Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

Concealer help for DD

35 replies

GrannyBloomers · 15/03/2022 11:05

Teen DD terrible acne. Mid teens and not keen to take to the GP. I recall being given antibiotics and the pill which didn't help much.

Back to the subject I bought a few lacura concealer pens in the lighter shade for me some time ago. DD has found the shade perfect for her skin. And of course now you can't buy them.

We do all our shopping online - partly as I have been ill and she's too busy. (Clearly I do the odd trip to Aldi!)
Has anyone got any good online concealer they can recommend - I suppose it had better be cheap as it will be trial and error with shades.

OP posts:
Thewindwhispers · 15/03/2022 11:07

Touche eclat by YSL is amazing

parabalabalabala · 15/03/2022 11:10

Please go back to the GP. Treatment will have moved on since you were a teen. It would be good to at least give her some options of having active treatment should she want it.

Juniper68 · 15/03/2022 11:14

Go back to the GP.

Does dd use a moisturiser? My dss acne cleared when they started using one. Ds1 used one first then ds2. They're early 20s.

StrawberryPot · 15/03/2022 11:33

If it really is terrible, then please take her to your gp and ask for a referral to a dermatologist. As pp said, there are other treatments available - Roaccutane if necessary.

Don't just leave it to cause permanent damage to her skin and self-esteem.

Original poster
GrannyBloomers · 15/03/2022 11:35

DD uses a moisturiser. She doesn't want to go to the GP even though she's got scarring already. She's seen several kids go to the GP be promised the earth and there's been no change at all. She doesn't see the point.

OP posts:
Juniper68 · 15/03/2022 11:42

She needs the GP to refer her to a dermatologist.

liquidrevolution · 15/03/2022 11:43

if you can a private dermatologist may be best. I wish my parents had taken me when I was younger.

BusterGonad · 15/03/2022 12:11

It's no good using a concealer like YSL touché eclat on spots as they are highlighters, so you'd use then on sunken dark circles and on the tops of your cheekbones etc. You need a non highlighting concealer for lumps and bumps. Something like Benefits original Boi-ing. Rimmel hide the blemish (?) is always receiving awards. It's thick so only really good for the real problem areas. Personally I'd get a decent foundation like Lancome teint idole then use Benefit Boi-ing on the bad bits. Pricey but worth it imo.

marmiteadict · 15/03/2022 12:22

A good, cheap option is Rimmel Hide the Blemish (I am a fellow sufferer)

If your budget stretches I'd go for Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage.

I would again reconsider your GP as there is a lot more sympathy and help than back in the day. I've just finished a course of antibiotics (lLymecycline) which has been very effective.

A big hug from someone who knows how horrible it can be. The first thing I used to do when I woke up was look in a mirror and would completely decide how my day would go.

Gonnagetgoing · 15/03/2022 12:31

@Thewindwhispers

Touche eclat by YSL is amazing
@Thewindwhispers - touche eclat is a light reflecting cream not a concealor as such.
Gonnagetgoing · 15/03/2022 12:32

@marmiteadict

A good, cheap option is Rimmel Hide the Blemish (I am a fellow sufferer)

If your budget stretches I'd go for Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage.

I would again reconsider your GP as there is a lot more sympathy and help than back in the day. I've just finished a course of antibiotics (lLymecycline) which has been very effective.

A big hug from someone who knows how horrible it can be. The first thing I used to do when I woke up was look in a mirror and would completely decide how my day would go.

@marmiteadict - definitely Hide the Blemish. Maybe also try Maybelline Erase or Benefit Boing.

OP - has she tried tea tree oil?

Savvysix1984 · 15/03/2022 12:37

I'm a massive makeup/ skin care person. I've tried lots of concealers and maybelline eraser eye concealer is the best that I've found (£8).

BungleandGeorge · 15/03/2022 12:46

Has she tried any treatments at all? Will she do an online consultation sending photos, either with own GP or online doctor?

JustFrustrated · 15/03/2022 12:57

Not to add to the concealer recommendations, but skincare.

Has she tried something like skin&me.

It will take a couple of months to see improvement, and it's likely to get worse first, but honestly it's game changing.

All skincare, especially prescription, does take a while to work.

Innocenta · 15/03/2022 13:09

Glossier concealer is good and very teen friendly. Try and see if she'd be able to do one of the online acne treatment services.

NorthernSoul55 · 15/03/2022 13:50

Collection lasting perfection concealer is good, sold in a lot of supermarkets /Boots/Superdrug. I still have the occasional spot (in my 60s) and this works well, stays put all day. Lots of shades.
One tip (think this was Lisa Eldridge?) is to paint a cross over the spot, then just tap lightly to blend.

ClandestineAdulation · 15/03/2022 13:52

Revolution Conceal and Define from Superdrug is high coverage and very affordable. Would recommend!

StrawberryPot · 15/03/2022 16:28

DD uses a moisturiser. She doesn't want to go to the GP even though she's got scarring already. She's seen several kids go to the GP be promised the earth and there's been no change at all. She doesn't see the point.

I find it very hard to believe that any GP would promise the earth when it comes to acne. I had absolutely terrible acne from the age of 16 and throughout my 20s. I moved around a lot during those years so must have seen dozens of GPs. None of them were at all particularly sympathetic - or promised the earth. Finally, in my late 20s, a GP offered to refer me to a consultant. And my life changed when he put me on Roaccutane.

Of course you can't force your dd to go to a dr. And it may be that her acne doesn't bother her enough to do that (though I find that hard to believe if it's as bad as you say). But the GP is a stepping stone to a dermatologist.

Or, as pp said, you could go down the private route.

Original poster
GrannyBloomers · 15/03/2022 16:32

Some great recommendations thank you.

She has been using nicinamide (spelling?) from The Ordinary, a tea-tree wash and a moisturiser.

OP posts:
MerryMarigold · 15/03/2022 16:37

As someone who had terrible acne and has been left with scars, I would go dermatology route. If she doesn't want to then persuade her! You are the parent. Take care of your child. I'm sure you know that teenagers don't know it all and I'm sure you do also have the ability to persuade her that seeking help is the best thing. She may never grow out of it so it's wisest to start the journey on finding what works from now. I wish my Mum had done that for me but a. She thought it was a 'phase' and not to be so vain and b. Treatments have moved on so at a dermatologist level they will be different to what you were offered.

Original poster
GrannyBloomers · 15/03/2022 19:45

I will try to persuade her. But her brother had the same - he's two years older and it's clearing up fast which I think is influencing her thinking.

OP posts:
kilo · 16/03/2022 16:35

Another vote for Rimmel Hide the Blemish, I have been using it since I was an acne-prone teenager myself (several decades now)! If she's looking for a creamier one, tarte shape-tape has loads of shades and lasts for ages so is better value than something like YSL (also cheaper). I use it for under eye concealing so not sure how it would react to covering up spots though. To deal with the underlying problem I recommend applying Neutrogena On the Spot all over the area followed by Clean and Clear moisturiser every day. Again I have been doing this since my teens and my skin is great and I am regularly complimented. The Neutrogena On the Spot is not available in the UK but you can get it online. Good luck!

DuckyNoMates · 16/03/2022 16:48

If she goes back there may be a different antibiotic she can try. I had absolutely terrible acne and understand the "what's the point" mentality when you don't see a difference after a few weeks. It can take a whole though. As for concealer if they are red then a green colour corrector may help (go easy) and through trial and error I found the urban decay naked skin foundation and concealer was very good at covering.

For shade finding try the Findation Website.

DuckyNoMates · 16/03/2022 16:49

I would avoid anything light reflecting as that is just going to draw attention to them

popcornchickin · 16/03/2022 19:14

Bless her. Not an easy time.
Everyone's skin is so unique. My skin responded really well to cold pressed pure rosehip oil for my forehead acne and so I recommended it to a friend and it did zilch for her. As for concealers in no particular order:

●Makeup Forever Extreme Camouflage Concealer
●Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer
●Elf Hydrate Concealer
●MAC Concealer Palette
●Mehron Pro Colour Ring Concealer - its very very thick and you may need to mix the colours (you get 5 shades in one single palette) but good for single spot cover
●Celebre Pro-HD Conceal Palette (again multiple shades)
●Milani Conceal and Perfect
●Make-Up Atelier Paris Concealer Palette

Tip 1: buy yourself one or two very fine artists paint brushes to apply the concealer directly.
Tip 2: invest in a green concealer. Green concealers use colour theory to neutralize redness and are used under normal colour concealer and foundation

You could always use clearpay or klarna if you want to try out a few concealers at once to spread the cost.

Good luck!