Tips on Using Dermablend Corrective Cosmetics

If you've been trying to cover a skin discoloration like a port wine stain, age spots, or vitiligo, you've probably tried out Dermablend at some point. If the results weren't quite what you were hoping for, don't give up yet. While Dermablend is a highly popular brand and does cover skin discoloration well, it takes some practice to get a natural look. As a woman with rosacea, I've been experimenting with Dermablend for about a year now. Here are some experience-based tips I've gathered along the way.

Pick the right Dermablend for you
For less serious skin flaws, there's Dermablend Smooth Indulgence. This provides a lighter coverage so it's easier to get a natural look. It's also feels lighter on the skin and isn't as drying. If you're trying to cover a serious skin discoloration, though, Dermablend Cover Creme will work much better.

Choose the best shades for you
That's right-shades, plural. For a long time, I made the mistake of trying to get a natural appearance using only one shade and got nothing but frustration. You wonder why it's not covering well and try putting more on and it just looks worse. The thing is no one's face is just one color. To look natural, you'll need to work with two shades-one that's slightly lighter than your skin tone and another that matches your skin tone.

Moisturize first
One of the downsides of Dermablend, as with many corrective cosmetics, is that it's extremely drying. After gently washing your face, even if you have normal skin, you'll want to apply a little moisturizer to help the make up go on more smoothly. The Dermablend company offers Hydrating Complex Creme for this. I actually use plain olive oil to moisturize. Whatever you use, make sure it's completely absorbed before you apply your make up.

Apply carefully
Dermablend Cover Creme comes with a little plastic paddle you can use to apply the cream. This is fine if you have a small imperfection, but for larger areas it just isn't practical. It's easier to apply Dermablend with your fingers. Use a tapping motion to dab the area you want to cover. This will look more natural than if you try to wipe it on. For lighter application, you can also use a damp make up sponge.

First, apply the lighter shade to your skin imperfection until you get the coverage you want. Don't blend this in; just let it dry. Once it's dry, you can apply the shade that matches your skin directly over the first layer and blend that second layer. You'll not only get better coverage this way, your skin will also look more natural.

Set the make-up well
This part's tricky. On the Dermablend Web site, the company even admits that their make up isn't rub-proof even if you do use their setting powder. Fortunately, there are ways to improve the situation.

First, apply a setting powder. Not only do you not have to use Dermablend's powder, you'll probably get better effects with another line's. Dermablend's tends to look white. Instead, choose a truly translucent loose setting powder from your preferred cosmetic company. Kryolan and Ben Nye are good choices.

Use a powder puff or large powder brush to apply the setting powder, give it a few minutes to set, then carefully brush off any excess. Next, use your powder puff or pad to press the powder into the make up until your skin feels dry.

If you really want your make up to stay put, lightly spritz your face with a make up fixing spray like Kryolan's Fixier Spray. This creates a film over the make up that makes it truly smudge-proof.

Add bronzer or blush
If you need to cover all or most of your face, even if you do use two shades, you're probably going to end up looking a little unnatural and lifeless. The solution is to touch up your face with bronzer or blush to bring a healthy color back to your skin. Bronzer is the easiest to get a natural effect with, although peach blush also works well with most skin tones.

Despite the ads claiming how easy it is to get a flawless, natural finish with Dermablend, actually achieving this look takes some practice. That said, Dermablend is a quality product and once you know how to use it right, it can help you take care of even serious skin imperfections.