I'm currently using a sodium sulfacetamide & sulfur cleanser with Aczone. My skin is starting to improve and I'm thinking of starting my makeup collection. I was wondering if anyone can recommend makeup thats is ok to use while on acne medication. I'm a little scared to just pick any makeup because I don't want to ruin the improvements I've made ^__^. I've tried Bare Essentials before but it ended up giving me really hard deep acne the next day. Someone suggested using primer to help separate my skin from the makeup, would that help? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! TIA!
Safe makeup while on acne treatments
- Thread starter meechelley
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Definitely touch base with your derm, and I'd start off as light as possible and then gradually see what products your skin tolerates best. As you've probably been warned as well, sun sensitivity can be an issue so if you can find products with built in SPF that's a plus (and something you'll appreciate in the long run!). You might try picking up some product samples so you can patch-test products on your own skin before buying, since it is such an individual thing. Good luck!
I just wear oil free sunscreen on the whole face and Neutrogena acne clearing concealer over the specific blemishes. I don't wear powder or foundation, I don't like to put too many products on and get that cakey look and you can't completely hide a breakout anyway so I think just softening it with the concealer works better.
Smashbox's halo powder is really light, but it's good for a light application of color... I use it and I have rosacea and it doesn't seem to bother me too much... but YMMV. Derm would be best to talk to first, they may just tell you to take it easy and watch how your skin reacts.
I'm very happy using jane iredale mineral makeup on my skin, I use retin a among other things as needed. This doesn't make me break out even in the rare occasion that I fall asleep with it on.....It's a little pricey but I think it's worth it, plus I like to use a pressed base and there is a pressed available, most mineral makeup only has a loose....
Thanks for all the suggestions. I forgot to ask my derm when I had my first appointment. I'm not a makeup wearer at all since I've always been afraid of making my skin worse cause all the ones I have tried ended up giving me more acne. But now that my acne has settled and a majority of what is left are dark marks from previous pimples/zits and it would be nice to be able to look like I have flawless skin for special occasions. My next appointment is in two months so its a bit away... and I'm not sure if they will talk to me on the phone unless it was an emergency.
Elders (and by that I mean my friends' moms) have recommended Kose cosmetics. It's a popular Japanese brand that's really hard to find in the states. I just started using it so I can't really attest to how it works. I agree with previous posters that your derm is the best source of info, but I have a feeling he/she will advice against using makeup. When I asked my aesthetician for advice she said I should just use moisturizer and sunscreen and stay away from makeup.
So I just came back from my dermatologist and she said anything that has non-comedogenic should be fine. When I told her that I broke out when I used Bare Minerals she was confused and speechless. I'm somewhat doubting her expertise on acne skin (mainly cause shes pushing really hard for antibotics... and for me I'm not comfortable with putting pills in my body to get rid of the one or two deep ones that now exist... since the creams she gave me work great in getting rid of everything else)... but I am glad that the perscriptions that she has given me have been working really well!!
I'm down to two remaining acne scars (currently healing) and my forehead is more or less clear! I've done alot of reading in this forum and other acne related forums, and I think I will give mineral make up another chance. Whenever I go to the Bare Minerals boutique they cake it on me... and I think thats why I break out so much. They layer and layer different things on my skin.. (even my fiance thinks that I look cakey and he doesn't know a thing about makeup).
I have also been watching alot of youtube makeup tutorials and the way I see people use mineral makeup is very sparingly. I also might try ones thats talc and mica free.
winnie83 - let me know how it works out for you? I've tried so many foreign brands through out the years... i'm also asian so.. whenever we have family reunions.. my family would always comment on my acne... i'm the odd one out in the family who never grew out of it... so they always keep recommending creams and sets... I've tried expensive sets from hawaii... japan... australia... korea... I've even tried the somewhat cheaper solutions like papaya soap and at the time we had the FaceShop (I believe its korean?).. my roommate at the time swore by it.. nothing worked for me... =*(... I gave up for a good 3 years on my skin and just let it be.. I literally just used a gentle cleanser.. and moisterizer on dry parts of my skin.. no make up to cover up my skin... still no improvement... in fact.. it got worse.. and my face started to hurt (it hurt like I had a ton of bruises on my face) and thats why i went to the dermo.. I'm so happy atm! ^__^
I'm down to two remaining acne scars (currently healing) and my forehead is more or less clear! I've done alot of reading in this forum and other acne related forums, and I think I will give mineral make up another chance. Whenever I go to the Bare Minerals boutique they cake it on me... and I think thats why I break out so much. They layer and layer different things on my skin.. (even my fiance thinks that I look cakey and he doesn't know a thing about makeup).
I have also been watching alot of youtube makeup tutorials and the way I see people use mineral makeup is very sparingly. I also might try ones thats talc and mica free.
winnie83 - let me know how it works out for you? I've tried so many foreign brands through out the years... i'm also asian so.. whenever we have family reunions.. my family would always comment on my acne... i'm the odd one out in the family who never grew out of it... so they always keep recommending creams and sets... I've tried expensive sets from hawaii... japan... australia... korea... I've even tried the somewhat cheaper solutions like papaya soap and at the time we had the FaceShop (I believe its korean?).. my roommate at the time swore by it.. nothing worked for me... =*(... I gave up for a good 3 years on my skin and just let it be.. I literally just used a gentle cleanser.. and moisterizer on dry parts of my skin.. no make up to cover up my skin... still no improvement... in fact.. it got worse.. and my face started to hurt (it hurt like I had a ton of bruises on my face) and thats why i went to the dermo.. I'm so happy atm! ^__^
I had problems with acne since I was in 9!!! It was primarily on my forehead, then of course once I hit high school it was all over my face! I had tried every single soap and acne treatment out there and nothing helped!!! I finally went to a dermatologist and within 6-9 months my face was completely clear!!!!! I hadn't even noticed it! One day I just looked in the mirror and realized my acne was completely gone!!! I was using Retin-A and neutrogena oil free moisturizer (spf 30). She had also given me antibiotics to take. I didn't put any makeup on my skin at all while I was on the treatments. I never wore makeup anyway though so it wasn't a big deal. When I finally started to wear some makeup I used Chanel's translucent powder and that was it. Never did I have breakouts with it at all and it gave me such flawless skin it was great!
I'm glad that your treatments worked for you!!!!
I'm glad that your treatments worked for you!!!!
She's not pushing the antibiotics b/c she's not an expert in her field; you HAVE to treat acne from the inside out, and most methods of treatment begin with a regimen of strong antibiotics. But then again, you say you have one or two deep pimples.... so maybe it's not textbook acne after all.
I'm a firm believer in not trying too hard to get your skin to do what it wants to do. And you HAVE to give yourself TIME for treatments to work. Just switching from one expensive brand to another is going to empty your wallet and cause more distress. I was a longtime acne sufferer, and went through everything you are saying, but what I've FINALLY (!!!!) found is that Cetaphil cleanser (the daily foaming one, not the gently lotion-like one) and lotion are my Holy Grail skincare products. I exfoliate maybe once a week (it sounds bad, but my skin just does not need it) and I use the Mint Julep Mask by Queen Helene a couple of times a week. Mainly I use it whenever I'm in my bedroom folding laundry or watching late night tv.
Another thing that some cynics like to hate on, but it works for me is water. I'm currently in my 4th month of pregnancy, and I've been averaging about 100 ounces a day..... and while all my friends are complaining about cystic acne due to pregnancy hormones, mine is crystal clear. (Except for a few blackheads on my chin, but I just ordered the Clarisonic to take care of those!)
Since I have been seeing my dermatologist, she has recommended Clinique. Now, I know it's not the "trendy" makeup or the stuff that is in pretty cases, but I've been using it for 15 years now (I've cheated but ALWAYS have gone back) and it's the only thing that works. In fact, I just saw my dermatologist the other day and she STILL sings the praises of Clinique and Cetaphil.... I thought to myself "Why didn't I listen about the Cetaphil when I was 13??" ..... I would have saved a lot of money!
Best of luck -- but remember, use gentle products, not harsh and give yourself TIME to see results. (As in, 4-6 weeks). Be patient!