If you type "covering up a cold sore" into google, you'll get some pretty rubbish results.
Some websites will tell you to use thick make-up, some will tell you never to use make-up (although these are the ones usually trying to sell you an expensive cold-sore patch which really only makes another type of mark on your face) and at least one article we found told readers to "distract from [the cold sore] by highlighting your eyes" and if you're a man "perhaps a jazzy tie will help!"
Really? Is this the best they can do?
The best thing would be to find a product which helps get rid of cold sores faster than other so-called cures and to help prevent future outbreaks. If that's what you would like, then why not try Herstat ointment and the Herstat LipCare stick today.
The big night out, interview or important event
But what if, no matter how well you look after yourself, you still have a nasty cold sore on the day you really need and want to look your best? Well, here are some useful make-up tips for both men and women:
- Invest in a good concealer that is colour-matched to your skin tone – guys, you may have to ask for help at the make-up counter for this
- Never use your fingers or make-up brushes to apply the concealer
- Never apply make-up directly from the tube or bottle
- Always put some of the concealer/foundation on to a clean, disposable surface (use a wooden coffee stirrer, tin foil, a lolly stick, a clean bottle top) and use a disposable applicator or cotton bud to apply it to the cold sore – this will prevent you spreading the cold sore virus onto your makeup and brushes
- Very gently take small amounts of concealer and apply directly to the cold sore
- Once the concealer is applied, a thin dusting of face powder can be applied to the cold sore area using another cotton bud or a disposable applicator and then all over the face using your normal brush or pad, but be careful not to go over the cold sore area
- To apply lip colour to an area affected by a cold sore, use a disposable item, such as a coffee stirrer, to scrape a small amount of lipstick from your favourite lipstick or tube of gloss then transfer that to a disposable surface. Then use a disposable applicator to apply it to your lips
- Lip lacquers are really good for colouring an advanced cold sore as they help to keep the affected area moist and are less likely to be licked off or transferred to coffee cups
- Always be careful to dispose of your applicators and colour transfer items carefully to help prevent the spread of infection
- Lastly, when you remove your make-up remember to reapply your Herstat ointment
And while we understand that nothing is going to take away the annoyance of having a cold sore on your big day, having well-applied make-up can make a whole heap of difference to how you feel. So, go on – Cover up to enjoy yourself!
Photo © Renata Alves dos Anjos via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
