Hormones, genetics, stress or maybe you just forgot to wash your makeup off before you went to bed. Many different factors can spur on a breakout and although acne is normal sometimes you may feel more confident camouflaging it for the day. Throughout my teenage years, I suffered immensely with acne that covered half of my face at times so I got relatively skilled at smoothly covering up them blemishes on a daily basis. If you would like to hear about some of my tips to cover up acne ensuring it is long-wearing and non-cakey read on. Remember, makeup can only do so much, texture, the discolouration can still show through but a reduction in the harshness of acne can increase your confidence tenfold.
Important note
Acne is normal and not something you must hide to feel beautiful. This article is informative on how to cover some blemishes if that is what makes you feel happy. Having acne does not make you unhygienic or dirty but it is a normal part of your body that a lot of people experience every day.
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Skincare first
Skincare is one of the most important steps when it comes to makeup, whether you suffer from acne or not. Ensuring your skin is properly cleansed and moisturised will give a good starting base to work on. You can also consider a liquid exfoliant with AHAs – these will gently remove the top layer of dead skin cells to reveal the healthy layer of skin underneath. No matter your skin type you must use moisturiser as makeup will not sit well on a dry flakey base. Some acne medication can dehydrate your skin immensely so these steps are important to give you that as smooth as possible finish.
❤️ Try it out with: Pixi – Glow Tonic
All about the base
Imagine your makeup is a house, the foundation is one of the most important steps to get right otherwise everything else will fall apart. I suggest you apply a very light layer of medium coverage foundation to ensure that your makeup does end up thick and cakey. Using a light layer will be enough coverage to still smooth out and even your complexion but your acne will still peak through. You do not want to apply enough foundation to cover your blemishes (that’s what concealer is for!) as it will just end up looking heavy and not wearing well throughout the day. I found using a sponge is the best method of application as it is less irritating to skin and provides the smoothest finish.
❤️ Try it out with: Too Faced – Born This Way Foundation (Review here)
Spot conceal
You will want to take a high coverage concealer that is the same shade as the face and dot that over any blemishes that you want to conceal. You can leave it to set before blending in as this will increase the coverage. Pat out the concealer gently with the tool of choice (fingers, brush or sponge) ensuring to keep the coverage on the spot – precision is key! I would then go and set with a loose powder with a sponge to make sure the concealer will not budge for as long as possible. Removing extra shine will make the bump of the blemishes less apparent as the light will not be reflecting off them.
❤️ Try it out with: NARS – Soft Matte Complete Concealer (Review here)
Finishing spray
Using a setting spray will not only help your makeup last throughout the day it will help soften any cakiness that may have been caused due to the amount of product you have used. Setting spray will make sure you do not look dusty from your powder making your complexion seem natural and radiant. When choosing a setting spray I would tend to lean away from any mattifying ones as I find they may dry out acne and over the day can leave your skin looking crusty.
❤️ Try it out with: Urban Decay – All Nighter Setting Spray (Review here)
Ensure you properly remove makeup
You have most definitely heard this before and I am telling you again. Wash your makeup off at the end of the day! As well as reducing the chances of more acne, removing your makeup keeps your skin looking healthy. As long as you are suitably cleansing at the end of the day, wearing makeup should not be a contributor to your acne.
When it comes to removing makeup I want you to properly remove your makeup. I initially remove my makeup with my Face Halo which removes most of the product with water, excellent for those with sensitivities to many harsh skincare products. Next, you can go in and use a cleanser that will properly cleanse the skin without the barrier of makeup to ensure your face is fresh for any treatments you may apply after.
❤️ Try it out with: Glow Recipe – Papaya Sorbet Enzyme Cleansing Balm
Embrace your skin
Unfortunately, makeup can’t cover everything. Normally a reduction in the redness of your skin or a healthy flush of blush and bronzer can be enough to improve your confidence. Sometimes I will have some very sore spots that will just not be covered by makeup and that is okay! Instead of piling on loads of foundation and concealer and making my skin look heavy, I’ll embrace the natural tone of my skin peeking through. Usually, wearing mascara and adding more colour to my skin will make my acne less noticeable to me. Remember what you sometimes think is the end of the world, will go unnoticed to other people.
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