Acne Magazine

Going back to the days when there were fewer cosmetic choices, and there seemed to be a lot of common “no no” ingredients in the cosmetics we had to use as teens (at least I’m speaking for myself, maybe I’m the oldest one here though:), whereas today there is such a wide range of non-irritating makeup for us acne sufferers to choose from that we can easily choose one that is good for our skin and won’t clog us up so we can keep clear pores, which is one of the keys to avoiding acne postules such as whiteheads and blackheads.

One of the worst ingredients that can be found in foundations and other makeups that might cover the entire face, such as primers for foundation or heavy powders like pressed ones that really grind into the skin’s pores, in my opinion, is mineral oil.  Now don’t get me wrong, mineral oil can be ok when it’s found in trace amounts in makeup today, but mineral oil used to be used as a heavy base for many of the foundations and makeups of yesteryear, and I always found that not only did it feel cakey and heavy going on, but it also caused me to break out.

Not only did it cause the smaller irriation-type bumps of acne, but it also would cause periodic lesions that were more serious and took more time to heal, and of course I couldn’t put two and two together until my dermatologist told me that I had to stay away from makeups that had a lot of mineral oil in them because it was a comedogenic substance that was not good for those with acne, but instead was really an ingredient that was meant for totally clear skin or aging skin.

Mineral oil should not be confused with the light mineral powder makeups of today like Bare Minerals though.  These are in powder form and are much lighter and are supposedly made to be noncomedogenic because they are so light and airy that they do not absorb into the pores and clog them like mineral oil can in it’s liquid form. 

However, there are some readers who have shared with AcneMagazine that they have not had good experiences with mineral powder makeup and in fact have broken out from it, so there may even be some truth to the fact that some of us cannot even use minerals in their powder form.  When reading the labels of your foundations and other makeups that stay on the face all day and inhabit the areas where you typically break out, look for water based makeups, and if mineral oil is in the list of ingredients, it shouldn’t be listed toward the beginning. 

Neutrogena is one product that comes to mind that is noncomedogenic, but there are also several other foundations by L’Oreal and other top names that have lines that  are made for sensitive and acne prone skin that still have good coverage but also keep the pores clear of debris and irritants that lead to breakouts. 

Hey, before I go into this fairly short one about cover up and which kind I feel works best for covering up old acne scars or fading acne redness, I just wanted to remind readers that if they choose to post a comment, please make it respectful of other readers and refrain from using profanity. 

I’ve had some lately that are downright disrespectful, and I will not tolerate that, because I believe we can all talk to eachother like adults here on this blog and share our views and opinions without name calling or plain rudeness.  It’s a world where only people who use common sense on the golden rule and how to treat others gets you ahead, so I firmly believe we should all observe that golden rule in every facet of life, even if it is just some “stupid blog”. 

Anywho, I wanted to share with you that I recently gave the cream form of cover up another go, and has lousy results again.  Not sure if anyone else has had the same experience, but for me, it seems the best kind of cover up for covering blemishes and healing acne bumps, or even old faded scars that you want to blend in with your skin better, a stick form of cover up works better.  If anyone has any reviews on cover ups they want to share or any other tips on how to find good, effective and non irritating coverups, please share!  Thanks! 

Picking the right products for acne prone skin, especially skin that may be prone to a lot of inflammation, such as those with acne rosacea, is tough. It’s hard enough to pick out moisturizers, foundations, and cover ups that don’t clog the pores or cause some other sort of mess on your skin when you are subject to oily skin that is bumpy and also produces comedones (blackheads) and whiteheads.

Well, I do like the lightness and ease that is provided by using the Bare Minerals, or maybe even other mineral makeup, however, I realized that I just need better coverage in the winter, when my skin tends to get a little more unevenly toned, and also tends to show a lot more imperfections like any leftover scarring or temporary scars if I had any minor little breakouts from stress or that dangnabbed caffeine that I can’t seem to stay away from.

So, I switched back to my liquid foundation mixed with the Revlon Skinlights which I think I talked about not too long ago, because it was being discontinued when I went to purchase it online after not finding it in stores that I usually had no problem finding it in.  I just use a simple, lighter foundation for the winter, and make sure that it’s not going to make me look “two toned” and my neck a lot lighter than my face, so I try to get a lighter shade of foundation than I would normally use say in the summer or spring, when I might naturally have a bit more color from self tanning.

This time I chose to go with L’Oreal foundation in a lighter formula, but also formulated for maturing skin, since I didn’t want anything that would settle into my crow’s feet that have formed around my eyes since I turned thirty.  It is noncomedogenic still as well, I did make sure to check that, but it is formulated with an ingredient that is also good for acne, which is hyaluronic acid, because it can help the skin turnover a little more rapidly, and contributes to a more evened out look to the skin.

I think as long as a foundation that is also anti aging in nature is ok, as long as it does not contain a lot of mineral oil, which can be a major pore clogger.  Also, you might want to make sure the consistency isn’t too thick, as this can indicate it may clog your skin and make for not so clear pores! 

Well, after about a year run with Bare Minerals, I decided to give up this easy foundation for a while and go back to my old trusty combination of a good, noncomedogenic foundation (I vary between Revlon, Clinique and L’Oreal for my foundations), and Revlon Skinlights skin illuminator lotion.  However, when I went to go buy more of the Revlong Skinlights makeup, I was disappointed that two stores were not carrying it. 

I came to find out upon further research that Revlon has discontinued their Skinlights line.  I couldn’t believe it! This was my all time favorite addition to my makeup routine, and I loved that it didn’t make me break out, and provided a slightly dewy, healthy looking glow without looking fake or off color on my face. 

So, I went online desperately looking to see if maybe someone had some stock leftover, and after I read some posts on a forum that there might be some left over at discount stores like Big Lots, I ended up finding the last of my color of Skinlights on Amazon.com.  I purchased all of the tubes that the merchant had left in stock of the Warm Light color, and I received them just last week. 

I liked the Bare Minerals for summer time, when I naturally had a bit more color to my face, but I found that for winter, the Bare Minerals just wasn’t cutting it for covering up blotchiness and blending my skin tone smoothely, as well as covering a minor breakout if I happened to have one.  I will probably still go back to using Bare Minerals in the summer, but will always have my standby of “old faithful” Revlon and foundation combo, just in case. 

For those of you interested in trying something like that, I believe Revlon now has a line that is comparable to the Skinlights line, in other words one that is supposed to complement the skin tone and be worn as almost a second moisturizer, but I don’t know the name of it, nor the availability in stores yet, since it’s fairly new.  I’m hoping they bring Skinlights back though, that really is a superior product. 

As a person who has had acne, and still has the occasional acne blemish, I always thought it was important to find a good cover up.  When I purchased the Bare Minerals makeup system, which is a finely ground mineral powder that is all natural. 

What really drew me to the Bare Minerals by Bare Escentuals makeup was the fact that not only was it all natural, but it provided a sheer coat of SPF for my face, which is essential for anti aging as well as to keep the skin glowing and keep acne away. 

Yes, the sun can actually aggravate acne and cause further inflammation because it causes more damage to the skin and postpones healing of acne lesions when it shines all its loveliness on your face.  But enough of that, I’m going to tell you why the Bare Minerals does not work so hot as a cover up. 

You are supposed to be able to use the fine angled brush to dab some of the foundation on a blemish, and it’s supposed to cover it up.  It does at first, but it quickly wears off and you are left with a bright red bump when that happens. 

If you want the cover up to last, you can use the Bare Minerals technique, but for more coverage for those nastier, redder acne lesions, you will need a stick or liquid cover up as well.  My personal preference is a stick cover up because I feel I have more control over the outcome this way.  Liquid is a little harder to control, at least for me personally. 

I do think the Bare Minerals can be used to cover up some acne bumps, but not the more serious ones that need to be blended in to your skin tone to be unnoticeable.  Still love my Bare Minerals, and do believe it is excellent for acne prone skin, as it does not clog pores or contain any irritating or drying ingredients, but the cover up option needs a little more, and who can blame it - after all, it is just a powder…..

If you use the Bare Minerals mineral powder-style foundation makeup line, and you have acne prone skin or enlarged pores, I have a tip that I discovered that may help you cover up those larger pores with this makeup a little better.  A lot of people have discussed here that using Bare Minerals is kind of hard if you have acne because unfortunately, while it is very good for your skin and does not contain any harmful chemicals.  I also like the fact that Bare Minerals has a built in, non pore clogging SPF in it that is minimally invasive and does not cause any allergies that I know of. 

But, many people with acne and enlarged pores complain the one thing about Bare Minerals is that it does not provide enough “coverage” to cover up large pores and acne scars.  I actually also had this complaint, although I still liked it because it looked like I wasn’t wearing any foundation and blended very naturally with my neckline, unlike many of the heavy foundations in cream form.

Well, I think I’ve found the solution, or at least somewhat of a fixit.  What you will want to try is using the Mineral Veil first, and don’t be stingy with it.  Dust a layer of the Mineral Veil (the translucent stuff with no pigment) on first, and do not use sparingly as you do on the top layer. 

This helps to fill in scars, and acts as a great pore-filler as well as helps to blend the scars and imperfections a little better, I noticed.  Then, you would apply your pigmented foundation, then another layer of the Mineral Veil again (this time you may want to go sparingly to avoid looking too white or powdery).  This should at least help the situation a little.  If it doesn’t, you could always try either a cover stick to cover up the problem areas, then use your Bare Minerals, or you could just try blending it a little better with the blending brush that is used specifically to cover any acne scarring and blemishes. 

I’m glad to tell you, as a self tanning fanatic who also happens to have had a lifetime on and off struggle with acne, I’ve found another face friendly and acne friendly self tanner that both delivers natural, beautiful looking results, and also happens to not make your face erupt into small bumps, or God forbid, one of those awfule under-the-skin lesions.

It’s a little higher on the price scale, but it’s very high quality, and contains high quality ingredients that are conducive to healthy facial skin and clear pores.   It’s called Xen-Tan, and it’s about $22 for a bottle of the facial self tanner, which is small, but if it is only used on the face, it lasts you quite a while honestly.  If you use it on the face and neck, you may notice it will go quicker though, of course.

What I like about it is that it actually goes on as a dark self tan at first, which of course washes off in its intensity once you wash your face after 3-6 hours of having it on, but it gives you a really lovely instant self tan, with olive undertones, which is unusual for a self tanner. 

Usually you get golden undertones with all of them, which doesnt’ always necessarily flatter every skin type of skin tone (as well as the hair color, if your hair is dark, you’ll really love this - it’ll make you look “exotic”).  Anyways, very cool product - do a google search, you’ll see it.  Or I think they also sell it at high end department stores like Blommingdales and Nordstrom.   

What is Dermacia?  I wondered this after I had seen their advertisements several times on yahoo and other high placed websites.  At first I thought the Dermacia products were a line of acne treatment products, but upon further examination, I realized they were actually a unique makeup which covers acne blemishes and other skin imperfections very well, almost as if the person has flawless skin. 

Dermacia actually also comes with a cleanser and toner, but it is primarily advertised as a makeup (at least that’s what I personally gathered from their marketing angle). 

So needless to say I was intrigued, and went on their website to discover a little more about this product.  The Dermacia products show several fairly impressive before and after pictures of clients that use their makeup and go from blotchy, blemished complexions, to seemingly flawless complexions after application.

The whole thing with Dermacia, and how it sells itself is that it is the only foundation makeup that actually increases oxygen delivery to the skin and is a truly “breathable” foundation, unlike any other foundation of its time.  I have to admit, this sounds pretty good to me, so I kept reading…

It does not come with any herbal acne remedies or anything, like the Acnezine product for example is (it’s an herbal acne remedy).  Rather, it is a cleanser and toner, and then a foundation kit in various skin tone colorations, which contains two types of foundations in liquid or heavy liquid form (I can’t tell by the bottle, but it may be a thicker “cream” type substance). 

Presumably there is a trick to the application and the thicker consistency makes for better coverage.  You may want to check it out if you’re in the market for some new makeup and you have blemish prone skin, or heck even if you don’t it probably works well to camouflage discolorations and other imperfections.  If you have perfect skin, forget about it!  For Dermacia products at a better price and additional customer reviews of the products, see the Dermacia pic below folks…

Well, I know I’ve written about the Bare Minerals products before, but I had unfortunately never tried them to give you the “personal scoop” of how the products did on oily skin. 

Well, now I have gone and bought the Bare Minerals starter kit at a local Sephora cosmetics store, and am happy to tell you, I think this product is working well for my oily skin, and better yet, is not causing any breakouts.

The Bare Minerals products are really a set of three powders made of pure 100% natural minerals - no chemicals or preservatives or any of the other “nasty” stuff that often goes into other foundations, cover ups, and other skin enhancing products on the market.

At first, I thought it might be a little bit of a pain in the butt, because the first application took me a good five minutes as opposed to my short one minute foundation routine I currently have, but I’m getting the hang of the application here now on day 3 of applying it, so I think eventually I’ll be down to a minute!

First, you apply a base foundation powder, and you don’t really apply much of it.  I have decided that now I am going to apply what they call the “Mineral Veil” powder first, because the instructional DVD said that people with oily or shiny skin have the option of applying the translucent mineral veil underneath the foundation for extra shine and oil control, and perhaps to also minimize likelihood of acne breakouts.

I do like the effect the makeup gives, and it truly does feel like you are not wearing any makeup at all - it’s actually very soft and smooth.  The one thing I haven’t figured out yet or shall we say “perfected my craft” in is the effective application of the foundation with the special coverage brush to disguise blemished areas or discolorations. 

It still seems I can see them, but I’m working every day to try to figure out my own personal technique to get that perfected, because I really do think I’m going to like this makeup long term.  I bought the medium complexion kit, since I am fairly pale, but not so pale that the fair skinned kit would have looked right with my skin tone (per the helpful lady at Sephora). 

My favorite part of the whole kit is the mineral veil, which I truly feel has helped minimize the look of oiliness and shininess of my skin, as well as creates a slightly more refined and flawless look when I apply it both before and after my warming powder and foundation powder.