Always look a little too flushed? If you've got pink-ish, ruddy skin or suffer from rosacea -- a common skin condition that causes redness on the cheeks, nose, chin, or forehead -- this soothing, oil-free foundation could be your answer. It's infused with probiotics and antioxidants to help minimize redness.
"To reduce redness in your skin, use products that contain bisabolol, chamomile, zinc oxide, green tea, co-enzyme Q10, and caffeine," says Frankel. "These are antioxidant-packed, anti-inflammatory ingredients that help to reduce overactive blood vessels, which cause redness and inflammation. This foundation contains caffeine to help broken capillaries and the visible redness they cause virtually disappear."
Total Beauty readers rave about how well it works. "This reduces my redness without causing any irritation," says one reviewer. Another adds: "I'll actually use this if I get a sunburn. It tones down the red, and the coverage is sheer to medium so it's easy to build color gradually."
We know, when you get a zit, you want to cover that puppy up. But just as important is doing everything you can to make that sucker to go away -- fast. Enter this concealer, an oil-free formula created to spot treat while it covers up. "When it comes to concealers and foundations that help treat acne, look for oil absorbing minerals like silica, talc, and cornstarch," says Frankel. "Other stand-out ingredients include African Bark Extract, which regulates sebum-balance, and peptides, which help speed a blemish's healing process."
Total Beauty reviewers are impressed, saying this concealer is "not too heavy" and "goes on smooth and moist without looking greasy and cakey." One reader says: "I have very sensitive skin, and this concealer not only works to cover up blemishes, but it also seems to help clear the breakouts. Too much salicylic acid can dry and irritate my skin, but this concealer doesn't!"
Here's another primer that gets big points for doing more than most. It contains dimethicone crosspolymer, a silicone oil that keeps your complexion hydrated and creates a barrier on skin to prevent environmental aggressors from causing vascular dilation (which leads to redness).
"I have very oily skin and tend to go heavy on the foundation and concealer to cover blemishes and scars," says one Total Beauty reader. "This primer tints my face enough so that all I need is a light dusting of makeup. And I can wear it all day without needing to blot my face ONCE. To me, this is a miracle." Raves another reader: "I have used many primers but have found that I like this the best, hands down. It makes my makeup last significantly longer and evens out my skin tone."
Want the glowing complexion of your dreams -- now? This sheer, light coverage foundation barely feels like it's there but works hard to lighten and brighten your skin. Bonus: The swirl design practically guarantees an exact color match for your skin tone. Using a sponge, make a circular motion following the spiral (starting in the middle) to ensure a soft, uniform shade.
"This is one of the few oil-free compact foundations with a creamy, light consistency that doesn't dry out my combination skin or have a fragrance," says one Total Beauty reader. "If you prefer light to medium coverage, this foundation can't be beat."
While you might reach for your go-to powder to finish your look and control shine in your t-zone, this one will remind you that powders can do much, much more. Infused with minerals that rev up cell turnover and stimulate new collagen production, this loose powder actually helps resurface skin, minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while it creates a flawless finish.
"I was thrilled when I used this on my dull, blotchy skin and it gave me a soft glow and close-to-perfect complexion," says one Total Beauty reader. The container's design scores kudos as well: "The bubble top of the container is a godsend for mineral makeup," says another reader.
We're going to go out on a limb here and guess that you're a multi-tasking type of gal. C'mon, admit it -- you tweet, text, and upload photos to your Facebook page simultaneously. You listen to books on tape while you drive. You watch TV while you workout. And you want your makeup to multitask just as well as you do, working to cover up and treat any skin problems you have.
After all, with all of our newfound skin care technology and big beauty breakthroughs, why shouldn't our makeup bags contain hard working, double-duty products?
We couldn't think of a good reason either, so we rounded up the 10 best primers, concealers, foundations, and powders that not only work like regular old makeup should (making you look like you have flawless skin -- even if you don't), but also go one step farther and help treat the root of the problem.
"There are so many products that are extremely effective at soothing and conditioning the skin to lessen the appearance of redness, dark spots, wrinkles, and acne," says Jenny Frankel, co-founder of Cover FX Skin Care Inc.
You just need to know which products to look for. Here's your cheat sheet.
