Hey guys my skin is pretty textured as i have been suffering from acne for 5 years now i am 18 and my skin is full of big pores and deep scars. Looking for recommendations / advice for a full coverage primer / foundation THAT WON’T get greasy after 3-4 hours (unless it’s normal – I usually get greasy all over my face but usually I have it). dry skin) Thank you very much!
Hi there! First, I’d like to remind you that all skin – no matter how lovely – has texture. Filters blur it and ads smooth it away with Photoshop, but even the most amazing skin has visible pores, crinkles, veins, etc. Are there products out there that will improve the look of your skin? Yes, absolutely! But it will always have some texture.
With that said, here is what I would recommend based on how you describe your skin. Please note that I’m not a professional, just someone who has worn a lot of makeup and spent some time in front of the camera.
Primer: Smashbox or The Ordinary (the latter is a solid dupe and way cheaper)
Foundation: Fenty, specifically their matte foundation.
You may also want to invest in some blotting papers. That can get rid of access oil without messing up your makeup. A setting powder might also help.
I hope this works out for you! It sounds like you’ve had a rough few years, so I’m rooting for you ❤️
Just wanted to start off by saying a good skin care regimen will do wonders for how foundation applies. When I worked as a makeup artist we always spent a lot of time prepping the skin before makeup. A lot of people who have had acne are terrified of really moisturizing products and oils. So step one is really good ph balanced cleanser. Next up a good solid moisturizer, next you might need some type of hyloronic acid serum this plumps up the skin and hides some texture. It was a game changer when I started adding rose hip or marula oil to my foundation. I was an oily mess and had awful acne in my mid 20s. Next you want to pick a good foundation for you this can be anything as long as it matches with you well. Nars has a huge shade range and each foundation they have is amazing. I have also heard good things about the fenty foundation. Truthfully I have started going with serum foundation and a plump my skin routine and it hides my old scars 10x better then full coverage foundation. So do not be afraid to experiment. Blotting papers and a oil absorption finish powder might do wonders for you. Tarte has a clay finish powder that was my holy grail when I want more coverage foundation. I have also moved on to serum and cream blushes and it makes a huge difference.
GIRL, unfortunately you can receive every recommendation out there however it’s more like a “learn as you go” thing. I have terrible acne, combination/sometimes crazy oily skin, and very textured. I started using Tarte Face Tape Foundation with Shape Tape Concealer and for primer I was using Elf and then soap and water to wash it all away. A few years and A LOT of money later, I have FINALLY found my perfect routine. I use Dermalogica for a skincare regimen which has completely cleared up my acne; it’s expensive but it’s worth every penny. I also use their exfoliant which is basically the holy grail for an extremely smooth surface to start your makeup. Oh and I shave my entire face…I know it sounds crazy but it actually works and no, your hair will not grow back thicker and blacker. Okay, now here’s my makeup routine: MAC Prep and Prime + Fix Setting spray and then either the Mac Studio or MAC Prolongwear Foundation with MAC 24 hr Studio Concealer and Mac Translucent Setting Powder. I have found, for my skin, this is my perfect combination that literally lasts all day and doesn’t look cakey or dry my face out.
Please Google Niacinamide and watch James Welsh YT vids on it. Niacinamide helps regulate sebum and over time reduces hyperpigmentation (acne scars). It is so cheap from The Ordinary. Like $6 for the 1oz size.
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I have lots of acne scars, and here’s my face routine that I wish I discovered sooner. Deep moisture at night, and exfoliate dead skin semi regularly. For makeup, i start with a rich moisturizer, water based. Then a primer. The primer is what will help block the oil from eating your foundation. I use Elf putty primer, but I like the Milk hyrdrogrip, too. Then, weidly, I use setting spray. If I have active acne, I will use a cream concealer and won’t blend it very much. After the setting spray has dried down a bit, I go in with a matte full coverage foundation. Not super picky about the brand, honestly–i use drugstore. Then I apply with my finger and blend in with a beauty blender for more than 6 minutes until it’s completely dry, pressing it in harder where I have more texture. After that, I blot all over with a piece of tissue wrapped over the blender gently to make sure its fully dry. I use concealer where needed for highlight and my under eyes, blending in the same manner as the foundation to reduce creasing, and then I use a tiny amount of setting powder, more where I get oily, and much less where my skin is dry, especially as I get close to my under eye. There is no settling of the foundation into crevices this way, and it won’t rub off or transfer.
Any pigmented powder product on top of foundation I dont apply with a sweeping motion over scarred skin. Instead I use a blotting or patting motion with my brush, to make sure the scar interiors get color applied in them and not skipped over. Then more setting spray. Blotting through the day helps, with some minor application of powder if I care or notice, but I’m usually not oily many hours later.
Robert welsh has really oily skin, so you might check his channel. I learned the foundation application technique from Wayne goss, and it changed my life.