Covering acne is pretty simple, once you learn the right steps to follow. When you choose the right routine, you’ll actually be able to treat your acne as you cover it up. You will need to be pretty careful regarding which products you choose. However, we’re going to explain which types of products are the best for acne treatment plus coverage. We’ll take the guesswork out of shopping for skin care products and cosmetics!
Our detailed article is designed to give you the hard facts that you need, as well as step-by-step instructions. Once you’ve checked out our guide, you’ll have the same tips at hand that the pros use to give their celebrity clients a look of smooth, clear skin, even when skin does have some acne imperfections. First, let’s talk about proper skin care. It’s really the first step to getting a great finish from makeup.
Skin Care and Preparation
My Skincare Routine for Oily/Acne Prone Skin + 10 Minute Makeup Tutorial
A gentle, non-irritating soap, such as Cetaphil, is definitely the best choice for acne. While there are a lot of harsh cleansers and scrubs out there, which are marketed to acne sufferers, most dermatologists prefer that their clients use a very gentle soap which won’t clog pores. With Cetaphil, which is wonderfully affordable, you’ll massage some of the cleansers into your skin and then rinse it off with lukewarm water. There are also bar soaps which are pretty gentle and safe for even the most sensitive skin – Dove is one example, but there are lots to choose from. Don’t rinse with hot water. It’s too hard on the skin and may trigger stripping of beneficial oils, as well as redness and irritation.
So, keep the cleansing simple. Witch Hazel is a nice natural toner which is cheap, and you can apply it with a cotton pad. Finish your routine with an oil-free moisturizer which is non-comedogenic. After you finish your routine, you may want to spot-treat pimples with acne cream. It’s best to apply it only where you need it. Different levels of strength are available, so pick what’s best for you. Most contain Benzoyl Peroxide or Salicylic Acid, or both. These products unclog pores, so they help to treat blemishes and prevent new ones. To work for acne prevention, these products must be used regularly on trouble spots, such as the chin, cheeks, and nose.
After your skin is clean and dry, it will be time to conceal.
Foundation Overview
Acne/Blemish Covering Makeup – Foundation & Concealer Tutorial
If you’re male, you may want to invest in acne wands which deliver a combination of acne medication and tinted concealer to the skin. Clean & Clear makes this type of wand and it’s great for covering imperfections. Other skin care and cosmetic brands also offer these products. For example, Clearasil makes a tinted acne cream that comes in a tube. It has a thick texture, similar to typical concealer makeup, and should be patted on and then blended very gentle for a natural finish.
The wands are easy to use. Just apply the concealer straight from the wand and then blend it a bit if you need to. Try not to buy a shade which is lighter than your skin, or it will call attention to any bumps on the surface. Light shades make things look better, while darker shades make things look smaller. So, go for a shade which is a perfect match or slightly darker.
If you’re female, you can use all of our “male” tips on bare, dry facial skin. You can even use the treatment concealers on other areas of the body, to cover pimples on your back or wherever they appear.
So, that’s concealer. We talked about it first because it can be used to cover trouble spots, even on bare skin. If you would rather use foundation, which is typically applied to a larger surface area, there are some fine choices which offer excellent coverage. The key to finding the right match is making a judgment about the severity of your acne. Mild acne should be concealed well with a light to medium coverage foundation, while severe acne concealment usually requires the usage of a full-coverage foundation, plus concealer.
In some cases, powder which is applied after thefoundation is used to take down shine and set the makeup. Some people set their concealer (on bare skin) with some powder, too.
Light to medium coverage foundation is available almost everywhere. Neutrogena and Cover Girl make non-comedogenic formulas and so do a lot of other skin care/cosmetic companies. These foundations offer some coverage, without giving full coverage and they typically have a natural and somewhat sheer finish. To apply light to medium coverage foundation, use a clean makeup sponge or clean fingers.
Foundation brushes are also available, and they do give a nice finish, too. Choose your favorite tool and apply small dabs of the foundation to trouble spots or all over. Blend with your fingers or a tool until the imperfections are covered. Make sure there is no demarcation line.
If you have specific spots which don’t cover completely, add a small amount of concealer to that area and pat gently into place until it’s blended well with the surrounding makeup. After you apply foundation, you may want to use a small powder puff from a non-comedogenic powder compact to add a bit of powder to areas with makeup on them. This is what the pros do in order to finish and set the look.
Acne/Full Coverage Foundation Routine 2016
For severe acne, you may want to consider a heavy-duty foundation, such as Dermablend. The whole Dermablend line is centered on covering very noticeable flaws, from acne to scars and beyond. It’s meant to stay in place once it’s applied so that you feel more confident. We advise checking out their entire line of foundations, concealers, and powders, as they may be right for you. Their full-coverage foundation is able to conceal a host of flaws, including bruises from plastic surgery, so it’s definitely heavy-duty.
Apply full-coverage foundation with a brush, sponge or your fingers. It’s important to spread and blend it quickly, as doing so will ensure that you get the coverage that you need before it dries and sets. It really stays put, so make an effort to blend it well and quickly. If you need concealer, add it afterward and blend it in quickly. Finish with powder for the pro makeup look.
These product examples just scratch the surface. Foundations, concealer, and powders are available from hundreds of companies. However, Dermablend may give cystic acne sufferers and other serious acne sufferers more self-esteem. These products are professional-grade, and they really do conceal like magic.
Once you have the makeup that you need, be sure to read any instructions that come with the products. These instructions will help you to apply the cosmetics properly. These instructions should take precedence over our tips if the instructions are different. However, in general, there are tried-and-true methods for applying foundations, concealers, and powders. Most people understand the basics already.
If you need more help, there are tons of amazing makeup tutorials on YouTube, some of which are centered on concealing acne. We recommend watching them as some of the transformations are truly miraculous. You can have a miraculous transformation, too!
Ingredients are Important
How to Cover Acne & Redness | Sephora
The most important things to be aware of when shopping for skin care products and cosmetics is ingredients. Anything that clogs the pores is probably going to cause more breakouts in someone who’s already acne-prone. That’s why we can’t overstress the importance of choosing products which are classified as non-comedogenic. Everything that you put onto your skin, from cleansers to toners to moisturizers to concealers, foundations, and powders, should be listed as non-comedogenic on the package or container when you buy it. When you stick to this rule, you’ll know that the products you are purchasing won’t contribute to more skin issues.
As well, if you use treatment products to conceal acne, such as the acne medication/concealer combos that we talked about earlier, you’ll help to clear your skin as you conceal. Now, let’s talk about the issue of acne scars. They are a different type of imperfection, and they shouldn’t be treated with medicated foundations and concealers, as these may be drying and scars look worse when they are very dry.
How to Conceal Acne Scars
How to Cover Acne/Acne Scarring – Flawless Foundation Routine
Skipping the medicated ingredients will be smart. If you’re using a medicated foundation or concealer, be sure to leave it in the scar area. Conceal the scar with a non-medicated concealer and pat the concealer into place to blend it. Then, finish with powder if you like. Some people stretch out the skin of the scar a bit first and then apply the concealer while the skin is taught. They, they let the skin alone and usually get a very smooth finish. You may have to experiment a bit to see what works for you.
If you’re using a light or mediumcoverage foundation, it’s best to treat your scar with a liquid or cream concealer after applying it. The lighter finishes of thefoundation may not have enough coverage to conceal scars.
If you’re using a product like a Dermablend foundation, it probably will cover your scars, along with any acne. Again, we aren’t promoting Dermablend, but it’s a great product for covering scars, bruises, acne and more and it’s available online. If you need concealer, use one which is also from Dermablend and then finish with powder.
Some people treat their scars at night, and they use a different skin care strategy than they do for their acne. They’ll go through their acne care routine, dry their faces, and then apply a special treatment for scars, only to the scarred areas. Scar treatments aren’t typically non-comedogenic. However, the skin that is scarred is dry and damaged, so it should be ok to use products which aren’t non-comedogenicto treat them. For example, pure vitamin E is a great treatment for scars.
Put a dab on the scar at night and let it soak in a while you sleep. Other people use pure Aloe Vera. There are plenty of scar treatment gels, such as Mederma, which give great results without being greasy. When you treat your scars at night, they’ll be softer in the morning, and this will make them easier to conceal with concealer or makeup.
We don’t recommend covering acne and scars with just powder unless it’s a pure mineral powder. Powder doesn’t really give the best finish unless it’s something like Bare Minerals. Even Bare Minerals may have its drawbacks, as it contains Bismuth and certain people break out when they put Bismuth on their skin. However, those who don’t react adversely to Bismuth find that Bare Minerals does conceal and cover beautifully in one simple step. So, it’s something to consider if you want something pure and organic which is easy to apply.
Choose the Right Products Today
How to Conceal and Heal Acne with Cover FX Anti-Blemish Products | Sephora
Hopefully, this guide has shown you the possibilities. It’s all about treating acne by taking good care of your skin and then using the right products to achieve the right level of coverage. Once you’ve found good skin care products and concealers and learned how to use them, you’ll be able to conceal like the world’s best makeup artists do. Since the products won’t clog your pores, you may find that your skin gets better over time and that there’s less to conceal in the future.
Most people get pimples now and then. Some have to deal with them constantly. There is a genetic basis to most acne, so don’t beat yourself up about it. Empower yourself by choosing the most beneficial skin care routine and makeup products.
Also, think about what you put into your body. Drinking lots of pure water, eat a clean diet and maybe cut down on or eliminate the dairy. Some people find that the hormones in certain dairy products make acne flare up. You can get calcium other ways. For example, there is calcium in spinach.
Now that you know what to do, you’ll be able to cover your acne effectively.
Do you struggle with acne? Here are some helpful tips to cover it up which you may not have considered before:
- Cultivate a great skin-care routine using high-quality products that are compatible with your skin to minimize pimples and breakouts.
- Always clean and moisturize your skin before applying makeup. Don’t forget to apply primer as well to give your makeup staying power and an overall flawless look.
- Choose a concealer color that’s as close to your own shade as possible or if possible an exact match. Avoid concealers that are a shade darker than your natural skin tone as they can make matters worse.
- Avoid using too much concealer, as you might end up looking more like a clown than a queen. Just spread a thin layer over the affected area.
- For best results, always start with foundation before you apply concealer.
- Apply powder to set your concealer and make sure it stays on.
- Green and red are two colors that cancel each other out.
- Apply toner after cleaning your face and just before applying makeup to help increase the effectiveness of your concealer.
Use a good quality scar cream to minimize the appearance of acne scars.
