Recently, my skin has taken a turn and I’ve had a lot of acne pop up. I tried simplifying my skincare routine, but have started incorporating new and different products to see if it makes a difference. This is what I’ve been doing, but it’s always a good idea to work with your dermatologist on what the best treatment is for you. And remember to treat your skin with kindness! Punishing it isn’t going to make it any better! Taking care of, and covering acne can be tough, but you can do it!

**Please Note: This post contains affiliate links and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on our links. However, we only recommend products that we truly love. 

Face wash

First and foremost, make sure you’re washing your face! Keeping your moisture barrier is really important, so don’t use any really harsh products that are going to strip your face. A squeaky clean face might feel great in the moment, but isn’t always great for keeping your skin healthy. 

Acne-prone face washes include ingredients like Salicylic Acid, which helps to reduce redness and swelling, and unplugging blocked pores. 

Treatment

There’s a couple treatment options I turn to when I’m dealing with an acne outbreak, or just skin maintenance. 

Exfoliation

I’ve found a lot of my current skin issues have to do with my pores being clogged. So part of my focus has been on exfoliation, to get rid of dead skin! 

All-Over Treatment

Depending on your skin, you could use an all-over treatment on your face. I’ll use these once or twice a week since it can sometimes be a little harsher than other treatments. 

Spot Treatment

With a couple pimples here and there, a spot treatment comes in handy. Dot it on your pimples at night before bed, and when you wake up they’ll be smaller! 

Face Masks

Face masks are a great option once or twice a week to give your skin a little extra treatment. There are options for acne and oil control, and those for additional exfoliation. 

They’re all great to add into the rotation, just make sure you continue to moisturize and treat your skin with kindness! 

Patches

I love using patches! Patches are for spot treatment, and there’s some for larger areas of the face for covering acne. These are hydrocolloid patches – hydrocolloid is a gummy-like gel that heals wounds. 

These patches promote skin healing by absorbing the liquid from the pimple and covering the spot. This prevents further swelling or inflammation of the affected area. 

These work best on pimples that are just on the edge of coming to a head, and you’re itching to pop them. 

Peeling off the patches, and seeing all the gunk that’s been sucked out is so satisfying! 

Covering Acne With Makeup

While taking care of your skin from the inside, you still want to look great on the outside! Here are some makeup tips to keep you looking flawless! 

Moisturize!

After doing your morning skincare routine, make sure your skin is moisturized! You can even dab a little extra moisturizer on any pimples you have, to give you a super smooth surface to work from. 

Prime! 

You want your skin to be smooth before you put on your foundation, so start with a smoothing primer. And make sure the formula work with your foundation (oil based vs. water based). 

Conceal!

With a concealer that matches your skin tone and a small brush, cover all of your pimples, dark spots, or anything you want to cover. Now let it sit! Don’t blend anything in yet, just let the concealer set on your spots. 

Foundation!

Time for foundation! Using a brush or a sponge, go right on top of all the spots you covered up, without worrying about blending them in. They should blend in seamlessly with your foundation! 

Make sure you don’t go overboard with concealer and foundation. Cakey skin is a giveaway you’re trying to hide something! 

Use a spray, like MAC Fix+ to keep your skin looking natural. 

Set! 

Make sure you set your foundation and concealer with a powder, so it’s not sliding all over your face all day! 

Either you can do a light dusting of powder all over your face, or you could consider baking, to keep everything really locked in! 

Acne can be a real pain to deal with, but with patience and time, and some new makeup skills, you’ll feel confident and beautiful!