November 3, 2015

Do You Wear Makeup When You’re Sick?

wearing makeup when sick

I have a rather nasty cold that’s making me miserable. Thankfully it isn’t so bad that I’m coughing up a lung. I’m also lucky because my typical sore throat that I get when I’m sick isn’t present. It’s mostly sneezing, congestion, and me being a baby about the entire thing as I feel a bit weak and tired.

Truly, I hate being sick.

But a good question would be do you wear makeup when you’re sick?

I find it impossible to look good in makeup when I’m sick. Why? Because my nose is typically crusty, my skin is drier than normal particularly around the sides of my nose because I’m constantly blowing it, my skin is super dry and lackluster, and when I’m busy being sick, I tend to get cracked, dry, peeling lips….etc…etc…etc..

It’s just kinda hard to do makeup when I’m sick!

Plus don’t you hate that feeling of just doing your lipgloss or mascara and having to sneeze directly after? Ugh! Always happens, always!

Do you wear makeup when you’re sick?

I tend to make some effort but I keep it really simple and natural with a bit of cheek stain, concealer, and mascara.

How about you?

33 Comments

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  • dia

    When I’m sick, I need a hefty moisturizer and a little concealer around my nose and eyes because they tend to be all red and irritated. I’ll also wear a tinted lip balm, because breathing through my mouth dries out my lips. I won’t do eye make up when I have a cold or flu.

    • Isabella Muse

      likewise! I really need super powered moisture when I’m ill! My skin is like a desert!

  • Heidi

    My thoughts are I don’t want to contaminate anything I love, so I just use moisturizer with concealer or mix it with a pump of foundation for a bit of evening out. Also a good time to use a mascara on the verge of being tossed and lip tint or lipstick I’m not that fond of. Then I can use the “they’re germy” excuse to pitch them.

    • Isabella Muse

      I agree! I tend to avoid using lip products, mascara, etc when I’m sick. Or if I do use mascara it’s some cheap replaceable one or a trial size!

  • Jessica

    Unless I’m really sick with a fever or the flu I still wear makeup. Especially if I go to work then I definitely wear makeup so I don’t look as bad as I feel.

  • Hilary

    I usually wear a light tinted powder that doesn’t emphasize dryness (like MAC Mineralize Skinfinish natural) and a tinted lip balm. If I really need to, I curl my lashes and wear a blush so I don’t look like a complete mess!

  • Jess

    I’m sick right now! I guess it depends how sick. I took a sickie today and put on some foundation and did my brows to go to the doctor today because I thought it might perk me up a bit. But now it’s just an extra step of cleaning it off before bed tonight…

  • danadoo

    If i have to work, then yes, full face of makeup, every day, no matter what. If i have the day off and don’t really have to appear in public i dont bother with it. Well, if i have to run a couple errands I’ll at least do some concealer, mascara, a little blush and some gloss. I hope you feel better soon, i to am a huge baby when I’m sick!

    • Isabella Muse

      aw thanks! I am too! the worst kind! Whiny, pissy, moany 🙂 I hate being sick, wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy blah!

  • Elisa

    If I’m going to work, then I go super minimal on the eyes (maybe just mascara), and I do brows and blush. Moisturizer, but skip the foundation.
    If I’m at home and there is no chance of going out, I do nothing but moisturizer. If I have to pop out the store, I usually run a brow gel through the brows to help me feel less “naked” (my brows are incredibly sparse).

  • Kelly Zollo

    If I am sick I try to avoid makeup if I can. I will wear very minimal stuff when I am sick. Right now I am recovering from a cold and haven’t wore anything in about 5 days. I will not use my beauty blender when I am sick for foundation either. I really try to avoid using my higher end stuff when I am sick. I skip lip gloss/lipstick when stick, avoid my eyeshadow pallets and use trial or freebee mascara.

  • Carolyn

    Noooo just clean face and moisture and balm
    If I’m going to Dr then I may do a 5 minute makeup job, unless I’m super duper sick

    I’m at the Dr now… Quick make up on, but I’m not sick, just X-ray type stuff…

  • sarah

    I usually skip the hassle of makeup when I’m not feeling well. I go bare face all the time so it’s not a big deal. I also skip it if I’m going to the doctor or dentist. I figure if someone is going to need to touch my face the last thing they want is foundation on their hands and sleeves.

  • Jay

    Depending on how sick I’m feeling, I might fill in my brows and add a cream blush, just like you. But nothing touching my eyes or nose…and no lipstick just I case it gets bacteria on it. I got sick(er) at work today and left early. I’d put on a full face of makeup and I kid you not, on my long drive home I kept dreading having to stand for long enough to take my makeup off!

    The world has seen my raggedy face enough times LOL. Once makeup becomes a chore skip it.

    • Isabella Muse

      lol I used to be the girl that never went out with my face on but when I’m sick forget it, I’m too damn lazy and whiny to attempt anything major!

  • Deborah

    Yep, full make up! ☺️. Unless I’m completely bed ridden of course. I find when I look better I feel better.

  • Ryou

    Nope. My eyes are sensitive and watery enough when I’m not sick, and it’s always worse when I’m sick. I really don’t think that I’d want to waste my precious energy reserves to do make-up that would just get patchy within 20 seconds. :/

  • Julia

    Yes if I have to leave the house- tinted moisturizer/bronzer/blush/highlighter/brows- maybe a little eyeshadow and a super moisturizing tinted lip balm. I go pretty light on all of it- just enough to make me look alive. (I am fair skinned and when I am sick I can look ghostly).

  • kimkats

    *sends you virtual chicken soup* Hope you’re on the mend very soon, Muse!!!

    If I go to work I wear makeup. I don’t usually do lips when I’m sick b/c they get so very dry when I’m out of sorts. But otherwise, I’m in full face. 🙂 I’ll usually wear WP mascara b/c my eyes will water when my head is all stuffed up.

    Get well soon, darlin’!

  • Penny

    I have a cold too!! As long as I don’t have to go anywhere, then no makeup! It’s just no fun doing my makeup when I don’t feel good. 🙁

  • Christine Joy Luikuo

    I’m quite sick, since yesterday. I have runny nose. On the first day that I’m sick, I still wear the same amount of makeup as I do when I’m feeling well. On the next day, I start wearing minimum amount. I avoid mascaras when I’m having colds because itching of eyes comes next and wearing mascara will worsen it.

  • Iris

    I wear minimal makeup while I’m sick. Lipgloss is a must as my lips get dry.

  • genevieve

    As you guys are coming into Autumn – that when you get those pesky viruses. I hope you’re feeling better soon – it will take a few days.
    In Melbourne this winter past (we are in warm and humid spring now) – there was some really nasty flues going around.
    As for makeup when I am sick – my husband thinks I would have to be in intensive care for me not to wear makeup. But actually if I have a cold I don’t wear much because I would be just wiping it all off when I sneeze, blow my nose etc. Actually – babies nappy rash cream (sudocream) is great to put around your nose to stop it getting sore from wiping.

  • Icequeen81

    I don’t know how to answer that, I have nose allergy so sneezing and blowing my nose is a daily thing, I avoid part of my make up. like eyeliner, mascara and face powder, once in a blue moon lipstick . It is pretty annoying, and the thing Is I forget that i need to avoid this make up items and buy them anyway.

    wat stays is blush and my filled eyebrows and eyeshadow that is it