Acne Makeup: what to Use to Hide Blemishes
Acne can be caused by a number of factors. Sugary foods, high levels of stress, lack of sleep, hormones, and improper skin care can lead to an unwanted breakout. Luckily, dermatologists and estheticians alike are learning more about skin and how to treat unwanted acne each day.
Plus, with HIDE’s premium concealer and foundation and some of our best makeup tips, you’ll learn which products to use to cover blemishes and how.
Even if you are beginning an acne treatment or a new skincare routine, results can take months. So, here are some of our favorite makeup tips for hiding acne in the meanwhile.
Grab your makeup bags and let’s get started!
Prep Your Skin
Your skin is your canvas, so the most important thing to do before you get to work is prep the surface. Having a skincare routine can go a long way when it comes to fighting acne and keeping breakouts under control.
Here are a few skincare items to use before applying makeup.
Start with a Cleanser
This gets all those oils off from the night before, so nothing gets trapped underneath your makeup throughout the day. This can also help your makeup stay on better.
When using cleanser, it’s important not to scrub too hard or use hot water. Instead, opt for warm water so some of the natural oils remain on your skin. If you have dry skin, choose a cleanser free of alcohol and a scent. If you’ve got oily skin, a non-comedogenic cleanser won’t clog your pores!
Moisturizer
Moisturizers are another necessity you should have in your skincare arsenal. After you cleanse your face gently, be sure to apply a hefty moisturizer to your skin. This preps the surface and helps lock in the natural moisture of your skin.
To find a moisturizer that’s right for you, consider your skin type. If you have dry skin, you’ll want a hefty moisturizer that’ll keep your skin hydrated. If you have oily skin that’s easily irritated, try an oil-free or non-comedogenic moisturizer too.
Pro Tip: Choose a moisturizer with sunscreen for extra skin protection. Try to find one with an SPF above 30 and with both UVA and UVB protection.
Concealer
Now that your skin’s surface is prepped and ready to go, let’s start by exploring how concealer can help you hide those unwanted blemishes.
Choose a Concealer
The first step is to find the right concealer for your skin type. This can be a tricky feat to accomplish and usually requires some trial and error before you find what works for you.
However, HIDE’s Premium Concealer works for all skin types, oily, dry, normal, or a combination of the three. HIDE also offers a lightweight formula so you can wear it all day, even over stubborn acne, and forget it’s even there.
Powder or Liquid?
Once you know what kind of concealer to use, should you buy the liquid or powder version? If you’re trying to cover up acne, liquid is always the best bet. Powder can actually make it look cakier instead of blended in and smooth. In turn, this draws more attention to the area, and we’re back at square one.
Find the Right Shade
Picking the right concealer match is even more essential to your makeup look when trying to hide acne. If you choose a shade that’s too light, your concealer will work more like a highlighter and emphasize your breakout areas instead of concealing them.
If you choose one that’s too yellow or too dark, your acne will still be emphasized on your face and you won’t be able to find that smooth look.
So, finding the perfect shade is paramount. But how can you do this? First, you have to know your skin’s undertones. Undertones are the warm reds or cool blue shades that lie under your skin’s natural tone. If you look good wearing earth tones, you probably have warm undertones. If you look good in blues and purples, you probably have cool undertones.
Undertones are the foundation of a makeup color. If you choose a concealer or foundation shade with the wrong undertones, it won’t have that seamless blend like others will. If you’re still having trouble finding your undertones, here’s a helpful trick.
Take a look at your veins. If your veins are blue or purple and easily pop out of your skin, that’s an indicator of cool undertones. (This also probably means you look better in silver jewelry). However, if your veins are harder to find and are more green or neutral, you probably have warm undertones and can rock gold jewelry better.
Next, find your shade match. The easiest way to do this is to check out HIDE’s shade finder. Whether you’re buying a Premium Concealer or Foundation, you can use this shade guide to find the best color for your natural tone and undertones.
Finding the perfect shade concealer helps smooth out uneven skin caused by acne and creates a flawless look you can wear all day.
Go Light, Then Dark
One of our favorite tricks when it comes to covering up acne with concealer is to choose one shade that’s lighter along with your natural shade.
Now, be careful here. You should not only use a lighter shade concealer over acne. This can create a highlighted look that draws attention to the area instead of blending it in.
But, using a lighter concealer underneath your usual shade can help disguise and blend in acne effectively. Simply apply the lighter concealer and dab it with your fingers to prevent creases. Wait a few minutes for it to dry, and apply a second coat of your natural shade.
Foundation
You can choose to only use concealer when trying to cover up acne, but it helps to put foundation overtop for a smooth, finished look. Here are some tips when it comes to foundation and covering up acne.
HIDE’s Premium Foundation offers long-lasting, medium to full coverage that completely hides acne. Whether you’ve got a few pimples here and there or a whole breakout on your hands, HIDE has you covered.
Choose the Right Shade
Again, choosing the right shade foundation is essential. But don’t worry, the same steps to picking the right concealer shade apply to foundation too.
Simply know your undertones and find your perfect match. If you can’t seem to find the perfect match, find the two closest shades and try mixing them together until you reach your skin tone.
Prime Your Surface
Priming your skin before applying foundation can be a game-changer, especially when you’re trying to cover up blemishes.
Primer helps flatten out raised blemishes and acne. It can even help cover up scars, so your foundation glides overtop easily for a smooth finish. The right primer will also help your makeup stay on longer, so that you’ll be fresh-faced and glowing all day.
Clean Properly
Wearing makeup is usually not the biggest contributor to acne. However, it can be if you don’t know how to properly clean your face and your makeup tools.
Clean Your Face
The most important thing to do at the end of the day is to remove your makeup. To do this, use a makeup remover that is gentle on the skin and alcohol-free so it doesn’t dry out your skin (which can cause more acne!).
You can also use micellar water or toner to remove your makeup. This product is full of molecules that remove oil, dirt, residue, and any other makeup left on your face at the end of the day. Place some micellar water on a cotton round and wipe gently.
After you remove your makeup, be sure to cleanse your face before bed. And, yup, you guessed it. Don’t forget to moisturize too.
Clean Your Makeup Utensils
Your makeup bag is full of useful tools that help you get that perfect makeup look. But did you know your makeup tools can also be full of germs?
It’s vital that you clean your makeup brushes, sponges, and tools regularly to prevent bacteria build up, which can lead to or worsen acne. It’s recommended that you clean brushes and tools roughly every week or so.
Summary
Struggling with acne can be frustrating and feel like a losing battle. You may want to stay in all weekend, curl up in your pajamas, and hide. Luckily, that’s what HIDE is here to help with.
HIDE helps you hide those unwanted blemishes, pimples, breakouts, and even scarring, so you get back on that dance floor and show off. With a reimagined, lightweight formula, HIDE can help you conceal what you want to show off the rest.
Read more here about the best makeup for acne-prone skin.
Sources:
Acne - Symptoms and causes | Mayo Clinic
Face washing 101| AAD
What Do "Comedogenic" and "Non-comedogenic" Mean? | Acne.org
Do You Really Need a Skin Care Routine? | Northwestern Medicine