7 Tips to Help You Rock Your Makeup When You Have Acne

Image Credit: iStock

Having acne is a teenage nightmare for a lot of people but it can also be a depressing adulthood reality. For adults with acne, it could be triggered periodically by hormones or it could just be a permanent feature on your face for some other reasons.

Apart from the fact that you have to religiously stick with skincare routines and tailor your makeup and hairstyling preferences to accommodate your acne, you still have to deal with mean, uninformed, and unsolicited opinions from other people.

You step out with your bare face and some people complain that it looks hideous and ‘you should cover that up.’ You end up covering the acne with some makeup and they tell you, ‘you should focus on treating your face, not putting on makeup and worsening all of that.’ 

You begin to wonder if you are condemned to a life without makeup because you have to treat and get rid of acne first before people can think that you deserve to wear makeup. 

But the sad reality is that if or when you eventually get flawless skin and you decide to start using makeup, people will most likely still say stuff like ‘please, don’t cover that beautiful skin up with makeup.’

So, Who Exactly Is Makeup For? Who Does Makeup Flatter?

The truth is that makeup is for everyone. Even with acne, makeup was made to flatter you as long as you know how to go about it.

Anyone making blanket statements that people with acne have nothing to do with makeup is usually speaking from a place of insensitive privilege because that person has never dealt with protracted acne and that person is not a well-seasoned dermatologist. 

Beauty guru, Bobbi Brown said in her book, Bobbi Brown Beauty, “the dermatologists who recommend not wearing makeup are usually men.” Simply put, such people usually know nothing about dealing with acne.

Even experienced dermatologists know your struggle and they admit that you can wear makeup. Makeup doesn’t define your beauty and it is absolutely unnecessary to wear it every day but you should be able to wear it for your special occasions or the days you feel like it.

So let's get right into how to make makeup your friend, even if you're fighting acne. Here are some tips for using makeup when you have acne:

1. Choose Compatible Makeup

Acne-prone skin is usually sensitive and flare-ups can be triggered by the wrong makeup products.

Image credit: iStock

The first trick is to pick your makeup products carefully. Whether your acne is hormonal or from products or dirt on your skin, the last thing you want to do is exacerbate the gravity of the breakouts with cosmetics.

Read your makeup labels carefully and go for those tagged comedogenic, hypoallergenic, non-greasy, and oil-free. If you use any makeup and notice an adverse reaction, discontinue that product immediately. 

If you need help screening the long list of ingredients that you may not understand, try checking it on Cos DNA; it is a website that assigns scores to popular products based on their ingredients. Products with acne scores of 3 and above may worsen your breakouts. 

2. Less Is More

Don’t let your imperfect bumps and scars deceive you into thinking you need a trailer load of makeup to hide them. The makeup is there to enhance or accentuate your features. 

The trick is to pick makeup in your correct shades, apply it skillfully with the right technique, and have realistic expectations rather than airbrushed or photoshopped images of models.

3. Do Not Overdo the ‘Oil-Free’ Tag

Some people avoid 'oil' and moisture on their face totally because they believe that acne-prone skin is usually oily and that acne is caused by a buildup of oil and dirt on the skin. Please moisturize your face before applying makeup.

Choose a moisturizer that is suitable for your skin type. If your skin is oily, try water-based or gel moisturizers.

Using benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid cleansers to treat acne may strip your face of all oils. So, if you don’t moisturize after using these treatments, it can signal your skin to produce more sebum to combat the impending dryness; moderation is key.

Related: Vaseline Therapy, the Secret to Moisturized Skin

4. Be Gentle With Your Application

The difference could be in patting makeup on or in aggressively rubbing in a foundation with a hard brush. Keep your touches and techniques light-handed to avoid irritation or peeling.

5. Keep Your Applicators Clean

Image credit: iStock

To avoid dirt and bacteria buildup, keep your makeup brushes, sponges, and applicators clean. Dirt and germ buildup can cause infections or irritations, and you don't want to aggravate acne. Also, keep the brushes in a clean and dry location.

6. Clean Up Properly After Makeup

Leaving on makeup for a few hours is unlikely to cause breakouts, but not removing it and leaving remnants of makeup on overnight will cause and worsen breakouts regardless of the type of acne you have.

Do a double cleanse by removing makeup with an oil/balm cleanser to make it easier to remove, followed by a cleanser and warm water. Cleansers containing salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are beneficial to many acne sufferers. Before using any of them, consult with a doctor.

When cleaning, be gentle; avoid using rough washcloths or nails; instead, use the pads of your fingers to avoid causing more trauma to the current breakouts on your face.

7. Stick To Your Skincare Routine

If you only have a few breakouts now and then and have found some OTC products that work, stick with them. If your acne is persistent and painful, and your first OTC treatments are ineffective, consult a dermatologist who will determine the type of acne and the best treatment options for you.

Once you have those prescriptions, carefully follow them and evaluate your skin for improvements. If you don't see any improvement, return to your doctor for a check-up; you might have to change prescriptions.

Read Next: Skin Layering, Glass Skin Secret