In my previous "Dee's Skin" post I touched on the problems I face with my skin and I have struggled, struggled and struggled some more to figure out how to make my skin look something other than dull, lifeless and blotchy. Well, since I haven't found a miracle skincare regimen that will combat the many problems I have yet, I had to look to makeup for help. In this post, I will share with you my tips and tricks to camouflage the types of skin imperfections I deal with so that hopefully none of you have to struggle as much as I did. :D
Problem #1: Dryness and Dry Patches
Tip: If you can, use a moisturizing serum 5-10 minutes before applying foundation. A serum will make an instant difference to your skin texture and moisture because it penetrates so quickly into the skin.
Tip: If you like a lighter coverage I would recommend using a tinted moisturizer or BB cream instead of foundation. This will work as both your moisturizer and coverage which is handy and I find these types of products blend better and easier on dry skin with no cake face. I love the Stila 10 in 1 BB cream and have recently discovered and love the Revlon Photo Ready BB cream. I do prefer the Revlon one during the summer just because it has SPF 30 but the Stila BB cream is a staple in my winter makeup routine. Also, I have recently picked up the Clinique CC cream and am currently testing it out so there will be more on that product later.
Trick: Use a moisturizing face mist or setting spray before applying foundation. My favourite moisturizing face mist is The Body Shop Vitamin C Energising Face Spritz. Applying a product like this before starting your makeup routine will give your face an instant, extra boost and dash of hydration. Just make sure to let it absorb into your skin.
Trick: To help blend foundation, dampen your makeup brush with MAC Fix+. This product has ingredients that when used with foundation, allow for a seamless, natural blend onto the skin. You can also use this trick when working with fuller coverage foundations to sheer the coverage or with harder to blend foundations.
Trick: If you find any cakey patches on your skin, spray MAC Fix+ over the area, and if necessary, pat with clean fingers.
Trick: Use a very finely milled setting powder. With dry skin, it is easy to make the face look cakey and lets face it (lol do you get it? :P), that is not a good look on anyone. One I recommend is the Rimmel Stay Matte powder. And as much as possible, try to limit powder to the areas that can get a little oily such as the T-zone, avoiding dry patches.
Trick: Use a primer. This will help to even out your skin's texture which is essential when you have dry skin. One that I am loving currently is the Lancombe La Base Perfecting Makeup Primer. A little goes a long way with this product so one or part of one pump is enough and leaves a satin feel to the skin which makes applying and blending foundation a dream.
Problem #2: Rosacea
Tip: Go light on the blush because you don't want to emphasize the redness but don't skip it either, especially if you are as pale as me, or you will look like a ghost when your rosacea isn't acting up. Try to go with a different undertone than red, such as a blue pink.
Tip: If you can find a good one, try using a yellow tinted setting powder. The yellow shade will help to make redness less prominent because it emphasizes any yellow undertones you may have in your skin. A yellow toned foundation would also work. MAC has a nice one in their Face and Body foundation line.
Tip: Use a green primer. Smashbox and Stilla both make a nice one :). Green and red are actually opposites when it comes to how color is perceived by your eyes so using a green primer or even a powder will counteract the redness of your skin. Gotta love optical illusions sometimes, they are so handy sometimes. If you want to try this optical illusion out, stare at a red object on a white background for 1 minute then quickly look away to a plain white piece of paper, you will see a replica of the object but in green. Cool huh? Sorry, my inner - well lets face it, outer - science nerd came out right then. Surprise! lol
Trick: Instead of blending your foundation in circular motions, pat the product onto the skin where the rosacea is most prominent. This trick will minimize the amount of movement on your skin which will promote blood flow to the surface of your skin and make your rosacea worse. To do this, I would recommend using a dense foundation brush such as the Sigma F80 Flat Kabuki Brush. If you do not have a dense foundation brush, a makeup sponge can be used to first lightly smooth the foundation over the affected areas and then patting to blend. Make sure you are using a lighter hand when patting the product into the skin to prevent greater blood flow to the surface of the skin.
Problem #3: Pesky Baby Hairs
Tip: If you can, wax your baby hairs or use hair removal cream. Since my skin is so fair, the hair removal creams tend to irritate my skin or break me out and waxing makes my rosacea worse :(. Thank god mine are white blonde, it is my only saving grace.
Trick: Using a face primer with a thicker formula can also work to help keep those pesky baby hairs lying flat. One I use for this is the Loreal Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base. This primer has a thick formulation that when it is applied with either a brush or clean fingers in the direction of the hair growth, it helps to keep the baby hairs lying flat on the face. Now, this will not be a 100% solution, depending on how long and thick the hairs are. Since mine are relatively short, this doesn't get all of them, but it helps.
Trick: When applying your foundation, avoid swirling your brush around to blend in the areas containing these hairs. This motion will lift the hairs and coat them with foundation, making them more noticeable. Instead, either pat the product onto the skin or blend in the direction the hairs are growing to have them lay flat on your face.
Well, I hope this will help any of you dealing with one or all of the same problems I have to on a daily basis. If you know any other tips and tricks not mentioned in this post, please leave a comment and let me know.
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