Apply Makeup to Conceal Acne and Look Natural

When you go anywhere, you want to look good! Many people use makeup to feel confident and look polished. Acne, though, makes applying makeup while still looking natural a challenge. When applied incorrectly, makeup can cake or look fake and slipshod. Applied correctly, though, makeup can effectively hide acne and enhance your natural appearance.

Steps

Prepping Your Skin

  1. Refrain from popping any pimples. If you are going to apply makeup and conceal the pimple, do not pop the pimple beforehand. That will be your first instinct, but you should never apply makeup to irritated and broken skin, which is exactly what you are doing if you pop it. [1]
  2. Wash and cleanse your face. Rinse your face off and dry with a clean towel, then use a cleanser that is gentle on your skin. Applying makeup to a dirty face increases future breakouts and is unhealthy for your skin.
  3. Use a good moisturizer. After washing and cleansing your face, it’s important to get some of that moisture back so your face doesn’t dry out. Use a light moisturizer all over your face, and allow that to set and dry for 10 minutes before applying any makeup.

Applying a Base

  1. Start with a good primer. While primers aren’t necessary for everyone, if you are battling acne, they will go a long way in smoothing your skin. So if your skin is bumpy and broken out, or even dry from acne cleansers, this will help your overall appearance as you apply makeup. [2]
  2. Apply concealer to the affected areas. A good concealer will blend your acne spots with the rest of your face so it is much less noticeable. This will prepare your face for the rest of the makeup regimen. . [3]
    • Use a concealer brush rather than your fingers.
    • Twist the brush over the pimple to get the concealer into all the nooks and crannies!
    • Apply the concealer slightly past the pimple to blend it with the rest of your skin.
  3. Use a light foundation. Choose something that is not oil based, and is as light as possible while still being affective. This will help protect your skin from future breakouts. Heavy foundations also cake onto your skin and can actually make acne more noticeable. Again, don’t apply with your fingers; use a sponge instead. [4]
  4. Set your look with a face powder. Use a fine face powder to lightly dust your face. This allows all the work you just did to stay in place for the whole day! Apply with a large powder brush.

Applying Eye Make Up

  1. Apply eye shadow to both eyelids. Use three colors that are in the same color family. Many brands carry sets of eye shadow so you have all three colors to start off with. Avoid options with a lot of sheen. Instead, look for a matte or semi-matte option. You should also avoid bold colors and stick to more neutral tones to achieve the natural look.
    • Start with the lightest shade and apply from your eyelashes to your brow bone.
    • Take your medium shade and apply to just your eyelid.
    • Take your darkest shade, and very gently apply that to your crease.
    • Use your brush to blend the colors so they seamlessly transition and you cannot tell where each color begins or ends.
  2. Apply eyeliner next. Use a neutral black or brown and start in the interior corner of your eye and move out. Your eyeliner should be as thin as possible if you are striving to look natural. You can use a pencil, gel, or liquid eyeliner. It's whatever you are most comfortable using and the option you can control most when applying.
  3. Use mascara to give your eyelashes a thicker and fuller look. Start by opening your eye wide and placing the brush as close to the bottom of your eyelashes as you can go without touching and irritating your eye. As you move the brush towards the ends of your lashes, twirl the brush for even application and less clumping.

Applying Cheek and Lip Make Up

  1. Apply blush. Blush keeps your face looking rosy. When used correctly, it gives the appearance of looking sun kissed and happy, and helps you avoid looking too pale, which could give the impression you are ill or nervous. Start at the apples of your cheeks and move up toward your temples using a blush brush. Blend using your fingers so you do not see an obvious line where you applied. [5] [6]
    • If you are fair skinned, stick with soft pinks, peaches or light corals and apply lightly in order to keep a natural look. Applying too darkly or using a darker color will look too dramatic.
    • For a medium skin tone, use pinks and peaches and avoid applying too darkly. Refrain from using colors with a blue undertone, as those could create a bruised look rather than the naturally sun-kissed you are going for.
    • If your skin tone is dark, use deep reds, oranges, or browns to highlight your cheeks.
  2. Finish with your lips. For a natural yet lasting look, use lip balm, lipliner, and lipstick. Make sure your lip balm has an SPF of 15 or more to protect your lips. Your lip liner and lipstick should be a softer shade that resembles your natural lip color. We are enhancing your natural beauty, not changing it! [7]
    • Start with lip balm to keep your lips moisturized. This will serve as a base for everything else you're going to do.
    • Line your lips with lipliner. Choose a shade that is a close match to the lipstick you are going to use. In addition to lining your lips, lightly color in your lips. This helps the lipstick last all day.
    • Apply lipstick by puckering your lips and starting from the middle of your lips (where lipstick fades the quickest).

Tips

  • If you are consistently having bad breakouts, see your dermatologist.
  • Always clean your makeup off each night before bed. This allows your skin to breathe and helps to prevent future breakouts.
  • Don't apply too much makeup on. That can irritate the pimple and make it get redder.

Things You'll Need

  • Facial cleanser
  • Moisturizer
  • Primer
  • Concealer and Concealer Brush
  • Foundation and Sponges
  • Face Powder and Powder Brush
  • Eyeliner
  • Mascara
  • Eyeshadow and Eyeshadow Brush
  • Blush and Blush Brush
  • Lip Balm
  • Lipliner
  • Lipstick

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.refinery29.com/acne-makeup-tips
  2. ↑ http://www.xovain.com/makeup/makeup-to-cover-acne
  3. ↑ http://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/advice/g1229/keep-a-zit-covered-for-hours/?slide=1
  4. ↑ http://www.makeup.com/how-do-i-cover-up-acne-scars
  5. ↑ http://www.glamour.com/story/perfect-makeup-8-super-easy-steps-for-looking-flawless-fast-2011-05
  6. ↑ http://www.makeup.com/right-blush-for-your-skin-tone
  7. ↑ http://www.xovain.com/makeup/how-to-use-lip-liner
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