ZIT HAPPENS: How To Conceal Blemishes & Textured Skin | Makeup Application Problems

Seeing Spots?

     

     Happy Saturday to you all! I decided on a how-to session today, since acne, after all, is the bane of everyone's existence. So, I have certain ways of tackling and dealing with those annoying periodic cases of hormonal breakouts, as well as remnants of those occasional cystic bumps from hell. Please know that I am not a skincare expert, but I can not suggest enough, that if you have an ongoing problem with acne or breakouts, you would benefit very well from, at the very least, owning just one skincare product with a glycolic renewal complex or a product with glycolic acid as the #1 active ingredient. From what I've learned, there's no AHA or vitamin that is used in long-term skincare and acne treatment that's a marketing fad. None. Unlike other ingredients I've found that are just fillers and serve absolutely no purpose or lasting benefit to the skin whatsoever.

     Glycolic acid is the most common of the AHA 'cules (Alpha Hydroxy Acids), and its key purpose is to remove those dead skin cells and to exfoliate. Skin comes first and should be first priority if you have problematic skin, and makeup should always come second. So before you take the plunge on that $30 temporary-fix concealer, might I suggest that you try to find out what your skin is missing? I really don't intend to sound preachy or anything, but we only get one shot with our skin, and I made the mistake of not taking care of mine, and learned better a couple years ago. Just a few words I wanted to pass on to everyone out there, especially those of you who are around the same age as me. Keeping it real, as I always do, and it's only because I love you all enough to keep it snazzy!

     Back to the subject at hand! I wanted to show you step by step how you can diminish those pesky peculiar pimple POS's and uneven skin surface. The first task at hand is tackling the issue with well-exfoliated, well-treated and moisturized skin, and the makeup products and method I use to create a long lasting barrier of coverage will naturally follow afterwards. When I have a breakout, makeup sometimes can slide right off me, rendering reapplication necessary, as I always apply a very light, barely there dusting of finishing powder and can go kinda moisturizer-happy beforehand; I apply much less powder than most people I know, so my method may seem out of order to some of you, but it's one that works, nonetheless! 

All photos in this post were taken indoors in front of a window in natural sunlight and no artificial lighting. None were taken with flash.

About a week ago, I had a pretty nasty hormonal breakout that developed into cystic bumps, and these two near my temple have actually faded quite a bit. You can't imagine them looking much worse than this, right? 

These are the essential products I've been using to prep and treat my skin.

Organic Coconut Oil, Lumene Finland Bright Touch Refreshing Cleansing Foam, Lumene Finland Bright Now Vitamin C Hyaluronic Essence, Mario Badescu Glycolic Skin Renewal Complex

Step 1: I always start with coconut oil on my skin, morning or night, as it's simply excellent at restoring the skin's elasticity.
Step 2: After rinsing off the coconut oil, I then cleanse the skin using this foaming cleanser from Lumene Finland, and it fits the bill so nicely, and is awesome at removing everything. It's rather gentle too, which I appreciate!
Step 3: I either apply a small bit of coconut oil or Aura Cacia's Skincare Almond Oil (if I have a bottle on hand) to moisturize my chronic dry skin.
Step 4: I follow that up with applying a bit of Vitamin C Serum. This one from Lumene is the successor to my Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum, which I just can't afford right now. However, I love the Lumene serum, and notice that it has been brightening and evening out my skin texture over the time I've been using it.
Step 5: If I have a pimple or spot that is a spot of inflammation on my skin, I want to be sure to treat it prior to applying any sort of coverage makeup products, so that I know that it is being treated throughout the day while being worn underneath the makeup. It's these spots onto which I will dab a tiny amount of my mini size of the Mario Badescu Glycolic Renewal Skin Complex, for spot treatment.

Base Skin Products I Used

Skin 79 VIP Gold Collection BB Cream, Skinfood Salmon Dark Circle Corrector in No. 1

My skin with a light layer of BB cream, and the salmon corrector underneath the eyes. Red inflammation spots are still very much visible

     I shifted gears before I applied any heavy coverage concealer to my breakout spots. We have often heard and learned to apply cream before powder, but this is where I'm going a bit out of order by applying the powder first, then the cream concealer second! I do this because when done correctly, my concealer will have something to adhere to, and it won't slide off and this process actually helps the coverage to last eons longer. I was never a fan of green correctors for red blemishes, because when paired with my porcelain complexion, any concealer I applied above the green made the problem spot (and the area of skin surrounding it) look grey and entirely too ashy.

With this method, if I apply a skin-toned powder (I wouldn't use a translucent powder for this, honestly) on the problem spot prior to concealing, and then a skin-toned concealer, that eradicates the problem with ashiness. However, you also have to be careful to create as little additional texture to the area as possible, and actually apply as little of the powder and concealer as possible.

Here are the tools and products I used for this step!

Step 1: Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Powder in Light applied onto problem spots with the e.l.f. Studio Blending Brush | Step 2: Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer in CIA applied with Real Techniques Detail Brush layered on top of the powder

Step 1

Blend a Bit of Powder Over the Problem Spot

Step 2

Apply Cream Concealer Onto the Powdered Spot & Blend in Patting Motions

The Final Results, After Blending!

This is what I do to cover blemishes without having to deal with that ashy, grey appearance. Everyone has their own method, and if green corrector works for you, that's great! I just find this method to be quicker for me. See ya, and have a lovely weekend, everyone! 

💋 xoxo-Cailee

* Products in This Post