The answer is yes you can but it does help if you know by trial and error what may cause an allergic type reaction and therefore you need to avoid. It may take a bit of detective work and patience for you to work this out.

There are some general guidelines that will be useful to all people with sensitive skins.

• Avoid waterproof cosmetics such as mascaras as the need a strong cleanser to remove them which may remove the sebum and leave the skin more exposed to sensitivity.

• If you have eyes that become sensitive when using eye makeup try the more neutral colours like creams, taupes and browns.  Often it is the more highly pigmented colours that will cause sensitive skin to flare.

• Black mascara seems to be less likely to cause an allergic reaction than coloured mascaras.

• Throw away any old makeup past its use by date, especially old mascaras used around the sensitive eye area.

• Approximately, three months for mascara, a year for foundations and powders and two years for eye shadows.

• Wash eye shadow brushes and makeup brushes and sponges regularly.

• Pencil and waxed based eyeliners are less likely to cause a reaction than liquid eyeliners.

• Use sunscreens that have physical blockers like zinc oxide and titanium oxide rather than chemical sunscreens.

• Powder cosmetics usually cause less sensitive skin reactions than liquid ones.

• Use skin care products such as skinsaviour to be gentle on sensitive skin as part of your daily skin routine removing grime and pollutants that could irritate sensitive skin

The symptoms of Uticaria are most commonly a rash that is very itchy and consists of a number of raised bumpy weals on the surface of the skin. In an acute attack it can last between several hours and a few weeks, uticaria that last longer than six or so weeks is less likely to be caused by an allergy and is called chronic uticaria.  Acute uticaria is caused by an allergy.

He most likely suspects for acute uticaria include allergies to animals such as dogs, cats and horses and common foods such as eggs and dairy particularly milk in children, peanuts, shellfish and dairy for adults. Sometimes people can be allergic to bee stings, wasp stings and even certain medicines such as antibiotics, in particular penicillin and other medications.

What are the symptoms of uticaria?

The rash that develops is very itchy and usually has lumpy, bumpy skin that develops along with a rash. Sometimes the rash can move around the limb or body and be so severely itchy it interferes with the person’s ability to sleep and their quality of life. Uticaria causes super sensitive skin and commonly red lines develop when the skin is itched called dermatographism. There is a relationship between stress and the uticaria reappearing, mental and emotional stress and when the body is challenged by a physical illness. Sometimes acute attacks occur when there is a viral illness and the body’s immune response is lowered.

What can we do?

• Try to avoid stresses we recognise can cause acute attacks such as alcohol, stress, hot weather, tight itchy clothing and harsh laundry detergents.

• Avoid foods we know or may have a reaction to, additives such as salicylate, sodium benzoate, sulphur dioxide, tartrazine and MSG or Mono Sodium Glutamate among others.

• Examination by a doctor is needed to determine the cause if mild symptoms become worse or persist for weeks.

• A doctor may prescribe some medication or run some blood tests to determine if there is an underlying allergy or an auto immune disease.

• A course of antihistamine tablets may settle the symptoms of acute uticaria but if it doesn’t respond or you have some associated health problems then see a doctor.

• A doctor may prescribe a short course of oral steroids if the symptoms are severe.