Mistake 3: Applying too much makeup
While concealer and foundation are both wonderful makeup creations, they're not meant to be spackled across your face, especially if you're battling a bout of breakouts. "Not only can too much makeup make breakouts appear worse, but it can also keep the blemish from healing properly," celebrity esthetician Shani Darden says.
In addition to not using too much makeup, make sure you're using a shade that matches your skin tone. Ilyas often sees patients who have tried to overthink the concealer options and go lighter or darker to mask the red inflammation that comes with a pimple. "Ideally, if your concealer matches your skin tone, it will not look like spackle on your skin." She recommends opting for a green-tinted concealer, as this can often camouflage the red.
Try: Smashbox Color Correcting Stick, $25
Mistake 4: Skipping sunscreen
While it is certainly important not to pile on too many products when you're breaking out, this rule does not apply to sunscreen. "Many people shy away from sunscreen when they're breaking out for fear that it will make things worse, but this is a big mistake," Darden says. "It's even more so important that you continue wearing sunscreen during a breakout, because sun exposure can make it harder for it to heal and can lead to more prominent scarring."
Try: EltaMD UV Daily Broad-Spectrum SPF 40, $26.50
Mistake 5: Using your fingers to apply makeup
Unless you just washed your hands, it's best to avoid using your finger as a makeup applicator. Doing so only spreads bacteria across your face and leads to potential breakouts. Dendy Engelman, MD, a dermatologist at Manhattan Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery in New York, recommends using makeup and concealers that come in a tube or dropper bottle versus a cream or pot of makeup. Additionally, she recommends using thin layers of concealer and tapping it gently on a pimple to cover it. "Set with a mineral-based powder, like BareMinerals Original Loose Powder Foundation SPF 15, $29, which can help hide it more," she adds.
Mistake 6: Forgetting to exfoliate
This necessary step in your skin care routine should not be skipped, even (and especially) in the event that you have a breakout. "If you have flaky, dead skin cells and crusting around a pimple—from both the stages of the pimple itself and acne medications—your makeup will look like a flaky, uneven mess," says King. It's important to use a gentle exfoliating cleanser, like Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser, $42, or Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser With Orange Extract, $38, and a moisturizer, like Avene Skin Recovery Cream, $35, before covering your blemish so that you can get a natural finish.
Mistake 7: Using the wrong kind of makeup
If you're suffering from breakouts on the regular, you might want to take a close look at the makeup you're selecting at the beauty counter. King recommends choosing oil-free, non-comedogenic makeup whenever possible. Additionally, she recommends using combination products, like Neutrogena SkinClearing Blemish Concealer, $10, which allow you to cover your pimple and treat it at the same time. "Clearasil Stubborn Acne Control 5-in-1 Concealing Treatment Cream, $5.99, is another good choice—it includes benzoyl peroxide in a tinted concealer," she adds.
