Archive for Concealer

Nifty Tips for Using Makeup to Cover Acne

It’s not easy to figure out your approach to makeup when it comes to acne prone skin. Being able to cover the blemishes you have today might come with a price. As you may already know, makeup can potentially complicate matters and clog your pores. It doesn’t exactly mix well with oily or dry skin, and many of the most popular ones don’t have acne prone skin in mind. While you might be able to cover up the problem today, you could be facing further breakouts in the future that are much harder to hide. The good news is you don’t have to forgo makeup completely. With proper technique, the right products, and a preventative acne approach, you should be able to cover up your blemishes until your skin clears up. Here are some handy daily tips for using makeup effectively to cover up acne.

The Right Foundation – a good foundation is going to serve as the cornerstone to your makeup routine. While liquid foundations are more effective at covering up discoloration and blemishes, they also have a tendency to clog your pores. You’ll be able to find a better balance by using mineral makeup that is often less expensive as well. This lighter type of makeup that comes in powder form works better for sensitive skin, and you don’t have to worry about complications with caking and drying. It’s best to find a more natural mineral makeup with as few adages as possible such as Bare Essentials or Almay Pure Blends Mineral Foundation.

Good Technique – once you found a good foundation, it’s important to apply it properly. It might be tempting to use your fingers and simply attempt to cover your face as best as possible. But it’s far better to either use a brush to get overall coverage, or use dabbing motions on specific areas. When you rub your skin too profusely, it might provoke oil production or larger pores by rubbing makeup into your skin.

Don’t Overdo it – remember, more makeup doesn’t necessarily make your acne less noticeable. In some cases, you can actually make it more pronounced especially when you’re makeup itself stands out. Be aware of the lighting in which you apply your makeup, and try to wind things as naturally as possible. It’s common for people to overdo it only to realize their mistake once they set out into more natural lighting. It’s important to keep an eye on the ingredients of your chosen products as well. For example, if your foundation, concealer, cleanser, and topical cream all contain active chemical ingredients, you could end up with extremely dry skin. This is one area where you have to be very careful about over doing it.

Acne Concealers – with a good foundation already in place, you can go ahead and apply a gentle acne concealer to finish the job. Make sure that both your foundation and concealer match the tone of your face to avoid noticeable blotches. A product like Smashbox Camera Ready Full Coverage Concealer will help to reduce oiliness and overall glare. You can also find medicated concealers that will help with bacteria on your face as well. Some concealers such as Cover Girl Simply Ageless Concealer also contain anti-aging properties that ward of wrinkles and tighten up your pores.

Maintain Good Habits – no matter which products you choose, it’s important to maintain a hygienic routine on a daily basis. Wash your face well before application of any foundation or concealer. You also want to make sure that all of your makeup is completely removed before you go to bed. One of the worst mistakes that leads to more breakouts is falling asleep with makeup on your face no matter how natural you might think is. Also make sure that anything that comes into contact with your face is thoroughly cleaned whether it’s makeup brushes, clothing, hair, or your own hands.

This advice on applying makeup for acne prone skin comes to us from howtogetridofacnehelp.com where you can find further advice on general skincare or specific tips for how to get rid of acne.

 

Disclosures: Girl Gloss at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page

Laura Mercier Flawless Face Review

I have been a long time fan of Laura Mercier products. Laura Mercier is an all around quality line, but they are often are most associated with the “flawless face,” a method of creating a beautiful and smooth appearance with primer, foundation, concealer, and powder. Although I had used various combinations of Laura Mercier products in the past, and liked them quite a bit, I had never used all four flawless face steps in conjunction until now. I found that you can indeed achieve a very nice look using the product line as a whole, and I do recommend all four steps for the best results.

Natural Look

Every Woman Wants a Natural Flawless Look

Laura Mercier Flawless Face Review

Laura Mercier makes a number of different products for varying skin types and beauty needs. Since I have combination to oily skin, I tested the oil free products.  For details on learning more about choosing the exact products that will suit you best, see the brand information and links at the end of this post.

Step One: Laura Mercier Foundation Primer – Oil Free

Laura Mercier’s oil free primer is a lotion type of primer. I like the lotion texture over that of a silicone based gel because it doesn’t feel as heavy and it blends in nicely. Being oil free, the primer does not leave any sort of sheen on the skin, but it is not drying either. That made it perfect for my combination skin. Overall, it provides a nice, smooth base for the next step in the process–applying foundation.

Step Two: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 – Oil Free

I love tinted moisturizers, provided that they are oil free, have SPF protection, and provide decent coverage to cover up some of my blotchy areas where I have some hyperpigmentation. Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 – Oil Free fits that bill perfectly. I seriously love this product! First and foremost, this tinted moisturizer has real tint. I got good medium coverage with the product as long as I used it over the primer, yet it still felt lightweight. Interestingly, it is more sheer when used alone, and I rather like that flexibility. It provides just enough moisture to keep my dryer areas comfortable, yet I had no issues with it on oily areas . Because I have areas of increased pigmentation, constant sunscreen use is also important to me. With SPF 20 in the form of titanium dioxide, one of my preferred sunscreens, this product is perfect for me.  One note, some people report that titanium dioxide can cause acne. I personally have never had a problem with it though, and I have regularly worn the ingredient for many years. But if you are acne prone and concerned, take a look at one of the other Laura Mercier foundations instead. There are a number of good choices.

Step Three: Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage is one of the products I had previously used and it remains one of my all time favorites for concealer. This two shade pan concealer can be applied with either a brush or fingertips and is best used over foundation. The concealer has a good consistency that gives it both good coverage and staying power. I like to use the darker of the two shades under my eyes, where it covers any dark circles beautifully, and I tend to blend the shades where needed to cover hyperpigmentation. It will blend in nicely and set well when you move to the final step—applying powder.

Step Four: Laura Mercier Universal Invisible Loose Setting Powder

I had not previously tried Laura Mercier’s powder and was looking forward to doing so, having previously heard some rave reviews of it. The powder is indeed very nice. It is silky smooth, sets everything quite well, and leaves a beautiful matte finish. Although white in the jar, it is indeed invisible on the skin.

In the end, I really do love the Laura Mercier flawless face system. The products obviously are designed to work together, and they do so quite nicely. The ultimate look has good coverage, but doesn’t look overly made up. I recommend that anyone try the products, and especially do so if you have any problem areas where you want good coverage, yet still want a natural look.

Laura Mercier Brand Statement

Laura believes there are four steps to create a flawless face—primer, foundation, concealer, and
setting powder. Each product has been specifically developed to allow every woman to achieve
an incredibly even, smooth, yet natural-looking complexion.

For more information on Laura’s flawless philosophy and tips on how to use each product within
each step is located here: http://bit.ly/qEdysD

If you are telling others, they can get their perfect products to create their ultimate flawless face
using our flawless face finder: http://bit.ly/eOvLjf

LauraMercier_Logo

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Laura Mercier via Glam Media. I received a sample to review as part of the program. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Laura Mercier. For more, see our disclosure page.

Photo licensed for use via Fotolia.

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Disclosures: Girl Gloss at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page