Best mac foundation for acne skin#

Makeups and foundations will never ruin your skin if you use the right ones and only the ones that suit your skin type and needs.Ĭoming back to acne. Now you may ask why I am giving so much importance to some piece of random makeup product. However, for the average regular women, it is very crucial to get the best foundation for deep acne scars. Read on for my picks, as well as a few from other experts.There are very few people who can say that they haven’t experienced acne in their lifetime. Over the years I've assembled a small army of the best foundations for acne-prone skin. 'It gives whatever you put over the top of it incredible staying power.' 'Another secret makeup artists do all the time is use an eye shadow primer on acne that makeup won’t stick to normally,' says Irwin. When it comes to actual application, Irwin recommends to always use an oil-free gripping primer before foundation. If, like me, you're acne-prone and dry, foundations with acne-fighting ingredients can be too harsh, but if you're more oily, Irwin says to look for formulas containing salicylic acid in the ingredients list, along with zinc, sulfur, kaolin clay, tea tree, and aloe vera. This ensures you get plenty of coverage where you need it, while keeping things light and dewy where you don't.Īnother good tip to keep in mind is to use only formulas that are noncomedogenic (meaning, they won't clog your pores) whenever you can, skin care included, and try to avoid mineral oil, as it can also exacerbate breakouts. If you have a lot of blemishes to cover, he recommends a green primer or color corrector and a layer of concealer before your foundation, and another layer on top (be sure to pat or stipple it on-if you swipe it, will just wipe away your work) before adding powder. Spickard says to then use powder strategically to set makeup on any blemishes. 'I recommend that you look for a natural or dewy finish, which will help your skin look hydrated and healthy,' he says. Kasey Spickard, a makeup artist in New York, notes that while those of us with acne may gravitate toward matte or powder formulas, they can accentuate healing blemishes and make them look worse. As a general rule, though, she says acne is usually easy to cover with a formula that's dense in pigment but has a light texture: 'Think a few sheer coats, instead of a spackle.' For special occasions, she suggests a full-coverage cream, but notes it can be a bit too heavy for everyday use. 'There isn’t a best type of foundation for acne-prone skin, because there are many types and causes of acne,' says makeup artist Mary Irwin. Keep in mind you're going to have to try several formulas before finding the perfect one, and what works for me might not work for you. I've tried hundreds of bottles of foundation (even before it was part of my job), and have finally found a few that really work for me.

What to look for in a foundation for acne-prone skin When my acne is covered, I have an easier time focusing on my work, looking people in the eye, and I'm just in a better headspace overall.

I don't believe that anyone has to wear makeup, no matter how “good” or “bad” their skin is, but for me, a great foundation is like a security blanket. I've struggled with hormonal, cystic acne for the past decade. And so the search for the best makeup for acne-prone skin becomes some sort of impossible balancing act, one that I've been trying to perfect since my first breakout in middle school. On the other hand, glowy, lightweight foundations look beautiful on, but don't provide the coverage I need to feel comfortable in my own skin.

You would think that matte, full-coverage foundations would be best for the job, but in my experience, if you have any kind of texture, they only make it more noticeable. It also needs to cover up both active breakouts and year-old scars, without looking cakey or settling into dry, healing pimples. The most important thing is that it can't clog my pores and lead to even more acne. Finding a product that checks all my boxes is way more complicated than it sounds.

For roughly the past decade, I've been in constant search of the best foundation for acne-prone skin.