Under Cover : Oil-Free Cosmetics and Makeup Savvy Help Adults Hide Acne Blemishes
I FIGURED I’d have acne until I was 19, not 36,” says a film industry executive who makes monthly visits to her dermatologist. Many people think acne plagues only teen-agers. But Southern California dermatologists report that at least 25% of their patients who are troubled by acne are women over 30.
While there is no cure for acne, it can be controlled with creams and lotions containing benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or sulfur and, for more serious cases, Retin-A and antibiotics. Many dermatologists offer their own skin-care products for acne-ridden skin. Yet, even the most advanced medical care won’t clear up a complexion overnight, so camouflage makeup is necessary.
In Beverly Hills, makeup artist Valerie Sarnelle has celebrity clients, but she also caters to patients with skin problems. In fact, she gets almost as many referrals from dermatologists as from plastic surgeons. “Women want to know how to hide their acne breakouts without making them worse, and the doctors want to be sure that cosmetics are not going to aggravate the problem,” says Sarnelle, owner of Valerie’s Cosmetics.
To disguise acne, Sarnelle uses an oil-free primer--yellow for pale to medium complexions and green for darker skin--to reduce redness and balance skin tones. Taking a bit of yellow liquid from a bottle, she sponges it onto a client’s face. Then with the tip of a makeup sponge, she applies a foundation that she has formulated for oily skin. Sarnelle suggests selecting makeup one shade darker than the natural tone to further conceal blemishes. An oil-free makeup she stocks also provides SPF 15 protection because people who use Retin-A are sensitive to the sun.
Makeup specialist Judith August, who sells camouflage cosmetics by mail-order from her Studio City offices, says that many of the techniques used on women recovering from plastic surgery can be used on acne patients. For complete coverage, August pats on natural-tone foundation, allows it to dry and then sponges on a second layer. August urges clients to then use powder “because it cuts light reflection that calls attention to the blemishes.” She also recommends a flesh-toned kohl pencil for touch-ups.
When clients with acne turn to Eugenia Weston at her Senna Cosmetiques salon in Tarzana, Weston, before applying foundation, dabs on a liquid containing camphor, an ingredient present in some acne preparations, to “protect the skin and dry out the blemishes.” She uses matte charcoal or brown eye makeup and red lipstick to call attention to the eyes and mouth “so the skin is not the focus of the face.”
Camouflage techniques are fine “as long as the cosmetics are labeled ‘oil-free’--not just ‘water-based’ because some of those have oil--and ‘non-comedogenic,’ meaning they aren’t supposed to cause blemishes,” explains Dr. Lorrie Klein, an assistant clinical professor at UC-Irvine Medical Center and a dermatologist in Laguna Niguel. And Dr. Letantia Bussell, a Beverly Hills dermatologist, cautions against using a makeup sponge more than once. “Organisms can go back and forth between the makeup and the face, irritating and prolonging the breakouts,” Bussell says. “Throw away the sponges after every use, use cotton balls instead of powder puffs, and clean brushes daily with alcohol or witch hazel.”
Noting that even she breaks out, Sarnelle says: “No woman wants to admit to having acne. But you can’t hide when you have pimples, so you’ve got to hide the pimples.”
Photographed by Veronica Sim / stylist: Pauline Leonard, Cloutier / model: Jennifer Kroll, Elite
