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Time to read 5 min
🌸 Spring is here, and love is in the air—but so are allergies! If itchy skin and redness are crashing your outdoor rendezvous, you’re not alone. As a pharmacist and founder of QED Skincare, I know how frustrating it can be when allergies keep you from enjoying Spring's beckoning breezes and blooming vistas.
The good news? You can strengthen your skin’s resilience with a few simple changes to your routine. From hydrating must-haves and Spring lifestyle hacks, discover Scientific top tips and QED’s sensitive skin solutions that will keep your skin calm, glowing, and ready for every romantic moment this spring.
Don’t let allergens steal the spotlight—let’s keep your skin and your love life looking its best! ❤️ 🌿
1. Stay Updated on Pollen Counts: Monitoring daily pollen forecasts can help you prepare and minimise exposure on high-pollen days. On high-pollen days, pre-dosing with antihistamines and anti-inflammatory nasal sprays can make a difference.
2. If you’re particularly sensitive, consider wearing a mask when outdoors during high pollen days, and keep windows closed (in the car as well) to limit exposure.
3. Create a Physical Barrier for allergens: Thickly moisturise all exposed skin, ideally used a rich, oil-based product, like QED Skincare Ultra-Sensitive Eye Balm and QED Skincare Ultra-Sensitive Face Balm for the Face and Ultra-Sensitive Body Balm for the Body. Long sleeves and pants, hats, sunscreen and bug repellant are also highly recommended as people with sensitive skin are more likely to have a strong reaction to bites and burns.
4. Create a Barrier around your nose: Using oily nasal sprays and applying barrier balms around the nostrils can help reduce the amount of pollen entering your nasal passages.
5. Rinse Away Pollen: After spending time outdoors, shower and change clothes to remove pollen from your body and hair. If that is not practical, at least wash your hands well and rinse your eyes with fresh water if possible.
6. Build your skin's resilience: Well hydrated skin is more resilient and less likely to react to allergens. And the richer the product, you use, the better the results. So make sure, you use a low-foaming body-wash and a super rich moisturiser twice daily.
Seek Professional Help: If all of these steps plus over-the-counter medications aren’t sufficient, consult with a pharmacist or healthcare provider for tailored allergy management options.
Soothe, Treat, Boost, Hydrate & Build your Barrier with this unctuous, deep moisturiser.
Melt between your fingertips and use as a day cream. Apply a thick layer at night for an intense hydrating treatment. Apply to irritated areas to help soothe redness, itch and irritation.
" The packaging and the product both feel luxurious. It’s a balm but it goes on thinner than you would expect, which is actually nice, and absorbs very quickly leaving the skin soft, not greasy. It feels like it supports my skin barrier. It’s lack of scent is welcome and it doesn’t seem to irritate my rosacea, dermatitis or cause redness. It also seems to be really good value, as you only need to use the tiniest amount at a time. It also doubles nicely as a lip balm and cuticle cream or an eczema cream in a pinch. " - Jessica Teas - Cult Beauty Founder
Soothe, De-puff, Hydrate & Build your Barrier with this delicious, delicate eye balm.
Melt a small amount between your fingertips and lightly massage around the eye area.
" The skin around the eyes is very thin and prone to sensitivity due to allergens and the environment. This richly nourishing balm is the gentlest formulation for eyes I have seen. With anti-inflammatory cucumber and shea butter which provides antioxidants and traps in moisture, I have found this so soothing and protective. Highly recommended for those who have a really sensitive eye area. " - Emily Fletcher, Founder –Clean + Conscious Awards
Intensely hydrating and quick absorbing this product is formulated to restore, soothe and calm irritated skin.
Can be used anywhere on the body and safe to use in pregnancy and for newborns.
Melt a small amount between your fingertips and massage into all dry areas and areas prone to itch. To speed up absorption into hands and feet, pop on cotton socks and cotton gloves after application.
" "I've been looking for some natural skincare that won't upset my skin and recently found QED products. They're great for my skin and also super affordable. Win-win! This body balm goes on like an absolute dream and leaves my skin feeling so moisturised and hydrated but without that 'sticky' feeling of other moisturisers - just massage it into your skin and it melts right in. Oh, and it leaves you smelling DELICIOUS!" - Eleanor Katelaris, Mamamia
→ Preventing Itchy Skin in Spring
→ Which Outdoor Plants to avoid with Sensitive Skin
→ The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) website provides information on pollen allergy and other allergies.
→ The National Asthma Council Australia website provides information on asthma and allergies.
→ The Pollen Forecast website provides pollen counts and forecasts
1. Antihistamines like Loratadine or Cetirizine can help alleviate symptoms such as sneezing, itching, itchy eyes and runny nose.
2. Nasal Symptoms: Use saline nasal rinses to clear pollen from nasal passages, reducing irritation. For severe symptoms, consider using a combination of oral antihistamines and nasal sprays. Sprays like intranasal corticosteroids are also effective for more persistent symptoms.
3. People with severe seasonal allergies may need to consider using long-acting antihistamines regularly throughout Spring and Autumn.
4. Itchy eyes: Eye drops containing antihistamines can soothe itchy, watery eyes. For severe hay fever, prescription medications like montelukast may be beneficial alongside over-the-counter options.
5. Asthma sufferers should ensure they have an updated asthma action plan and use preventer medication as prescribed. Keep windows closed during peak pollen periods to limit exposure. For asthma patients, ensure that your preventer inhaler is up-to-date and used consistently during high pollen periods. Quick-relief inhalers like salbutamol should be on hand at all times for sudden symptoms.
6. Skin symptoms of seasonal allergies, like Hives and rashes can be soothed with cool compresses and soothing creams but may need oral antihistamine tablets or topical hydrocortisone creams.
7. Contact dermatitis can be treated with soothing creams and/or topical hydrocortisone creams to reduce itching and inflammation.
The Great Outdoors are magnificent but can be a terrifying source of allergies for many. By following these tips and by managing symptoms effectively, you can enjoy the beauty of nature without the fear of allergic reactions. As always, consult your pharmacist for personalised advice on managing your symptoms—We’re here to help you breathe easier, every day!
The Author: Shoshana Eisner, BPharm
The Brains (+ the Brawn) behind QED Skincare
Shoshana Eisner isn’t your average pharmacist — She’s the mind and heart behind QED Skincare, the luxury brand that’s making sensitive skin feel fabulous. Based in Sydney, Shoshana combined extensive dermatology research and a love for all things plant-based and cruelty-free to create skincare that doesn’t just work—it works wonders. With a collection of award-winning products and a money-back guarantee (because, yes, they’re that good), Shoshana is on a mission to prove that gentle, effective skincare can be downright luxurious. After all, who says sensitive skin has to miss out on the good stuff?
