Acne, it’s absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s actually something that everyone will experience at one point or another in their life. Acne is more common than you know, with approximately 85% of people between 12-24 experiencing some form of acne.
There’s no denying the influence your skin can have on your mental health and overall confidence. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of trying everything and anything to tackle those pesky spots, but it can often be the opposite. Stripping back your routine to as minimal as possible will allow your skin to recover and heal itself, without products irritating it further.
I try to avoid a full face of products where possible, always wearing and topping my SPF up to avoid any post-acne scarring. Of course, everyone’s skin is different and so is everyone’s acne. What works for me may not work for you. It also depends on the type of blemish you are trying to cover.
Until I was diagnosed with acne by my dermatologist, I was always naive to think that I would ever experience any skin concerns. There’s so much that can influence your skin health, and more often than not, it’s out of our control. For the days I decide to step out the comfort of my home with makeup on, I’ve put together a fool-proof guide to concealing acne:
Primer
Any product you are about to put on your skin, you want to ensure it’s giving you the best coverage possible. When concealing acne, we don’t need flakey products that don’t meet our demands. Primers will allow the product to cling onto the base for the ultimate coverage.
Concealers
There are so many concealers on the market. Some are lightweight or full coverage and others may be thick or buildable. Either way, there’s a product out there for everyone. I would recommend starting with your lightweight concealer to build coverage, before going in with your fuller-coverage product to set the area. If you go straight in with your thicker formula, you’ll find that the product will stick to your powder and foundation more so. You also want to try and achieve natural coverage with acne, to avoid any cakey-ness.
Colour Correcting
The power of colour correcting is so underestimated. Colour correcting is the first step in neutralising your spot for the ultimate coverage, especially if your acne is more on the red side. A green colour correcting product will help to hide unwanted redness, giving you an even base to build your concealer.
Colour Matching
It’s so important to find the right shade of concealer for you. I like to start with a lighter-shade, before going in with a skin-coloured concealer to set the spot. It takes a while to work out which undertone is right for your skin. Once you’re happy with your selected shades, when applying, ensure you are pressing and dabbing the product onto the skin, rather than brushing and sweeping it across the face. Top Tip: I like to let my concealer sit before blending it in, so that it sets as much as possible.
Layering:
Layering your product will be your best friend. Don’t expect your spot to disappear on the first try. You’re optimistic if you think you can go in with a bit of concealer and leave no trace of blemishes. After letting my concealer set, I then go in with a beauty blender to lightly buff this out. I continue to build up the coverage with my light-weight Glossier Concealer until I am ready to apply my thicker-formula over the top. The NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer is a great option for the top layer of coverage.
Powder
Unless you’re asking for your product to fade, DON’T FORGET TO SET WITH POWDER. You can either do this in-between each application of concealer for ultimate coverage, or once you have applied your full-face base. The Laura Mercier Translucent Powder is a cult-favourite and within good reason. This powder holds my concealer in place, keeping my acne at bay with no uneven coverage.
Other days, I really couldn’t care less what my acne looked like. And neither should you.
EMBRACE YOUR SKIN.