Most people have had to cope with acne at some point in their lives, typically starting as a teenager. Having managed your own acne is an essential part, especially when it comes to makeup for acne and applying it in a way that will both conceals you acne and look natural. In this article, we will share with you some tricks for concealing your acne with makeup, while achieving the most natural look possible. Just make sure you have thoroughly cleansed and moisturized your skin first, using your preferred acne skin care regimen, before applying your makeup.
Use Different Concealers for Different Problems
There seem to be thousands of concealer makeup out there to choose from. However, there is no single concealer that will work for all the problem areas you want to cover. The most common types of concealers come in a bottle, stick, jar, tube, or compact. Formulas range from creamy to liquid to powder. They also come in a wide range of colors, from skin tones to neutralizing colors.
At the minimum, keep on hand a lightweight liquid concealer that is not oily, a heavier concealer for particularly problematic areas, and a green concealer for neutralizing red areas. You will have to play around with different combinations of concealers to see which ones work best for your skin. If you have a very red area, try using a little of the green concealer to neutralize the redness and then a lightweight skin-tone one to make the area match the rest of your skin.
Find the Right Foundation for Your Skin Type
Aside from concealer, finding just the right liquid foundation for sensitive acne prone skin that both conceals your acne and looks natural is one of the biggest challenges in choosing makeup for acne. It may seem like every foundation you try has different result on your skin than the product promises: either it looks too dry or too greasy, it melts off after a couple hours or settles into any lines you have, it looks like a mask or as if you did not put any makeup on at all. The trick is to choose carefully and keep on trying until you find the right one in the right color. For oily skin, look for oil-free liquid or powder foundation. Some people find luck with cream-to-powder foundations also. For dryer or combination skin, you can use the same oil-free foundations as those for oily skin but use a slighter heavier moisturizer on dry areas.
Whenever you can, try the makeup on in a store before buying and use your preferred moisturizer first. Ask for a mirror and go outside in the natural daylight to see what the color looks like. If you have time, let the makeup sit on your skin for a while to see if the color or texture changes before you buy it. If you are still not sure, ask for a sample to bring home and try out for a couple days. No matter what you choose or where you buy it, make sure you can return it if the foundation does not work out when you try it at home.
Start Small and Build Up if Necessary
The trick to achieving a natural look is to use as little as possible and then build it up where it is needed most. If your acne if very bad, you should not expect to cover it so well that it is invisible. If you put on that much makeup it will look like a mask and actually draw more attention to your acne. Neutralizing the redness of your acne is your most important goal. Put on a tiny amount on the areas you want to cover most, using a concealer brush, sponge, or your clean fingers.
Dab gently at those areas until the edges are blended with the rest of your skin. Apply a little more if necessary but stop immediately if the makeup starts to cake up. If you have a concealer that matches your skin tone exactly, you might be able to get away with stopping at concealer and avoiding foundation completely. The less makeup you can use, the more natural you will look.
Touch Up With a Light Touch
No matter how well you apply your makeup, it is bound to need a little touching up as the day, or night, goes on.
Carry a little concealer with you in your bag along with a powder compact. However, keep your touching up to a minimum. Adding more and more concealer during the day will make your acne stand out as the layers build up. Try using a tissue to wipe off a little of the makeup and then reapply it. Another trick is to carry face cleanser wipes with you along with your concealer and a little foundation (compacts are great here). Clean off the portion of your face that is looking a little worse for wear. Then reapply some concealer and foundation along with a little powder. Unfortunately, this requires carrying a lot more with you, but it is worth it if it makes you feel better about the way you look.