead and nose area.

Robin Papadopoulos Avatar

I also have had a bad reaction to DIOR mascara, just bought it, the corners of my eyes tearing all day, absolutely awful..

Courtney Avatar

I am also allergic to Diorshow mascara. I have only tried the blue (2x) but both times my eyes swelled up like I had a sty. It was painful and itchy and eventually peeled. I am a frequent buyer of lash stashes from Sephora and I have never had another mascara allergy.

kinsey Avatar

I am allergic to Philsophy’s Purity Made Simple cleanser, my little brother bought me in a set for my birthday and over here(uk)it was expensive for an 11 year old to buy. He was gutted.

lisa Avatar

Olay body quench body lotion it gave me a red rash and it’s not just me because when it didn’t work on me i had my aunt try it and it did the same for her i was really disappointed since i like there face creams so much.

Vee Avatar

Stila’s product! Bought their TM, and I broke out in tiny bumps all over my face and my skin felt really tight! And also their Perfecting Concealer…… a light burning sensation under my eyes (where I had put it)!

Pomlovely Avatar

I don’t know if this is a “beauty” product but i think i am allergic to Secret Platinum Deodorant. 😛 When i put it on, a few hours or days later, i get hives all over my body . 🙁

Kella Avatar

The ONE time I bought a drugstore foundation (thought I’d try saving some money), the skin all over my face broke out into a red rash. It was a covergirl foundation with Olay Regenerist in it. It left my skin with this rough layer on it that took days to go away. I’m pretty sure it was the perfume added to the product, because even to this day, I cannot use any products that contain a perfume; now THAT is difficult to find lol I’d say 90% of all products contain perfume. I also can’t be around any scents (impossible) because they trigger my chronic daily migraines.

Another time I had a horrific experience with tanning lotion, where my whole body broke out in hives, as well. Possibly the scent.

I’m also allergic to sunscreen, unless it is mineral based such as zinc/titanium dioxide.

My lips get hives from scented lip glosses.

So now I stick to non-coloured, non-scented, no SPF (unless mineral), very well formulated products, without any needless ingredients. One good thing is that I know what everything is on labels lol Allergies aren’t fun, but you just have to learn to live around them and deal with it.

Patty Avatar

1. MUFF water proof eye makeup remover – Gave me a rash on my eye ;/

2. Diorshow Mascara! OMG! I loved this thing, but when I used it, by the end of the day, my eyes were CRAZY itchy and red! I use MAC Plush Lash Mascara and it doesn’t make me itch ;D

kat Avatar

i haven’t but in august i bought strobe moisturizer and after wearing it for just an hour, my daughter broke out in hives. the only thing she’s allergic to is shellfish….i found out that strobe has crushed pearls and had to return it.

Aim Avatar

Neosporin – I get a rash.
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Glow Sheers – makes me break out something fierce. Even on my dry skin it feels oily.
Benzoyl Peroxide – makes my lashes fall out. No, I didn’t put it on my eyes but I guess the fumes irritate my eyes. I have tested it a couple of times “no, it couldn’t have been the BP – maybe i rubbed my eyes or something” and every time my lashes itch and fall out after I use it. It’s the strangest thing.

Aim Avatar

definitely the active ingredient. I had a doctor prescribe drops for an ear infection once that had the same active ingredient and I ended up with a rash in my ear canal. THAT was fun… 🙂

AmyLou Avatar

Benzoly Peroxide–I get huge red rashes and hive-like bumps (but bigger) allll over my face that itch like no other. They itch so much, I often wake up in the middle of the night to scratch them!

Pquanda Avatar

BARE ESCENTUALS ACCCCK!! I’m Indian, and have always had really nice and tan skin (and always got compliments on it too!), but figured I could use BE to keep everything polished and even. Horrible,AWFUL, cystic acne. Now I spend countless time and money trying to find other foundations that match.. I’m dark, but I’m also really yellow.. It’s impossible! Yesterday SA at Sephora couldn’t find anything in Clinique, Shiseido, or Urban Decay that matched me. She finally said, “Try going online to MUFE, they have all the colors, or MAC.”
I previously used (a few years ago) an ultra-sheer powder from Px that was custom made for me, I just need to go back and do that again.. Ugh..

Katie Avatar

I remember I was in desperate need of mascara but I couldn’t find anywhere that sold Benefit BadGal, my holy grail mascara, close by (I was leaving for vacation the next day) so I bought this bizarre double-ended Borjois mascara, because the lady at Ulta said that it was comparable to BadGal, if not better. Wrong. It looked peculiar, and the little hairs that were supposed to adhere to the lash kept falling into my eyes, after the mascara was applied so I could not wear it without having my eyes water and thus getting raccoon eyes. I returned it within a week. Never.again.

I also can’t wear those dual-tipped pencils from the Heatherette collection – they make my eyes water and run very fast. Luckily the MA I returned my pencil to was really nice and gave me a credit, so I could get something else from the collection (yay, Pink Pearl pigment!)

:3 Avatar

I decided to splurge on some mascara and a moisturizer. The mascara was Lancome Hypnose, it made me itch my eyes like CRAZY. When it started, I was wearing the mac heatherette dual ended pencils, so I assumed maybe it was the pencil, so a few days after I wore the mascara alone, it still irritated my eyes. I haven’t returned it yet but I plan to, or give it to my mum, she seems to like it. The dual edge eye pencils iritates my eyes a lot more. I thought at first maybe I got glitter in my eye but I hadn’t even removed the lid of the glitter since getting it. Not to mention it is so creamy, that is runs badly. I also bought Philosophy Hope In A Jar and it badly irritated my skin. I stupidly used it on my entire face, thinking it was meant as a moisturizer, and I thought that was the reason. I then used it on my lips, it worked. but it made my eyes really like burn, not on the inside. And then i tried a sample of Bliss’ The Youth As We Know It – and wow; it was like I was rubbing salt on a facial sunburn. I just stick to MAC now or Olay. These really expensive, luxury brands; I guess you’re paying for the price.

Monica Avatar

when I used to work at Sephora we had just set up the new animation for Smashbox when they first released the high definition foundation, so naturally being the beauty junkie I am I was so excited about trying out. I swatched it on my hand and I had an instant reaction. The area was itchy and red. I had never had a reaction to anything before except for that.

Skyler Avatar

I have really bad allergies and really sensitive skin (I’m very pale too so any reaction is going to be highly visible), and yet I’ve never had an allergic reaction to any cosmetics! 😛 I guess I’ve been lucky… but then, I purposely avoid face products and ANYTHING scented (even my hairspray is non-scented). I only wear a light layer of foundation and sometimes MSFs or blushes if I want to gussy up. Everything else makes me break out, including any cream or moisturizer. And I know this because I never, ever get pimples… and then the second I try putting cream on my face, boom. There they are. It sucks because I sometimes get dry skin, especially in winter, so it’s either dry skin or zits. How fun! So in that sense, I’ve had reactions to moisturizers but not necessarily an allergic one. Especially with face products, I stick to what I know and trust. I don’t experiment and try different face products much at all. Too risky! I’ve been using the same foundation for about 6+ years.

k9sportchick Avatar

I have had reactions to so many things over the years that once I find something I can use I almost never try anything new unless they stop making the product I currently use. My most current mistake: all Bumble & Bumble shampoos and conditioners, they gave me itchy red streaks on the skin of my face and neck, took days to clear up.

mari Avatar

It is with a HEAVY heart that I have to say I have had a reaction to Folie, A little folie, sketch and cranberry! 🙁
My eyes get watery, super RED, kind of itchy and have a crusty-like discharge! It is sort of like pink eye but it goes away right away (48 hours or less!) My ma said alot of people end up having an allergic reaction to the red dye. But do you think I got rid of my M*A*C e/s’s? HELL NO!! I’d rather suffer for a day or two! 😉 Anyone else have this simular reaction?

mari Avatar

Hello Vee! Do you know if your sis-in-law has gone to the eye Dr. or does she take regular drops? (Visine?Dry eyes?) ….just wondering! 🙂

Amy Avatar

Yes, yes, yes…I have the same reaction!!! I just wore “neutral pink” from the N line in my crease the other day and for two days afterward, I looked like my creases were sunburned. Now they’re peeling. It’s wierd b/c I’ve never had that reaction to the neutral pink. Most other red/purple/pink shadows and eyeliners from all makeup lines do the same thing to me. It ticks me off b/c I’ve got green eyes and purples and pinks make the color pop (and crust)!

nicole Avatar

Hi Mari,
My eyes have been getting watery and almost burned like after I use MAC sketch and floral fantasy and one other pink e/s. I love these colors but I have narrowed it down to these three. I had no idea one could be allergic to the red dyes. WOW. Do you think it is just MAC or any brand? I never had this problem before and I’ve been using them for about 4 years. My eye lids get crusty and with no make up look like they have pink e/s becuase of the “burnt” effect. Ohh and my LEFT eye is way worse than the right. ODD

Jessica Avatar

I am allergic to anything Philosophy…Especially Amazing Grace. I can wear the perfume but the body wash and body creme makes me itch and breakout in hives. It is sad too because my mom passed away 01-05-08 and the amazing grace was my last christmas present from her.

Davina Avatar

i have a reaction to most drugstore hair styling products. if i use a mousse or gel or whatever by the end of the day the sides of my faces where my hair touches it are covered in little bumps and slightly red. i stick with aveda products since they don’t seem to bother my face at all. the only other recent one is neutrogena eye makeup remover. i used it at night and in the morning my eyelids were pinkish and the skin got really super dry and chapped. it took 4-5 days to return to normal, i couldn’t wear eye makeup at all, it was so gross!

Rise Avatar

Yeppp. Mostly shampoos. I get a weird rash…

So many things I am allergic to I won’t really go into it much…but mascara is the most annoying ’cause it makes my eyes itch.

Eva Avatar

I have recently bought MAC Petticoat…and my skin *hates* it! *so sad*
I get little red pimples all along my jawline..same happens with MAC blushes…I think I am allergic to the Bismuth Oxichloride (although it doesn´t bother me in MAC e/s)..
I usually break out from skin creams that contain a number of parabens. I used to love lush face creams..until they started to make me break out really bad after a month. *sigh*

Claudia M. Avatar

The snob that I am, I find that I’m usually allergic to drugstore brands. Omg, I can’t even write that with a straight face, it sounds horrible! But honestly yeah, I was using Suave shampoo, conditioner and smoothing cream, and I finally realized it was NOT good for my face, made me breakout, especially around my hairline and chin. It sucks because it left my hair so soft and straight, I miss it, but had to give it the boot.
I haven’t found ONE single powder or foundation that I can wear, expensive or not. I tried L’oreal (sp?) mineral foundation. It looked beautiful, til the end of the day when I was pretty much covered in bumps (look like normal acne). Now I got a few red spots where they used to be, so I keep trying to hide them w/ make up that I can’t wear anyway!!!! =(… Normally I have nice even skin, shouldn’t even mess with powder but it’s more appealing because I know I can’t wear it. It’s my forbidden affair! LOL!
I wouldn’t even know what ingredient causes this, there’s too many to read. I can use benetint and cream blushes…sparingly of course.

Latia Avatar

I hate to say this, especially b/c I work for Benefit, but our Mr. Frosty pencil gave me a terrible reaction in my left eye.

I used it to line my bottom lid to make my eyes look bigger and later that evening, I noticed myself scratching my eyes uncontrollably. When I went to look at it in the mirror, both of my eyes were pussing, although the left was worse than the right. The next morning my left eye was swollen shut and the drive to the doctor was awful not being able to look over my left shoulder.

Now, saying that, apparently, you aren’t supposed to use the Mr. Frosty eye pencil “on” the eye, you’re supposed to apply and blend the product “around” the eye-giving you a beautiful effect of a more open and luminous eye, however, I think that if you’re making a product to be used around the eye, it should be safe to on/in the eye area. I guess I’m one of those people that don’t have a whole lot of common sense when it comes to product safety?

Oh..and YAY for Claudia using Benetint!
Top Tip for a hot cheek: Do a stripe of the benetint, put NARS orgasm over it (backwards from temple to apple of cheek) and hit the top of the cheekbone with the Bobbi Brown shimmer brick in BRONZE.

Christine Avatar

Oh no, Latia! How awful 🙁

Yes, I agree that if it’s going to be marketed as an eye product, it should be OK to use anywhere near the eye. I mean you could have watery eyes and still manage to get product in your eye even though it was below it, you know?

Thanks for that tip on cheeks! Do you have a picture of you using that tip?

tricia Avatar

yes i have had a reaction to Victorias Secret liquid eyeshadow. it made my eyes burn and this have never ever happened to me before. i have used expensive, drugstore, no name makeup brands before and only Victorias Secret did this. they should stick to underwear.

K Avatar

I’ve been noticing in the last couple of years that I’ve been reacting to things occasionally. I’ve never previously had a bad reaction to a product, but I’ve recently had a few. I’ve had burning/redness from Cetaphil SPF 15 moisturizer (go figure, supposedly for sensitive skin), and if I use the Sephora FACE cleansing towelettes too much on my eye area, it starts to burn as well. I also had burning/redness randomly from Boots Grape Seed eye cream, very odd. I’m not really sure what the deal is with these, but I just stay away.

Nora Avatar

Vitamin E, as I believe I’ve put on this site before. And I only got it because I exposed myself to it repeatedly thinking the oil would be a good natural moisturizer. A few months later and anything with Vit. E in it I can’t use on my lips or hands! It’s in everything, I might add. Takes major searching to find things that don’t irritate me now.

Carolyn Avatar

I had a really horrible skin reaction to Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion. In all honesty, I bought it because I was feeling nostalgic, it was what my mother always used growing up. But when I got home and used it, it was a nightmare. I initially felt fine, a little warm, but fine. I just figured that it was a hot day out so that was what was causing my face to be warm. When I got to work, I finally figured out something was wrong. In addition to being hot, my cheeks felt like they were pulsating. Not in a painful way, but kind of like I’d just been slapped. One of my coworkers immediately pushed me to the bathroom where I got a look at my face.

My cheeks were so read they were almost purple, and I had swollen welts or hives on my cheeks. The kind that are so big that it makes your pores look huge. I spent the day alternately icing and putting cool compresses on my cheeks. Needless to say, Mom got her first high end moisturizer in a while that day.

Now I tend to use only a Dove facial wash when I need to exfoliate, or otherwise a rose water based cleanser. Then a rose water based toner followed up by, and this tends to be the shocker, Clean and Clear Oxygenating Ultra-Light Moisturizer. It does a really great job of moisturizing without feeling heavy or greasy. I don’t know that I buy their claims of it using oxygen to help prevent clogging and so on, but it does have coralline which does enhance your ability to absorb oxygen. Also, it has the tiniest touch of peppermint oil, which gives it a nice cool feeling on the skin.

Joss Avatar

Weirdly my face goes bright red and itchy and hot whenever I use products designed for sensitive skin! It seems natural products are worse for me than loads of chemicals!

Eva Avatar

It usually takes your skin up to three months to get used to a switch in your skincare routine.
It´s also pretty common for your skin to react badly when you are switching from chemical cleansers to natural ones. It´s getting rid of all the junk and healing itself.
When I switched from Avene to jojoba oil, my skin looked bad for weeks. I almost gave up..
Also, many so-called “natural” products contain the same stuff as the commercial ones…plus, even if it is purely natural, that doesn´t mean that you can´t be allergic to an ingredient. :o)

Tonee Avatar

I am not allergic to cosmetic products but certain types of sunscreen really affect my skin. I get rashes and cystic acne that takes ages to disappear. I now stick to a couple of brands (Clarins UV Plus, MAC Prep and Prime) and haven’t had any issues so far.

claudia Avatar

my skin is not very sensitive, and i rarely have issues w/ products. however, years ago, i bought the clinique 3-step stuff, and while i didn’t have any PAIN, i started getting these red bumps under my cheeks, near my jawline. ew!

my sister has sensitive skin, and one time she bought a clean and clear product (the one in the purple tube that is supposed to leave acne medicine in your pores), and the morning after she used it, her WHOLE FACE was red and irritated. needless to say that product went straight to the trash!!

Carolyn Avatar

Many acne products that can be bought in drug stores are quite irritating for sensitive skin. I’ve had a few experiences where I’ve stopped using a product because it’s too drying, but fortunately nothing like your sister’s experience.

Rachel Avatar

I was super excited to use Proactiv as the results for people seemed amazing. I put it on and did the whole cleansing routine but the next morning my skin was all cracked, dried out, red and blotchy.

Kira Avatar

In the last year, I’ve reacted to:

Vincent Longo Duo Eye Pencil, I haven’t pinpointed what ingredient caused my problem, but it made my eye burn … as soon as I washed it off I was fine.

Almay Hydracolor Lipstick, haven’t pinpointed an ingredient here either, but my lips ached, like they were bruised, as soon as I put it on. Such a strange reaction. Fine after washing it off. I like their marketing, “Hypoallergenic” “Non-irritating” … oh, really?!? BTW, I tried three different colors, and reacted to all of them.

I developed this odd redness around the eye after using some e/ls, these products (as well as a deodorant that I can’t remember the name of) tipped me off to my Castor Bean Oil allergy.

As my dermatologist told me, you can develop an allergic response to products you’ve used for years without problems.

Gabby Avatar

hey!!! well starting i’m from ecuador, south america, and in here there’s a brand of spanish cosmetics that people sell by catalog that’s called Yambal, it’s very popular in here because it’s kinda cheap and easy access, well, i’m allergic to the hole line, once at school, the headmaster send me to remove my makeup and the nurse gave me one of those cleansers, i couldn’t open my eyes for 2 days!! they were red and puffy and itchy!!! a total nightmare!!

Carol Avatar

I absolutely love my MAC eyeshadows but have recently reacted to trax and jest…lovely itchy hives and weepy swollen eyes….ick! I heard that some eyeshadows contain chromium that makes up the purple/pink colour. I am not sure if that is true or not.

Berna Avatar

So my eyelids have been itchy, swollen, and rashy. I’ve been Googling everything I can think of…sad as it may be, I think I’m allergic to UDPP 🙁 I’ve been using the Smashbox primer and tried out the UDPP not too long ago. I’ve even bought another tube, just in case I bought a bad batch. It also might be some new Ulta eyeshadows, but I’m almost sure it’s the UDPP. Have you heard of such an allergy? Also, what ingredients in makeup are people’s eyelids usually allergic to?

Angela Avatar

I’m currently suffering a very bad reaction to a Lancome product. I ran out of my usual moisturiser and had a Lancome sample, so I thought I’d give it a go. It’s Lancome UV Expert DNA Shield SPF 50. My skin was fine the first day, but the second day I broke out in a horrible rash. I’ve had it for 3 days now, its like a whole lot of little pimples all over my face and neck. It had a strong smell when I put it on so it must have some kind of perfume in it that has made my skin react badly. I’m going back to my regular Dove products.

Anita Avatar

It took me over a year to realize that a horrible rash on my eyelids was because of my continued use of Prescriptives Here to Stay mascara. Now, I realize that they’ve gone out of business! Anybody else have this problem?

Shelbi Avatar

Well… I’ve had an allergic reaction to MAC’s Magenta pigment… I’ve used a couple others as well, like the vanilla at the same time, and the reaction stopped at where the vanilla pigment began. I didn’t realize it for a bit so I kept using it and now it’s bad. It makes my lids very dry and peely. I’m also allergic to Sephora’s facial cleansers (makeup remover etc). Same reaction happens! D:

Breanna Avatar

I get weird dark marks under my armpits after I use Bath and Body Works scent “Carried Away”. And also I got them on my arms… I don’t know if that’s a reaction to that or not but it looks really weird

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