I'm allergic to my facial products, really struggling :-(

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I've never been one for lots of makeup, but need to wear something so I don't look like an anaemia ghost.

I'm reacting to my products with allergic conjunctivitis and it leads to eye infections, so I can't risk it.

Currently using: avene ultra sensitive facial cleanser, boots no17 primer and a foundation powder and an eyebrow pencil. No eye makeup. I'm struggling to find a moisturiser so my skin is dry and irritated.

Please, please can anybody recommend anything I can do? I'm getting to the point where I can't use anything on my face apart from water. I use a bar shampoo as normal shampoos set my eyes off as well. I can't have anything with sls, parabens etc. in.

Does anybody have any ideas or suggestions for a facial cleanser and a moisturiser? I'll use natural/homemade stuff even. I also need a hypoallergenic foundation powder.

I would pop into Lush and speak to someone there. They have lovely face things and have hypo allergenic potions too.

Sorry about your reactions, they must be horrid x

Have you tried almond oil? I have very sensitive skin. I found that my skin was at its calmest when using that instead of moisturiser in conjunction with avene cleanser. Good luck.

I use oil too, as a cleanser and moisturiser. Lots of other products, even good quality/gentle brands can sting my eyes and make my face itch.

I use almond or olive oil for cleansing because they're cheap and easily available. I moisturise with The Ordinary moisturiser or something from the Neal's Yard Wild Rose line, then I add a few drops of argan oil on top. Lush Ultrabland is very popular for sensitive skin and they used to do sample pots (don't know if they do that still). In a pinch Vaseline is very effective and neutral for skin, especially in this very cold weather, but keep it away from eyes.

I avoid primers because they irritate my eyes (I used to think it was the silicones but now I use some products with silicone which are fine so no idea). I find the BareMinerals powders non-irritating and they look very fresh if applied lightly.

I've had very good luck with some American brands if that helps at all. Coola make an excellent unscented tinted moisturiser which I mix with Supergoop CC cream if I'm going out (then sometimes a light dusting of BareMinerals if I need extra coverage). Vanicream soap is very non-irritating and dh can use it without aggravating his eczema.

Hope you sort it out.

Re-reading the op I was reminded of what I was told about using water on my various skin stuff (lichen planus, psoriasis), that water alone can be very drying. To reset you can try using nothing but eczema products like Oilatum or Eucerin shower oil with water to rinse and immediately apply oil or Vaseline to moisturise. A few days of that should tell you if it's for you.
Maybe co-washing could help? Just sls/silicone-free conditioner (like the Superdrug Extracts line) on your hair and lots of rinsing. It has helped calm my scalp a lot. Even bar shampoos can irritate (Lush can't quite break away from sls in their bars).
This time of year is very hard on the skin. Central heating won't help.

Try an Avene moisturiser if you're ok with their cleanser.
Avene skin recovery cream is soothing on irritated skin.

I would recommend Lily Lolo mineral foundation powder, you can buy sample sizes to try.

I would also stop using the primer.

Everyone is different but I react to silicones and mineral oils so avoid those in my facial products. I also try to avoid products containing alcohol as they tend to dry my skin out

Definitely ditch the primer. Sensitive skin generally hates silicones. I am a huge Lush fan (for some things) but their ranges have a surprising amount of crap in them. especially surfactants and parabens. Green People are excellent and worth a look.

Coconut oil? Have a look at Lucybee.

Also I think you need to address the inside to help the outside. So I’d get on some good quality probiotics, omegas, vitamins e, c and zinc and I would definitely trial avoiding dairy and if you can then gluten too.

I am also battling similar and can recommend Eucerin Urea 5% day and night moisturiser to help whack a load of moisture into sensitive skin. Have a look at some french pharmacy brands too as they tend to be good for specific skin complants. I would also try leaving the primer off for a while as that can make skin react. Good luck op

Have a look at the Weleda website!

I emailed them, and they sent me lots of sample sachets to try

www.weleda.co.uk/

Forgot to say that my MIL is allergic/sensitive to facial products but not to Weleda's :)

I feel for you. I have very sensitive skin and have developed chellitis which basically means I cannot wear lipstick or put any products at all around my mouth except vaseline. I use Eucerin products for moisturising and micellar water for cleansing

Yy Weleda, Skin Food is my hg winter hand cream, but best to start with very bland basic/neutral products imo op.
I lean toward the hippieish end of the spectrum - 'natural' and free-from products etc - but when I misplaced my Skin Food after the central heating went on I started slapping the Vaseline on my dry hands and the flaky skin on my runny nose. I was pleasantly surprised at how protective and rich it felt and at my age I prefer looking shiny to looking crepey. It would also be unusual to have any sort of bad reaction to it if you keep it away from eyes, so it's a way to hit the reset button on sensitive skin.

Are you sure you don’t have Blepharitis? Either way non scented cleansers and moisturisers are probably best. Cetaphil and Cerave do both cleansers and moisturisers. I have very sensitive allergic skin with sore eyes at times and find the Kalme range good and non- reactive.The best is to put as few ingredients as possible on your face. So low tech skin care is often best.

This is good and healing. I wouldn't use almond or essential oils on sensitive skin but coconut oil should be ok for cleansing.

How does oil cleanse though? Sure you are just adding oil onto stale makeup and I don't see how it would work?

Vaseline is petroleum jelly - byproducts of petrol. Not something to put on your skin at all.

theskincareedit.com/2014/10/16/petroleum-mineral-oil-skin-products

I generally try to avoid petroleum products as well for cosmetic use but they have a medical use and it's unusual to find them irritating, whereas you can be sensitive/allergic to what might seem otherwise innocuous, like the ubiquitous coconut oil (which is regularly recommended as an alternative to petroleum products but does nothing good for my skin). Otherwise you can go in circles trying different products and not knowing what you're reacting to.

Re oil cleansing, oil dissolves oil so it can be removed from the skin with a hot flannel. Soap contains oil too, just with surfectants so it's rinsable.

Thank you so much for all these suggestions.

I will ditch the primer. I was putting a bit of epaderm emolient on my arms after showering and put some on my lower face, away from eyes, but can't tell if that's caused eye irritation.

I do find plain water drying, yes.

I'm planning on going product free for a few days as I'm off work. I'll then start from scratch.

teta yes I have blepharitis as well. I sometimes use a blepharitis pad to clean, but it dries everything out. I have noticed that when I'm off work and not bothering to wear any primer and powder my eyes calm down a bit.

Try Lily Lolo makeup, I’m extremely sensitive to a lot of skincare / makeup but this doesn’t bother me.

I know a couple of people who had blepharitis and they were told to use diluted baby shampoo to wash around the eyes.

My & daughters experience - ensure nothing you are using such as wipes etc have alcohol in them. Clarins cleanser & toner is amazing at not drying skin or giving spots, and I use Estee Lauder day wear creme for moisturising. (expensive but lasts ages)

For the eyes use hot water with clean flannels to soak in the evening, or Johnsons diluted baby shampoo on cotton buds to clean.

I have blepharitis. I use coconut oil as a cleanser at night, massage it around then take it off with a steamy flannel. Then I put a tiny bit more on to moisturise. I can use Simple moisturiser for day. Not great with make-up. I tend to just do Clinique foundation, eyebrows & lipstick day to day. My blepharitis went when I gave up dairy & gluten but I didn't keep it up.