Medically reviewed by Minimalist Health Specialist - Written by Sritama Dutta (Medical Science) on 24th Sep 2020
Makeup for Acne-Prone Skin - Tips & Precautions
If you have oily skin, you would be worried about acne and breakouts that appear so suddenly and frequently on your skin. When you have acne-prone skin, finding the perfect makeup product suitable for your skin becomes a daunting job. Of course, you would not want to show the red zits and bumps when you set out. But that doesn't necessarily mean that layering up with heavy makeup products is the only option left for you.
In this article, we would address all the concerns you had about makeup and acne. Keep reading to understand how to manage oily skins and what to do when you have acne-prone skin.
Effect of Makeup on Acne-prone Skin:
It's a general belief that layering your skin with different products would effectively hide your acne and blemishes. On the contrary to this notion, using makeup products without proper knowledge about the ingredients and their effects can cause serious, detrimental reactions on your sensitive skin.
Though makeup in itself may not be harmful, it can act as an aggravating factor that can induce breakouts in your skin. One of the most common things that can have a damaging impact on the skin, is the habit to leave makeup on before retiring to bed.
Leaving makeup on for a long time can clog the skin pores, causing sebum blockage. The sebaceous glands in your dermal layer fail to carry on its natural function due to this clogging, which results in the appearance of ugly bumps on your skin.
There's nothing much that you need to follow to take proper care of your skin. All you need to do is avoid any aggravating factors that will automatically reduce breakouts on your skin.
10 Smart Tips if You are Concerned About Makeup for Acne-prone skin:
Just a little change in your daily makeup regime can prove to be of great advantage in keeping the acne and the red spots at bay. Here are a few tips from skin experts that would help you to have a healthy makeup routine specifically for oily and acne-prone skin.
ProTip 1: Avoid thick, cream-based makeup products
Cosmetics that are heavy and greasy have been seen to clog pores and induce acne formation. To prevent this, it is better to avoid oil or wax-based makeup products and replace these with more lightweight substitutes. Water-based products are known to get absorbed more readily in your skin and prevent sebum blockade. So, instead of using concrete or stick foundations or concealers to cover up the acne, you can go for the liquid alternatives.
Matte-finish liquid-based foundations and concealers are seen to last longer than the heavier cream-based products. These types of makeup products are considered ideal for oily and acne-prone skin.
ProTip 2: Stay clear from alcohol-based makeup products
While some fatty alcohol can be beneficial to dry skins, oily skins are more likely to be harmed.
If you have oily skin, using products containing a high amount of SD or Denatured alcohol can give you a temporary feeling of dry matte skin. Still, it aggravates your skin's oil production. These types of ingredients can mess with your skin's natural microbiome and exacerbates oiliness and breakouts. The alcohol's drying effect will eventually evaporate and lead to a spike in bumps and breakouts.
ProTip 3: Over-cleansing of your face is harmful
Our facial skin is more sensitive than our body's skin. It requires more attention when it comes to cleaning but overdoing it can have the opposite effect. Thorough scrubbing or using rough cleaning brushes can worsen the condition. Even bar cleansers can clog your pores by leaving a residue over your skin after use.
The best way to exfoliate oily skin is to wash with water-based cleansers and applying Salicylic acid.
Exclusive from Minimalist- You can use the Minimalist 2% Salicylic acid, which can give you 3x better results than other hard exfoliants. It will gently eliminate your dead skin cells by penetrating deep into the pores and slowing down sebum production. It is proven to give you visibly oil-free and fresh skin within a few days of use. It also contains anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties, which reduce existing acne and prevent further formation.
ProTip 4: Resist the Gel Blush and Bronzers
The gel-based or liquid blushes and bronzers tend to leave a thin greasy layer on your skin or accumulate in the enlarged pores. They can irritate your skin and prevent its natural process of cleaning out impurities and excess sebum. This leads to clogging of pores which exacerbates sebum production, causing increased breakouts. It is better to use powder blushes and bronzers as a substitute.
ProTip 5: Avoid Using Makeup Sponges
Makeup sponges can hold on to the make up products and grease for a long duration of time, even after a thorough cleaning. Rubbing them on your skin may cause the spread of the harmful bacterial components, which results in the worsening of the acne and pimples. You can use your fingers to apply and blend the products but make sure you wash your hands and nails properly before you touch your face.
A primer can be beneficial in managing oily skin while applying makeup. Applying primer, especially in the T-zone, before applying foundation will give you a smoother texture and help hide the bumps and acne in a better way.
ProTip 6: Include Benzoyl Peroxide in Your Regime
If you suffer from persistent acne, Benzoyl Peroxide can be the best choice for you. It has an exceptional ability to fight acne-causing microbes and give you a smooth, glowing skin.
Benzoyl Peroxide (BPO) has been proven to be toxic to P.acnes and other acne-causing bacteria, and significantly reduce their colony counts.
Though there are very few studies to definitively compare the function of Benzoyl Peroxide cleansers with other over-the-counter products, it has been seen that with regular use, BPO can have a therapeutic effect in acne vulgaris.
The Minimalist 2% Benzoyl Peroxide combined with 5% Glycolic acid is a quick-absorbing anti-acne remedy that has been clinically proven to fight and prevent acne and breakouts. It is entirely fragrance-free and is concocted using an aloe-vera base instead of water. This gives a soothing feeling to your skin. The added 5% Glycolic acid acts as a gentle exfoliator and leaves your skin fresh and scar-free.
ProTip 7: Never Compromise in Sun Protection
Though you may not feel it, the radiation from the sun can damage and weaken your skin. This, in turn, can provoke the worsening of acne. You can use a liquid-base, lightweight SPF formula instead of the cream or the gel-based ones to prevent this. Layering your skin from the sun's harmful effects and reducing the risk of early aging and skin cancer.
ProTip 8: Always Remove Your Makeup Before Going to Bed
We know it's hard to dedicate time to wash away the makeup after a long, hard day. But leaving the products on overnight can cause severe damage to your dermis. It is of utmost importance to cleanse your face of the makeup products even though you have used make up for acne-prone skin.
Your skin needs to breathe freely to replenish and rejuvenate after the day's damage. The best practice is to cleanse your face with a gentle makeup remover and cleansing with an oil-free, anti-clogging cleanser. Follow that with a soothing toner and let your skin rest during your sleep time. Regular practice of this regime has shown significant results in the management of oily, acne-prone skin.
ProTip 9: Seek a More Lasting Solution
Covering your zits and pimples can be a temporary hack to hide them, but your skin needs a more permanent remedy. Heavy makeup and acne is never the right combination. Opt for an anti-pigmentation serum that would help reduce the dark spots and blemishes on your skin and protect your skin from heavy makeup.
Recent researches have found Kojic Acid to have high efficiency in reducing melanin formation. The Minimalist product containing 2% Kojic acid + 1% Alpha-burin has been tested to prevent melanin formation, reduce dark spots, and minimize damage due to sunlight. Using this ultra-light, the aloe-based formula leaves your skin brighter without any greasy residue.
ProTip 10: Keep the Gradient in Mind
While applying cosmetics on your skin, always remember to put the lighter one first. Using the heavier one before will counteract the effect that the lighter one has. So it is beneficial to apply the low weight make up first, then apply the others with a gradual increment of their weight.
Non-comedogenic: What does it mean?
Non-comedogenic: this term has become quite prominent among people concerned about using make up for acne-prone skin. You too have looked for this team on the product labels before you pick them. Let's know what does this word implies;
Non-comedogenic means a specific product formulated so as not to cause blockage of pores. This is quite a welcome idea for all people who suffer from constant skin breakouts and acne. But can you be sure about the ingredients used in the products?
Unfortunately, many cosmetic manufacturers have resorted to their products' false embellishment to allure people to buy them. Consumers often fall prey to these tactics and bring home the risk for unwelcome breakouts with these products.
What Should You Look For?
Few ingredients are beneficial for the prevention and control and acne. If you find these in your cosmetics, you can be assured of a good result. Components such as Benzoyl Peroxide, Resorcinol, Salicylic Acid, Sulfur, etc. have shown effective outcomes on oily and acne-prone skin. Essential oils like Almond oil, neem oil, and grapeseed oil have proven to have a non-comedogenic effect when applied on oily skin.
What Should You Avoid?
D & C Dyes, fragrance additives, denatured alcohol, paraben, and silicon have been scientifically tested to show a toxic reaction on your skin. For example, silicon in skincare products claims to leave a residual layer on your dermal surface, congesting the skin pores. It traps impurities, microbes, dead cell debris, and sebum in your skin that can aggravate acne formation. Silicone is also seen to encourage blackheads and cause pore enlargement. Sweating, which is our skin's natural way to wash off impurities, is hampered by the silicon layer and gives rise to blemishes.
Final Thoughts:
Our skin requires loving care to protect itself from the harsh environment and pollution. And if you have an oily screen, the worry increases manifold. However, just a little extra care and vigilance will keep your skin healthy and acne-free.
All skincare products that you purchase should be checked for their ingredients. Choosing the one with components friendlier to your skin type can enhance the beautiful skin that you flaunt. No paraben and no silicon present in the product ensures that you won't be jeopardizing your skin's health.
