makeup is a great way to express creativity and fun, but for those with problem skin it can be a lifeline. makeup helps to conceal blemishes, inflammation and scars so that people they interact with everyday can see them for who they are and not what's on their face. but most of all, it helps instill a sense of dignity when going through a tough, insecure time. 

acne-safe makeup can be tricky to find, but with some understanding of the beauty retail industry and skinSALVATION's in-clinic observations and research, we present to you a guide made in full earnest. 

common makeup challenges

most marketing terms are unregulated. 

many products will claim that they are non-comedogenic, dermatologist-tested, or hypoallergenic but unfortunately these don't necessarily mean much, because there is no regulating authority to ensure these manufacturer claims are true. 

through allllll the client product audits we've done over the years, we have found dozens (if not hundreds) of products that claimed to be all these good and safe clear skin things, but ended up breaking out our clients. 

it's for this reason we are very conservative about our recommendations, and only recommend products that have passed vigorous testing with in-clinic clients. we have reviewed other 'acne-safe' lists and have found comedogenic ingredients in those too, so beware..

synthetic dyes can be pore clogging (and toxic)

for this reason, natural pigments (from minerals, plants and insects) are the preferred choice over fd&c or d&c dyes made from petroleum or crude oil. there are several adverse reactions from these petrochemical-based dyes as the cleveland clinic writes. i offer a summary:

topically, these artificial dyes can cause reactions like itching, hives or acne breakouts. taken internally (as food colorings), they can cause irritation and inflammation to the gut lining. mentally, they have been linked to hyperactivity (especially in kids already diagnosed with ADHD), depression, irritability. and systemically, they have been linked to cancer and endocrine/hormone disruption.

loose powders will generally be the acne-safest.

when reviewing makeup lines, we find that the loose mineral powders were the safest because the binders used to create a pressed, creamy or cream to powder texture are often comedogenic.

every now and then we'll find a pressed makeup that has jojoba oil in it that is acne-safe (like youngblood's now discontinued pressed foundation), but we'd only vouch for it after at least 5-10 clients were able to use it for at least 6 months to make sure it was truly acne-safe. 

mineral makeup can be drying.

minerals are inherently ground up rocks which are porous, which means they can dry up sebum in the skin - inadvertently drying you out. this can be great for truly oily skin people (skin that's naturally oily - even on the cheeks - within an hour or so of washing), but can be drying for everyone else with combination (oilier tzone, drier cheeks), "normal" (more or less not too oily or dry all over) or drier skin. 

using a water-based hydrator underneath the "drying" mineral makeup, like our hyaluronic acid based hydrating fluid (try using as a toner or serum) - is great underneath makeup because it absorbs easily and leaves no oily residue that might interfere with the makeup's texture. putting liquid makeup on skin that's been oiled up will decrease the makeup's staying power. 

wash your brushes and implements!

even if you're using acne-safe makeup, washing your brushes and replacing sponges regularly is important to keep your tools clean and skin as clear as possible. most of our clients actually use just their clean fingers to apply and blend makeup.

using warm water and charcoal wash and firm agitation is perfect for loosening up makeup embedded in makeup brushes. make sure to rinse several times with clean warm water til it runs clear, and gently press the moisture out of the brush before laying flat or with the bristles pointing down to dry. 

check out this video to learn how we wash our makeup brushes. 

acne-safe makeup we trust

foundation

illuminare happens to be a southern california based, liquid mineral makeup formula (with SPF 20) that is acne-safe. we've trusted and sold this brand for years. clients love how a little goes such a long way, how natural the finish is and how well it covers pigmentation. 

there are other brands we used to carry, but those manufacturers have since discontinued or changed the formulas, and we can no longer vouch for them being acne-safe. 

lipstick, lip gloss, lip tint

colorganics is another california based brand that we've known and trusted for years. we used to even sell their products in our clinic. beware however, their lipliners are unfortunately not acne-safe.

you can find them online, at rainbow grocery co-op in san francisco, or your local natural food and health store. 

makeup that looks safe (but we haven't tested yet)

we'd love to see if our clear skinned clients would be willing to try and test these products out for their acne safety! once we get enough people using it consistently enough and for at least 3-6 months we can vouch for them being safe. please let us know if you decide to participate :)

blush, bronzer, highlighter, brow and eyeshadow powders

alima pure was our brand of choice for blush, bronzer and highlighter, as well as brow and eye powders. however we recently learned they went out of business ☹️ which inspired this updated post ☺️

with some research i found a brand called lily lolo that looks promising! but like most other mineral makeup brands, only the loose mineral makeups look safe so be careful when shopping. 

beeyoutiful skincare also sells 100% mineral makeup powders that look safe. 

bellapierre is a brand a client is currently testing out. their loose foundation, loose bronzer, loose blush, loose banana setting powder and loose HD finishing powder look safe. their pressed compacts contain jojoba oil which is technically cloggy, but was acne-safe in prior youngblood pressed foundation we used to sell. additionally, not all products' full ingredient lists aren't listed (like the pressed blush and bronzers) - test these two latter products carefully.

illuminare liquid blush

i'd assume this should be safe since their foundation has been safe for so many of our clients for years, but the blush pigments are so much more vibrant and robust than the foundation colors and i want to make sure i've seen with my own eyes that they are safe before recommending them. i have some tubes in the clinic that you can try, come by for a visit. :) 

lipliner

this stylist posted a video about lawless lip liner not breaking out her out having used it for months. seems like a good one to try. the tocopherol in it is listed as a higher risk ingredient on my product checker, but might derived from sunflower (acne-safe), as it's usually derived from soybean oil (not acne-safe). 

any takers?

would love to hear from you if/when you try out these makeups and if they keep you clear or break you out. remember, skinSALVATION only recommends products to clients after confirming several other already-clear-skinned clients use a product for several months with no adverse acne reactions.