If you suffer from oily, acne-prone skin, preventing your make-up from melting off your face can be a daily battle. Add hot weather and humidity to the mix, and you have the perfect recipe for looking, and feeling, like a hot mess.
Camouflaging blemishes is an important part of managing acne, but using the wrong products will only make matters worse. From prepping skin to applying that last finishing touch, these foolproof make-up basics will give you the impeccable results you’re looking for.
Primer is Key
Applied after skincare and before make-up, primer is the first line of defense in your routine, helping to prep skin and prolong make-up wear. So, it’s key that your primer blurs away imperfections, captures oil and prevents the dreaded midday shine.
Primers for acne-prone skin generally contain oil-absorbing ingredients like dimethicone, that smooth, mattify and have a powdery feel. Other added ingredients are probably ones that already exist in your skincare routine; think salicylic acid, sulfur and benzoyl peroxide, which are all over-the-counter actives that help to combat acne. Words like mattifying, oil-free, or pore-minimizing on the packaging are your best bet for a shine-free finish. Flormar Pore Minimizer Makeup Primer soaks up excess grease and leaves skin looking velvety, yet fresh.
Velvet-Smooth Base
Whether you get the odd spot here and there, or you suffer from recurring acne breakouts, you can be sure of one thing: the wrong foundation can make your textured complexion look infinitely worse. Your base product should always be hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic and preferably, free from common skin irritants like essential oils and synthetic fragrances. Choose a formula that doesn’t exacerbate your breakouts, neutralizes redness, absorbs excess oil, and if you’re really lucky, even treats your existing blemishes with antibacterial, pore-clearing ingredients. The Body Shop Matte Clay Skin Clarifying Foundation is a lightweight, 100% vegan liquid formula that’s enriched with a powerful blend of tea tree oil and natural clay to fight imperfections and sop up oil throughout the day. Don’t forget to clean your brushes at least once a week to prevent contamination and buildup, which can lead to further breakouts.
Tactical Concealer
When we’re blighted with blemishes, it can be tempting to go in thick and heavy with concealer, but this common mistake will have your skin looking more polka-dot than picture-perfect. The secret lies in a light-handed approach and a tactical application method. Start by applying a light layer of foundation, then use a fine-tipped eyeliner brush to apply a full coverage concealer, like the Wet & Wild Photo Focus, just where you need it, and gently blend for a seamless finish.
Photo Finish
Whilst we may all love a dewy, luminous complexion, it’s not the best option for excessively oily or textured skin. A light dusting of specially formulated powder will not only keep your make-up looking flawless for longer, but also blur imperfections and make raised pimples look flatter. If you’re looking for a colourless option, Note Translucent Setting Powder locks in your make-up and is packed with nourishing goodies. It’s infused with a blend of carrot root extract, carrot seed oil and B-carotene, proven to protect against the effects of blue light, plus hemp seed oil to keep skin looking soft and radiant.
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