8 Makeup Tricks For Women With Arthritis
(Photo: Jamie Grill/Getty Images)
When arthritis is flaring, swollen painful joints and fatigue can turn the daily ritual of doing makeup into a frustrating chore. But when you’re not feeling your best, looking your best can be a boon.
“In my experience with my own condition and working with women, I’ve found that makeup can lift your spirits and make you feel confident. When you look good, you feel good,” says Francine Meyreles, a salon owner and makeup artist living with psoriatic arthritis in New York.
Yet, when arthritis affects the elbows or shoulders, it can be difficult to just reach your face, says Nathan Wei, MD, a rheumatologist and director of the Arthritis Treatment Center in Frederick, Maryland. If you have severe arthritis in your hands, he adds, holding a small mascara wand or eye pencil could be difficult.
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If you’re one of the more than 30 million American women with some form of arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis, try these strategies to make putting your best face forward a little easier:
Set the stage. Use a lighted makeup mirror while sitting at a vanity to apply makeup accurately, suggests Debbie Amini, EdD, OTR/L, an occupational therapist specializing in hand therapy and director of professional development at the American Occupational Therapy Association in Bethesda, Maryland. “Rest elbows on a folded towel on the vanity to reduce the need to hold shoulders in a flexed position and to reduce fatigue and improve accuracy,” she says. Don’t rush. “Give yourself plenty of time,” she adds.
Be prepared. Before applying makeup, open all containers and have them ready to go, Amini says. “Powdered products in small, hard-to-open containers can be opened once and then placed in a plastic bag for easier access,“ she says. "Try to purchase foundation in pump bottles versus twist-top bottles. Keep the pump bottle on the vanity and use the palm of one hand to dispense the right amount onto the fingertips of the other.”
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Buy better brushes. “Look for longer, thicker handles that are easier to grip,” advises Kaylin Johnson, a makeup artist in Austin, Texas, and author of The Mercenary Makeup Artist. “Many powder brushes have thick handles, and even budget brands offer some long-handled choices. Be sure to look for a quality brush with soft fibers and wash it regularly.” If you love eyeliner, she suggests applying a gel formula with a long-handled brush.
Get a grip. For easier-to-hold cosmetics and an easier, faster application, choose extra-wide pencils and wide tubes of lip gloss, Johnson says. If your favorite lip or eyebrow pencils only come in thin widths, and arthritis in your fingers makes using them difficult, slip on rubbery pencil grips, suggests Jamie Novak, a professional organizer in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, who often works with people with arthritis and other dexterity problems. “They are readily available in the office section of home stores like Target and Walmart and at drugstores in the office supply section as well,” she adds.
The diameter of cosmetics tubes can be increased by wrapping them with strips of colorful duct or masking tape or by covering them with foam tubes typically used for electrical insulation, according to Amini. How to best increase the circumference of a cosmetic usually depends on its original shape. For instance, tape might work better on a mascara tube with an uneven brush handle, whereas foam might work better on a uniformly sized pencil, she explains.
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Choose cosmetics that do double duty. If you’re running low on energy, Meyreles suggests cutting down on the number of products you use. Try a BB cream that’s a moisturizer and foundation in one. Let your lipstick double as blush, and use your eyebrow pencil as eyeliner, too.
Camouflage your fatigue. If you want to look more awake in a snap, use under-eye concealer, mascara, and tinted lip balm, Johnson says. And don’t forget a sweep of blush — it makes you look awake and healthy, Meyreles adds.
Remember less is more. “Only apply products where needed,“ says Johnson. “For example, if your skin is clear except for a red nose and under-eye circles, apply concealer and set with powder in just those areas,” she adds.
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Keep eye shadow fluid. Choose a simple, long-lasting formula, such as a liquid in a shimmery neutral or pale gem tone, Johnson says. “Many liquid eye shadows can be applied with a wand in one easy application, and fade gracefully throughout the day,” she explains.
“Makeup is definitely something that makes me feel and look better even when I’m having a bad day,” Meyreles says. “However, I know the makeup will not do that if I’m not consistent with skincare and medications. It’s a constant battle, but it’s totally worth it.”
This article originally appeared on EverydayHealth.com: 8 Makeup Tricks for Women With Arthritis
By Regina Boyle Wheeler for Everyday Health; Medically Reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH
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