Growing up, my sister had terrible allergies every summer. Hayfever, we called it in the UK. Her eyes would swell up, her throat got itchy, and she’d spend particularly bad afternoons in our room with a cold compress over her eyes and sleeping off the drowsy antihistamines.

I considered myself lucky that I didn’t share the same allergic reaction to my favorite season. And, as an asshole adolescent, of course, I also laughed and jeered at her puffy eyes and involuntary tears.

But the joke was on me this spring when, for the first time ever, I started experiencing allergies for myself.

Am I dying, I thought, when my eyes started burning. Is there smoke? Is this something to do with forest fires? But after checking the LA AQI, I deduced that it was just me. A tragedy must have occurred, but whatever the reason, I have developed summer allergies.

Sure, I bought all the OTC medications I could find, including the non-drowsy kind, but that didn’t stop me from waking up to my eyes tearing up and feeling like they were on fire.

After scouring the internet for solutions, I finally found one that actually works: hypochlorous acid.

What is Hypochlorous Acid?

Hypochlorous acid is pretty much a miracle ingredient. It’s naturally produced by your white blood cells to help your body heal. While this process works on your insides, applying hypochlorous acid externally, you can imitate that process and achieve targeted healing wherever you spritz. Wherever you spray, it fights infection and inflammation to kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

As a versatile healing hero, hypochlorous acid can be used for a variety of issues. You may have seen Hailey Bieber mention the Tower28 SOS Spray, a hypochlorous acid treatment, as one of her favorite go-to products for irritated sensitive skin. In fact, that’s what got me into HOCL (the chemical abbreviation for the ingredient — turns out, you do use chem class in real life).

It’s also a treatment for scrapes, cuts, eczema, acne, and more. Eye doctors even use it to clean contacts, so you know it’s safe for your eyes and any sensitive skin. I got a razor burn from shaving recently and after one spray of hypochlorous acid overnight, it was literally like new.

How to use hypochlorous acid for allergies

Hypochlorous acid is easy to use. Just spray directly into your eye — like eye drops or applying contact lenses — or apply to a cotton pad around your eyes.

To keep my symptoms at bay, I have developed a three-product routine. Maybe I’m just extra — since I’m sure any of these products would work on their own — but follow my routine for a full-proof solution.

First, I spray the Tower 28 SOS Rescue Spray all over, generously, after washing my face. To me, this helps sanitize my face from allergens and potential irritants. This is partly for allergies, but also because HOCL is a powerful skincare ingredient. Two birds, one spray.

Next, I apply the super-sensitive Tower28 SOS Rescue Serum all over my face. This part is important: I even apply it around my eye area. Though most products aren’t safe around your eyes, with just hypochlorous acid and ionized water, this serum is soothing and non-irritating. It also helps soothe any redness from rubbing and itching and wiping my eyes with tissues.

Last, but most importantly, I spray the pure Magic Molecule spray directly into my eye. Unlike eye drops, there are no side effects or unpleasant stings. It honestly feels more soothing than flushing your eyes with tap water. This is also how I achieve instant relief when my eyes are itching. Instead of rubbing them dry, I spray a couple of sprays and immediately feel better.

I also carry the Magic Molecule spray in my bag with a sachet of cotton pads in case I need relief on the go. If it works, it works.

The best hypochlorous acid products for allergies:

I’ve been telling everyone I know about this cure. And I’ve been using it all summer to keep my allergies at bay. I can proudly say, I have been going out worry-free, never losing an afternoon to a cold compress all summer. I sent a bottle to my sister too, now that we’re partners in hayfever.

If you’re looking for relief from your allergies, I promise this is the best solution out there. Shop the best hypochlorous acid products for allergies:

Tower 28 SOS Rescue Spray

Tower28 SOS Rescue Serum

Magic Molecule Spray

Twenty/Twenty Spray