How to Put on Makeup After Piercing Your Nose

Fresh piercings have been popular recently with the new year bringing a new vibe and new beginnings for many people. If you’ve gotten your nose pierced, you may have noticed that with your new jewel comes changes to your skin care and makeup routines. 

Knowing how to properly apply makeup when you have a nose stud or ring is essential — it can even impact the healing process. If your beauty routine wasn’t covered in the aftercare information you received, don’t sweat it. We’re sharing what you need to know about applying a makeup look post-nose piercing.

Can You Wear Makeup After Getting Your Nose Pierced?

Let’s cut to the chase — after initially getting your nose pierced, it’s best to wait a little before applying makeup. Until your piercing is fully healed, getting makeup in the piercing — remember, there’s an actual hole in your face — can cause complications, including infection.

According to the experts at L'Oréal Paris (and many pro makeup artists) you want to stay away from the area for the first few weeks, especially with powders because you need to avoid buildup. Even clean foundation or clean makeup can give you an infection if it goes into that hole, so if you have a fresh nose piercing or Monroe piercing you want to make sure you avoid getting makeup in it.

If you do need to apply makeup before your piercing is completely healed, the experts advise that you avoid getting too close to the new hole so be strategic with your product placement. Put down the brushes and sponges that use sweeping motions to apply makeup and just work with your fingers. And be as mindful when removing makeup too — make sure you wash with something antibacterial to keep that area as clean as possible.

Editor's tip: The tip of your ring finger is gentle so it’s always the finger of choice when you need to apply products with a light touch.  

How to Apply Makeup After Piercing Your Nose

After your piercing has healed, you may be wondering how to go about applying makeup around it. There are a few options, depending on your preference.

1. Use Your Fingers

After a few months have passed and your piercing has healed, it may be a good idea to continue to use your fingers when applying makeup in the area. Sure, it can be a little messier than applying with a brush or sponge, but it can be more effective for getting foundation or concealer around the contours and bridge of your nose. 

2. Use a Small Tapered Brush

If you want a precise, full coverage makeup look free of any redness or discoloration, a small tapered makeup brush will be your best friend. This will allow you to get your foundation as close to your piercing as possible without covering your jewelry in a coat of face makeup in the process. This method is particularly useful to those who have a nose ring (hoop), which can be more difficult to navigate around than a stud.

3. Clean Up With Micellar Water 

Sometimes, the easiest option is to stick with what you know and clean things up later. This option is ideal for those with a nose stud, rather than a nose ring. Apply your foundation as you normally would — just be gentle with the buffing and bouncing if you use a makeup blender. Once you’re done, dip a cotton swab into a waterproof micellar water, like the L’Oréal Paris Micellar Cleansing Water Complete Cleanser Waterproof - All Skin Types, and clean off any excess foundation from your piercing. Easy, right?

How a Nose Piercing Affects Your Skin Care Routine

When it comes to your skin care regimen, not much has to change post-nose piercing — so long as your piercing has healed. If it's not, it’s best to keep all skin care products away from the open wound. Only apply a product to your piercing if it’s part of the professional aftercare instructions from your piercer. But even once your nose piercing has healed, there are a few skin care tips to keep in mind.

1. Be Careful With Face Masks

When using a skin care face mask, you may be tempted to apply it all over. This can be a hassle when you have a nose piercing, as the formula can get stuck between the nooks and crannies between your piercing and skin, making it difficult to remove. So be sure to apply your mask a distance away from your piercing to avoid this. The same goes for your exfoliating products — keep face scrubs out of your piercing zone to avoid buildup in and around your new hole.

2. Pat — Don’t Rub

You may be tempted to rub your face dry immediately after rinsing off a cleanser, but nose piercing or not, that’s a bad idea. In general, you want to avoid rubbing your face because it’s unnecessarily harsh, but it becomes particularly important with a nose piercing as the towel could get caught on your jewelry. Take it from someone with a nose piercing — it’s a pain you do not want to experience. Gently pat your skin dry instead.

3. Remove Makeup Gently

As we mentioned earlier, makeup removal is just as key as makeup application when you have a piercing. If you use a makeup remover wipe, use your finger to gently weave it around your piercing to remove makeup without any snags. Your best bet, however, is to stick with micellar water and a cotton swab to get into those small crevices around the piercing. 

Next: How to Use Makeup to Cover Up a Tattoo

Written and photographed by: Shalwah Evans