Skin before Beauty

  In the makeup industry, many artists and influencers show you tutorials or tips on how to apply makeup on your skin. They show you all of these beautiful, simplified techniques when they are truly complex. Even though I am a makeup artist and love doing what I do. I cannot help but to address the issue I tend to see ALL the time! So much hyperpigmentation, dark circles, and acne prone skin under beautiful makeup. 

  Yes, it may look beautiful. Yes, those looks are fire. But the skin, honey, the skin is so important. Your skin is the foundation. And when I see all this acne and blemishes under the skin. I have to be like bless your heart sugar in my true southern belle voice because I get so confused. Even if you have skin conditions like rosacea, acne (yes this is a condition), or lupus, there are ways to help your skin to be healthier and protected. 

  First off, make sure you are eating a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water. This definitely has an effect on your skin! When it comes to hyperpigmentation, you do not have to go get bleach to lighten your skin. Find skincare products that have niacinamide and vitamin C in them. These two are favored ingredients to help those dark spots and/or areas. Dr. Brandt "Dark Spots No More" concentrate ($68) is heaven sent. It may be a bit pricey, but it is worth buying. It will exfoliate the skin while brightening it and improve your overall complexion. Now, I know that some people may not want to spend this much of some concentrate so let me give you a "dupe". IT Cosmetics has a "Bye Bye Dark Spots" niacinamide serum that does the same thing but it's only $29 bucks! There are many different ones to try. Even at your local Target, Ambi Skincare has a fade cream that has helped not only my face but my body too. This only ranges from $7 to $10. So yes honey, you can get an affordable cream to get rid of those dark spots/areas.

  Now that we got that out of the way, let's address these dark circles. Yes, you can use some color corrector to cover while applying makeup, but there is a way to help organically! Dark circles can happen due to a variety of factors: genetics, age, eczema. Did you know that your undereye area is one of the thinnest, most sensitive areas of your skin? If not, I didn't know either until I researched about skin and beauty when first starting makeup. It is prone to wrinkles and dark circles because of this. So, guess what? I found a few products that will best help and brighten them overall. The Ordinary is the "creme de la creme" of all skincare products right now! I'm not just saying this for likes. I use their products faithfully. This company has products for every skin type whether it is dark circles, acne, pores, or aging. The "Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%" product is only around $7 bucks, and it works on sensitive skin while also reducing redness. Even though azelaic acid is good, you will need a more active ingredient for skin conditions or genetic predisposition. Hydroquinone, cysteamine acid, Vitamin C, or Green Tea work best with skin conditions or something you were born with. RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream helps build collagen, evens out skin tone, and decreases pigmentation. This cream is only $25 bucks! Okay....so there is one that I use on my clients that is also a "god-send" and its Neutrogena's Rapid Dark Circle Eye Repair Cream ($21-$24). This cream gives you instant results! Yes, instant! It is formulated with something called "Accelerated Brightening Complex". It diffuses and blurs dark circles while light reflecting minerals brightens the eyes. After a week of using, you will see a major difference in tone and the look of dark circles.

  Acne is a very stubborn condition to deal with because it can help at the most inopportune times. Personally, I feel like this is one of the biggest subjects to address when it comes to skincare under the makeup. Concealer doesn't always help, and bumps are hard to cover anyway. I encourage you to take care of this before applying makeup all the time. You can try products at home or if it is too stubborn, go to a dermatologist! They will help you find the right regime to attack the acne at the source and clear your skin. If you have tried every single product, then a dermatologist will be your safe haven. For those who can get rid of the acne but just haven't found the right product, then honey I am going to help you! The Ordinary also has squalane-based serum called "Salicylic Acid 2% Masque" ($12) that is formulated with salicylic acid to decongest those pores and exfoliate the skin. But what is squalene and what does it do? It is a moisturizing agent and dupe version of squalane that mimics your natural oils in the skin. This is good for anyone with oily skin or blemish prone. Squalene is naturally produced in the body and makes up 10 to 12% of your skin's oil. This means that it will work with your skin to hydrate, moisturize, and soothe skin. If you can afford $62, then I recommend Drunk Elephant's T.L.C Framboos Glycolic Night Serum. What's great about this serum is that is sloughs off dead skin cells and unclogs pores while you sleep so overtime your skin health improves. It imitates the effects of the glycolic acid peel. If you just have acne spots that need treatment, there are many options for acne patches. I prefer, Rael Beauty Variety Set that has the following: Microcrystal Spot Cover, Invisible Spot Cover, and Spot Control Cover. They are separately $9.60, but in the set, they are $3 lesser than separate. They work wonders for acne and deeply penetrate to get rid of zits or cystic acne!

  Yes, all of these products can help you get rid of those blemishes on your skin and improve overall skin health. Like a boat without a paddle, you can't improve your skin without a regular skin routine. I recommend applying your products at least 5 days a week. Doing this will get your skin clear and help your makeup apply effortlessly. Don't try to be so part of the trend that you neglect your skin health for a good makeup look. Become a new trend by making a stable foundation that you can build on. I have seen so many different influencers and beauty artists that don't promote healthy skin underneath. 

Honey, take care of your skin first because that depends on how your makeup is laid!