Everyone who gets a new nose or eyebrow piercing asks the same question the next morning: “Can I wear makeup today?” The answer is yes, but how you do it matters. Foundation, concealer and powder can clog pores and the piercing, and they are applied with brushes and sponges that carry bacteria. A fresh piercing is open tissue that is still healing. In this guide we explain step by step how to keep up your makeup and skincare during healing without harming your piercing.
When can you wear makeup after a piercing?
Makeup can be applied the same day on parts of the face away from the piercing. What really needs care is the area right around the jewelry. In the first 48 hours, mild swelling, tenderness and a little bleeding may occur; during this time, leaving the area around the piercing completely bare is the most cautious approach (for the first days, see our the first 48 hours after a piercing guide). The piercing keeps healing over the following weeks; healing time depends on the area and the person. A nostril can take months, while the eyebrow and lip area usually recover sooner. A good rule is to keep that area makeup-free as long as there is redness, crusting or tenderness around the jewelry.
Makeup guide by area
| Piercing | Products to watch | Practical tip |
|---|---|---|
| Nose (nostril) | Foundation, concealer, contour, powder | Leave the side of the nose bare; apply to the rest of your face. Don’t let product get into the inner end of the jewelry. |
| Septum | Concealer and moisturiser applied under the nose | Don’t apply product to the inner edge of the nostrils; use a clean tissue when you have a cold or blow your nose. |
| Eyebrow | Eyebrow pencil, brow gel, eyeshadow, concealer | Skip the area around the jewelry; don’t let gel and powder build up on it. |
| Lip, labret, Monroe, medusa | Lipstick, lip liner, lip gloss, foundation | Use lipstick on the centre of the lips away from the jewelry; sticky glosses build up on jewelry. Keep the inside of your mouth clean too. |
| Ear (lobe, helix, tragus) | Hairspray, dry shampoo, perfume, brushes that carry foundation to the ear | Cover your ear with your hand when spraying; finish foundation at the jawline. |
For area guides, see nose piercing, eyebrow piercing and Monroe piercing articles.
How to wear makeup with a piercing: step by step
- Wash your hands. Wash your hands with soap before touching your face or piercing.
- Use clean tools. Brushes and sponges collect bacteria. During healing, wash your brushes often and replace sponges frequently; if possible, use disposable applicators near the piercing.
- Start from the edges, don’t work towards the jewelry. When blending product from the centre of your face outwards, leave a gap around the jewelry; don’t run the sponge or brush over it.
- Don’t dust powder, press it on. Powder products scatter in the air and can settle around the jewelry; pressing product on with a puff is more controlled.
- Use setting spray carefully. Cover the piercing with your hand or a piece of paper when spraying setting spray.
- Remove gently at the end of the day. Remove your makeup first thing in the evening; don’t let product sit around the piercing overnight.
How to wash your face with a piercing
Washing your face doesn’t harm a piercing; done properly, it keeps the area clean. Use lukewarm water and a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser. When spreading cleanser on your face, don’t work the foam into the jewelry, and don’t twist or move the jewelry. Then rinse the area with plenty of water so no soap residue stays around the hole. Pat your face dry with clean paper towel rather than a shared towel; cloth towels can carry fibres and bacteria and catch on the jewelry.
Washing your face doesn’t replace piercing aftercare. You should also clean the piercing with sterile saline solution 1–2 times a day; see how in cleaning a piercing with saline solution article.
What to watch for in skincare products
Some skincare products deliberately dry or peel the skin. That is a desired effect on healthy skin, but it can cause irritation around a healing piercing. During healing, don’t apply these products around your piercing:
- Creams and serums containing retinol, retinal and other retinoids
- Toners, serums and peels containing AHA/BHA (such as glycolic acid and salicylic acid)
- Acne products containing benzoyl peroxide
- Clay masks, peel-off masks and grainy scrubs
- High-alcohol toners and fragranced products
You can ask your dermatologist whether to keep using these products on areas of your face away from the piercing, especially if you are on a prescribed treatment. Choose fragrance-free, simple moisturisers, and don’t apply cream around the jewelry either. Applying cream, oil or ointment to the piercing itself is not recommended; details: what to put on a piercing article.
Sunscreen, hair products and perfume
Sunscreen is necessary for the rest of your face, but don’t apply it right around the piercing; protect the area with a hat or shade if needed. Sprays such as hairspray, dry shampoo, mousse and perfume easily reach ear and eyebrow piercings. Cover the piercing with your hand before spraying, or apply perfume to distant spots such as your wrists and neck. Avoid timing chemical treatments such as hair dye and perms with the healing period; if you have one, tell your hairdresser about the piercing in advance.
Can you cover a piercing with makeup?
Trying to hide a fresh piercing with concealer means applying product exactly where you should avoid it. If you want to make your piercing invisible for work, school or a special day, consider other methods instead of makeup until healing is complete; we have gathered the options in our how to hide a piercing article.
When should you see the studio or a doctor?
After makeup or a skincare product gets on the area, mild pinkness and itching may appear; it usually passes after gentle cleaning. If redness keeps spreading, swelling and pain increase, there is thick yellow-green, foul-smelling discharge, or you develop a fever, see a doctor without delay. Don’t remove the jewelry yourself; removing jewelry from a fresh piercing can let the hole close and trap discharge inside. To tell normal from not normal, see is piercing redness normal article.
Aftercare and jewelry selection at our studio
At Cadde Piercing Studio we give aftercare instructions verbally and in writing after every procedure; you can also ask our piercer your makeup and skincare questions during the procedure. If you choose titanium jewelry instead of the standard jewelry for your piercing, titanium jewelry is 350 TL and is added to the piercing price; for example, helix 450 TL + titanium 350 TL = 800 TL. For current prices by area, see prices page.
If anything worries you during aftercare, message us on WhatsApp or visit our studio at İstiklal Mah. Mithatpaşa Cad. No:7B, Ümraniye Çarşı. We are open Mon–Sat 10:00–20:30 and Sunday 11:00–20:00.
This article is for general information only and does not replace medical diagnosis or treatment.
Saç boyası, perma ya da keratin gibi kuaför işlemleri planlıyorsan piercing sonrası saç boyası rehberimize de göz at.
FAQ
Can you wear makeup after getting a piercing?
Yes, but products should be kept away from the piercing hole and the fresh tissue around it. Apply foundation, powder, concealer and blush leaving a finger-width gap around the piercing; leaving the area completely bare in the first days is safer.
Can you wear foundation after a nose piercing?
Foundation, concealer and contour shouldn’t be used around the jewelry on the side of the nose in the first weeks. You can apply them to the rest of your face; leave the side of the nose bare and don’t let a sponge or brush touch it.
Can you do eyebrow makeup with an eyebrow piercing?
Avoid applying brow pencil, brow gel and eyeshadow right around the jewelry. You can shape the rest of the brow; if sticky products such as gel or mascara get on the jewelry, gently clean the area with saline solution.
How do you wash your face with a piercing?
Wash your face with lukewarm water and a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser without working the foam directly into the piercing, then rinse the area with plenty of water and pat dry with clean paper towel. Clean the piercing itself separately with saline solution 1–2 times a day.
Can you use retinol or exfoliants after a piercing?
During healing, retinol, AHA/BHA acid toners and serums, benzoyl peroxide, clay masks and grainy scrubs shouldn’t be used around the piercing; they can dry out and irritate the tissue. You can ask your dermatologist whether to keep using these products while keeping them away from the piercing.
What should I do if makeup gets on my piercing?
Don’t rub the area or use makeup wipes. Gently remove the product with clean gauze soaked in saline solution or a saline spray, then pat dry with paper towel. If redness and swelling increase, consult the studio or a doctor.
This content is for general information only and does not replace medical diagnosis or treatment.