All about makeup for acne prone skin.

Acne is often genetic, but almost everyone experiences a breakout at some point in their lives. Hormonal changes related to puberty, pregnancy, menopause, birth control or your menstrual cycle can all do a number on your sebaceous (oil) glands, along with diet, stress, smoking, oily beauty products and certain medications. It all starts with a clogged pore: Your skin produces too much sebum, which then mixes with bacteria and dead skin cells to form a “plug” like a blackhead or whitehead. A blocked pore can also burst and spread beneath the surface of your skin to cause a tiny infection, also know as a pimple.

Makeup for acne prone skin must be selected with care. While advice and recommendations can be sought from your doctor or a dermatologist it is also true that you will have to arrive at decisions about products that suit you by some experimentation.

If you have acne prone skin, you will be someone who has certainly focused a large amount of attention on your skin. You will be aware of its weaknesses and strengths since you will have tried a variety of acne fighting products to solve your problem with acne.

This is the best place from which to start searching for the right cosmetics to use that will neither cause acne eruptions, nor aggravate existing pustules and zits. If the tendency to break out in acne is a rather new occurrence for you and as a result you have not researched your own skin before, you will have to embark on a process of trial and error to determine the best make up for you.

CLEANSER:

Your cleanser is the first item to consider. Makeup for acne prone skin must be taken off with a good cleanser that is compatible with your skin. Oily skins should be cleansed with liquid cleanser and bar soaps which rinse off easily. Synthetic detergents with a gentle action and face soaps which are hard milled are appropriate for dry skins. A normal skin can take a choice of soap gel, liquid cleanser or soaps. While cleansing grains, loofahs and brushes should be avoided by sensitive skins, which will also have a low tolerance of preservatives and fragrances found in some cleansing agents.

Makeup for acne prone skin must be oil free which means their ingredients should not include any type of oleaginous components like lanolin or petrolatum, isopropyl esters or myristates, and stearic or oleic acids. For those of you who have those embarrassing lesions, skin camouflage underneath an opaque foundation are a good suggestion. Semi matte foundations which are moist are excellent for this purpose.

USE OF COLOUR:

Clever use of coloured Hyperflage camouflage creams will decrease the visibility of your scars:

Lavender covers yellow marks

Mauve covers brown and blue-black marks

Yellow covers white scars, blue and purple marks

Green covers redness from acne burns

A transparent loose powder on top of the oil free foundation will keep your make up intact longer.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

 All of your makeup, from blush to eye shadow, should be non-greasy, non-comedogenic (or non-acnegenic), hypoallergenic, non-irritating, and oil-free. Read the ingredients -- the very first one should be water. Mineral-based cosmetics contain added ingredients like silica, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide, which both absorb oil and hide redness without irritating skin and causing pimples. Another ingredient to look for is dimethicone, which also conceals redness while smoothing out uneven skin.

FOUNDATION:

Pick a makeup colour that compliments your skin tone. When applying foundation, a little goes a long way. Use about a quarter-sized amount, and blend it into your entire face. Allow your foundation to dry for a few minutes before putting on the rest of your makeup.

If you notice that your skin is red, itchy, or swollen after you apply a certain type of makeup, stop using it. Some ingredients in cosmetics cause an allergic irritation known as contact dermatitis in certain people.

Perfect your complexion

1. Prep your skin While you can’t affect how much oil your skin produces topically, using a toner like Thayers Alcohol-Free Witch Hazel Toner will soak up oil without stripping the skin.

START WITH CLEAN SKIN: Clean your skin with a gentle cleanser that won't strip skin of its natural moisturizers (many dermatologists recommend Cetaphil). Wash with lukewarm water (hot water will strip your skin of nutrients) and pat dry (don't rub) with a clean wash rag. Keep several wash rags nearby and use a clean one each day to prevent spreading pore-clogging bacteria.

2 APPLY ACNE TREATMENTS: Now apply any acne treatments if you use any, directly onto clean skin. Allow a minute or so for the medications to be absorbed.

3 APPLY A SUN PROTECTANT MOISTURIZER: Next, add a good, all over moisturizer with at least SPF 15. What's that you say? With your oily skin moisturizer is the last thing you need! In fact, dry skin will trigger your glands to produce more oil in an effort to rehydrate the skin. So by keeping the skin properly hydrated in the first place, you allow your skin to spend more time glowing and less time making grease! The SPF will protect your skin from the sun's UV radiation, which can cause premature aging, dull looking skin and an increased risk of skin cancer.

Apply a light, oil-free cream labeled “non-comedogenic” or “non-acnegenic” like Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture SPF 35 and wait a few minutes to let it absorb.

 

4 ADD PRIMER (Optional): If you have scars from previous pimples or struggle with dry or uneven skin, a makeup primer can increase skin's firmness and help foundation go on smoother. If using, place a small dollop on each side of your nose and smooth outwards.

5 CONCEAL BLEMISHES: Now you can lightly apply concealer to your broken out areas. Ideally, try to use a concealer that you can apply using cleaned fingertips. However, if your concealer requires the use of an applicator sponge, use a clean one each time (you can buy extras at your local drug store). Leave the concealer on the blemish for 5-10 seconds before blending to allow time for it to adhere to its spot. Green hued concealers do a great job of offsetting aggravated pimples (Green offsets red). However, if you have dry, flaky blemishes, you may want to go with a traditional concealer that is one shade slightly darker than your normal skin tone. The green hue can get caught behind flaky skin and fail to blend in completely.

. Get even Using your fingers or a concealer brush, spot-apply a creamy concealer like Urban Decay Surreal Skin Creamy Concealer under your eyes and the corners of your nose. Next, apply a light layer of matte foundation like Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse if you like a little more coverage. Or go for a tinted moisturizer like Lorac protect-TINT Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer if you prefer a more natural look. Use your fingers and start at the middle of your face and blend outward. Using a concealer brush, dot a matte concealer that contains salicylic acid like Clinique Acne Solutions Clearing Concealer on any

6 TIME FOR FOUNDATION: If you wear foundation, apply it now. (You can skip foundation altogether if using mineral face powder). Gently smooth on foundation using light layers to allow your skin to breathe.

7 FINISH UP WITH FACE POWDER AND YOUR COLORS OF CHOICE: Add a dusting of facial powder and finish up with your blush, eye shadow or lipstick of choice.

8 REMOVE MAKEUP BEFORE SLEEPING: Your beauty rest will stay true to it's name if you remember to remove your makeup and remoisturize before heading to bed. Follow the same washing tips listed in step one. Then follow up with your acne medication and a moisturizing night cream. Not just for wrinkles, night cream will help your face heal from blemishes and provide you with smoother, healthier skin come morning time.

 

 

Extra tips:

• Blemishes: Gently blend around the area without touching the pimple. Set makeup with a light dusting of clear powder like Tarte Smooth Operator Micronized Clay Finishing Powder.
• Warm up Go for a matte powder bronzer like Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzing Powder. Using a large, fluffy brush, dust the bronzer where the sun would naturally kiss your face: your forehead, the bridge of your nose, cheekbones and chin. Sweep what’s left on the brush over your neck so it all blends in.
• Go rosy Your most natural shade of blush is the color that you, well, blush naturally. (It’ll be in the pink family—nobody blushes tangerine or eggplant, notes Glick.) No matter your skin type, powder is easiest to apply and lasts the longest. Load up a blush brush, shake off the excess and sweep it over the apples of your cheeks. Soften and blend the color with a clean powder brush.
• Control shine If your face gets shiny after a few hours, lightly dust your T-zone with more powder—or soak up oil without adding another layer of makeup by dabbing your T-zone with Tweezerman Facial Blotting Paper.
• There is one requirement, though -- always wash the makeup off your face before going to bed. You need clean skin before applying topical medications anyway, and a nightly cleansing will not only remove makeup but sweat, dirt, and excess oil too.

DISCLAIMER:  ALL THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM GOOGLE.COM.

Source: Google.com, ehow.com and other websites.

See you next time.

:)