It took me a long time to manage my scars with makeup and I would like to share my gathered info as a makeup artist!
Preface- This post isn't about Bare Minerals, you can apply the techniques to anything BUT I own and love all of their makeup. Upon posting this I've noticed in this forum that many people suffer allergies from different types of makeup so always start slow. These techniques can be used with any of your favorite products but I'll include what I personally use so you guys can go from there.
For those looking to cover indented scars:
- The thinner the liquid foundation for every day wear the better. Pair it with a compact pigmented powder and it will give a "soft" effect for everyday. Any additional hyper pigmentation or discoloration should be addressed on its own with a concealer. I use- Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue BB/CC cream with the BarePro compact powder. The key element here is the brush too. I use a brush that is flat topped & densely but softly packed for buffing both the BB/CC cream and the powder. I own two so I don't get the powder wet. The softer the brush, the softer the look, the denser the brush the more coverage-- the flat top also delivers coverage more evenly.
-For a more full coverage look with a thicker foundation I've found that you can actually "bake" on your scars with a translucent powder. Youtube can explain baking. I like to use the Bare Minerals BarePro full coverage liquid foundation with their mineral veil (bc it's blurring) all over and then I'll go back with more mineral veil and "bake" using a small fluffy brush right on the scars. If you're short on time or don't want to learn baking skip the baking and just use the small fluffy brush to add a bit more trans. powder on the scar. Always pair a thick foundation with a blurring, finely milled powder.
- It is absolutely imperative that an appropriate blush AND a bronzer are used with your foundation because adding dimension back into the skin takes away the flat look and color that will draw more attention to scars w/o. Be careful with sparkly anything. I use a VERY loosely packed brush for the blush and a fluffly brush with a tapered tip for bronzers. I stick my blush on the apples of my cheeks and connect the bronzer into the blush from the hollows of my cheekbones and at the top of my forehead. Things I use: Bare Minerals blush in "Beauty" and their contour kit, but for starters they also have a bronzer for diff. skin tones. Physician's Formula offers these things non-comedogenic as well.
-If you're someone who likes to be extra-- you can try to use primer ONLY in the spots of the scars. Some brands even make a pore filler that can be used like this. This will help give the illusion that only the scar is lifted instead of lifting the whole area by putting it all over. I have found that this method doesn't work well with a BB/CC cream though and I'd stiple any makeup on top to not move the primer around.
It's a lot of info but I wanted to send stuff back into the world. Let me know if you guys have any tips I haven't mentioned! I work on clients with acne scarring very often so it helps me.