Stop your makeup causing your acne

Makeup is a wonderful tool for disguising our imperfections and covering up our red spots, but it can also be the trigger behind those pesky pimples.

Our makeup habits and the ingredients embedded in certain formulas could be responsible for the sudden eruption of breakouts we see when we go to take our makeup off of a night time.

There is a difference between regular acne and acne caused by makeup. It even goes by its own name – acne cosmetica. It may look the same but it forms from a very different cause. The good news is if you figure out what’s causing it, you can get rid of it pretty quickly!

We break down all the possible reasons why your makeup could be breaking you out from ingredients to practices and product choice to help you finally enjoy your makeup without the annoying acne aftermath.

Ingredients to avoid

Whilst there are some common offenders, this is a process of elimination. Some people are more sensitive to certain ingredients over others and some people might be resistant to all of these ingredients.

Regardless, it’s good to be aware of ingredients that are known to cause breakouts so next time it happens to you, you can just flip your product around and quickly skim over the list of ingredients.

Those with sensitive skin should be avoiding common irritants such as parabens, fragrances and dyes straight off the bat. Other ingredients that might be too heavy for you (especially if you have oily skin) include silicones, acrylics, oils and shea butter.

Other ingredients to keep in mind include alcohols, certain acids, Benzaldehyde and Sodium Chloride.

Ingredient lists can be rather daunting so try to look for products labelled ‘non-comedogenic’. This means they won’t clog your pores.

If you’re using a new product and it causes a flare up, you might be allergic to one or more of the ingredients so please remember to conduct patch tests and keep a note of which ingredients aggravate your skin, especially if your acne develops into a painful rash.

Choosing the right products

If acne is a real problem for you and it seems like all makeup causes flare ups, it may be a good idea to switch to mineral-based makeup brands such as Nude by Nature and Physicians Formula. Mineral makeup is little pricier but that’s because they’re using quality ingredients. 

It’s also good to avoid heavy cream bases and replace thick foundations or concealers with a lightweight BB or CC Cream. This is because they tend to have lighter formulas and they interconnect makeup with skincare, so they are usually much kinder to the skin.

Makeup overhaul

A makeup product that used to perform perfectly on you has suddenly began causing breakouts? Chances are it’s expired! Check the PAO (Period After Opening) on your makeup product to see if that’s the case. It should look like a little jar with a number in the middle. That number stipulates the timeframe (in months) in which you should use your product once it has been opened. 

If your makeup isn’t expired, it may be your applicator. Make sure you’re giving your brushes and sponges a thorough clean when it’s due. You can read more about cleaning your brushes properly here.

If you use your hands to apply your makeup and you’re breaking out, make sure your hands are squeaky clean before they touch your face and ensure that you’re not being too rough with your application as this could irritate the skin.

Good luck!