Makeup is a Migraine Trigger

Introduction

As most of you know, I love the performing arts and, specifically, theatre. I don’t usually wear makeup in my everyday life unless there’s a funeral or wedding or some other formal event. After modeling, I seem to have lost the majority of my makeup. Before performing in Almost, Maine, I went to the drugstore to get some temporary makeup until I find my usual stuff. I got everything I needed and I was very impressed with how well it was working. That was until I had worn it for a couple of hours. Around this time, I was driving home and my head hurt around my jawline. At first, I thought it was because I was stressed and tense right there but it only got worse. By the time I got home, I could barely speak. It felt like someone had set up camp inside of my skull and was stretching out their whole body within the refrains of my head. If someone had told me my head was about to explode, I would have believed them. This was the worst migraine I’ve ever had in my whole entire life.

When I got home, I took off the makeup as quickly as possible before stumbling into bed. It made me feel a lot better but still hurt terribly so I didn’t think much about it. The next day, I put on my new makeup again. Almost immediately, the migraine came back. This time I took off my makeup as soon as possible and my head felt better much sooner. I am so happy to have made this connection within enough time to save my head a second time.

Afterward, I looked up information about makeup being a migraine trigger because I had never heard of it causing one. If you get headaches or migraines, I really think this could help you. There may be something in your life that triggers your head pain that you don’t even realize is doing so.

All the Migraine Tea

I found two websites that discussed makeup and migraines, this blog and this reddit post. It’s not a lot but it was still helpful. The makeup, itself, probably isn’t triggering the pain but the chemicals inside of it do. Unlike food, makeup brands are not required to list the ingredients of their products because they could reveal their secret recipe by doing so. This means you may not always know what is inside of your makeup. I don’t know about you but that concerns me, a little bit. As fragrances also cause headaches for me, I try to buy vegan or all-natural beauty products. This way I don’t have to worry about the chemicals as much. Makeup can be a little more deceptive.

Be on the lookout for makeup that uses Formaldehyde, Parabens, Propylene Glycol, or superficial fragrances. I never knew Formaldehyde was used in makeup products and when used in science classes, it gives me the worst headaches. One year I had to drop a class, partially because the classroom made my head hurt so badly.

A Couple of Solutions

Anyways, I have now found an organization, EWG’s Skin Deep, that does research on different beauty products. I’ve included the link below so you can look up your own products along with another link that better explains how certain chemicals can cause migraines and headaches. It’s a little challenging to find information on it because this is not a trigger that’s been studied or researched as much.

One of my favorite non-headache triggering beauty brands is Pacifica. A friend introduced it to me with their roll-on fragrance stick and I’ve been obsessed ever since. Everything that I’ve used is of the best quality and works so much better than other pain-causing products that I’ve used. Also, all of their products are 100% vegan and cruelty-free!

I’m sure many of you have heard of Lush Cosmetics. The stores can be a little overwhelming but other than that their products are amazing and fight animal testing, too. They have everything from bath bombs to shampoo to makeup. Their products are 100% vegetarian, cruelty-free, ethical, and have “naked” packaging! The lotion, Charity Pot, even provides support to different grassroots organizations as well. They also sell reusable gift wrap that can be used as a scarf or hair accessory or even a kitchen towel. Who wouldn’t love to have that?

The Body Shop is the last brand I want to talk about. I’ve only been once and it was one of the coolest stores I’ve ever been in. They have so many great options for makeup as well as other beauty items. Not only do they empower women through sustainable sourcing but you can join their rewards program and donate your rewards to Born Free USA or the National Parks Conservation Association. All of their products are cruelty-free and most of the ingredients are natural. They also support the environment in a lot of different ways and publish their accomplishments yearly to stay accountable. I will include a link to that below, as well.

Links & Conclusion

I know this is a lot of information but I hope it helps you understand the body care and makeup products you are using in a new light. I wish you a migraine-free, happy day!

Here are the links to the stores I mentioned if you’re interested.
EWG’s Skin Deep:http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/why-skin-deep/
More Natural Makeup and Beauty Products:https://www.allure.com/story/best-natural-organic-makeup-brands
The Body Shop Enrich Not Exploit Commitment: https://www.thebodyshop.com/en-us/about-us/our-commitment