Mineral makeup with acne?

[minipie]

Hi all. I've seen lots of glowing reviews on here of Bare Minerals and similar mineral foundations.

However, I've got acne - had it since 13 - and I always have red spots and ex-spots that need to be covered. At the moment I use a MAC liquid concealer, and lots of it. The liquid lets me apply very specifically to the spot and blend with fingers and apply more layers. I can't see how a powder concealer would work? Can it be applied very precisely and can you build up the layers?

Anyone use mineral makeup with acne? How do you cover the spots?

TIA

[doughnutty]

No advice just lurking. Got similar issues.

[twolittlemonkeys]

I have this problem too. Wondering if it is worth forking out ££s on BE makeup (following the recent thread where so many people were raving about it) I'm sick of having teenage acne at 30... :( I use concealer (and lots of it) but everything seems to just slide off my face within an hour or two (even when I use primer!) What the hell am I doing wrong or will mineral makeup be the cure?

[minipie]

Thing is, I could just go to a make up counter and ask them to demonstrate on me, but that would mean I had to go out without my makeup on and with spots on show, which I haven't done for, ooh, about 18 years.

[MumfieReturns]

Also lurking - although my problem is psoriasis too, greasy acne and flaky spots yum yum!

[doughnutty]

Yes, it's the flakiness that bugs me. I could probably solve that myself, but, I'm a picker!

[FreddieMercurysBolero]

They will clean it off for you with a wipe at a counter, mini, or bring your own wipes ifyou use a specific brand that doesn't upset your skin. Meanwhile, I exhort you all to check out the www.acne.org regimen, it is life changing. Ilve had acne for about 15 years, and the regimen meant I didn't have any on my wedding day.

[emsyj]

Hello again minipie!!!

You absolutely do not have to go to the counter with no make-up on. They will remove it for you and re-do you.

In fact, if you want them to do it in private they may be able to accommodate that too - certainly House of Fraser in Manchester can do this (according to the lady on the Chanel counter who reacted with utter horror when I turned down the offer of coming for a full makeover because I didn't want to come into town with no make-up on! She assured me she would never expect anyone to do this!)

[minipie]

[emsyj]

I have suffered with acne for years (32 now and it's mostly under control). The only things that worked were Roaccutane followed by Dianette and Minocin (together). I now take Femodene and have a course of antibiotics about once every other year and that keeps it at bay.

I use Lily Lolo from time to time, but the colour I've got is a bit pale for summer and i haven't bothered buying a darker one this year. It's quite good and it won't exacerbate your spots, but on the whole I prefer a liquid.

Chanel Teint Innocence is good and shouldn't aggravate your skin either.

Definitely worth asking if they have a private consultation room, or even see if there is a local make-up artist who uses mineral make up and have a one to one lesson/consultation at home?

[ChateauMargot]

Cover FX is brilliant for problem skin - you can order it online or buy at Harvey Nicks or Selfridges. I've had acne since 13 (now 29) and I wish I'd discovered it earlier.

In terms of treatment, I've found benzoyl peroxide only makes it worse - drier, flakier and irritated. The best product I've found so far was recommended alongside N-Lite treatment - Jan Marini's line. Bioclear wash, salicyclic acid, and regeneration serum. It's pricey, but worth it (got rid of a terribly outbreak of cystic acne all over my neck and jawline last year, which was caused by my going off the pill).

[RamblingRosa]

Definitely try mineral make up. I have acne prone skin but have barely had a single spot since starting using mineral make up about 4 years ago.

Try Lilylolo (//www.lilylolo.co.uk). Much cheaper than BE and they do more shades and tester pots. I actually think they're slightly better than BE. You can check out online tutorials on youtube to see how to apply it.

Basically you need to forget everything you've learned about how to use make up to cover your spots. Don't think in terms of concealer etc. Just give the mineral foundation a go. You can build coverage up easily if you need to. Just keep the brush nice and clean and you'll be fine.

Also, think about what you're putting underneath. Try just using a mineral sunblock rather than a moisturiser. And use a gentle creamy cleanser and take off with a hot flannel rather than using face wash etc.

[minipie]

Thanks all . I have tried a lot of these things (Roaccutane, antibiotics, Dianette, Laser) over the years and none have worked - some have helped a bit but nothing has really made much of an impact, I seem to have the world's least responsive skin! Benzoyl peroxide has helped the most - it's a little drying but not too bad. I would look at trying some of the others again, but am TTCing so most aren't suitable.

Chateau that's interesting. will look up the Jan Marini stuff. How long did you find it took to work? my skin is also worse at the moment due to coming off the pill.

emsy I find Chanel foundations a bit yellow toned for me, but will have a look. Will def ask about the private rooms and/or possibly local make up artists. Have you tried mineral concealer?

[RamblingRosa]

Oh and have a look on the BE website. They've got all sorts of new products including a powder that's meant to be used as a night treatment and sorts out spots.

[minipie]

Cross posted with Rosa. Thanks Rosa - so do you find the mineral stuff is able to cover red spots? Do you have to put loads on?

Yup agree re the creamy cleanser - I've shifted to the Liz Earle cleanser, which is definitely better for my skin than more foamy washes. Hoping to find a cheaper substitute at some point!

[emsyj]

Have you tried Silicol Skin or the stuff from the Chinese herbalist?? I didn't find Silicol Skin did anything for me, but it cured my sister's friend's adult acne after everything else had failed - you can get it over the counter in Boots. Also not tried the Chinese herbalist stuff (a soap and a lotion) but seen rave reviews on here so thought worth a mention in case you haven't used it.

I have the Lily Lolo mineral concealer but find it quite hard to get a good result to be honest - I tend to just layer the foundation in the problem areas (have lots of broken veins on my left cheek and have to cover up the redness so I layer it on in that area). It might be my application technique though so wouldn't like to say if it's any good. I did buy the special brush but didn't find it blends very well, although you can buff it with the Kabuki brush afterwards and that helps a bit.

[minipie]

No, never heard of Silicol Skin or the Chinese herbalist stuff. (I have read about Chinese medicine for acne but that usually involves a tea iirc?) Will do a search!

[RamblingRosa]

Honestly you can really build up coverage to cover even the reddest spot. I don't really like the mineral concealers but the foundation covers pretty much anything.

And honestly, you'll find that as you keep using it, there's less and less to cover as your skin will improve dramatically. I'm not making it up. And I don't work for BE or Lilylolo! I'm just a convert.

[RamblingRosa]

Why not just get yourself a decent brush (the Lilylolo one is fine and cheaper than the BE one), get yourself a couple of tester pots of the Lilylolo one and give it a go at home after watching some online tutorials. I totally understand about not wanting to have your make up done in public. I've always been terrified of that too.

[JodieHarsh]

Ello ello, recent BE convert and total BE mentalist at present (not joking - I keep going to the loo to inspect my face and find it still as beautiful as when I painted it 7am this morning!)

I don't have acne, but I do get spots (and do you def. have acne or just the odd break out??).

And it honestly does cover amazingly.

I used to use either Maybelline dream matte mouse and this pot of sludge from Benefit called Erase Paste, which I think must have been intended for drag queens to conceal their stubble.

Neither stayed or covered logner than an hour or three and also, I think they were no good for my skin.

i PROMISE that on my 3rd day of using BE my skin already looks less red, angry and flawed.

This may be a hormonal thig or something but I like to think it's my NEW MOST FAVE THING EVAH

[JodieHarsh]

Sorry minpie, just seen you've tried lots of hardcore acne stuff. I'm sorry pal, I honestly know how demoralising it is to have bad skin

[minipie]

[JodieHarsh]

Why don't you ring/pop into your nearest BE counter and explain you'd really love to test it but aren't keen on being done in public? Bet you a tenner you'd be far frmo the first person to ask.

But as someone said upthread, you won't need to go barefaced. Dear GOd. The IDEA

If you DO try it promise faithfully to come over to the BE cult thread and tell us how it went?!

[FreddieMercurysBolero]

Ah ok minipie. Have a look at acne.org though, you never know. I use neutrogena wash (the blue one), quinoderm 5%, olay moisturiser. I think one of the main things that make it work is being really gentle when washing your skin and applying creams and slathering on the bp. Also no face touching/picking. I tried roccatune and dianette as a teenager, and they didn't work. Have a look see if your beauty salon sell BE, they might be able to help. I completley understand about not going without makeup, I am the same.

[minipie]

TBH I think picking/squeezing is probably the issue for me. I just can't seem to resist.

[FreddieMercurysBolero]

I know, mini, it's really hard to stop. They have some really good forums on there too about picking/squeezing, and the psychology involved, if you're interested.