Allergic to Everything

I have much is common with Lisa Simpson, but at the moment all I can think of is the You Only Move Twice episode where poor Lisa is trying to enjoy a beautiful woodland near their new home, but alas, it turns out she is allergic to everything. While most people have been treasureing their Daily Government Mandated Excercise, especially now we can apparently go and sit in parks all day, I have basically been waiting inside until I feel like I absolutly have to go for a walk or I'm going to start scribbling nonsense on the walls in my nightie singing Lana Del Ray's Hope is a Dangerous Thing on repeat. Only then do I venture out, hoping the pollen count is low enough not to immediatly start to feel like something is scratching at my skin from the inside trying to get out. 

Today was one of those days, but I thought I'd made a basic error - I'd already showered and washed my hair before going for a walk. If you're not in the Seriously Allergic Club, you might not know that the advice given is to shower and change clothes as soon as you get home to remove any residual pollen once you are in your house, with all the door and windows shut, and in my case, the air filter running, after every time you go out. You're also supposed to wear clothes that cover as much skin as possible, wear sunglasses if you don't wear glasses, put icky vaseline stuff on your nostrils, lips and eyelids and speand as little time outside as you can, in the middle of the day if possible, when the pollen count is lowest. Let's say this quarentine thing is depressingly familiar to me and my fellow itchy -sneezey - wheezey folks. 

But today, I discoverd what for me is an absolute game changer - MAKE UP. This may sound bloody obvious or bloody ridiculous, but hear me out, friends. The idea of the long sleeves and weird vaseline and sunglasses is mainly to stop pollen getting onto your skin/in your nose/eyes/mouth to reduce the reaction you have. The annoying thing is that doing that usually creates a whole lot of other logistical work and clean up after you've been outside, and it is better, but not 100% effective, even with the extra strong anti-histemines I'm on as well. If you have to shower and change after every time you go out, or be itchy and icky and wheezey and sneezy and therefore also grumpy and sleepy, like a worse version of the seven dwarves, you cannot be arsed to go out that often. But outside is nice and has sunshine and doggies running around and a different view, so you do want to, it's just breathing is important too. 

But putting on make up gives you a beautiful extra option of a easily removable layer of cosmetics that create a barrier between your skin and the evil pollen bastards trying to kill you, which you can immediatly take off with just a wet wipe as soon as you get in! And it's designed to stay put, and be used on the places you specifically need it but are sensitve, like eyes and lips, but you can still breathe and not over-heat, which is a problem I've found with face masks. The fact is has fun colours and glitter is just a delightful bonus. It's something I actually enjoy doing as well as proving effective!

A related addition to my arsenal are body butters, which I use on any exposed skin and still provide that much needed barrier but are much more pleasent than vaseline. I have some gorgeous ones from Madame Alchemie, made with scented oils and butters, but a plain coconut, cocoa or shea butter would also do the trick. That would also work if you are not one for make up, but I've found make up better because its formulated to stay on, especially round the eyes and lips. 

Here's what I tested out today that worked for me to reduce my reaction;

foundation, eyeshadow, mascara, lipgloss, still vaseline on the nose 

body butter on exposed skin made from oils and butters 

long sleeved turtle neck top

skinny jeans

socks

boots

glasses

Returning home;

Wash hands

Remove make up with wet wipe

Use lint roller on clothes

Drink water or a hot drink to ease chest congestion 

I can't say it completely got rid of any reaction, but it was a lot better and easier, so hopefully this might help a few other allergy sufferes out there too! That and staying away from those bastard birch trees.