We Aim To Slay

I originally intended to share my experience at Fashion Week Connecticut with you today, but in the last few weeks I’ve been going through an odd experience – one that ultimately prevented me from taking the F.W.C.T. runway this past weekend.

In the Blink of an Eye

A few weeks ago I was having dinner at my mom’s house – where I wasn’t wearing makeup – when a comment was made that, perhaps, my preferred eye cream product wasn’t the most effective. I was mildly offended, we made some jokes, and the next morning I pulled out a sample size of a different eye cream. After applying the product I finished my skin care regimen, applied my makeup, and headed to work. 

As the day progressed my eyes – mainly the left one – started to feel itchy. Truthfully, I didn’t think much of it; I had just cleared up a recent stress rash (I’ve had them my entire life due to autoimmune issues, but I’ve never experienced it on my eye lids), and by the time I got home from work my left eye was swollen. When I woke up the next morning both were swollen.

I was clearly having an allergic reaction, but since I had also been testing new makeup products I wasn’t sure what caused the swelling. It wasn’t until the next day, when I was looking through sample products to give to my sister that I discovered the culprit. My sister, Shelby, is severely allergic to cinnamon so I was checking the ingredient lists for the samples she was considering when it occurred to me to check the list for the sample eye cream. I fished the sample out of the trash can, scanned the ingredients, and low and behold, it did indeed contain an ingredient that I’m allergic to – gold. 

What Makes an Allergy?

I’ve been allergic to most metals for my entire life. Because we as people don’t usually eat metal, I have a contact allergy rather than an ingestion allergy. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, that is known as contact dermatitis: “when something that touches your skin either irritates it or causes an allergic skin reaction.”

My contact dermatitis has been a lifelong issue, and almost exclusively caused by contact with metals. For me that means I don’t wear a lot of jewelry, and I try not to wear it very often. But in the last year I’ve been wearing jewelry more frequently, and that effort has resulted in highly irritated skin. I usually grin and bear it for a bit, before taking a break from jewelry to allow my skin to heal. 

But – and maybe this is my own ignorance – I never considered that an eye cream would contain such high amounts of metal. After this realization I mistakenly assumed that gold would be used as a brightening ingredient, but it turns out that gold is used because of its “antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties”. Yes, I do see the irony of writing that statement. In actuality, the ingredients used for their brightening properties include “caffeine, hyaluronic acid, vitamin c, and niacinamide”.

How Do I Know If I’m Allergic?

Luckily, there are ways to prevent what happened to me!

First, and most important, is to always check your ingredient lists prior to application! Not sure if you’re allergic (or even sensitive) to the ingredients? Try these tips from the American Academy of Dermatology Association:

• Apply the product to a test spot twice daily for seven to 10 days. Choose a quarter-sized spot on your skin where the product won’t be rubbed or washed away, such as the underside of your arm or the bend of your elbow. Use the normal amount and thickness you would use as if you were applying the product regularly.
• Leave the product on your skin for as long as you would normally. If you’re testing something that you would usually wash off, like a cleanser, keep it on your skin for five minutes or as long as the instructions say.
• If after seven to 10 days you don’t have a skin reaction, such as red, itchy, or swollen skin, go ahead and use the product.
• Keep in mind that some ingredients, such as retinol and glycolic acid, can irritate your skin, particularly if your skin is sensitive. This is normal and temporary.
• If you develop a skin reaction, gently wash the product off as soon as possible, and don’t use it again. Apply a cool compress or petroleum jelly to relieve your skin, if needed. If your reaction to a product is severe and not relieved with cool compresses or petroleum jelly, you may need to see a dermatologist to help manage your symptoms.

The Moral of the Story? Check Your Ingredient Lists!

Because of this experience, I went through my collection of sample products and found several items that included gold. They have since been pulled from my collection, and I won’t be making any changes to my tired-and-true skin care routine for quite some time!

After about three weeks of itchy and irritated eyes – did I mention that after the first week I accidentally wore the same pair of (unsanitized) glasses I was wearing when I tested the eye cream, reigniting the reaction? – I’m finally starting to feel like myself again! I wore a bit of makeup over the weekend to attend the Sebastian Bach, Quiet Riot, and Slaughter concert, but otherwise I’ve been letting my skin breathe and reset.

What Do You Think?

As of last night my eyes have felt much better! And as I’m sure you can understand, I’ll be paying much closer attention to the products I test in the future! 

Have you had a similar experience? Let me know in the comments below!

I’ll be back next week to share my annual Halloween inspiration post! In the meantime, you can check out my Halloween Makeup Archive for some last minute inspiration, and the first two installments of the We Aim To Slay Halloween Makeup Series!

Have a great rest of your week, and remember to SLAY!