5 Reasons Your Makeup Look Is Not Working
hair + beauty, Thank God Im Natural
January 18, 2017
Ashley
Gone are the days where a girl could only dream of her makeup looking like a movie stars without having to shell out hundreds of dollars to a professional makeup artist. We now have professional makeup artists and self proclaimed gurus at our fingertips, with the help of Youtube. Unfortunately, after watching hundreds of videos, buying every high end, low end and dupe versions of makeup, along with every brush that Morphe, Mac and Sephora sells, our beat can turn out looking like we got beat, which is definitely not a good look. At one point in time I suffered from each and every problem on this list until I saw the light after attending esthetics school and learning all about proper skin care.I realized following every step from your favorite Youtube makeup artist will not give you the instagram baddie look you were aiming for if your skin is not up to par. While quickly applying makeup over bad skin may be tempting, I would strongly advise not to.
Here are five skin issues that are holding you back from makeup greatness.
Oily Skin
Oily skin can greatly affect how long your makeup actually lasts. What looks good before you step out the house can look like an oil slick 30 minutes into Netflix and chill. To tackle oily skin, be sure to exfoliate your skin once a week to remove any dead skin that is laying on the surface causing your skin to produce even more oil. Bentonite clay masks once a week also helps to absorb excess oil, in addition to wearing a moisturizer. A good mattifying lotion and primer before your makeup application also does the trick. Finally, always apply powder after you are done with your makeup to set it all in place, and prevent an oil meltdown half way into your night.
Dead Skin
Dead skin is a huge makeup faux pas. Flakes and dead skin on the surface of your face look horrendous under makeup. Your makeup will look cakey and no amount of moisturizer or foundation will be able to properly cover it. Do yourself a favor and exfoliate your skin girl! Get a good exfoliating brush and rid yourself of that dead skin. Investing in a moisturizer that works for your skin type is also key in having smooth, flake free skin. If you have excessive dead skin seeing an esthetician and getting a microdermabrasion treatment will leave your skin silky smooth allowing for a clean surface for your makeup. Remember to also always apply moisturizer before your makeup application.
Discoloration
Women of color tend to be more prone to discolorations, especially dark pigmented discolorations. If you have discoloration due to acne scarring, ingrown hairs, dark circles, or simply certain areas where your skin appears darker, it can often show even after your makeup has been applied. Vitamins A, K and E work great in correcting skin discoloration and seeing a dermatologist can also help this problem.
I know you’ve seen the miracle the science of dermatology did in fixing Charlamagne’s skin hellooo, it can happen to you too! If you can’t get to a dermatologist office just yet color-correcting concealers can do miracles for hiding discoloration in makeup. Orange hues usually work great when covering under eye circles, and other hyperpigmentation.
Dehydration
Dehydrated skin can be a big mess. Dehydrated skin can come from improper product use, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of water, excessive product use and the list goes on. Dehydrated skin can cause your face to feel oily and dry at the same time and cause dry patches, which can be a makeup nightmare. The good news is that unlike dry or oily skin, dehydrated skin is typically caused by something we are doing wrong. So ease off the liquor, add more water, fresh fruits and veggies to your diet, only use the products that are designed for your skin type and follow the recommended usage guidelines.
Problematic Skin
By problematic skin I’m referring to acne prone, eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis skin conditions, which can be a losing battle when it comes to makeup application. Sometimes makeup can make these issues flare up even more. If your skin is going through a breakout of any kind avoiding makeup during this time is always best, but if you feel the need to wear it, babying your skin first can make a huge difference. Applying aloe vera gel and vitamin e will soothe your skin so it’s not itchy or red when wearing makeup. A cold compress will also help to calm irritation. Be sure to gently wash your skin and apply a gentle product for your specific needs before applying makeup.
Makeup can greatly enhance your look when applied properly but clean well-managed skin will take any makeup look from a 0 to a 10 effortlessly. Remember every artist needs a clean smooth surface to create a masterpiece.
Have you had any of these issues with your makeup?
Ashley Renee is a licensed esthetician, makeup artist, natural hair enthusiast, writer and poet from Chicago, residing in Los Angeles! Follow her on instagram @ashleyreneepoet, twitter and personal blog why I Waited