Makeup and Acne

Lots of my clients come to me thinking they shouldn’t be wearing makeup at all because of their acne. This is not the case. There isn’t any problem with wearing makeup as long as it doesn’t contain pore clogging ingredients. The trick is to know what to look for. First of all, just because something says “oil-free”, “noncomedogenic”, or “won’t clog pores” doesn’t mean it’s true. There is no government agency that oversees these claims so cosmetic companies can say whatever they want and most of the time, they do. Thirty percent of consumers, including myself, have acne, yet the beauty industry is littered with cosmetics that will supposedly heal acne and give flawless coverage without clogging pores. Unfortunately, not only do most of these products not do what is advertised, but they aggravate acne and in some cases can even trigger it in those who have not had any issues before. This is called acne cosmetica and it can take up to 6 months for the appearance of symptoms!!! This makes it nearly impossible to make the connection that your makeup is causing the problem. Acne DOES NOT appear immediately after the use of a product like an allergy. It takes time to form and reach the surface of the skin. This leads to a vicious cycle of breaking out and trying to cover it up. Unfortunately, what many people are using to hide their acne, is actually causing it, or at the very least, aggravating it. Luckily, with the right tools, consumers have the power to read the labels on cosmetics and know what to avoid. I hand out a comprehensive list of ingredients to avoid in skincare to all of my clients. This way they can check their makeup, haircare, (anything used in your hair gets on your pillowcase, gets on you when you sweat, and even when you shower) and anything else they use that they don’t get from me. There are also great brands that are healthy for acneic skin like Priia and Oxygentix. The problems that exist in the beauty industry weren’t created by some evil acne-mongering genius. The beauty industry didn’t set out to intentionally destroy the complexions of so many Americans. What started out as accidental ignorance has continued today for the sake of commercial convenience so it’s up to us, as consumers, to really pay attention to what we put on our skin.