Breakouts can be one of the most frustrating things when it comes to putting on makeup. And if you deal with acne on a regular basis, it can be even more frustrating. By changing up your makeup products and learning a few tips and tricks, blemishes don’t have to define your look. Read on to learn how to prep your skin for your makeup as well as application tips to ensure you get the look you want regardless of pesky breakouts.
Prep your skin
The first step to a gorgeous looking complexion is skincare. You will want to thoroughly cleanse and properly moisturize your skin before you start to put any makeup on it. Skipping this step will make your makeup not look as smooth and fresh as is could, plus you could make your breakouts worse by not cleansing your skin first.
Products designed to fight acne and breakouts are often recommended by dermatologists and skin care experts to help the appearance of your skin.
Prime Your Skin
There are different types of primers out there depending on your skin type. If you have larger pores with your breakouts, you can find primers that will help smooth over the texture of your skin and they will often have acne- fighting ingredients in them that won’t clog pores. If you have a lot of redness associated with your acne, you can use a primer that has a green tint to it. Green helps to counteract redness in the skin.
You will want to choose a primer to help your foundation stay put and minimize you having to touch your face throughout the day for touch-ups. Try to choose a face primer with acne-fighting ingredients to help keep breakouts at bay.
PRO TIP: Don’t use your fingers to put on your primer (or any cosmetics), especially if you deal with breakouts. You can transfer your own oil from your hands to your face. Instead use a clean brush or sponge to apply your products and wash them after every use.
Getting the Perfect Base
Once you’ve primed your face, it’s time to get a gorgeous base to apply the rest of your makeup. If you have a lot of redness in your skin (and a green-tinted primer didn’t take care of all of it), it’s time to grab a color corrector. Think of a color corrector as a colored concealer. They come in a range of colors from orange, to purple, to even blue, but if you have redness, you want to grab a green one.
Blend a little bit of green color corrector anywhere you have redness. This will counteract the red and help even out your complexion. If you don’t have any redness, you do not need to use a color corrector.
Now that you’ve corrected, it’s time to put on your foundation. When applying makeup to acne-prone skin, you can also opt for a powder foundation or liquid foundation with acne-fighting ingredients that can help with healing breakouts.
Just as with primer, choose a formula that will work with your breakouts and not against them. It’s quite easy to find foundation formulas now that are designed for acne with ingredients to help fight breakouts, as well as being oil-free to keep your complexion looking fresh. Just as with the primer, use a brush or sponge to apply your foundation and wash the brush after every use.
Concealing Breakouts
Concealing breakouts and covering acne can sometimes be one of the most difficult things to do in makeup. Breakouts are often oily, but can sometimes have flaky skin around them. The tip of the blemish can be white but around it can be deep red. So, how do you conceal something like this?
There’s tips and tricks listed all over the internet, but one of the quickest and easiest ones is to take your favorite tinted face powder and a cotton swab. Rub the cotton swap on the face powder, then gently dab the powder onto your breakout and let set a minute. Then, using the clean side of the cotton swab, softly blend the powder. If you have normal to oily skin, we recommend a matte, long lasting concealer. If your skin type tends to be normal to dry, however, we recommend a more hydrating concealer.
Putting on Some Color
When putting on blush, eyeshadow, and lipstick, take into consideration where your breakouts are. If you have a lot of red blemishes on your cheeks, a blush might make them stand out. Instead try using a bronzer. Bronzers oftentimes have golden undertones which can help counteract any redness but still give your cheeks gorgeous definition and glow.
Are your breakouts around your mouth and jaw? Don’t use a bright, bold lipstick. Instead try a nude color on your lips and play up your eye makeup. If you can’t entirely disguise your breakouts, you can definitely redirect the attention.
Setting Your Look
Once your makeup is complete, it’s important to set it with a setting spray. This will help minimize the chance of having to do touch-ups throughout the day. If you have oily skin, a mattifying setting spray can help to set your makeup while controlling oil and shine.
Having breakouts doesn’t have to be a bummer. Some important prep work, the right products, and some helpful tips can help you get a gorgeous look regardless of what your skin wants to do today.