Having sensitive acne-prone skin is a drag. Sometimes I just want to glam-it-up with my friends and have a night out without worrying about what will happen to my skin the next day. But if I’m not careful, I can end up with a harsh breakout that keeps me indoors for the next week. It would be nice to be able to experiment with all kinds of makeup to achieve funky looks, but my skin just isn’t built that way. If you’re like me, then you know how important it is to be careful with makeup in order to prevent acne. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest mistakes you should avoid so that you can use makeup safely without provoking bad breakouts.
Mineral Foundation – one of the biggest mistakes I made in the early days was relying on a liquid foundation. While it gives you good general coverage, and it can help to hide zits, it also has a tendency to clog pores. There’s a lot about liquid foundation that I love, but I simply can’t use it anymore. I use mineral foundation as an alternative, and my skin has thanked to me for it. It goes on lighter and has less tendency to fill your pores with goop that leads to zits and blackheads.
Dirty Tools – I hate to admit it, but I’ve gone for a few years without cleaning my tools before. Of course that’s back when I didn’t know any better. It’s important to clean your tools on a regular basis, or replace them completely every once in a while. Otherwise you’re exposing your skin to the same dirty tools that have been touching your face for months. Yuck!
Dry Skin – it’s important to remember that makeup is not a cure for dry skin. It’s not really a good way to hide it either. If you have dry skin that’s peeling or flaky, it’s essential that you deal with the situation first. Find a good moisturizer that isn’t greasy, and let your skin breathe for a few days. Trying to cover-up the situation with makeup is only going to make it worse – especially when it comes to acne. You’ll find that your dry skin soon turns into oily skin, and that all those flaky skin cells will clog your pores.
Touching too Much – it’s important to clean your tools before they touch your face, but it’s even more important to clean your hands! You need to realize exactly how many times you touch your face in a day, and how much it’s multiplied during your makeup routine. During this time you may accidentally pinch, squeeze, or poke your skin – all of which can aggravate your acne situation.
Relying on Concealers – covering up your acne is not a long-term solution, although it’s perfectly fine in case of emergencies. But it’s essential that you remember acne care is about prevention and a long-term approach. A common mistake is relying on a medicated acne concealer that hides zits during the day. But if you’re also using a topical cream at night, you could be overloading your face with active ingredients. This can do a lot more harm in the long term because you’re bombarding your face with too much at once. You should also make sure that you apply your concealer in the right lighting to get maximum effects. Otherwise, your concealer might just be as noticeable as your acne.
Makeup Removal – if you wear makeup, it’s essential that you establish a good night time skin care routine. You have to remove all that makeup before you allow yourself to fall asleep. Otherwise you’ll be dealing with clogged pores and future breakouts that no amount of makeup can hide. It’s important to balance a thorough approach without being too harsh and stripping your skin of moisture. A regular skin cleanser should do the job nicely so there’s no need to spend a lot of money on a fancy brand.
A good skin care routine doesn’t just happen by itself. You need to be willing to experiment and undergo a process of trial and error. A good site with lots of comprehensive information is www.howtogetridofacnehelp.com where you can find further advice on dealing with acne and blackheads. And remember, a positive attitude goes along way so never give up on the hope of clear skin.
