18 Feb Makeup tips for teenage acne-prone skin

Teenage acne is incredibly common and unfortunately it can have a serious impact on your self-esteem. Here are our tried-and-tested makeup tips for acne-prone skin.

You are beautiful – teenage acne or no acne

First things first: let us clarify that there is absolutely no need to wear makeup. Acne or no acne, man or woman, wearing makeup is a choice. You are beautiful, no matter what.

The other thing to remember is, we’ve all been there. Almost everyone has suffered with teenage acne at some point and, even later in life, most of us battle with the odd pimple.

Preparation is key

If you do decide that you want to wear makeup, then preparation is key – especially when you suffer from acne.

Before you even open your makeup bag, make sure your face is clean and hydrated. Start by washing your face and applying a light moisturiser. This will remove any breakout-causing bacteria and help the makeup sit naturally on your skin.

It’s a common misconception that people with oily or acne-prone skin don’t need to moisturise, but skipping this step only makes the appearance of acne worse. Added to this, if your skin is too dry, it starts to produce excess sebum (the waxy substance which causes breakouts).

If your skin is particularly oily, it’s worth choosing an oil-free moisturiser. Choosing a moisturiser which is unscented is also a good idea as fragrances can irritate the skin.

Go matte

You’ll notice many foundations and concealers come in both matte and dewy formulas. If you’re prone to breakouts, steer clear of anything labelled ‘dewy’, ‘glowy’ or ‘hydrating’ as these are likely to be packed full of moisturising ingredients which may aggravate your skin.

You may come across makeup described as ‘non-comedogenic’. This means it’s water-based and less likely to block the pores in your skin, so ideal if you’re breakout-prone.

Matte formulas also tend to last much better on oily skin, especially in warm weather. And they’re designed to prevent that annoying shiny glow that starts to appear around the t-zone after a few hours.

Less is more

If you’re conscious about your skin, it’s easy to over-do the makeup. But caked-on foundation can actually make blemishes and imperfections more visible rather than hiding them.

The solution? For natural-looking coverage, apply concealer first to mask spots and areas of redness. Then, apply a lighter layer of foundation on top.

How you apply your makeup is also important. Using a brush or makeup sponge can help achieve a more natural finish than using your fingers, but make sure it’s scrupulously clean.

Use a powder

Once you’ve applied your foundation, dust on a little powder. This sets everything in place and will make your makeup last longer. Plus, the powder has a mattifying effect, preventing oil from seeping through.

Let your skin breathe to reduce teenage acne

Your skin needs time to breathe. So try to leave your skin bare as much as possible. Whether this means taking the odd no-makeup day or just committing to taking your makeup off every single day before you go to bed. Yes, even when you’re tired!

Use makeup with teen skincare ingredients

In recent years many brands have introduced makeup formulated with skincare ingredients such as tea tree oil which is a natural ingredient famed for clearing up blemishes. This means as well as masking existing spots, wearing makeup like this can actually help prevent future breakouts.

Keep it clean

Make sure you clean and thoroughly dry makeup brushes or sponges to ensure they’re not harbouring germs. And don’t be tempted to hang on to that favourite concealer long after its sell-by date: throw out old products that could contribute to break-outs.

Treat teenage acne from within

If you’re looking for a long term solution to mild acne, HRI makes two natural remedies which can help.

HRI Clear Complexion™ contains blue flag and burdock root, two potent herbal ingredients which are proven to banish spots and blemishes.

HRI Teen Skin is designed specifically for teenagers. It’s a vegan multivitamin plus, with 26 skin-boosting active ingredients including grapeseed and berry extracts, zinc and live cultures which promote healthy, nourished, spot-free skin.

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