Female Allergy Sufferers Search For Beauty Solutions To Combat ALLERGY FACE™

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa., March 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- For the millions of women who deal with allergy symptoms, the face of allergies is not always pretty.  According to a recent survey commissioned by the makers of ZYRTEC®[1], 96 percent of women with allergy symptoms suffer from ALLERGY FACE™ – the beauty challenges resulting from watery eyes, a red nose, and a puffy face.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130306/NY71793-INFO )

But allergy symptoms can do more than add minutes to a woman's beauty routine. Of the 1,000 female allergy sufferers surveyed, half have missed a date or social event because they felt their allergy-related beauty challenges made them look too bad to leave the house. Survey highlights revealed:

THE FACE OF ALLERGIES

Women sometimes think they look less than their best because of their ALLERGY FACE™.

• Half (50 percent) of women with allergies have missed out on something, such as a party or date, because of their allergy-related beauty woes.
• Two-thirds (66 percent) of women with allergies have felt ugly or unattractive because of their ALLERGY FACE™.
• More than half (58 percent) of women have been told they look like they're "coming down with something" when they were experiencing allergy-related beauty challenges.

Women use "cover ups" for their ALLERGY FACE™.

• Nearly three in four (73 percent) women with allergies have a "must have" item for dealing with ALLERGY FACE™ while on the go. The top make-up solution? Concealer (32 percent), followed by foundation (24 percent).
• Over half (53 percent) of women with allergy-related beauty challenges have worn an "allergy disguise." Their go-to items? Oversized sunglasses (40 percent), followed by lipstick (15 percent).

"According to the survey, 81 percent of women with allergies think they can never fully cover up their ALLERGY FACE™," said beauty expert Rebekah George. "The reality is that allergy-related beauty challenges don't have to get in the way of you looking your best. With the right beauty tips and solutions, you can combat ALLERGY FACE™."

COMBAT ALLERGY FACE™

Beauty challenges like watery eyes, a red nose and puffy face shouldn't plague allergy sufferers throughout the season. To combat ALLERGY FACE™, add these simple steps and trends courtesy of beauty expert Rebekah George to your beauty routine:

Easy on the Eyes

• Survey Says: Eighty-nine percent of women experience the beauty challenge of watery eyes during allergy season, while more than half (56 percent) of women also deal with a red nose.
• Beauty Solutions: Take advantage of the big, bold brow trend, which allows you to go easy on eye makeup. Focus on shaping and penciling brows to help "wake up" your face and distract from watery eyes.  For a red nose, add an illuminating powder or liquid to the top of your cheekbones. This helps put the focus on the outer part of your cheek, which can detract from a red nose.

Beauty Bag Blunder

• Survey Says: Fifty-one percent of women with allergies have kept makeup for longer than one year.
• Beauty Solution: Clean out your makeup bag using the one-two-three rule. Keep blush no more than one year, mascara for about two months and check your lipstick for discoloration every three months.

Less is More

• Survey Says: For one in three (34 percent) women with allergies, covering up their ALLERGY FACE™ adds more than 10 minutes to their daily routine.
• Beauty Solution: If you want to keep it simple and not use a lot of makeup, dampen your makeup brush to apply products. This creates a more dramatic look that distracts from your ALLERGY FACE™.

ALLERGY SYMPTOM RELIEF

"When my allergy symptoms flare up, I take an over the counter antihistamine like ZYRTEC®," says beauty expert, Rebekah George[2]. "ZYRTEC® gives you powerful, 24-hour allergy relief of sneezing, runny nose, itchy, watery eyes and itchy nose and throat."

For additional information about ZYRTEC®, visit www.ZYRTEC.com.  For more beauty tips on how to combat ALLERGY FACE™, visit the ZYRTEC® YouTube page (youtube.com/Zyrtec).

About the ZYRTEC^® Brand

ZYRTEC^® (cetirizine HCl) is the number one allergist recommended brand[3]. ZYRTEC® helps relieve the allergy symptoms of sneezing, runny nose, itchy, watery eyes and itchy nose or throat.  These symptoms can be caused by allergy triggers such as dust, mold, pet dander, tree pollen, weeds and grasses.

The makers of ZYRTEC^® offer products including ZYRTEC^® Tablets and Liquid Gels that provide 24-hour allergy relief, and ZYRTEC®-D that provides the proven allergy relief of ZYRTEC^® plus relief from nasal congestion and sinus pressure for a full 12-hours.

About McNeil Consumer Healthcare 

McNeil Consumer Healthcare Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc. markets a broad range of well-known and trusted over-the-counter (OTC) products around the globe. McNeil Consumer Healthcare is most widely recognized for the TYLENOL^® brand. Other McNeil Consumer Healthcare brands include BENADRYL^®, ZYRTEC^® and ZYRTEC®-D allergy medicines, IMODIUM^® A-D anti-diarrheal, MOTRIN^® IB pain reliever and fever reducer, and SUDAFED^® and SUDAFED PE^® nasal decongestants.

[1] Wakefield Research conducted between January 2nd and January 10th, 2013, among 1,000 U.S. women ages 18 and older who suffer from indoor or outdoor allergies. The margin of error at the 95 percent confidence level is +/- 3.1 percentage points. Survey sponsored by the makers of ZYRTEC®.

[2] McNeil Consumer Healthcare, the makers of ZYRTEC®, has compensated Rebekah George for her role in the ZYRTEC® ALLERGY FACE™ campaign.

[3] Among OTC oral antihistamines

SOURCE McNeil Consumer Healthcare