5 things every woman with problem skin needs to know about applying makeup.

Image: iStock.

While it might sit firmly in the First World Problems file, having fussy skin – whether it’s acne, rosacea, or eczema – has the power to diminish confidence levels. While you might be hell bent on covering your face with makeup, that can ironically lead to exacerbating the issue.

So how do you wear makeup without  it contributing to your skin woes? Jamie Kern Lima, Co-Founder and CEO of IT Cosmetics is here to help. The former news presenter suffered from rosacea so decided to developed great makeup that is skincare first. So, yeah, she knows what she’s talking about.

1. The biggest makeup mistake women with acne make.

“The most important thing you can do if you have acne is pay attention to the ingredients you put on your skin. So many cosmetics products have ingredients that can make your acne worse as you wear it. Even if a product covers your breakouts, it could have comedogenic ingredients like bismuth or even chemical sunscreen that can cause irritation and aggravate your acne.”

2. The most under-rated product when it comes to covering up skin imperfections is your brush collection.

“When it comes to great skin, makeup and skin care get a lot of the credit. But BRUSHES play a much bigger role than many people realise. When you apply your makeup, it literally applies it in a way that makes your pores appear minimised, skin texture issues like fine lines appear more smooth, all from a brush.” 

Listen: Beauty guru Zoe Foster-Blake shares her beauty advice for women who have no time to spare. Post continues after audio. 

3. Thick foundation is actually not the best way to cover up problem skin.

“Thick foundation looks just like that on your skin – like thick foundation. So often with problem skin layers and layers seem to be the only option when it comes to getting full coverage. But when you choose a product that targets redness, or you choose a colour correcting product, you can start with a small amount of product and work it into your skin. Great makeup can give you great skin without a lot of layers. If you are going back over your problem areas more than twice for coverage, that product isn’t working as it should.” (Post continues after gallery.)

4. Consider switching from foundation to a targeted CC cream.

“Your Skin But Better™ CC+ Cream ($38) is truly is everything your skin needs – complete skin care, full coverage, and SPF 50+ Physical Only Sunscreen – all in one step. It actually starts it’s life as skincare, and we’ve infused full coverage into it. I have rosacea and hyperpigmentation and I feel like I’ve spent most of my life trying every foundation and concealer out there and they almost all crease and crack and make us look older, especially if you need coverage. Our CC+ cream gives you full coverage but is developed to make your skin look younger instead of older, so it’s really so different than anything else out there.”

5. Remember, you are not your skin.

“Sometimes the hardest part of having a skin condition is that understanding it doesn’t define you and that so many of us women are in the same boat together. I so often felt when I met someone for the first time, all they would see was my skin. They wouldn’t hear what I had to say or remember how I made them feel – they would only see my rosacea. It was a terrible worry for me. I spent my career before IT as a news presenter on television. I worried about my skin, worried about my weight, I worried about my worries.

I tried everything from prescription gels and beyond but there is no cure for rosacea. Also my skin is extremely sensitive so it was really challenging when as a news presenter I needed to have coverage and flawless looking skin, but most makeup out there, at every price point – even the highest – would often cause irritation. But I am grateful to have experienced all of the frustration for years because it truly inspired me to make makeup a better way. At IT Cosmetics we work with plastic surgeons and dermatologists and all of our products are colour-infused skincare, so they are skincare first and foremost yet they truly give you amazing coverage if that’s what you need.”