If you are confused about hiding a cold sore effectively, there is no need to shut yourself away until it has gone! Just read on and our top tips will have you ready to party again in no time.
First of all, it is important to state that you must continue to treat the cold sore, just hiding it will not shorten the duration and it might get bigger. You might already have a prescription treatment that you can use at the first sign or a favorite over the counter medication. Either way, use this without fail and follow our tips for the best ways to conceal the sore whilst you have it.
We are going to show you how to hide a cold sore with makeup, but the first tip is to ensure you apply any foundation or concealer using a disposable applicator and not the same sponge you use for the rest of your face. This might seem wasteful but it is definitely the only way to go – as cold sores are contagious and will spread if you are not meticulous about hygiene.
Hiding a Cold Sore at the Blister Stage
If your cold sore is at the blister stage (i.e. has not gone ‘crusty’), use foundation to conceal any of the sore outside your lip line, rather than an actual ‘concealer’ product.
1. Apply your foundation over the rest of your face in the normal way, avoiding the area with the blister.
2. Use a disposable sponge to gently dab foundation onto the site of the cold sore using a gentle, ‘on-off’ dabbing motion. Throw that sponge away before you forget!
3. Apply loose powder to your face and, as with the foundation cream, make sure you keep it away from the site of the cold sore.
4. Once you are happy with that, use a cotton wool pad to lightly dust the affected area with powder. If you decide you need to apply more, use a clean cotton wool pad – don’t put that used pad back into your powder!
How To Hide A Cold Sore On Your Lip
If all or part of the blister is on your lip, the best way to deal with it is to put a little of your chosen lip color on your hand. Use your normal lip color applicator to apply it onto the unaffected area of your lips and then use a Q-tip (cotton bud), to apply just to the cold sore itself.
Covering A Cold Sore That Has Gone Crusty
This has to be done very gently and carefully but can prove very successful.
1. Use chapstick or vaseline to soften the ‘crust’.
2. Once you have done so, you should be able to remove some of these flakes using tweezers.
3. Only lift off those flakes that will come away easily.
4. If there is any resistance when you apply the tweezers, stop or you will have a very sore lip!
5. Don’t forget to sterilize those tweezers after use either!
Once you have removed as many of the crusty flakes as possible follow the steps on how to hide a cold sore outlined above, depending on whether the sore is on your skin or on your lip (or both).
So there you have it, whether your cold sore is at the blister or the crusty stage, you should be able to make it much less noticeable with just a few extra minutes spent on careful makeup application.