Ah, spring! The winter rains have turned into beautiful green hills, colorful blooming wildflowers....aaaand lots of allergies. And to make it even worse, the continuous coughing, itching, eye watering, and scratching (oh so much scratching...) comes with puffiness, dryness, and redness all over your skin.

So, what exactly are allergies? Allergies happen when your immune system has an adverse reaction to allergens like pet dander or pollen. Even though these allergens are harmless, our bodies mistake them as foreign and harmful and try to get rid of them, resulting in the symptoms we commonly experience with allergies. Here are some easy tips you can do at home to calm your skin this crazy allergy season. 

Soothe puffiness

Puffy eyes are an allergy symptom that everyone can relate to. Your body releases histamines when exposed to allergens, causing your blood vessels to dilate resulting in swelling. It’s an old trick, but applying chilled cucumbers to your eyes can help relieve swelling and inflammation. Cucumbers are full of antioxidants and flavonoids that can help reduce inflammation and chilling the cucumbers first provides the cooling effect of evaporation.  Apply for 4-5 minutes for the best results.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

As always, it’s important to drink lots of water while fighting allergies. Studies have shown histamine levels to increase when you’re dehydrated so make sure to guzzle up that H20. While you’re on the hydration train, make sure to keep your skin hydrated too. Look for moisturizers that contain hydrating and soothing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, green tea extract, and colloidal oatmeal.

Shower often

During allergy season, it’s important to shower regularly to wash off the allergens that deposit on your skin, clothes, and hair throughout the day. Showering too much, however, can be drying for your skin so it’s important to switch to gentle soaps, cleansers, and shampoos. Another good tip is to add oils or colloidal oatmeal to your bath to soothe and protect your skin while washing the allergens away. 

We know allergies can be very annoying. They make a busy day about a million times more difficult and exhausting, but we hope these easy tips can alleviate some symptoms and stress for you this allergy season. Try them out, tell your friends, and Enjoy!