Best Makeup For Acne Prone Skin

Here’s my round up of the best makeup for acne prone skin. These are products I use almost every day.

Best Primer For Acne Prone Skin

Here’s my secret hack for priming acne prone skin: skip primer (unless you have lots of scars and pitted marks to conceal) and use a lightweight sunscreen with a mattifying finish instead. The reason being is that acne prone skin is aggravated by clogged pores and the more products you use, the higher the risk of breakouts. So, focus on doing a full skincare routine and then using a good sunscreen with a matte finish to protect and prime the skin. My favorite sunscreens to wear under makeup are:

• Banana Boat Aqua Daily Moisture
• Live Tinted Hueguard

For long events and functions, I like to use a setting spray and my go-to is NYX Matte Finish Long Lasting Spray or the Urban Decay All-Nighter Spray over my makeup and both hold makeup in place for hours.

Related:

Chemical vs Mineral Sunscreen: Everything You Need To Know

Best Sunscreens For Acne-Prone Skin With No White Cast

Best Foundation For Acne Prone Skin

I’m very, very picky about foundation because I have acne-prone skin. The formula has to:

• be oil-free and non-comedogenic
• free from mineral oils
• SPF-free (i.e. not be a foundation with SPF — irritates the skin)
• have a satin-matte finish
• long wear time
• feel lightweight and breathable

The list above is not an easy ask, but the foundations mentioned here hit all my requirements.

• NYX Bare With Me Tinted Veil (my shade is Golden Camel)
• Smashbox Studio Skin 24 Hour Hydra Foundation (my shade is 3.02 Medium With Neutral Undertone or 3.15 – Medium With Neutral Undertone)
• NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation (my shades are Vanuatu, Barcelona, Valencia)
• Makeup Forever HD Skin (my shade is 2Y32 – Warm Sand)

Related: Best Foundation For Acne Prone Skin (Tried & Tested!)

Under-eye Concealer

8 years and counting. I haven’t found anything else that even comes close and, believe me, I tried. This concealer looks like skin and doesn’t get cakey. I like to use my ring finger to blend it around my eyes, I find that gives the best application.

• NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (my shade is Biscuit)

Spot Concealer

Blends like a dream, feels lightweight, and works great for spot concealing around the face, but not around the eyes (looks cakey and creases).

• NARS Soft Matte Concealer (my shade is Biscuit)

Loose Powder For Acne Prone Skin

Not cakey, lightweight, and no flashback from photos. There’s a reason it is a cult favorite.

• Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder – Honey

Pressed Powder For Acne Prone Skin

I really like using this for days when I don’t have time to do a full face. Layer this over concealer and I’m all set. It’s not too cakey and looks quite natural.

• Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Powder Foundation (my shade is 260)

Blush

It’s expensive, but one pan will last you a year, if not longer. The only word I have to describe this blush is ethereal. It gives that glow from within and looks so natural and radiant on the cheeks. It is a slightly luminescent blush and I wear this when I have breakouts too and it looks just fine. It combines blush and highlight into one step too.

• Hourglass Ambient Light Blush (my favorite shades are Diffused Heat and At Night)

Bronzer

6 years and counting. I cannot find another bronzer that lets me bronze + contour (aka bronztour) so easily in one go.

• Benefit Hoola Matte Bronzer (the orginal shade)

It’s not easy to find makeup for acne prone skin, but these gems are truly loved by me and I hope you like them too.

Related: 3 Must-Have Makeup Products To Contour And Sculpt Cheeks on Medium Brown Skin Tone