Makeup Tips for Acne Prone Skin

There's nothing more frustrating than a bad acne breakout. You want to cover it up with makeup, but at the same time covering your face with too much product can make your skin breakout even more, launching you into a vicious cycle.

Exfoliate

It might sound obvious but many acne products and cleansers can leave you with dry flaky skin. Putting makeup on top of dry skin will only accentuate any flaky or scaly parts, so if you're skin is dry it's essential to use an exfoliating product somewhere in your skin care regimen.

Use a spot treatment

You should always use a spot treatment at night to treat any large blemishes, but you can also use a spot treatment in the morning before applying your makeup. I like to use clean and clear advantage acne spot treatment. This formula won't completely cure your acne, but it will usually reduce swelling and redness in individual blemishes within a matter of hours. I like this product because I am prone to painful, cystic acne, and I find it helps reduce the pain if I apply a small amount to all my blemishes each morning. I apply it to my clean face and let it set for ten minutes before moving onto the next step.

Moisturize

Even if you have oily skin if you're prone to acne you should be moisturizing daily. This combats any dry skin that might be caused by your skin care products, and prevents dry skin from blocking pores and causing more blemishes. Find a light weight moisturizer that won't break out you're skin and stick with it (you might have to try a few products before you find one you like).

Prime

Purchase a good quality primer and use it whenever you wear foundation. I recommend Smashbox Photo Finish Primer, or Tarte Clean Slate Primer. Both of these primers are clear, gel based primers so they will work well for almost all skin types. Most good quality primers are 30-40 dollars, which may sound expensive, but in the long run a good primer will save you money. Primer's make your makeup last longer, which means you can use less of it each day. Also, they smooth out fine lines on your face, and allow for a more even foundation application. Finally, they seal in your moisturizer, and form a thin barrier between your pores and your foundation.

Invest in a quality foundation

You can find many quality foundations in the $25.00 to $50.00 price range. This might sound expensive, but these foundations will last much longer than a drug store brand, and give you much better coverage, so in the end you will actually save money. Besides, if your skin is prone to breakouts, you don't want to put just any makeup on it, you want to use quality ingredients. If you're overwhelmed by the selection at your makeup store, don't be shy! Talk to a salesperson about your skin type, your needs and what their opinions are of the products.

Tinted Moisturizer

If a full coverage foundation tends to make you break out, no matter what kind of quality it is, I suggest switching to tinted moisturizers. Tinted moisturizers usually contain spf or anti oxidants. They will moisturize your face and give you a sheer, tinted glow that will even out the color of your skin without feeling too heavy or caked on. If you use tinted moisturizers, you will want to use them before putting on a primer,or skip the primer step all together. If you put tinted moisturizer over primer, the primer will prevent it from sinking into your skin, and your face will appear oily and uneven.

Go Natural

If you have picky skin natural makeup products are often worth purchasing. Many natural mineral and cream foundation makeups can be bought at your local makeup store, and they can all be purchased online and shipped to your home. I highly recommend looking into Tarte makeup products. All of their makeup is natural, and formulated without any sulfates, chemicals, fragrances, dyes or gluten. I have always been prone to very painful, deep cystic acne, but after switching to natural makeup products I noticed a huge improvement in my skin tone and complexion.

Take your Time

The most important thing to remember when you have acne prone skin is to take your time when shopping for new products. Makeup products are expensive, and you don't want to invest a lot of money in a product only to find that it makes your skin breakout. In most cases, a quick internet search will lead you to multiple reviews on most products. A great place to look for reviews for makeup is youtube; many makeup lovers post videos about their experiences with new products, along with video footage of them wearing the products. Additionally, I suggest you skip the drugstore and shop at a department store or a store hat specializes in beauty products like Sephora or Ulta. The staff at these stores, and at drug store makeup counters, are experienced and trained and will be able to give you good advice and honest opinions on any product you consider buying. If you have sensitive skin, you should consider makeup as an investment. If you take your time buying makeup, in the long run your skin will thank you.