The reality of this issue is that the skin really wasn't "okay", and the makeup just made you notice that fact, or you have the completely wrong foundation for your skin type.



A few things that create this problem:

-Improper choice of foundation for your skin type

-Unhealthy, dehydrated, overly oily, and/or not well-exfoliated skin

-Lack of prepping skin pre-makeup application, or improper prepping of the skin

Foundation Choice:

When it comes to your everyday makeup routine, your choice of foundation is critical. In a professional setting, heavy, cream based foundations will normally be used for the coverage they provide. For the average person, lighter applications are going to work better. If you have oily skin, a powder foundation may be the ideal option. I personally have used, and love, Mac's Studio Fix powder foundation. If you have normal to dry skin and do not work in an environment that causes you to sweat alot - or that exposes you to a lot of grease (as in the restaurant industry), a liquid or cream foundation will most likely suit you best. When applying, moisten your sponge - this will help you prevent the cakey feeling that most of us abhor. Mineral makeup has become a popular trend, and I have used some terrific mineral based products. Some mineral products will produce more of a shine than others. This is typically related to the amount of mica included in the products. Mineral makeups with a lot of mica tend to settle into fine lines and wrinkles and "highlight" them. If you're not looking for an ultra-glow, find a mineral line that offers a matte-finish. Cosmedix offers a line called "Mineralogics" that they claim will not settle into these fine lines and will not cause the over-glow some people associate with mineral makeup. Lastly, label choice is a big part of this picture. Whatever line you decide to try, be sure you're able to "test" the foundation. I am against buying packaged makeup that you cannot touch pre-purchase. Definitely counter shop. Whether you are going for department store brands like Lancome, or professional lines like MAC - or even if you're looking at private label - touch, test, try. Do not buy makeup you cannot "preview". Also inquire about returns, guarantees, and so on. Many lines are offering satisfaction guarantees. Protect your investment by choosing quality products that offer a guarantee and that allow you to experience how they work and feel before you pay.

Unhealthy Skin & The Various Skin Types:

If your skin is not healthy, makeup will never look as great on it as it could. If you're dry and not working on that, or if you're oily and not controlling that, your makeup will not perform as you'd love for it to. If your skin is very dehydrated, makeup just can't do the same job as it would if you were hydrated. This is all common sense, but a lot of people tend to feel a product is their problem when in reality it is the skin condition that is affecting an otherwise good product. It is important that you understand that not all skin products are the same. This is why I suggest you find a skin care professional to assist you in product choice, but keep in mind that many people who sell skin care products are not skin care "professionals".

Now, a few specific tips for the various skin conditions that affect makeup most and what you can do to combat them:

Oily Skin:

Try Dr. Hauschka's "Day Oil". This product is a blend of oils (yes I said oils!) that control the production of oil on your skin. I have used this, and I swear by it. Wash and tone your face, then pat on a small amount of the Day Oil. You will not have a shine all day (and your skin won't dry out either).

Dry Skin:

Properly moisturize your skin! Wash, tone, and use a day moisturizer (lightly) on your skin. Dry as you may be, you do not need to overload your face with a lot of goop. Makeup does not go on well over thick layers of moisturizer. For this reason, apply your moisturizer directly over your face while it is still moist from your toner. Use a hydrating toner.

Dehydration:

Dryness and dehydration are not the same condition. Dryness is a result of lower than normal oil production. Dehydration is a lack of water. Drink enough water. If you consumer a lot of caffeine, drink more water. If you exercise a lot, drink more water. If you smoke, drink more water. If you bathe in, or wash your face with chlorinated water, drink more water (not chlorinated). If you live in an excessively dry climate - you guessed it - drink more water. And, remember, you can be dehydrated even if you are as oily as a grease slick. Hydrate your body - and you'll be hydrating your skin. Good hydrating products will also assist with this. Look for products containing DNA or hyaluronic acid. Atzen's Integral DNA is a wonderful and unbelievably active product that produces amazing hydration. Lactic acid is also a humectant, so in your exfoliation routine, if you need hydration - go with products that contain lactic acid.

Exfoliation:

Stop using apricot scrubs. Stop over exfoliating. And, if you never exfoliate - start. Some product lines offer daily exfoliants. In my belief, daily exfoliants do not function as well as exfoliants intended to be used 1-3 times weekly. Stop over scrubbing and rubbing your skin - and gently exfoliate with a quality, clinical skin care product. If you are experiencing the after-makeup-application "flakes" - you are either over-exfoliating and causing yourself to continuously shed, or you're not exfoliating often enough. Products that contain symmetrical beads work very well, and so do products with very tiny grains that can actually go inside the pores and sweep them clean (Atzen's exfoliating grains are amazing). The infamous apricot scrubs so many of us have used - are more damaging to your skin than helpful; get rid of them. Daily enzymatic exfoliants work well, but again, I suggest a stronger product aimed at being used weekly or twice weekly over the products intended for daily use. One such exfoliant is Dermalogica's Gentle Cream Exfoliant. I am not as big a fan of their Daily Microfoliant. Enzymatic exfoliants require no rubbing or scrubbing. When using products that do require rubbing, do not over rub; light pressure is key.

Skin Prep:

All of the above information will serve to help with your prep-routine. No matter your skin condition, you need to be cleansing, toning, and applying some sort of hydrator, moisturizer, or oil control product before you apply your makeup. Applying too much of any of these products will hinder your makeup application. Go lightly! The best way to do this: Wash your face, pat dry, immediately apply your toner, and while your toner is still moist on your face apply a small amount of your final treatment product (hydrator, moisturizer, day oil, etc.). Having the moisture from the toner still on your face will give you more slippage when you go on with your final product. This will require you to use far less product, the product will go on much more evenly and smoothly, and you will have a "thin" layer on your face rather than a thick coating of product. That thin layer is key to your makeup going on well. Allow the product to settle on your skin for 5-10 minutes if you have time. Some people love to use actual makeup "primers". There are some decent primers out there, but in my experience a makeup primer is not necessary if your skin care products are chosen and applied correctly. If you opt for a primer, go with one that has hydrating properties and leave off your moisture step during the day. Layering too much product underneath your makeup clogs your pores, makes your face sweat more, and causes the makeup to look poor on the skin. The best skin-prep routine for makeup is an excellent overall skin care routine. It doesn't have to take hours to accomplish. You just need products that work as they claim to - and enough information to make that happen easier.