Ah, acne. We thought we had completely broken up with you when we finished high school. But sadly, like a particularly annoying ex-boyfriend, you keep coming around to bother us—even though we’re well into our adult years. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), 40-50 million people in the United States will experience acne at some point in their lives. The AAD also states that a growing number of women in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, have experienced acne, as well. (And you thought fine lines and wrinkles and dark spots were the only things you had to look forward to as you got older!)
Dealing with adult acne? We know how frustrating it is to wake up with a blemish (or a face full of them). Your first instinct is probably to grab a handful of foundation and concealer to mask the spots—but it’s important to pick the right makeup products. It’s all about using non-comedogenic makeup, and non-comedogenic foundation. Keep reading to find out how to pick the best foundation for acne-prone skin and get makeup and skin care tips for your skin type.
non-comedogenic makeup 101: how to choose a foundation for acne-prone skin
Before heading out to buy a foundation, make sure you’re familiar with the term non-comedogenic. Non-comedogenic makeup is makeup that is formulated to reduce the chances of clogging pores. You know that clogged pores can lead to breakouts—so, if you have acne-prone skin, always check the label to see if the formula is non-comedogenic. Now that you’re aware of non-comedogenic foundation, it’s time to find the best foundation for acne-prone skin that’ll meet your needs.
OUR BEST FOUNDATIONS FOR ACNE-PRONE SKIN
We get that when you have zits, you want to cover them up. But you don’t want your makeup clogging your pores, either. Here are our best foundations for acne-prone skin.
L’Oréal Paris True Match™ Super Blendable Foundation Makeup: This foundation is formulated with Precise Match™ Technology to help you match your skin tone (seriously, it comes in 45 shades!). Why is it one of our best foundations for acne-prone skin? Well, It’s also free of oils, fragrances, and pore-clogging fillers.
L’Oréal Paris True Match™ Lumi Cushion Foundation: This luminous, non-pore clogging foundation is buildable, so you can go as light or as heavy as you’d like if you have acne-prone skin. Simply press the applicator into the foundation cushion and tap the foundation onto your skin, building to your desired coverage level.
L’Oréal Paris True Match™ Super-Blendable Compact Makeup: When you’re on the go, oftentimes a compact foundation is much easier to tote than a bottle or tube, since you don’t run the risk of it opening in your bag. This foundation has an oil-free formula and weightless finish that makes it one of our best foundations for acne-prone skin.
How to apply foundation to acne-prone skin
Once that you’ve chosen from our list of foundations for acne-prone skin, it’s time to actually apply your makeup. For a seamless finish, consider using a makeup blender, like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Foundation Blender. Apply a small amount of foundation onto the makeup blender and bounce the makeup blender onto your skin to blend in your foundation to cover any blemishes you might have. Build coverage to your desired level, and you’re good to go. That’s it—pretty simple!
A SKIN CARE ROUTINE FOR ACNE-PRONE SKIN
Now that you have the low-down on our best foundations for acne-prone skin, it’s time to talk about what you can do to help reduce the chances of—or at least minimize the appearance of—breakouts. Get yourself in the game by outlining a skin care routine that’s easy to follow every day. Ready to take a step in the right direction towards clearer-looking skin? Start by following these skin care tips.
1. Upgrade Your Cleansing Routine
Consider adding a facial cleanser that is formulated with an acne-fighting ingredient like salicylic acid, which can help to remove dead skin cells from the skin’s surface, to your daily skin care routine.
2. Don’t Skip the Moisturizer
Oftentimes, you might think that moisturizer will only add to your skin issues if you have oily-looking or acne-prone skin. This isn’t necessarily true. When you wash your face and don’t moisturize after, your skin responds by producing more oil to make up for what’s lost during the cleansing process—and this can contribute to your oily-looking or acne-prone skin. You definitely don’t want to risk dehydrating your skin, and you can help reduce the appearance of excess oil by moisturizing after cleansing. When you’re searching for a moisturizer, look for one with an oil-free, lightweight formula.
3. Always Remove Your Makeup Before Bed
No matter how tired you are, it’s important to take off whatever makeup you’re wearing before you hit the hay to avoid clogging pores. A gentle option for removing makeup: micellar water. Popular in France for years, micellar water is now gaining buzz stateside. Micellar water is formulated with tiny micelles—oil molecules—suspended in a solution to help gently lift makeup, dirt, and oil up and away from your skin’s surface. Try the L’Oréal Paris Micellar Cleansing Water Complete Cleanser for Normal to Oily Skin. To use, saturate a cotton pad and hold the pad over your eyes for a few seconds before wiping.
A face makeup ROUTINE FOR ACNE-PRONE SKIN
Foundation isn’t the only product in your makeup bag that might need an upgrade. Follow this step-by-step makeup routine for acne-prone skin.
Step 1: Apply Primer
When you have acne-prone skin, one of the best makeup products you can use is primer. Before applying foundation, smooth a mattifying primer, like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro Matte Lock Makeup Primer, all over your face. Primer can help smooth out the look of your skin and blur the appearance of imperfections, such as blemishes.
Step 2: Use Color Corrector
Have blemishes or marks that appear red? Reach for a green color corrector, like the L’Oréal Paris True Match™ Color Correcting Crayon in Green, to help neutralize the appearance of redness. Use the crayon point to draw an X over blemishes and blend well with a makeup brush or your fingers.
Step 3: Smooth on Foundation
Now’s the time to pick up your foundation and put it on your face using a makeup blender.
Step 4: Conceal
If blemishes are still apparent, finish your face makeup routine with concealer. Reach for the L’Oréal Paris True Match™ Super-Blendable Concealer and cover up any imperfections that remain. This line of concealers comes in 14 concealers to match every skin tone and undertone.
Step 5: Blot, Blot, Blot
Ever seen girls in the bathroom, patting little, colored sheets against their skin and wondering what in the world they were doing? Nope, they’re not wiping away tears. They’re blotting excess oil from the surface of their skin to help maintain a flawlessly matte look! Blotting papers can come in handy during moments when you can’t fully wash your face since they help remove the appearance of excess oil and shine.
Congrats: You officially know all about our best foundations for acne-prone skin. For your next acne lesson, here are 5 Pimple Myths to Stop Believing Now.
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