Make up, Acne and Me
Dear Black Skin Directory
I’m a Black woman and I’ve been battling adult acne. My skin is frequently often covered in lumpy spots and blemishes. This really gets me down, so I wear a lot of make up to cover it.
I love my face beat! My doctor has said this is making it worse and I should let my skin breathe, but I find when I don’t wear make up my spots and hyperpigmentation are very visible it makes me really depressed and I don’t want other people to see me.
Sometimes, I make excuses not to leave the house. Do you have any tips or advice for me?
For this edition of #AskBSD, our founder and qualified Aesthetician, Dija Ayodele is sharing her pearls of wisdom from over fifteen years treating skin health.
I disagree with your doctor - you should wear make up. I say this because there is a clear link between how we look, our self esteem and happiness. If the consequences of you not wearing make up negatively affects your mental health in such a profound way, then please do wear make up and get all the joy you can muster from it.
However, it will always be worth your time to look at the make up you’re using, how you are applying and removing to make sure it’s not making your acne worse.
These are my golden rules, if you have acne, its important to make sure:
Before even applying make up, your skincare routine is working for your skin type and is tailored to your concerns. The better your look after your skin prior to make up, the better it will look.
Your make up is oil free - this way you’ve not loading extra oil on your skin and setting yourself up for greasiness and clogged pores.
Also look for make up that is non-comedogenic - this means that it doesn’t have ingredients like beeswax, talc or coconut oil for example that will clog your pores.
Ensure you are applying your make up with clean tools - make up brushes and sponges can be a breeding ground for bacteria and sebum as well as harbour old and dead skin cells. Cleaning your brushes regularly is a good habit. Likewise, regularly changing your pillowcase is a must, for all the same reasons.
Likewise, make sure you are cleansing your skin properly to remove make up especially if you are using primers and setting sprays. It’s a good idea to follow the double cleanse method and use a light oil cleanser to remove make up prior to washing your face.
Look for foundations that have skincare benefits. So many foundations now contain ingredients like salicylic acid and niacinamide that make them kinder to breakout prone skin.
OILY, ACNE SKIN? PUT THESE FOUNDATIONS ON YOUR RADAR
Lastly, you don’t have to experience acne alone. Make sure you’re engaging the expertise of dermatologists or aestheticians to help guide you back to skin health. You’ll be able to get advice on your skincare routine and products you can use to manage hyperpigmentation.
I’ll end by saying acne and breakouts doesn’t define who you are as a person and the vast majority of people you interact won’t care. Most people are engrossed in themselves to notice what is going on for other people, but still I get it, it can feel like the whole world and their dog have their eyes on you. Be gracious to you and believe that you’re doing your best!
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