Tips for staying hayfever free
Every year hayfever affects up to 18 million people in the UK. Often confused with a summer cold due to similar symptoms, including a runny and blocked nose, itchy and watery eyes and generally feeling run down, hayfever is one of the country's most common allergies. This means one thing - a miserable and less than fabulous summer for a great number of us.
But help is at hand, as Prevalin allergy - a revolutionary new solution to hayfever prevention - has hit the shops and offers some top summer tips for staying hayfever free.
Add some TLC into your beauty routine. Itchy, sore and puffy eyes are one of the main symptoms of hayfever so make sure you give your peepers some special attention to put the sparkle back. Apply cool eye patches (a great DIY version is ice water soaked cosmetic cotton pads), or cucumber slices to the eyes to offer some relief. The soothing and cooling sensation will reduce the urge to itch and remove any puffiness or dark circles.
Ditch the mascara. It may be one of your beauty essentials, but when hayfever kicks in it's certainly not your friend as the 'panda' look isn't on trend this year (maybe next year though eh?). Opt for something kinder instead such as a touch of Vaseline on your lashes or clear mascara for definition - all the impact without the mess!
Treat yourself. When you're feeling run down you need a pick me up and we recommend you look no further than one of this summer's vivid lip glosses. Not only will they nourish your lips but a flash of colour will add a spring in your step.
Work your inner celebrity. You never see one without them and they hide a multitude of sleep deprived, hayfever induced sins. What are we talking about? Designer shades. Not only are they a summer fashion essential, but a good pair of sunglasses can also prevent pollen from getting into your respiratory system by protecting your eyes.
Rinse, repeat. If you've been outdoors all day the chances are your body, clothes and hair is covered in pollen - which is one of the main reason people tend to suffer in the evening. However, if you shower, wash your hair and change your clothes, you can prevent those pollen particles attacking.
Be brave. According to research the average woman's wardroom consists of 78 per cent of black items. It may be slimming and safe, but believe us, it does absolutely nothing to boost your mood when you're feeling under the weather. So ditch the dull and get a splash of colour - accessories are the perfect option for a cheap fix but the shops are bursting at the seams with colour this season so don't hold back.
Green is the new red. Ok so one of the most irritating things about hayfever is what it does to your nose - it runs, it gets blocked up and unattractively it goes bright red from tissue over use - not a good luck. But you can banish the redness by fighting it with green concealer. Yes you heard right. There are certain colours that counteract others, one pairing being green and red - therefore a couple of dabs can get you looking back to normal again.
Spice things up. Is your hayfever keeping you awake at night? Well the best remedy according to researchers is sex. They have found that 'an early night' constricts the blood vessels which helps unblock bunged up noses and clears streaming eyes - worth a try, just for purely medical reasons of course!
Make time for breakfast - Ok so most of us dash out of the door in the morning clutching a slice of toast, but at the risk of sounding older than our years, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day - especially for hayfever sufferers. A healthy and hearty breakfast packed with vitamin C can help fight the effects of hayfever, so tuck in.
Give something new a try. If you're like most hayfever sufferers there is no treatment, old wife's tale and witchcraft you've not tried to combat your hayfever. But why not give Prevalin allergy a try. Prevalin is a revolutionary new treatment which can actually prevent all hayfever symptoms. The mint flavoured nasal spray uses the latest in barrier technology to stop pollen in its tracks. It's completely drug free, so perfect for mums to be and those breastfeeding and what's more, it's been clinically tested and over 93.75 per cent say it really works.
To prove Prevalin's claims they are offering free samples to new followers at Twitter and Facebook @hayfeverfree, facebook.com/hayfeverfree
Each sample is worth £9.99 and lasts up to a month. There is also a child friendly version available, Prevalin Kids, suitable for children aged six to 12 years old.