What most people do not realize is that makeup is a substance that you are adding to your face. This means whatever condition your skin is in before you put on makeup, that is the condition it will stay in or get worse. If your face was crusty before makeup 9 times out of 10 it will be as crusty or even crustier.

Precautions to take when applying makeup:

Assess your skin type

So for me, I have an oily skin type so most of my products are geared towards oily skin types. You want to make sure that the products you choose do not irritate your skin in any way!

Drink Water and Fruits

Keeping your skin hydrated is key! Your skin has a regular PH balance and when it is tipped over those are usually the days where your skin is extra oily or extra dry. Drinking water... a lot of it, helps your skin stay hydrated and makes your foundation and concealers easier to blend out into the skin.

Fruits I have learned have a shit load of antioxidants. Antioxidants are especially great for your skin they provide elasticity, as well as skin brightening agents. Fruits and water are particularly important for the TEXTURE of your skin. You want your skin to be as smooth as possible so that you can have a great smooth healthy base for any foundation you would like to apply

Toners and Moisturizers

Some people like toners some people don’t. I SWEAR by toners. Like I said previously I have oily skin so my skin benefits from an extra measure of cleansing. Now the key to a great toner depends on your skin and your skin’s tolerance. I for one, HATE minty/tingly/alcohol-inflamed toners. They sort of burn my skin and do the complete opposite of “smoothen and cleanse”!

My favorite toners include the Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner, this toner has a bunch of Aloe Barbadensis leaf juice so it soothes your skin all while helping build collagen and lessen the darkness in acne scars and blemishes. I also love the Dickinson Witch Hazel; it’s the Universal Skin Toner everyone can like; Witch Hazel, it cleanses the skin while closing your pores for a smooth flawless finish. Moisturizers are just that… moisturizers. Your moisturizers first ingredient should always be H2O- Water! Not oil, not butter, not whipped cream or whatever other thing… WATER! There are some hydrating oils like Coconut oil but that’s another article for another day! People often times confuse moisturizers for butters and oils and whatever else but you need to gain moisture through what you drink and what you put on your face…. Your body needs it it’s as simple as that! Only God knows how much I despise a “water tastes nasty” kinda girl. Like… come again? Great Moisturizers include Eucerin, Cetaphil and A+B ointment for my dry skin girls.

Primers

Primers, Primers, Primers!

Primers are usually overlooked! But I am here to let you know that they are 100 percent NECESSARY. And 200% necessary for girls with acne-prone skin! Why… because the point of a primer is to PRIME AND PROTECT YOUR SKIN! Primers also smooth out your skin texture so that you are able to have a smooth base to work on. For acne-prone skin, primers are especially important for protecting your skin from any unnecessary product going into your pores. This is VITAL! You need to be able to lessen how much product goes into your pores!

Foundation and Setting Powders and Sprays

Like I said above, just in case you skipped to the last paragraph! You need to be mindful of the products you place on your face. Get foundations that cater to your skin type. I have oily skin so my foundation is usually less runny in consistency or has very little oil. My favorites are the NARS All –Day Luminous and Black Opal Foundation Stick (Drugstore). They work for me!

Be mindful when picking setting powders. YOU NEED NOT LOOK LIKE A GHOST. I am ANTI-BAKING! It is completely unnecessary and you run the risk of having white face. You want to make sure that you are using setting powders that are close to your skin-tone. Also, a quick way to check if your makeup is flash proof is by taking a picture with flash in low light in your house! Setting Sprays are meant to lessen the look of powder on your face , and basically melt all your makeup together and create something very skin like ! Setting spray is not just water so invest in one PLEASE!

I hope this post was informational, and helped clear up some myths! Remember, there is no “one way” to apply cosmetics. You just need to find out what is best for you!

-Kissy <3