None of the health sources we checked give a yes or no on wearing makeup over a cold sore: the NHS, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), and MedlinePlus don't address it. What they do agree on is that the sore is contagious from the first tingle until it fully heals, and the AAD says cosmetics that touched the sore can give you a new cold sore and should be thrown away. So if you do cover it, never let a product you will reuse touch the sore, and never share it.
Is it safe to put makeup on a cold sore?
There is no official yes or no. The NHS cold sore page, the AAD self-care page, and MedlinePlus all skip makeup entirely. Nobody we found says makeup makes a cold sore heal slower, and nobody says it is fine.
What the sources do say shapes how you should think about it. The NHS says cold sores are contagious from the first tingle until they have completely healed, and tells you not to touch the sore except to apply antiviral cream. Every brush, sponge, or fingertip that goes on the sore and then back into a product is a way to move the virus around.
Why does the lipstick or concealer itself matter?
The AAD says that if you use items that touched your cold sore while it was healing, you can get a new cold sore. Its advice is to throw away your toothbrush, lip balm, cosmetics, and other products that may have touched the sore.
That puts the focus on the stick, pot, wand, or brush that touches the sore. A lipstick you swipe across the sore, or a concealer pot you dip back into after dabbing the sore, has touched it.
- Already used it on the sore? The AAD says to throw it away.
- Lip balm counts too. The AAD lists lip balm by name.
- Wash fabric items. The AAD also says to wash towels, washcloths, pillowcases, and sheets you used while you had the sore.
If I do cover it, how do I lower the risk?
None of these steps come from an official makeup guideline, because there isn't one. They are our suggestions, based on what the NHS and AAD say about touching the sore and reusing products that touched it.
- Wash your hands with soap and water before and after you touch the sore. The NHS advises this.
- Keep reusable products off the sore. Put a small amount on a clean surface and apply it with something you throw away after one use, such as a cotton swab. Never go back into the product with the same swab.
- Dab, don't rub. The NHS says to dab cold sore cream on rather than rub it in, and the same gentle touch makes sense for anything else you put on the sore.
- Keep it away from your eyes. MedlinePlus notes that herpes infection of the eye is a leading cause of blindness in the US, and the NHS says herpes eye infections are usually caused by the same virus that causes cold sores. Don't touch your eyes after touching the sore, and don't use the same applicator near your eyes.
- Plan to toss whatever touched it. If a lipstick, sponge, or brush did touch the sore, the AAD advice is to throw it away.
Can I share makeup during or after a cold sore?
No. The AAD says not to share items that could have touched a person's cold sore, and names makeup in that list, along with cups, towels, and silverware. MedlinePlus says not to share utensils, straws, glasses, or other items when someone has oral herpes.
The same goes for cold sore cream. The FDA-approved label for over-the-counter docosanol cream says: do not share this product with anyone, because this may spread the infection. Skip tester lipsticks and borrowed lip gloss while you have a sore, too.
Can I wear makeup over cold sore cream?
The sources we checked don't say. The docosanol label tells you to wash your hands before and after applying, apply it at the first tingle, use it 5 times a day until healed, and not use it in or near your eyes. It doesn't mention makeup.
Because the cream needs to go on 5 times a day, every reapplication means touching the sore again. Keep the cream tube for yourself only, and wash your hands each time. If you want to ask whether a specific product is OK over your cream, a pharmacist can help.
When should you get care?
In an emergency, call 911See a doctor if the cold sore has not started to heal within 10 days, is very large or painful, or you have a weakened immune system, for example from chemotherapy or diabetes (NHS).
Get an urgent appointment the same day if you have sores or blisters near your eye, or eye pain, a red eye that's getting worse, or blurred vision. MedlinePlus lists sores near the eyes as a reason to contact a provider, and the NHS lists eye pain, a worsening red eye, and changes to your eyesight as reasons to get urgent help.
Get urgent care the same day if you have eczema and it becomes blistered, crusty, painful, or leaks fluid, or you get a high temperature or feel unwell. The NHS says these can be signs of eczema herpeticum.
If a newborn has been close to your sore and gets blisters or seems unwell, get them checked right away. The NHS says kissing a baby with a cold sore can cause neonatal herpes, which is very dangerous to newborns.
Call 911 or go to the ER if you have trouble breathing or swelling of your face after using cold sore cream, since the docosanol label warns it can cause a severe allergic reaction and says to seek medical help right away. Go to the ER right away if you have a red eye and it hurts to look at light, the eye is very dark red, or one pupil is bigger than the other (NHS).
How our AI doctor decides when to send you to care ›When is it fine to go back to normal makeup?
The NHS says cold sores stay contagious until they have completely healed and should start to heal within 10 days. Once the sore has completely healed, start fresh with products that never touched it, and throw out the ones that did.
Common questions
Can I wear makeup over a cold sore?
None of the health sources we checked give a yes or no. The AAD says cosmetics that touched the sore can give you a new cold sore and should be thrown away. If you cover it, wash your hands before and after, and keep any product you plan to reuse off the sore.
Do I have to throw away my lipstick after a cold sore?
If it touched the sore, the AAD says yes: throw away lip balm, cosmetics, and other products that may have touched it, because they can give you a new cold sore. A lipstick that never touched the sore is not covered by that advice.
Can I use lip balm on a cold sore?
The NHS and AAD both recommend lip balm with sun protection to help avoid cold sores triggered by sun, with SPF 15 or above (NHS) or SPF 30 broad-spectrum (AAD). They don't say whether to put lip balm on an active sore. The AAD says to throw away any lip balm that touched the sore.
Will makeup make my cold sore last longer?
The sources we checked don't say makeup slows healing, and they don't say it doesn't. The NHS says cold sores should start to heal within 10 days. If yours hasn't started healing by then, see a doctor.
Can I get a cold sore from someone else's makeup?
It's possible: the AAD says the blister and its fluid are contagious and lists makeup among the items not to share with someone who has a cold sore. MedlinePlus also says not to share items when someone has oral herpes. Skip borrowed lip products and testers.
Pymander is not a replacement for a physician and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions about a medical condition. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911.