Natural Makeup for Teen Acne

Blemishes, pimples, acne – whatever you want to call it, we’ve all experienced it at some level. If you’re having a bad skin day or you’re currently in the midst of teen hormone changes it can be tempting to smother your face in makeup in an attempt to cover it up. If wearing makeup makes you feel better, then you do you, however there are some techniques you can use to cover redness and achieve a clearer looking complexion without slapping on a tub of makeup.

If you want your skin to look like yours (but better), layering is where it’s at. Follow our makeup layering guide below to cover up those pesky pimples while letting your natural beauty shine through!

Why you shouldn't squeeze pimples (at least not in the AM)

I’m not going to tell you not to squeeze your pimples, because we all do it! One thing I will preach is avoiding a squeeze fest right before you’re about to apply your makeup. Not only will you cause redness and more inflammation to the area, you’ll also be opening up the pore to potential infection when you begin applying your makeup. And worst, you’ll be left dealing with a weeping wound that is near impossible to cover up with makeup! Stick to squeezing at night when you can properly clean your face and allow the blemish to breath and heal without being packed full of makeup.

Avoid Exfoliating

Exfoliants can cause redness as they remove dead skin, and if using an abrasive scrub, could irritate and open up active blemishes. If you’re double cleansing thoroughly at night, a simple water wash with a gentle face cloth should be enough to remove excess oil and any dry skin patches prior to makeup application.

Skin Prep is Essential

It doesn’t matter how pro your makeup techniques are, if you haven’t taken the time to prep your skin with the right products it’s never going to look amazing (or wear well!). Applying makeup to a clean and hydrated complexion will always look best and it’s important to moisturise – yes, even if you have oily skin! Allow your moisturiser and SPF to settle before going in with your makeup.

Foundation for Acne Prone Skin

If your foundation of choice is liquid or cream, you’ll want to go in with a light layer as your first step before applying concealer or powder. Liquid foundation will do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to evening out your complexion, and you don’t need to apply a lot for it to make a significant difference. BB Creams are great for teens as they offer lightweight coverage with addition skincare benefits and some even contain SPF to protect your skin from environmental stress throughout the day. If you have inflamed, irritated skin, we recommend applying with a beauty blender for a gentle application and natural finish.

If your foundation of choice is a mineral powder (an excellent choice for teen skin btw), apply your concealer to inflamed, red areas first before layering with your powder foundation.

How to Conceal Blemishes

When you have large, inflamed blemishes they often require a little more work to become less noticeable. After an initial even out with your foundation, BB cream or mineral powder of choice, take a small flat brush with a little liquid or cream concealer and dab gently onto the blemish. It’s important to choose a concealer shade that is a similar colour to your skin tone. A concealer that is too light or dark will highlight the area, making it even more noticeable. And don’t forget to lightly blend out the edges into the surrounding skin for the most natural, seamless finish.

Powder to Set & Mattify 

If you have multiple blemishes over large areas of your face it’s a good idea to go in with a light dusting of mineral makeup over your entire face to mattify the skin while providing an additional light layer of coverage. When applying powder, it’s important to use gentle patting motions to ensure you don’t cause further irritation to blemishes or risk removing concealer.

Translucent powder is ideal for spot setting enlarged blemishes, giving extra staying power for longer wearing coverage. You can spot set in a similar way to baking – apply powder to a small, flat brush and dab onto the blemish. Allow to set before gently dusting excess away with a fluffy brush.

Conceal Again (trust us - it's worth the time)

While we don’t often encourage liquid or cream application over powder, sometimes we meet a stubborn blemish that makeup just won’t stick to. If you’re experiencing one of these unwanted visitors that you just can’t seem to cover, go back in with a very small amount of concealer, only applying to the centre of the blemish to cover any redness showing through. Layering cream or liquid concealer over powder will give the concealer something to stick to and hopefully help you banish any last signs of redness showing through.

Let's be real - There's no Magic Pimple Makeup

If you have a big pimple or multiple blemishes, there is no magic makeup that is going to make them instantly invisible. While makeup can give the illusion of a more even complexion and it certainly helps to reduce redness, if you have something bulging from your face, you will still be able to see the texture of your skin. Applying powder may help to mattify the area and make it less noticeable, but realistically you may still be able to see the bump. But PLEASE… Don’t let it ruin your day, you’ll notice it more than anyone!

If you’re struggling with persistent acne that is having a negative impact on your mental health please see a dermatologist to work on possible solutions ASAP. While we preach that you’re beautiful as you are, everyone deserves to be happy and that is a different journey for everyone.

And if you want to see Michelle with a giant pimple on her face, watch the video below for an in depth tutorial on how she covers her blemishes using the layering technique to achieve a natural finish.