Acne: How to Heal, Prevent and Conceal It!

Are you embarrassed by your skin’s imperfections or hiding your face due to acne? The four-letter word that keeps us spending hours and money on products hoping to find a solution.

I personally struggled with acne for 8 years during my young adult life, on and off antibiotics and every prescribed topical gel/cream on the market, only to find the solution came down to a few daily habits. I now love my skin. The most important thing to remember, you are not alone in this battle. Billions of us struggle with acne and tell-tell signs of acne scarring. Read my tips below to get control again! The first step is realizing there is an effective way to conceal acne. You need to use the correct products, makeup applicators, and tools.

Below are steps to help you heal current breakouts and prevent future ones to achieve flawless skin:

1. Gently Exfoliate The Skin

It is important you help to gently slough off dead, dry skin to keep a youthful glow, but you mustn’t over exfoliate acne prone areas, doing this will actually irritate and cause worse breakouts. We recommend using gentle circular motions to help smooth the skin’s surface. This is great for old acne scarring too. You can give your skin an extra boost by using the Pumpkin Enzyme Exfoliating Masque to expedite the process and get added benefits from the powerhouse-skin-loving ingredients.

2. Using a face wash that isn’t over drying the skin

Your cleanser plays a large role. If your skin feels tight after cleansing, you need to rethink your cleanser.  When you use a cleanser with sulfates, you are removing the skin’s natural lipid barrier which is meant to protect and heal your skin. The nutrient-packed Clarifying Daily Cleanser (with activated charcoal) is great for clearing breakouts.

3. Use The Appropriate Moisturizer

It’s a good rule of thumb, if your skin feels dry after 5 minutes, it could indicate that your moisturizer isn’t quite moisturizing enough for your skin type. With acne prone skin, however, you don’t want to use a moisturizer with too much oil. Keeping the skin balanced throughout the day is key. The Vitamin Rich Daily Moisturizer has been specifically formulated with Retinyl to work well with combination, acne and aging skin.

4. Rosehip Oil

Use Rosehip Oil as a Night-Time Treatment. After you have gently cleansed your skin, applying Rosehip Oil is a very popular treatment for Acne. Don’t let the term “Oil” scare you away! Rosehip Oil is the perfect way to hydrate without feeling oily, thick or sticky. The MintPear Rosehip Oil is Organic, Unrefined and Cold Pressed, which means you are getting the purest source, which is also known as Nature’s Retin A, it is a natural source of Tretinoin, which is GREAT for healing old acne scars and treating Acne.

5. Vitamin C

Using a Vitamin C Serum will help to take the red out of acne by strengthening the linings of capillaries, the immune system which increases the ability to fight off disease and microorganisms. Both preventing the occurrence of acne while improving the overall appearance and health of your skin. Visit our vitamin C serum guide for more information.

6. Foundation Primer

Prevent Makeup from seeping into your pores during the day. Create a protective Layer with the correct Primer, that won’t clog your pores. Make sure you test out a few to find the one that won’t cause additional breakouts. Usually, an oil-free silicone based one will do the trick. Finding a foundation primer with awesome ingredients as well as healing properties is the ultimate goal. If you have acne the last thing you want to do is apply a foundation primer that is basically plastic (aka more acne on the way). The Collagen Serum by MintPear is formulated to heal post acne scars and smooth your skin’s texture for the perfect flawless application. Apply a dime-sized amount of the primer to your face prior to your BB, CC, Tinted Moisture or Foundation.

7. Apply Your Foundation Using a Foundation Brush

Keep it clean. Using your hands to apply your foundation can spread bacteria by cross-contamination. Gross. This is a very important step to properly conceal acne and any scaring. Using a foundation brush will ensure an even application of the foundation. This will also create a smooth airbrushed finish. Apply one or two pumps of the foundation to the back of your hand, dab the flat top kabuki foundation brush into the foundation and apply and buff into the skin in gentle circular motions. Using a foundation brush will also allow you to reapply over areas where you may need more coverage.

8. Conceal Using a Beauty Blending Sponge

After you have applied your foundation with the flat top kabuki foundation brush, you can then apply your concealer to the trouble areas and blend them to perfection using the beauty blending sponge. This process will help diminish the appearance of too much makeup yet conceal any unwanted blemishes or scars. Using the beauty blending sponge to blend and press the concealer into the skin will set the makeup for all day. It’s the best way to apply makeup without the “heavy cake-face” look.

9. Finish with a Translucent Setting Powder

This is an important step most makeup lovers forget. Setting the foundation and concealer with a loose translucent powder will help prevent the makeup from melting/running off of your face throughout the day. It will help keep the makeup where you want it, concealing the blemishes/acne scars. You need a good brush to avoid looking ‘cakey’, you can use the Large Powder Brush to set your makeup with the translucent setting powder.

10. Don’t Forget to Wash Your Makeup Brushes Once a Week

This will ensure you are getting the best application and prevent any build-up of old makeup where bacteria and other germs could live. By doing this, you’ll prevent additional breakouts. Keep it clean!

11. Eat Clean

Making a conscious effort to eat less processed foods, less sugar, less saturated fats as well as less greasy foods will make all the difference in your complexion. I noticed once I eliminated dairy from my diet, my skin started to change right away. Everyone’s hormones are different, so the process of elimination will really pay off!

Final tip: Smile and remember to be yourself, always!

Breakouts always appear worse to you than to anyone else. There is nothing more gorgeous and confident than a beautiful girl with a beautiful smile! You’ll make your day and everyone around you with this simple kind gesture. 🙂 We could all use a little more kindness in our lives.

Author: Rita Almusa, Skin Expert, Master Esthetician and MintPear Co-Founder

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