Make-up for acne-prone skin

How can you live with more peace of mind when you have acne and try to coexist with your pimples? Whether or not you are undergoing treatment, make-up is one of the solutions, if and only if you choose the right kind. Otherwise, it could make your acne worse. Here are a few tips on how to select and apply make-up properly.

HOW TO LIVE WITH ACNE IN YOUR DAILY LIFE

Choosing your acne make-up

Hormonal changes, heredity, a diet too rich in sugars, stress... These are the main causes of the appearance of acne in teenagers (girls and boys alike), and of its persistence or reappearance in many women in adulthood.

Acne is rarely welcome at any time of life. Make-up is one way to reduce the appearance of these pimples and makes it easier to live with the stares of others. It’s also a way to resist the temptation to touch them during the day. If they are camouflaged, we are less tempted to pick at them.

This is provided that you choose your make-up carefully, as unsuitable make-up can make your acne worse. This is because it can be comedogenic (i.e. it encourages the formation of pimples), for example. And because we sometimes forget to remove our make-up and clean our sponges and brushes, on which bacteria then proliferate.

Prepare your skin before applying your acne make-up

Cleanse your acne-prone skin

Cleansing your skin when you wake up is one step you should not skip, as it’s important to eliminate the sebum produced during the night. If your skin is oily, you have a choice: micellar water or a gentle, soap-free cleansing gel. Choose the formula you find most comfortable. If your skin is dry from the treatment prescribed by your dermatologist, choose a soothing cream cleanser formulated for acne-prone skin.

Treating and moisturising acne-prone skin

Next, apply your local treatment or targeted care, if you have one, or your moisturiser directly. Again, the choice of product is important and depends on your skin type. If your acne-prone skin tends to be oily, choose a light, non-greasy emulsion containing absorbent microcapsules to moisturise and mattify your skin; if you are undergoing a drying dermatological treatment, a soothing and nourishing cream is better. In all cases, it should be non-comedogenic and for skin with imperfections.

Caring for acne-prone skin

Mild to moderate or severe, each type of acne has its own make-up

That's it! You're ready to apply your make-up. Here are some tips on how to apply your make-up according to the severity of your acne. The aim is to conceal pimples and scars and even out the complexion.

Mild to moderate acne

To conceal your small pimples, target your imperfections with a beige concealer pen. Use a cotton swab to blend the edges of the concealer without the risk of rubbing it off. Tip: for a more even complexion and to conceal enlarged pores, you can start by applying a liquid foundation over your entire face, dabbing it on with a sponge.

Severe acne

Start by applying a touch of corrector stick to the blemish with your finger: green for red pimples, yellow when they are purple (common on fair skin), coral on scars that turn brown. Tap until the colour turns grey. To even out your complexion, pick up a compact foundation cream with a sponge. Pat on top of the corrector so it doesn't move. For a sheer finish on the rest of the face, smooth towards the edges. Finish by applying a translucent powder.

FRIENDLY (AND EXPERT) ADVICE

To enhance your face and perfect your features, don't forget the final touch!

All that's left is to set your make-up and mattify the skin with a veil of translucent powder. Apply it all over the face, starting from the contours and moving towards the centre of the face for a lighter result and to avoid accentuating the texture of pimples. And to sculpt your face, there's nothing like a touch of bronzer or highlighter on the cheekbones!

But to make your make-up last longer, without adding an extra layer, spray a fine mist of thermal spring water on your face. And don't forget to clean your sponge and brush thoroughly! Why? To prevent impurities left on your make-up tools from being depositing on your skin and forming new pimples the next time you use them.

The right gestures for acne make-up

Not all make-up products are created equal when it comes to correcting, evening out and enhancing the complexion. To cover imperfections without suffocating the skin and causing the appearance of new pimples, the safest thing to do is to choose medical corrective make-up that’s specially formulated for your skin type and non-comedogenic. You can find it in pharmacies and beauty stores.