The Beauty of Makeup
- Sierra Gillespie
- Aug 27, 2015
- 3 min read
As all of us with acne know, covering it up can be the most important thing we do in the morning. Honestly, every day when I’m putting on my makeup, my heart aches for the men who have acne and are unable to cover it without cultural stigma. I feel for ya, boys.
For any of us who have attempted covering acne with makeup, it can be more difficult than it looks. Using concealer and powder doesn’t always cover up the blemishes. For many of us, we find we are stuck at a fork in the road. Either,
A) Use acne medication, thus minimizing the blemish, yet creating dry skin in the problem area, resulting in flaky, uneven make up that may draw even more attention to the blemish, or
B) Clogging the pimple with foundation and concealer, thus temporarily hiding the blemish, yet creating an even worse problem down the line
Sometimes, there really is no better alternative. With Accutane, I am currently facing a worse acne breakout than ever before in my life, making my makeup routine crucial. Unfortunately, it can be a little pricey. But if you look at the no makeup/with makeup side by side transformation, you’ll see that it’s ultimately very worth it.
STEP ONE Primer: Urban Decay Pore Perfecting Complexion Primer Potion, $31 This step is debatably the most important of all the makeup steps. Yes, the primer is super expensive. But the point of primer is to keep on all of your makeup, and Urban Decay works very well for this. Application for this is the simplest of all makeup application: spread it around your face like lotion.
STEP TWO Concealer: Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer, $6 Much cheaper than the primer, right? Concealer is basically the spot treatment of makeup. Dab this concealer over the problem areas of your face, and wait for the Warning: use this product sparingly and only for the true problem areas. Use no more than a pea size of concealer, as it is very strong.
Pictured above is my runner up for concealer, Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse, $9. I've been using this for years. It's smoother than other concealers, so I'm also really into that product.
STEP THREE Foundation: Lock-It Tattoo Foundation, $35 Kat Von D’s concealer is supposed to be so effective it could cover up tattoos (see evidence here). For acne sufferers, this is a godsend. My suggestion is to apply this product with a brush, all over your face. Afterward, rub it in to make it look natural. If I had to leave the house with only one step of this process, it would easily be this step.
STEP FOUR Powder: Mac Studio Fix Powder Plus, $27 Honestly, I only use this product because my sister gave it to me for free. The powder aspect of this regimen can easily be substituted for something cheaper. I recommend L’Oréal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Compact Makeup ($12), or Covergirl Clean Pressed Powder ($7). Use a brush to cover your face with this product. If you’re feeling gusty, you can always try contouring, but I’m really not the expert at that.
SEASONAL During the summer time I like to use bronzer as well to make sure my face matches the rest of my body. I use NYC In Sunny, $3. According to my sister, this is “a staple in every makeup collection.” And frankly, she’s right. I may just use this all year round.
STEP FIVE Setting Spray: Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray, $30 Perhaps it’s all in my mind, but this stuff works. I am a self-proclaimed Urban Decay junkie (obsessed with their eyeshadow as well—don’t even get me started) but I’m in love with this product. After your makeup is completely finished, including eyebrows and eye makeup, spray this all over your face. Beware that your mascara will smear if it hasn’t quite dried.
With that, you are finished. Hopefully your blemishes are covered and you are ready to conquer the world with a [seemingly] clear face.
Left: My face with the full regimine. With the first month of Accutane breakouts are at their worst, so this makeup doesn't even fully cover all the bumps. (How sad is that?!) Still, it's a much needed improvement, I think.
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