If you’re someone like me who has struggled with acne for years, I’m sure you know that having problematic skin can be a real blow to your confidence. In the past I’ve tried it all: oral and topical antibiotics, retinols, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, etc. Basically the products I’ve put on my face have been like a science experiment gone wrong.
To give some background, my skin gets oily on my cheek and nose area and I suffer from cystic acne. Makeup has been both my best friend and my enemy. Most doctors will tell you that applying makeup will further aggravate your skin and, while I do agree that not allowing your skin to breathe is bad, it can be difficult to walk around with a bare face when you have a bad breakout (if you can do it, you’re a badass and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!). In this post, I’m going to be discussing the steps I take to treat my skin and the types of makeup products I use to avoid negative reactions.
When I first began wearing makeup, I loved to use MAC Studio Fix Fluid foundation ($27.00). It applied with ease and left me with a flawless finish that lasted all day. Within a few weeks, though, I noticed humongous cysts forming on my cheeks and forehead. They were literally quarter-sized and felt like I was growing the Himalayan mountain range on my face. I figured they must have been related to stress, but as I continued to use this heavy foundation, I continued to see breakouts.
The reason behind these zits? Silicone! Silicone is not just a product used to enlarge boobies these days; almost every foundation/ concealer/ primer out there contains silicone in some concentration because it serves as a barrier between the skin and the makeup. Unfortunately, silicones are often the culprit when it comes to cystic breakouts and people almost never suspect them (Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor, but this has been my experience and I have extensively researched the topic).
One way to know if your makeup contains high amounts of silicones is to look at the ingredients list. Ingredients that are highly concentrated are generally listed first. Any ingredient ending in “cone” (dimethicone, trimethicone, etc.) is a silicone-based ingredient and if these are within the first three ingredients listed, they might be the reason you’re seeing consistent breakouts while using a certain product. Liquid products that list water as their first ingredient have been less likely to break me out. The safest bet for me, though, has been Bare Minerals Matte powder foundation ($27.00). I can build the coverage up until it’s as full as I like it to be and it contains no harsh chemicals or silicones.
Another important step to care for your skin is removing all your makeup at the end of the night. Nighttime is the perfect time to give your skin a break from wearing makeup and allow it to repair itself. People with dry skin or combination skin often have success using Ponds Cold Cream ($4.99), but it has proven to be too heavy on my oily skin so I generally use Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes ($4.99). I keep them next to my bed and if I’m too lazy to do anything else at night, this is something simple I can do to make sure I’m not sleeping with a full face of makeup.
On most nights, though, I follow up by using St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub ($3.95). This scrub is pretty harsh, so before you begin using it every day you should make sure your skin can handle it by doing a test run on a small part of your cheek/ forehead.
Then I use Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Toner ($7.99) and apply it to my forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin using a cotton round.
The final step of my nightly routine is applying a light coating of Yes to Carrots Intense Hydration Night Cream ($12.99). This is a great brand to use if you have sensitive skin because they use natural ingredients and even though they are a bit pricey as far as drugstore prices go, I think it’s worth a try.
One common misconception people with oily skin make is avoiding a moisturizer altogether; when you do this, your skin may overproduce oil and become even oilier than it was to begin with. That was a mistake I learned the hard way… If you need intense moisture or have peeling skin, Shea Butter is great and an all-natural way to moisturize. You can find it at most health food stores or even at local farmers markets.
Another step I do occasionally is a face mask. If you’re oily and acne-prone, anything with some sort of clay or mud in it is your best bet. I am a huge proponent of cheap masks that you buy on a whim for a dollar because you lack the willpower to say no, but if you want something insanely good for acne, buy Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay ($4.99). Just don’t leave it on for too long because you might find it to be overly drying.
My morning routine is much simpler. Generally all I do is wash my face with a gentle cleanser like Clean and Clear Morning Burst cleanser ($4.95) and then I apply a light moisturizer like Lush’s Enzymion moisturizer ($39.95… But I’m just sayin’, Yes to Carrots is just as good for much less $$$).
I find that using an excessive amount of products makes my makeup application more difficult and hardly makes a difference. I hope this helps and if you have any other questions about your particular skin type or specific products, feel free to leave a comment below and I will get back to you!