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Skincare Talk: Long-lasting Non-comedogenic foundation routine for acne prone skin and acne scars
Friday 24 January 2020 at January 24, 2020
Most of the time, I'm not bothered by how my skin looks. But that doesn't mean that I don't have days where I get very self-conscious and insecure with how my skin looks. Putting makeup on has helped me easily get over this insecurity, and it has also made my healing journey much easier and quicker, as I don't spend my day dwelling and stressing over my outer-appearance. However, although wearing makeup was able to relief my insecurity and self-consciousness, I would often feel guilty about it. I would feel as though the makeup is clogging my skin and the worse part is, it will always end up looking blotchy by night time... Until I've put together this foundation routine.


There are two main points about this foundation routine, making it very suitable for people with oily, acne-prone skin type, and also for people with acne scars to conceal.
  1.  The products used in this routine are mostly non-comedogenic which will minimize the risk of them clogging your skin. They are also safe for the skin which will prevent inflammation, and sensitising of the skin.
  2. The products have high coverage and long-lasting properties.
So without further ado, let's get right into it!




I first tried the Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Makeup in 2016 when it was kindly sent to me for free. Even though I loved it since day one, it didn't stop me from wanting to explore the countless of other highly-raved liquid foundations in the market. After many years of exploration and spending money on disappointing foundations, I finally concluded that this is indeed the best liquid foundation in the market.

The Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Makeup liquid foundation comes in a wide range of shades, so finding one that suits your skin tone will definitely not be an issue. I'm using the shade 2C3 Fresco which falls under light to medium with cool undertones. C stands for 'cool', N stands for 'neutral' and W stands for 'warm'. Having oily skin, I hate the feeling of thick, heavy foundation on my skin. Thankfully, this foundation has high coverage. With a damp beauty blender, I never go above one layer of foundation since that alone is sufficient to conceal most of my blemishes. For a fuller coverage, feel free to experiment with different application methods like a dry beauty blender, or your fingers, or a foundation brush.
Ingredients: Water\Aqua\Eau , Cyclopentasiloxane , Trimethylsiloxysilicate , Peg/Ppg-18/18 Dimethicone , Butylene Glycol , Tribehenin , Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate , Magnesium Sulfate , Tocopheryl Acetate , Polymethylsilsesquioxane , Methicone , Laureth-7 , Xanthan Gum , Alumina , Sodium Dehydroacetate , Disteardimonium Hectorite , Cellulose Gum , Propylene Carbonate , Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate , Phenoxyethanol , [+/- Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499) , Mica , Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891)]
- quoted from Estee Lauder's official website
Due to its oil-control formulation, this foundation is able to keep my skin looking matte and non-blotchy throughout the day. In addition, this foundation is also alcohol-free, oil-free, and fragrance-free, making it safe, non-comedogenic and non-clogging for acne-prone and sensitive/sensitised skin.

Once this foundation sets, you can trust it to stay on your face for the entire day without powdering. At the end of the day, it dissolves and comes off easily with my Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Solution. Once the cotton pad comes out clean, I will "double cleanse" with my facial cleanser to ensure that no foundation goes into bed with me.

If your acne marks are light, you may stop at this very first step. If not, proceed with step two to conceal the remaining of the acne marks.




The Benefit Boi-ing Industrial Strength Concealer provides full coverage for even the darkest spots. But unlike the foundation, this concealer only comes in 3 limiting shades. I'm using shade No.2 which is the light-medium. It's not the perfect match, but unless you were to look closely, the shade difference is not obvious. To get the maximum coverage from this concealer, I find that it is best applied using my finger. As long as you ensure to watch your hands before dipping your finger in the pan, using your finger will be a lot more hygienic and effective than a brush.
Ingredients: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenyl Trimethicone, Isopropyl Palmitate, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Talc, Paraffinum Liquidum (Mineral Oil), Silica, Kaolin, Cera Microcristallina (Microcrystalline Wax), Nylon-12, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Lecithin, Benzyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Bht. [+/-: Ci 19140 (Yellow 5, Yellow 5 Lake), Ci 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), Ci 77007 (Ultramarines), Ci 77163 (Bismuth Oxychloride), Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499 (Iron Oxides), Ci 77891 (Titanium Dioxide)]. - quoted from Sephora.
I believe one of the reasons why this concealer is able to provide such long-lasting full coverage is its thick and waxy consistency. Although this enables me to easily obtain a full coverage without using multiple layers of concealer, the heavy waxes found in the concealer can be clogging for the skin. Not to mention that this concealer also contains a mineral oil. Nevertheless, I believe that clogging can be easily avoided as long as you don't overuse this concealer. Don't bother using this concealer on areas where you won't require it, such as your under eyes. The thickness of this concealer will definitely crease around the eye area. This is also the reason why I prefer to apply my foundation first before my concealer, so I don't use it unnecessarily.

The first two products do not require setting powders, but on days where I'll be wearing my foundation for the entire day, I like to do an additional step for my own peace of mind.




The Jane Iredale PurePressed Based Mineral Powder is highly raved by Olena Beley, a skin coach who I used to follow because it's non-comedogenic, safe for the skin and provides high coverage. For more information on this powder, you may check out her numerous content for it (1 | 2 | 3).
Ingredients: Mica, Boron Nitride, Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Plankton Extract, Algae Extract, Pinus Strobus (Pine) Bark Extract, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Extract. [+/- (May Contain: Iron Oxides (CI 77489, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Chromium Oxide Greens (CI 77288)] - quote from Jane Iredale's official website
Through her recommendation, I decided to try it out for myself. I'm using the shade Natural which is again, slightly dark for me, but the difference is not obvious. After experimenting with different application methods, I concluded that I didn't like using this on my entire face. It could be the humidity in Singapore, or my oily skin, but I find that it always gets cakey and blotchy, even when I apply lightly with a brush. In spite of that, I wasn't ready to give up on this product. It was expensive. So I started using this to very lightly set and also to provide additional coverage to the areas needed, such as the really, really dark spots, or around my nose. By doing so, I avoid caking my face, and I love that it helps my foundation last even longer.


If you are keen to try this foundation routine for yourself, I would love to know how the products worked for you! Also, if you have any other questions regarding the products, feel free to drop me an e-mail or a DM, and I will try my best to answer them. If you'd like to see the products in action, you may click here to watch my Youtube video on this foundation routine.

Before I sign-off, I want to highlight that even if the products, be it skincare or makeup, are non-comedogenic and oil-free, overusing any heavy products like moisturisers or liquid foundations, can still cause clogging, and so it's important to pay attention to how much you're actually using. Personal hygiene plays a role in breakouts too. Therefore, do ensure that your applicators are well-cleaned and that you remove all your makeup before going to bed every night.

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