If you have acne what makeup do you wear? And do you recommend it?

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I've got acne, had it since I was 12 . I've seen various acne threads on MN so I know there are fellow sufferers out there.

All the threads I've seen focus on remedies. However perhaps we can have one about the more short term solution of make up? It can be difficult trying to find make up that works with spots so thought we could share any recommendations/ones to avoid.

I am currently using:

• Garnier BB Cream for Normal/Oily skin.

This is ok but I'm looking for an alternative. It is not too oily (a problem with lots of BB creams) and doesn't seem to make my skin worse, but it's a little too orange for me especially in winter. I really really like the Loreal BB but it makes me break out after a few days .

• Mac Select Moisturecover.

I love this concealer, it's really liquid and creamy so no cakiness whatsoever, but you can build it up to get good coverage. Also a huge range of colours. Really recommend it.

• Estee Lauder Doublewear Light (only for special occasions)

Good coverage without being too heavy. I don't like the full weight version but the light is perfect. Still too heavy for every day use though (for me at least).

Looking forward to your thoughts...

Have you tried using a primer? My skin isn't too bad but used to be awful, but I was helping out a friend with very poor skin the other day so practicing some old tricks. She had terrible redness so we used a green anti redness primer first, then a light coat of smashbox primer to combat the dryness.

Something else I did with her (which I know is a bit controversial!) was to apply some concealer before her foundation. I do this on myself too - I'm super pale and I have never found a concealer which is a convincing match to my foundation! I used benefit booing with a small concealer brush to cover all the spots/blemishes, then applied the foundation over it using a real techniques stippling brush. Because it's a stippling brush it means the foundation lies on top of the concealer whereas a normal brush would dislodge the concealer.

I covered a couple of particularly bad blemishes again with concealer after the foundation but the vast majority vanished completely without any visible tone changes on the make up. The Lancome Tient Idole 24h foundation was pretty good for this too as it's really buildable - combined with the stippling brush it meant I could easily add more where I needed it without getting cakey

I've had acne for about 18 years but it's not as bad these days. I feel as though everything I use I like to start off with but then it stops working as well...

I am using the Touche Eclat foundation which I think is good but it starts getting oily after a day in work.

I use collection concealer which is the best concealer I've ever used. I loves it

I always use Vichy Dermablend on clients with acne-it's fabulous stuff. It's a foundation but I usually use it as a concealer.

thanks, interesting stuff.

I've seen lots of good things about the Teint Idole foundation and the Smashbox primer so might try those. I have a fancy primer somewhere (YvsSaintLaurent maybe?) bought for my wedding, but it feels like wax so I wasn't too keen on it for every day.

I've always wondered how to do foundation after concealer without dislodging all the concealer! Not sure I can be arsed with all that stippling though.

I will look up collection concealer and vichy dermablend. Antoinette so what do you use as foundation?

The stippling is really quick actually - it doesn't take any longer than putting it on with a normal foundation brush as you don't end up with streaks that you have to blend like crazy

I'd say it takes me under a minute to put my foundation on.

I use Vichy Dermablend as well. It's too thick to use as a foundation so I use it as a concealer as well. It's good stuff.

The only problem I have is the range of shades is quite limited and the palest shade is still too dark for me so I can only really use it in summer.

I use a foundation that can be built up and then the Vichy on top as concealer. I like MAC Face and Body as it can be as sheer or heavy as you like and I find people often have some areas that are clear and don't need an opaque foundation everywhere.

Sorry to sound gross but I use a mans styptic pencil to instantly dry up squeezed spots so that foundation can be applied smoothly over the top without any ooze showing through, that then dries to a crust/cornflake!

I then use a tiny brush to apply foundation over any blemishes instead of a concealer, as the foundation is a perfect match and there is no cakiness.

I then set with powder.

I keep a Vichy Dermablend in my kit. The dopey consultant in my local chemist tells everyone it is a brilliant foundation - if you could see her face you would know instantly why she is spoofing, it is a very drying foundation and cakes around the eyes after a few hours but as a cover for acne it is brilliant. Use it sparingly over the affected areas, a little goes a long way. If you have really bad redness and scarring Charles Fox does a range called Dermacolour Camouflage, it is a heavy duty professional product and can cover things like port-wine birthmarks and tatoos.

I have got the la roche posay foundation which is quite good. But smells a bit odd.

Mineral makeup and mineral concealer over LRP Effaclar K: with these, my skin has improved a lot and I no longer need to cover breakouts. Lily Lolo mineral concealer in the palest shade is super pale - the first concealer that actually blends in (and doesn't oxidize) on my milky pale skin Dermablend and its LRP equivalent are good stuff but both can be too dark and obvious on me, at least in the winter. The palest shade of DWL is also obviously orange on me :( Revlon CS in Ivory was a decent match for my skin tone and acne-neutral but I prefer minerals because the sheerer coverage feels more flattering.

sounds like I need to investigate this Vichy stuff then.

Styptic pencil tip is genius. I always make the mistake of squeezing/scab removing just before leaving the house and then can't get the conceal to stick to the ooze! Brilliant brilliant idea.

Re the mineral make up: how does mineral concealer work? Is it powder like the foundation? if so then how does it actually cover anything...? I think I have a lily lolo trial set somewhere so may dig that out.

I came on to say Vichy Dermablend but it seems everyone beat me to it.

Do some research into non-comedogenic make up and cleansing products.
www.acne.com/how-to-prevent-acne/skin-info/makeup-and-acne/

most importantly make sure you remove every scrap of make up at night without fail, and don't do it by putting more chemicals onto your skin. A hot flannel does wonders! If you really really need to use cleanser and moisturiser have a look at the La Roche Posay range and vichy range as they tend to be non-comedogenic.

Get familiar with the 'bad list' of ingredients for adult acne and try and avoid them where possible in products.

www.acne.org/messageboard/topic/319593-the-bad-list-comedogenic-ingredients-and-products/

Mineral concealer is basically kaolin, a fine clay powder that has a slightly plasticine feel. It sticks very well, better than liquid concealer ime (have you ever applied liquid concealer and then struggled to keep it on when you are blending it in). I apply it with my fingers and an eye shadow blending brush. It 'airbrushes' my skin and I use it to cover quite dark purplish (!) old scars and hyperpigmentation. It has nothing to do with traditional loose powder. If you are very pale and struggle to find a concealer pale enough, you should try it.

I've tried most full coverage liquid foundations in the market (for heavy coverage, budget options include Revlon whipped cream and Bourjois Flower Perfection; I quite liked LRP Toleriane Teint Fluide but it was slightly too dark). It's a vicious circle - if you put on a lot of slap, your pores will get more clogged and your skin gets progressively worse underneath with new comedones emerging daily. Anyway, since switching to mineral, I've had very few breakouts and the texture of my skin has improved a lot. My old acne scars are fading fast. So I need really very little product these days...

Switching to a mineral foundation has made a big difference for me - can even be lazy about taking it off at night without breakouts . If I ever revert back to using a non-mineral foundation for even a day to two I can anticipate a breakout.

I wear L'Oreal True Match Mineral foundation - really quick to apply, stays put all day, can use it as concealer. I'm the same as Plateofcrumbs, as soon as I use a liquid foundation I breakout.

Lanacane anti chaff gel had the same ingredients as the smash box one, it's fab stuff and the best primer I've used, plus so much cheaper than smash box!

Thanks everyone. I don't wear foundation (find it too heavy and clogging as everyone says) but do wear BB cream. I will have a go at switching that to a mineral foundation instead, since I'm not uber happy with the BB cream anyway.

Still not completely convinced about mineral concealer - clay like doesn't sound great to me and I love my Mac concealer (their palest is pale enough for me) - but I will see if I can find a counter and play with some!

Thanks for the "bad list" links, I will take a look.

I am pretty sure the underlying cause of my acne is PCOS/hormonal, but make up does make some difference.

Cleansers... I use soap in the morning and Simple wipes in the evening. I guess this is bad? Tried Liz Earle for ages but made no difference. Interested by the idea of just using a hot flannel.

I use veil cover cream. I get it on prescription. I have roseacea and excema and the different is amazing. I hides my patches and I love it. I can swim in it and shower wearing it.

There are amazing videos on YouTube for it and pictures on Facebook page

Just googled that Veil cream - looks amazing!

I would ditch the soap and the wipes asap OP, both very harsh.

Have you tried Micellar water, it's amazing stuff?

Look at their Facebook page. I love some of the photos. And my before and after photo is there. My skin is awful. Awful!!! Roseacea sucks. And I was terrified that my wedding pics would be ruined. But the make up held up. Lasts 24 hours and doesn't fade and wear off.

My pics didn't show a tiny trace of it. The make up held under scrutiny and a tiny amount goes a very very long way. The powder is essential to set it.

I use almond colour for my face

I'm off to check out the Veil cover cream. Thank you.

Wow!

www.raspberrykiss.co.uk/2012/09/how-i-achieve-flawless-skin.html

I have eczema and acne (sometimes cystic acne), I use Rimmel 'Wake me up' foundation which I find good on the oily bits & the dry bits. I also use Vichy Dermablend as a concealer. I also never use foundation brushes- just freshly washed hands.

For some reason I have more breakouts from make up remover- even the 'gentle' stuff?