The Best Makeup for Sensitive Skin, According to a Beauty Editor with Eczema – PureWow

They say you dont truly understand something until youve experienced it yourself, and thats certainly been true for me. After spending nearly a decade writing about beauty, I have only recently come to know how challenging it can be to find beauty products that wont irritate sensitive skin.

Earlier this summer, I found myself facing eczema for the first time in my life. I suddenly had raised, rough patches on my cheeks and eyelids, and these never-ending flaky patches around my forehead that my dermatologist recently diagnosed as seborrheic dermatitis. Fun.

I went from using a varied regimen of serums and creams to a very pared down routine thats so bland it blends into my white medicine cabinet. The same goes for my hair products and makeup, which is what were going to dive into now.

In the throes of another flare up, I had the chance to speak with Allan Avendao, who is a celebrity makeup artist to Addison Rae, Vanessa Hudgens and Sarah Hyland among others. Though Ive long admired his work on Instagram, I was especially excited to talk to Allan because he is also intimately familiar with the difficulties of navigating the beauty aisles with a skin condition; hes had plaque psoriasis, which is a chronic autoimmune disease that appears on the surface of the skin as raised, red, itchy patches, since he was a kid.

Here are some of the key takeaways I learned from our convo.

One of the top offenders when it comes to causing irritation is fragrance. (A few other culprits to watch for are parabens, formaldehydes and alcohol.) Fragrance is found in many, if not most, beauty products, so youll need to look carefully at the ingredient lists to make sure its not hiding there.

On the flip side, some ingredients you want in your products are hyaluronic acid, glycerin and ceramides. These hydrating ingredients help draw in moisture and lock it in, which is crucial because dehydrated skin is more prone to inflammation.

So, before you proceed with any makeup, always make sure to gently cleanse (never scrub) your face and follow up with a layer of moisturizer to prep your skin.

Finally, when youre dealing with sensitive skin or skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis, its always good practice to patch test any new products before you commit to a full face.

Whether its a new foundation or a blush, apply a small amount of it to the inside of your wrist and see if your skin reacts to the formula. If it causes any sort of irritation to your wrist, its likely going to do the same to your face. If theres no reaction, you can proceed.

OK, so this isnt technically makeup, but sunscreen is a must, and this derm-approved formula also has enough tint in it to even out the reddest tones on your skin. Plus, its very moisturizing and leaves a subtle glow behind. Most importantly, it doesnt trigger a reaction thanks to its fragrance-free and zinc oxide-based formula. (Note: Physical sunscreens tend to work better for those of us with sensitive skin.)

Buy it ($39)

On days where I want just a little more coveragebe it under my eyes or over any splotchesIll tap a small amount of this creamy stick wherever its needed. The formula is easy to blend and quickly blurs out any areas of discoloration to create a more even-looking finish. Currently its available in 20 shades and is formulated to EU standards, which are among the strictest, and eliminates any ingredients that might trigger inflammation such as artificial fragrance.

Buy it ($38)

With a tagline that states: Designed for sensitive skin, made for all, I had high hopes that this would be safe for me to use. Thankfully, it passed the patch test and Ive been able to enjoy this buttery blush without any issues. The six shades can be sheered out or built up to your desired level of color and the results are always natural looking.

Buy it ($20)

This highlighter has won many awards (and picked up many celebrity fans) over the years thanks to the soft, never sparkly glow it leaves on your skin. With a streamlined ingredient list thats mostly made up of castor seed and coconut oil, you can put it on your skin without having to worry about aggravating it.

Buy it ($38)

Eyelid eczema makes it difficult to wear most eyeshadows, which is why I was ecstatic when this palette passed my patch test. As it turns out, many of Tartes products are mineral-based, which is often recommended for people with sensitive skin. Each of the 12 shades in the palette are also infused with Amazonian clay to give them a creamier consistency and better color payoff. From a warm taupe to a chestnut brown (and multiple shades of bronze, tan and peach in-between), you can easily create different looks to fit any occasion.

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And for the finishing touch, Ive been wearing this buttery lip gloss from Minori. There are four, universally flattering shades to choose from, but I find myself wearing Juneberry the most, which is a cool pink with a subtle shimmer. The gloss itself is velvety and hydrating on your lips and leaves nary a flake behind.

Buy it ($22)

RELATED: The 25 Best Lip Glosses to Keep Your Lips Plump, But Not Sticky

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The Best Makeup for Sensitive Skin, According to a Beauty Editor with Eczema - PureWow