Spring is in the air, and so is pollen. Allergy season is among us, ladies. If you’re like me, you have to buy tissues in bulk and people often mistake your sniffles and watery eyes for random outbreaks of crying. Here are some helpful tips if you’re trying to survive allergy season while simultaneously assuring everyone that you’re not an emotional wreck.

You need to moisturize. I emphasized it all winter and I’m emphasizing it again. Blowing your nose all day dries up the area around your mouth and nose and causes it to look red and raw. Use just a little bit of moisturizer before bed to reduce the redness overnight (be mindful of what kind of moisturizer you use; most body lotions will make you greasy and tinted lotions will make you look like a cheese puff. Personally, I use Cetaphil for my face).

Carry tissues in your backpack or purse. I guarantee that you will never see yours truly in the hallway without my signature purse. Why do I carry a purse? Not only does it contain my entire life, but also a lot of tissues. During this time of year, we’re all familiar with that embarrassed feeling that you get when your nose is running faster than Usain Bolt, and when you look around the room, there are no tissues in sight. Devastating, right? Well, not if you carry your own tissues with you. Seriously, you can buy convenient little packs of tissues at Walgreens for like a dollar each.

Simplify your makeup. Personally, I’ve never been a fan of that whole “raccoon eye” look, but it’s especially heinous when your eyes water and your makeup runs down your cheeks. Line your upper and lower lash line with a pencil liner and curl your lashes; aside from that, ditch the eye makeup for now. Don’t bother putting concealer or foundation around your nose and mouth; it’ll just rub off on your tissues. However, do consider a little bit of bronzer or blush to restore some color in your face. Minimal makeup, minimal worries.

Forget the eye makeup, remember to moisturize and always keep your purse stocked with tissues during allergy season. If you find these tips are too overwhelming or not helpful, I highly suggest allergy shots or never ever going outside, ever.