I need your help.
Last summer, I began to notice how bad my skin was breaking out. I’ve never been one to have a smooth, clear complexion but I never suffered from acne as a teenager. But, oh boy, is my face getting me back for those smooth years. I break out a couple times a week and it’s not pretty. I’m very hesitant to try any type of specialized acne cream because I think my problem is simply from eating too many sweets and drinking too much sugary soda. And I think it’s also due to not properly washing my face at night.
Because of that, I decided to go make-up free around Thanksgiving. I wanted to see if going make-up free would help my complexion at all. Verdict? Just a smidge, but nothing earth-shattering. Since then, I’ve been pretty lax on wearing make-up. I never wear it during the week (my job is not conducive to a full face of make-up) and only on special occasions. Right now, I’m using the Cetaphil system for my face-washing routine. I use the cleaner in the morning and at night, the heavier lotion for nighttime, and the lighter one for the morning time. What I’ve gained the most from this is a smoother-feeling face. I can’t say it does a great job at helping with shine control, but it does make my skin feel awesome and has helped to clear up my acne a little. And I think a cleaner diet would clear the rest up.
But I don’t want your help for my skin issues. I want your help regarding make-up. Currently, I barely wear anything because I don’t like how I feel when I wear it. It makes my skin feel heavy and oily, and I constantly have to reapply to keep the shine at bay. And I’m also concerned that I look like I’m wearing a separate head on my body, with the way I can never find a shade that suits my skin tone! It’s always either too light or too dark.
So I’m coming to you, blog world. I need your recommendations for great make-up: mainly foundation and skin coverage, but if you want to tell me your favorite mascara or eye shadow or lipstick, go right ahead!
Here’s what I’m mainly looking for:
- Something that covers well. As stated before, my skin doesn’t look perfect and I want something that can cover up the majority of it and still look natural.
- Something that works well with the shine ball I am. My skin thrives on being oily. I want something that helps to control it.
- Something that lasts. I have never met a foundation that lasts longer than a few hours. I hate reapplying every 2 hours.
- Something that’s light. I hate the feeling of make-up on my skin because it makes my face feel like it’s suffocating. I mean, it’s 2011. We have to have make-up that feels like air, right?
What say you, blog world?
Ugh!!!
Okay, so let me start off by saying I had all the same problems. Especially the shine and staying power. I was scared of powder foundations in my teens as so many had oil in them. The best I found at the time was maybelline shine free. I've heard good things about Clinique though and no doubt you have much more choice in the States than I did here.
My skin is a bit less greasy now, and though my skin is really blotchy and sensitive, I've stopped wearing foundation, simply due to laziness. And I think it's actually helped a lot. (And it saves me money!)
Also, blotting sheets – AMAZING. Especially the Body Shop powdered ones…pur genius.
And are you drinking enough water? That can be a major thing. Sometimes oil is skin trying to overcompensate for dehydration.
I have worse skin now than I did when I was a teenager! It's ridiculously oily and I break out mostly on my chin/nose area, but it's ridiculous for being 25. I haven't had much luck with Clinique makeup – their lip stuff is nice but for skin, I find the powder not very good at all. Actually the best powder I've found is one I can only find at Wal-Mart and it's the Cover Girl "Fresh Complexion" powder in like a blue oval compact (http://www.covergirl.ca/en_ca/beauty_products/foundation/fresh_pocket_powder_foundation/) – it seems to be pretty good. I use all sorts of oil-control face washes but none seem to do anything; a good moisturiser is Garnier "Pure" shine control (http://well.ca/products/garnier-pure-shine-control_3259.html) and it noticeably takes away all the oil immediately – but almost too much as my face feels quite stiff and dry afterwards! Let me know if you find anything!
Oh oh oh! Thank you for giving me a reason to online shop some more 🙂 I can tell you my fairly inexpensive foundation routine that has seemed to last all day with me.
This is my concealer: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod1320092
My everyday foundation:
http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod2500213
My "crap my face looks like crap" foundation:
http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod2130234
And my "throw in my bag in case of occasional touch ups":
http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod2410045&skuId=2218700
(And whoa for them all being on sale for $5 each! Looks like I'm stocking up)
As far as shine, well I usually end up using (again this is only on my nights out, not on the day to day basis) this skin primer:
http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?skuId=2208017&productId=xlsImpprod1400050&navAction=push&navCount=1&subdoc=3toofacednaturallynaughty&categoryId=cat80020 (it's a little pricey, but has been wonderful for me).
On the go, for shine control, I love these little guys:
http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod2500173
Let me know if you decide to try any!
Well, I should be doing homework but this is so much more fun!
I love Clinique foundation. It covers really, really well and it stays on all day if you apply a touch of powder over it. Plus it almost feels like air! It's a bit pricey but it lasts a long time.
Mineral Powder Foundation.
I know, it sounds stupid and like it doesn't work, but OMG it does. It lasts all day, it definitely helps the shine factor and gives a smooth, finished look.
I currently use Mary Kay (I have tried Revlon and a fwe others, don't like it as much) and I hear great things about Bare Minerals if there is a store like that near you?
I also use mineral blush and love it. Can't recommend it enough.
Good luck with your search and I hope you find something you like! ( And also? This could givei you carte blanche to go to the make-up counters at the mall to ask for help and input; they should be able to tell you what you need based on what you're looking for! if nothing else, "free" makeovers!)
I've been dealing with the same issues for a while now. I had gorgeous skin as a teenager, and it's definitely catching up with me now.
What I've found that works for me is Bare Minerals. It's not drugstore prices, but it's not expensive either. For me, it's definitely been worth it.
First of all, use a foundation primer. I use Rimmel London Perfect Fix (or something like that). It's cheap, but it helps your makeup stay put all day.
Then, use concealer to cover up the blemishes. Make sure you PAT it on, not rub.
Then, use Bare Minerals Mineral Powder Foundation. Life. Saver. It's full coverage (after a couple applications), but it's light and dry. I have oily skin, too … and it has worked wonders for me.
I also use Bare Minerals Mineral Veil as a last swoop over my face when all my makeup is applied. This helps with shine and just gives you a gorgeous airbrushed look.
If you have a Sephora around, they will typically give you a small sample of Bare Minerals for cheaper so you can try it before you buy it. 🙂
Bare Minerals, Bare Minerals, Bare Minerals! It's one of the few late-night infomercial products that actually works. I'd recommend the Matte foundation if you want shine control. I think it does a bang-up job of diffusing imperfections and absorbing oil. And it really does look completely different from liquid foundations — it doesn't look like a mask. There are also like, a billion different shades to choose from. I'm Asian (read: hard-to-match skin) and even I was able to find an accurate shade.
The catch? It's pricier than drugstore foundation and you have to buy a brush as well. But it lasts forEVER because you only use like, a gram of it at a time.
So yeah, think about it 🙂 Hope that helped!
MINERAL MAKEUP!
I currently use Avon but I've always used Maybelline and Bare Minerals. It's got great coverage, helps with shine (I have issues with lots of shine) and it's really light. I would totally totally recommend it.
I tried Bare Minerals for awhile but I found that it was really messy to put on. But when someone else did it, I looked great!
Honestly, my advice? Get thee to a cosmetics counter! You really need a professional to figure out your right tone, because they can use all their open samples to find your right shade. It's not really something you can do on your own. But once you have that bottle, you can take it to the drugstore and find something in a similar shade.
Bare Minerals worked for a while, but then I broke out again and someone told me it might be the brush that I was using over and over and over again.
If you try it, make sure you clean your brushes thoroughly every once in a while, because bacteria can get between the bristles.
I have terrible skin, but I do really like Bare Minerals. I like that it's all natural and it is a 'lighter' make up so it doesn't feel like you have this layer of grime on your face.
Good luck!!
I'm really loving Maybelline's new Fit Me makeup. Their powder is amazing, my skin always looks flawless. Even after a full day from 8-8 pm, my skin looks great. And I have it in 2 shades; one my natural color, the other darker for a bronzer.
I really love Maybelline products in general. They work great, are decent priced and really last all day.
I started using mineral powder and never turned back. I can't vouch for how well it works with oil/shine control, but I absolutely love it. It goes on really easily and you can control how much/little and on what areas, and honestly, I don't feel it AT ALL once it's on. I find that it blends really well and, though it may not seem like it does, it covers things up well – I have a handful of red spots here and there and horrible under-eye circles that all pretty much disappear.
My favorite brand is Maybelline. I can't remember how much it costs (it definitely won't break the bank), but it comes with an application brush and lasts for a pretty long time. I would also suggest getting/using a smaller brush (like an eyeshadow brush) to apply it to trouble spots.
Good luck finding something that works!
I'll jump on the mineral foundation bandwagon, too. It's GREAT! It's super light but it covers so well and makes your skin look amazing.
I've tried Bare Minerals and loved their foundation. I have issues with shine and oil, too, as well as blemishes, and it took care of all of them. The only thing I didn't like is that the powder is really loose and it has the tendency to get all over the place (the vanity counter, the sink, my shirt) when you put it on. This is pretty much true for all mineral makeup, though.
Right now I'm using Cover Girl's mineral foundation. It doesn't cover as well as Bare Minerals, but it has more shimmer in it which gives my skin a nice glow. This may not be right for you in a more humid climate, though, because that glow might easily transform into shine after not too long.
I LOVE bare minerals. I usually wear a mousse cheap coverup underneath it for problem areas and then I put the bare minerals on top. I also use one of those green sticks to cover up red spots!
Okay I'm coming into this all kinds of late, but I'll just re-itirate what others have said: Bare Escentuals is excellent!
It looks like you've gotten a lot of feedback on the make-up selection! I hope you find something that works for you. I know how fair-skinned gals like you and I have a hard time finding a shade that doesn't make us look like we're wearing a mask. For the longest time, I swore to Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals foundation. It was a bit messy to put on, but it lasted for a long time on my skin, battled my awful shine, and covered surprisingly well. Lately I've been trying to cut down on my make-up spending habit, so I've gone back to pharmacy brand. Right now I'm using Maybelline's 12-hour liquid foundation, I think it's called. Covers fairly well and stays on for a good while. I usually set it with translucent powder afterward and that helps with the shine and staying on. Good luck!
Hey girl,
I have oily skin as well, and tend to break out. My dermatologists swears by cleaning your face with nothing but Purpose soap, and I've had lots of luck with it. I also use MAC tinted moisturizer…powder just makes me more oily and clogs up my pores.
Thank you for this post! I'm definitely reading everyone's suggestions. I've never been into wearing makeup until now, but now that I'm attempting to be more of a grownup I should. 😛
Can I ask about Cetaphil, even though it isn't totally related to makeup? How does their moisturizer work? Is it specifically for the face, or all over? I need something specifically for the face, and I seem to have trouble finding something that is lightweight rather than cakey.