22 replies to this topic

[Pord]

Hey,
Hello everyone. I hope that you all be able to take the time to read this short topic and help me out.

I would explain my “acne issues”, but I have them posted in a different topic. I will be sure to include the link just in case you are curious.

For the time being I have several shallow scars. A few of them are box cars and a few of them are rolling if I am not mistaken. It has been messing with my head a little bit and has made me extremely sad. I think about it 24/7 and it seems to be slowly destroying me (intense huh?). I just wish that I could have my normal face again. :/

As of right now I am using Retin-A to help with the shallow scars and I am also using Mederma and emu oil. I hope that this stuff will help. I am currently living in Brazil right now and I will not be back in the States for another seven months or so. So this is the best that I can do to fix these scars. I am going to try to fix the scars with other methods (if these don’t work) when I get back.

I don’t have any active acne right now (I took Roacutan for six months). The only acne that I have is just a few marks here and there that the Retin-A is pushing out of my skin.
That being said I would like to know what I can do right now to make these marks “go away”. I have never considered make up as an option (since I am a guy) and I think that it may be a good idea for me until I can get these scars figured out. At least it will let me be able to not worry about the angle that the sun is hitting my face, the way people look at me, et cetera. It would be like “sweeping things under the rug”. – My plan is that I will not have to use make up for the rest of my frackin life . . . but I am not sure if I will ever be able to get rid of these marks.

I would just like to know what I need to buy. Concealer, foundation, what? I am so new to this that I have no idea what I am even looking for. What do I need to get? How much will all of this stuff cost me? How long does a bottle (I think that is how you say it) of concealer/foundation/whatever last? Do I apply it to me entire face or just the scars? Etc. I have read a bunch of posts, but most of the stuff that I have found is pretty old.

I hope that a few of you guys and girls can help me out. Any commentary is welcome.

I would really appreciate it.

Here is a link to the topic that talks about my face and the scars that I have. I have a few pictures there so please take a look. My face is very white by-the-way if you can’t tell because of the hyperpigmentation. http://www.acne.org/...__fromsearch__1

If there is anything that I have left out please let me know and I will post the info.

Thanks so much!

Edited by Pord, 10 December 2011 - 05:34 PM.

[Chococrit]

Let me start off by saying...those photos are flubber nuttin HUGE! Spent most of my time scrolling back and forth. lol

If you truly want to wear make-up, that is a personal choice. I don't, but I know a bit about the topic. First decide if you want full coverage or just a little to were you can see the scars but the overall look is more natural. Full coverage is going to make you look more "photo shopped" and people will be able to tell that you have make-up on. Were as if you want minimal/more natural look then, you can still tell there is make-up, but it will be less noticeable. I'll leave tips for both, just in case.

Full:
You want to buy a concealer, foundation, bronzer, set of brushes, eyebrow pencil/brush and a pencil eye liner. Start with a fresh face. Take the concealer and apply it to the marks, under the eyes and around the nose to conceal the redness or discoloration. Then you want to take your foundation and apply to the whole face and neck (sometimes ears to make it all look one color) and blend that into the skin. Once you are fully covered and happy with the coverage, apply the bronzer to the "T-zone" (Down the nose, on the cheek bones and the top of the forehead and temples). Take the eye brow pencil and add a little color to the brows and brush it out. Finally take the eye liner pencil and brush it on your eye lashes. It will open the eyes and look natural without adding mascara. http://www.youtube.c...ossmakeupartist Use this link for some tips. I love this guy and he has a ton of great tips for men and make-up. He does more of a full coverage type of make-up looks.

Less:
For this you want to get a few similar things. Concealer, eyeliner pencil (instead of mascara) bronzer and a set of brushes/sponges. Start with a fresh face. Apply the concealer on the places that you want to cover. Blend it into the skin so it blends with your natural skin color. Take the eyeliner and apply it to the eye lashes like mascara to add some boldness to the eyes and open them up. Take the bronzer and add some color to the cheeks and top of the forehead. Then that's pretty much it. This is a clip that has some good tips, but don't shop for the foundation like they did.

Foundation Tip: Never match the color to the face. You want to match it to the skin on the neck area to get your true skin tone. The face has irritation that most people try to compare their skin to and then end up buying the wrong color of foundation.

Concealer: Buy a color that is a little lighter than the foundation that you want to buy.

Brushes/Sponges: Just get a cheap set from the store. You don't need anything over the top.

You can find a ton of people on YouTube that have guides to male makeup. In the end it's going to take a little trial and error before you will be able to find the perfect products that you like. I tried this in the past and I had some fun with it, but now that my skin is getting back to normal I'm not wearing anymore. Remember to get products that are non-comedogenic and try to stay away from products that are based with oil (I think, can't remember off the top of my head). You can use power or liquid foundations, but if you go with power (it covers less) and if you use liquid make sure to set it with a translucent powder so that it sets.

This clip is pretty good too, showing you the products and how to apply them. I used to do this, but with different products. It's good for pictures and from far away, but once up close you can tell there is makeup on, but it's not too bad.

If you have anymore questions then feel free to hit me up and I'll try my best to help you out. Hope this helps you out? Good Luck!

[Chococrit]

Almost forgot...make sure you buy a gentle cleanser that is made for makeup removal. Don't use the wipes or anything like that. The rubbing from the wipes will cause irritation to the skin and lead to breakouts. They also contain a few things that are not all that great for the skin. So, just get a great cleanser that will remove all traces of makeup. ;]

[InAStateOfHopefulness]

Chococrit, on 31 October 2011 - 05:20 PM, said:

Almost forgot...make sure you buy a gentle cleanser that is made for makeup removal. Don't use the wipes or anything like that. The rubbing from the wipes will cause irritation to the skin and lead to breakouts. They also contain a few things that are not all that great for the skin. So, just get a great cleanser that will remove all traces of makeup. ;]

I honestly have no clue what to do with makeup myself, but what I've found that works for me is (after moisturizing/priming):
-Apply full coverage (heavily pigmented/"camouflage") liquid concealer all over
-A mineral makeup foundation
-Translucent finishing dust
It works pretty well for me. It doesn't come out cake, matches my neck, and covers everything. The only thing is it doesn't conceal is bumps =C

I really like Cetaphil Daily Cleanser and a good toner (ACV). It seems like they completely remove makeup. But I'm not sure if ACV is okay while on accutane. Thus far I've had no problems with it, hehe.

Edited by InAStateOfDespair, 01 November 2011 - 09:02 PM.

[Pord]

Chococrit, on 31 October 2011 - 05:20 PM, said:

Almost forgot...make sure you buy a gentle cleanser that is made for makeup removal. Don't use the wipes or anything like that. The rubbing from the wipes will cause irritation to the skin and lead to breakouts. They also contain a few things that are not all that great for the skin. So, just get a great cleanser that will remove all traces of makeup. ;]

Thanks for the detailed reply.

[adalyn]

agreed with much of what Pord says. I'm also pretty minimalistic on a daily basis, and I seriously hate the made up look, so to go for something subtle I use less.

To cover just my skin, I only use concealer and powder for my face - concealer for the acne or spots and powder all over the face to even out my skintone since i have a lot of redness. I'd also recommend the same for you too, since it looks very natural and not made up.

In response to MichellePhan's video though, a concealer that I'd recommend for acne spots wouldn't be something that is as liquid as what she uses - liquid or cream concealers are usually for undereye circles and darkness. I'd recommend something thicker that comes in a stick or a little pot that has a waxy consistency since those are much better at covering acne. Budget friendly ones would be Neutrogena Healthy Skin Smoothing Stick, and Maybelline Cover Stick Waterproof Concealer. Although I can't say much about whether they're good since I've never tried them.

I'd also highly recommend mineral powder/mineral makeup since it's much more gentle to sensitive and acne prone skin.

Also, as an addition to Pord's post, Goss came out with a new video for makeup for men which is pretty natural looking. Though I'd super suggest sticking to just concealer and powder for minimalism. I think he uses the mineral powder from BareMinerals, which is full coverage and doesn't require concealing, which is why he skipped concealer. Although I don't recommend BareMinerals for acne prone skin because it tends to have irritating ingredients. The message boards here have several good recommendations for mineral makeup.



Hope this helps!

Edited by adalyn, 07 November 2011 - 08:23 AM.

[Pord]

adalyn, on 07 November 2011 - 08:21 AM, said:

agreed with much of what Pord says. I'm also pretty minimalistic on a daily basis, and I seriously hate the made up look, so to go for something subtle I use less.

To cover just my skin, I only use concealer and powder for my face - concealer for the acne or spots and powder all over the face to even out my skintone since i have a lot of redness. I'd also recommend the same for you too, since it looks very natural and not made up.

In response to MichellePhan's video though, a concealer that I'd recommend for acne spots wouldn't be something that is as liquid as what she uses - liquid or cream concealers are usually for undereye circles and darkness. I'd recommend something thicker that comes in a stick or a little pot that has a waxy consistency since those are much better at covering acne. Budget friendly ones would be Neutrogena Healthy Skin Smoothing Stick, and Maybelline Cover Stick Waterproof Concealer. Although I can't say much about whether they're good since I've never tried them.

I'd also highly recommend mineral powder/mineral makeup since it's much more gentle to sensitive and acne prone skin.

Also, as an addition to Pord's post, Goss came out with a new video for makeup for men which is pretty natural looking. Though I'd super suggest sticking to just concealer and powder for minimalism. I think he uses the mineral powder from BareMinerals, which is full coverage and doesn't require concealing, which is why he skipped concealer. Although I don't recommend BareMinerals for acne prone skin because it tends to have irritating ingredients. The message boards here have several good recommendations for mineral makeup.



Hope this helps!

Thanks for the reply.

How long will these products last me (how often do I need to buy them)? And what is the price range I am looking at to have everything that I need? - I will probably go for a super minmalist look just to cover the shallow scars.

I am sorry that the pictures are so big. They used to be smaller, but than the forum changed.

[adalyn]

Ah, sorry Pord! I meant I was adding to Chococrit.

At the very least you'll need three things:
- Concealer
- Mineral Foundation
- Kabuki Brush

I'll offer some suggestions.

Concealer
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Smoothing Stick ($7.25) and Maybelline Coverstick Waterproof Concealer ($4.99). You can swipe the stick on a clean finger and gently pat it on the blemish, or you can just smooth the stick over the blemish and pat it in with a finger to blend. I also recommend Physicians' Formula Conceal Rx ($7.99) even though it's not a stick, since it covers so well. You can find these in most drugstores. These should last anywhere between 2-4 months, depending on how much you use. I've had my MAC Studio Finish concealer ($19) for 2 years and I still had half of it left - I ended up getting a new one since concealers only last a year or two. (MAC is a bit pricier but I swear by this concealer to cover stuff up. Also, a sales associate could help you find your shade for you.)

Mineral Foundation
A full size jar of mineral foundation should last you 5-6 months of daily use, depending on how much you use per day. There are several threads in this forum that currently recommend certain brands. I've heard great things about Meow Cosmetics' mineral foundation ($12.95), which has a formula that's full coverage but natural looking, and I've also heard great things about Alima Pure ($22) (which I own). If you're not allergic to Lauroyl Lysine, Everyday Minerals also has a foundation that is also full coverage ($12). Everyday Minerals also offers a free foundation kit that helps you find which shade of powder matches your skin, as long as you pay for shipping ($5).

Kabuki Brush
Budget friendly but quality brushes to buff (as in apply in a circular motion the same way Goss does) are EcoTools Retractable Kabuki Brush ($8.99), which you can find in most drugstores. If you're at a Target or shopping on drugstore.com you can get e.l.f Studio Kabuki Face Brush ($6). Everyday Mineralshas a really good one at $12. I own all of these brushes by the way... lol. And I like them all a lot.

That's pretty much it. I hope this helps!

[Pord]

adalyn, on 07 November 2011 - 11:27 PM, said:

Ah, sorry Pord! I meant I was adding to Chococrit.

At the very least you'll need three things:
- Concealer
- Mineral Foundation
- Kabuki Brush

I'll offer some suggestions.

Concealer
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Smoothing Stick ($7.25) and Maybelline Coverstick Waterproof Concealer ($4.99). You can swipe the stick on a clean finger and gently pat it on the blemish, or you can just smooth the stick over the blemish and pat it in with a finger to blend. I also recommend Physicians' Formula Conceal Rx ($7.99) even though it's not a stick, since it covers so well. You can find these in most drugstores. These should last anywhere between 2-4 months, depending on how much you use. I've had my MAC Studio Finish concealer ($19) for 2 years and I still had half of it left - I ended up getting a new one since concealers only last a year or two. (MAC is a bit pricier but I swear by this concealer to cover stuff up. Also, a sales associate could help you find your shade for you.)

Mineral Foundation
A full size jar of mineral foundation should last you 5-6 months of daily use, depending on how much you use per day. There are several threads in this forum that currently recommend certain brands. I've heard great things about Meow Cosmetics' mineral foundation ($12.95), which has a formula that's full coverage but natural looking, and I've also heard great things about Alima Pure ($22) (which I own). If you're not allergic to Lauroyl Lysine, Everyday Minerals also has a foundation that is also full coverage ($12). Everyday Minerals also offers a free foundation kit that helps you find which shade of powder matches your skin, as long as you pay for shipping ($5).

Kabuki Brush
Budget friendly but quality brushes to buff (as in apply in a circular motion the same way Goss does) are EcoTools Retractable Kabuki Brush ($8.99), which you can find in most drugstores. If you're at a Target or shopping on drugstore.com you can get e.l.f Studio Kabuki Face Brush ($6). Everyday Mineralshas a really good one at $12. I own all of these brushes by the way... lol. And I like them all a lot.

That's pretty much it. I hope this helps!

Thanks for the info. Will these products help cover shallow scars?

[adalyn]

I'm sorry but I can't say Pord!
I do have only one shallow scar abut 1/2 inch long but it's faded away to the point that powder can cover it up. I can't say much about deeper or more visible scars... though

[Pord]

adalyn, on 11 November 2011 - 08:37 AM, said:

I'm sorry but I can't say Pord!
I do have only one shallow scar abut 1/2 inch long but it's faded away to the point that powder can cover it up. I can't say much about deeper or more visible scars... though

Thanks for the reply.

What is your opinion on MUAC tinted primers?

Thanks.

[adalyn]

Pord, on 14 November 2011 - 07:14 AM, said:

adalyn, on 11 November 2011 - 08:37 AM, said:

I'm sorry but I can't say Pord!
I do have only one shallow scar abut 1/2 inch long but it's faded away to the point that powder can cover it up. I can't say much about deeper or more visible scars... though

Thanks for the reply.

What is your opinion on MUAC tinted primers?

Thanks.

Sorry Pord! I have never used MUAC.

[Pord]

adalyn, on 14 November 2011 - 08:42 PM, said:

Pord, on 14 November 2011 - 07:14 AM, said:

adalyn, on 11 November 2011 - 08:37 AM, said:

I'm sorry but I can't say Pord!
I do have only one shallow scar abut 1/2 inch long but it's faded away to the point that powder can cover it up. I can't say much about deeper or more visible scars... though

Thanks for the reply.

What is your opinion on MUAC tinted primers?

Thanks.

Sorry Pord! I have never used MUAC.

Thanks for the reply.

[Pord]

Bump.

Anyone else?

Please keep in mind that I am talking about shallow scars (some of which are shallow boxcar scars).

[gtturbo2]

Pord, on 09 December 2011 - 12:42 PM, said:

Bump.

Anyone else?

Please keep in mind that I am talking about shallow scars (some of which are shallow boxcar scars).

i use i abit of dermatologica tinted spf moisturizer - not strictly make-up

Just smear a thin layer on with ur finger on the worst areas and blend it in. It doesnt cover 100% but evens things out a good deal.

It also contains zinc oxide which i hear is good for fighting inflammation.

[gabrieldaily]

Shallow scars are going to be a little harded to cover up since they are shallow. The only thing you could do is use a bit of foundation or concealer (Depending on the area, if its smaller- concealer, bigger- foundation).
A good concealer is MAC's Studio Sculpt or Studio Finish (Sculpt is a lot creamier). And you can't go wrong with a foundation, I suggest a drugstore one maybe from Neutrogena. Just make sure there is no SPF in your foundation because if there is, it might look noticable in pictures (flash).

Also, try getting a silicone base primer. L'Oreal makes one for $10 (.5 oz), Philosophy makes one for $25 (2 oz) and Laura Geller $25 (2 oz). These are the most valuable I got, stay away from the higher end primers.

Use primer on the scar and then put the concealer/foundation on with your hands (clean!) do not rub, just pat! The silicone will lightly fill in the scars and the foundatioin/concealer will get rid of any discoloration. Don't use to much by the way!

Also, make sure you use a powder to set everything up. Like with foundation, make sure it matches your skin tone. STAY AWAY FROM POWDERS WITH SPF. And with a brush sweep away the powder.


You might not fully conceal the scars but you will find that this "routine" will in a way fill up the scars a little and get rid of any discolorations.

[DainBramaged]

Smashbox' Photo Finish primers are very good, if you want my opinion (they are silicon based).

[Pord]

gtturbo2, on 12 December 2011 - 09:29 AM, said:

Pord, on 09 December 2011 - 12:42 PM, said:

Bump.

Anyone else?

Please keep in mind that I am talking about shallow scars (some of which are shallow boxcar scars).

i use i abit of dermatologica tinted spf moisturizer - not strictly make-up

Just smear a thin layer on with ur finger on the worst areas and blend it in. It doesnt cover 100% but evens things out a good deal.

It also contains zinc oxide which i hear is good for fighting inflammation.

Cool thanks. Do you have any photos like before and after with the tinted moisturizer?

gabrieldaily, on 12 December 2011 - 04:39 PM, said:

Shallow scars are going to be a little harded to cover up since they are shallow. The only thing you could do is use a bit of foundation or concealer (Depending on the area, if its smaller- concealer, bigger- foundation).
A good concealer is MAC's Studio Sculpt or Studio Finish (Sculpt is a lot creamier). And you can't go wrong with a foundation, I suggest a drugstore one maybe from Neutrogena. Just make sure there is no SPF in your foundation because if there is, it might look noticable in pictures (flash).

Also, try getting a silicone base primer. L'Oreal makes one for $10 (.5 oz), Philosophy makes one for $25 (2 oz) and Laura Geller $25 (2 oz). These are the most valuable I got, stay away from the higher end primers.

Use primer on the scar and then put the concealer/foundation on with your hands (clean!) do not rub, just pat! The silicone will lightly fill in the scars and the foundatioin/concealer will get rid of any discoloration. Don't use to much by the way!

Also, make sure you use a powder to set everything up. Like with foundation, make sure it matches your skin tone. STAY AWAY FROM POWDERS WITH SPF. And with a brush sweep away the powder.


You might not fully conceal the scars but you will find that this "routine" will in a way fill up the scars a little and get rid of any discolorations.

Awesome, thanks for the advice.

DainBramaged, on 12 December 2011 - 04:49 PM, said:

Smashbox' Photo Finish primers are very good, if you want my opinion (they are silicon based).

Thanks for the reply.

[Pord]

Anyone else? I know that there has to be some make up gurus here that can point me in the right direction!

[Pord]

bump. . . . There has to be more people that know what to do.