Spot On

Coveting a clear, luminous complexion?

We’re all prone to the occasional blemish and with the mercury rising and our skin being exposed to heat, humidity & extra sunscreens it’s best to know how to banish the blemish in a few easy steps.

With a change of season most people should be changing to a different foundation formulation to not only suit their skin but also to match any change of tone if they are using tanning products/tanning.

The basic rules of Cleanse, Tone and Moisturize twice daily, exfoliate weekly and always wear a sunscreen absolutely apply during the warmer months.

Use gentle cleansers that don’t strip the skin of natural oils and trick the skin into producing more oil and causing more break outs. Remove cleanser thoroughly as residue can also congest the skin.

 If you are using a toner make sure it is alcohol free. I’m not a fan of toners and use a simple alcohol free baby wipe to refresh over the skin after cleansing.

If your skin is prone to breakouts always use an oil free moisturizer and only apply to areas of the face that are a little drier. Oil free foundations work well for most skins, especially a combination /acne skin during the warmer weather.

 Unfragranced, alcohol baby wipes are ideal for refreshing the skin surrounding a blemish/blemishes during the day and you can quickly reapply foundation/concealer if necessary.

If acne is a problem, invest in a good treatment cream. Look for products that decongest, such as an overnight clearing gel, anti bacterial wipes and oil absorbing mattifiers.

The best way to conceal a blemish is to use a specific healing/antiseptic concealing product that will provide coverage and also help the blemish to heal faster. Creamy concealers work best and always choose a colour to match skin tone or go one shade darker which will help to set back a raised blemish. Choose a lighter colour for blemishes and you will be highlighting the blemish rather than concealing it. Never use an under eye illuminating, light reflective concealer on a blemish as you will only be drawing attention to the spot.

A green cover stick will help reduce redness in the skin if the blemish is raised and angry looking. The mistake people make when concealer is they apply too much product to the area which can draw more attention to it as the product may start to cake or just look too thick and unnatural. ARTDECO  Perfect Sticks are antiseptic and contain tea tree oil. The soft consistency feels pleasant on the skin.

 Practicing good hygiene when dealing with blemishes is the best tip I can share.

Step by step to concealing a blemish

* Apply foundation as normal and then apply concealer wherever it is required. Most foundations will conceal the blemish up to 50% so you won’t overuse any concealing product.

* If the blemish is raised and/or open use a spatula/cotton tips to remove some concealer from the stick and with a small synthetic brush press the product onto the area and gently blend outwards building up to the desired coverage.I f you rub the product in you will end up spreading it more to the surrounding skin and not getting any coverage at all.

* This will reduce the transmission of bacteria from the blemish to the cover stick and them spreading it to another part of the skin. If you do use a cover stick directly to the blemish make sure you remove a small sliver off the tip before putting the lid back on.

* Use antibacterial gel to clean and disinfect your concealer brush before re using.

 * Lightly roll some powder over the blemish to absorb excess oil and set. Don’t over powder or you won’t be able to apply concealer over the top later in the day without out it going cakey unless you are going to remove makeup from the entire area and re apply.

ARTDEO Fixing powder is a great setting product for a raised blemish as it is transparent and waterproof and you can apply more cover stick/camoflauge over the top without makeup caking.For extreme durability it should absorb for 10 minutes.

Resist the urge to squeeze: An inflamed lesion is filled with bacteria, squeezing will cause irritation and possibly spread infection causing more spots and possibly cause scarring to the delicate facial skin.

I understand that ‘sometimes’ if a blemish gets a head that you may wish to remove it. I suggest doing this at night time when you are not at school/work and need to apply make up over the top of it and this allows the skin some time to heal whilst you sleep.  If you have to DO NOT use tweezers, fingernails or worse still -  get someone to do it for you …

* Wash your hands with hot, soapy water first.

* Bathe the area with some hot water on a cotton pad to soften the skin.

* Use two cotton tips and gently press the skin, this will remove the head with the least amount of damage and trauma to the surrounding tissue.

* Use an antibacterial blemish treatment and dab the blemish only, avoid surrounding skin as you will dry this skin out unnecessarily. Look for a product that contains ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and azelaic acid, retinols, AHA, BHA’s.

*  MUA Rae Morris recommends: After extracting a volcanic whitehead, apply hydrogen peroxide (seven to ten per cent is the best strength) immediately. If you apply this twice on the first day the whitehead appears, it will sterilize the area to prevent further infection, reduce inflammation and stop oil oozing out after extraction. Apply gently with a cotton bud for ten seconds then wash off.”  Steiva –A cream is meant to work exceptionally well and has also been recommended in the treatment of persistent blemish treatment.