Acne cosmetica

Acne cosmetica occurs when makeup builds up within the follicle, blocking the pore. As excess oil builds up, the pore becomes clogged, creating a blemish, writes Angela Palmer, skin care educator for About.

She explains that acne cosmetica manifests as small bumps (including papules, pustules and comedones) across the face or scalp, giving the skin an overall rough appearance.

Are cosmetics your culprit?

So how do you determine if your favorite foundation is to blame for your latest breakout? Here are three easy ways to assess the situation:

1. Inspect the infected area. While you’re scrutinizing your skin, watch out for little bumps, comedones and small pustules or papules and little to no inflammation. These reactions might indicate acne cosmetica.

2. Look at location. When it comes to identifying the cause of acne cosmetica, it’s all about location, location, location. If blemishes occur only along the hairline, Palmer explains that a hair product may be the cause. A breakout around the eye or upper cheek might be due to eye creams or cosmetics. Moisturizers or foundations might be to blame for all-over acne on the face and neck.

3. Evaluate ingredients. Next, it’s time to investigate ingredients. If your products contain any of the following pore-clogging components, then it might be time to toss them.
   • Isopropyl myristate
   • Isopropyl esters
   • Oleic acid
   • Stearic acid
   • Petrolatum
   • Lanolin

   Choose cosmetics labeled “noncomedogenic,” because they exclude these or other pore-clogging ingredients. However, there’s no guarantee that noncomedogenic products won’t cause acne, but it’s a good place to start.

Concealing blemishes

Whether or not cosmetics caused your breakout, you’re probably searching for an effective way to conceal your unsightly blemishes — without triggering additional breakouts!

Covering up blemishes can help you fake flawless skin. Plus, it has another unlikely advantage: According to Lucy Dansiger of Yahoo! Health, wearing makeup helps you avoid the temptation of picking at your pimples.

Use these tips to create your makeup routine:

1. Practice good hygiene. Whether you have acne or would like to prevent it, cleanliness should be your number one concern. Avoid the spread of bacteria — a common cause of acne — by following these simple steps:

   • Close cosmetic containers and keep them cool to avoid the accumulation of dust and bacteria.
   • Wash hands thoroughly before applying makeup.
   • Replace or wash brushes, sponges and puffs regularly. Shampoo can do the trick — just be sure to rinse well.
   • Start with a clean, fresh face. Before applying cosmetics, use an acne-fighting cleanser to remove dead skin cells, oil, dirt and other impurities that can lead to blackheads and blemishes.

   However, if you have sensitive or dry skin, skip the cleanser and use a spot treatment, which is gentler on these complexions. Also, keep in mind that washing your face more than two times a day or vigorously scrubbing your skin won’t prevent breakouts. Instead, it’ll aggravate your skin and can even trigger acne.

2. Apply an oil-free base. To prevent irritating acne, Palmer suggests using light strokes when applying an oil-free liquid or a cream-to-liquid base. To conceal more severe acne, use an opaque formula. Exuviance by NeoStrata provides light to medium coverage and is gentle enough to use over acne (or rosacea).

3. Add concealer. Depending on the level of desired coverage, you may choose to apply one or two layers of concealer. To correct redness, gently blend in a green concealer over dark blemishes. For hard-to-conceal spots, use minty green Colorescience Redness Corrector SPF 20 to reduce the appearance of redness.

   On top of the green concealer, apply a second layer of concealer that matches or is slightly darker than your skin tone, suggests Palmer. Murad Acne Treatment Concealer is a two-in-one treatment that treats blemishes while providing long-lasting coverage.

4. Top off with powder. To set the concealer and add the final touch, apply loose powder. bareMinerals Mineral Veil offers all-day coverage, without using ingredients like talc, waxes, dyes and binders.

5. Remove and rest! Before bedtime, thoroughly wash off all traces of makeup. Acne sufferers should avoid using harsh makeup remover, because these solvents remove important oils that protect pores from bacteria and other pimple-causing impurities.

Learn everything you need to know about acne-fighting skincare in our Complete Acne Handbook.