Makeup is a regular part of many people’s lives. It allows you to enhance your natural features and to create true works of art with eyeshadow, lipstick, and more. If you have acne, uneven skin, or pores, or some other skin concern, it can boost your confidence by covering them up. However, many people worry about if makeup can hurt your skin and just how it affects it. They worry that if you wear makeup too often, you’ll be doing more harm than good.
The truth is that how makeup affects your skin depends on a variety of factors. So long as you select makeup that is made for your skin type, you are diligent about removing it properly, and you follow a skincare regimen suited to you, makeup can be just fine. However, there are some ways that it can negatively affect your skin, too.
Here is what you need to know about the negative effects makeup can have on your skin and the steps that you can take to avoid them.
How Makeup Can Negatively Affect Your Skin
If you select the wrong type of makeup for your skin or you are not careful about how you apply or remove it, you can see a variety of different negative effects, such as:
- Clogged pores. If you wear makeup for too long and do not remove it properly, this can end up clogging your pores, leading to acne. The same thing can happen with certain ingredients in cosmetics. It can also irritate your skin and cause bumps to form on it.
- Premature aging. If you don’t remove your makeup before going to bed, this can lead to wrinkles. If you don’t do your skincare routine prior to applying makeup, this can lead to sun damage and ergo, premature aging. Makeup products with SPF do not have enough SPF to properly protect your skin from the sun and how it can age your skin.
- Dryness or oiliness. Depending on your skin type, makeup can either dry your skin out even more or cause it to become even more oily. This is because if you don’t use the right makeup for your skin type or you do not remove it properly, this can strip your skin of its natural oils, reduce its ability to remove dead skin, and slow down cell turnover.
It is not bad to wear makeup, even on the daily. It all comes down to the ingredients in the products, how effectively you take it off, and what your skincare routine is like.
How To Wear Makeup Mindfully
If you’re someone who enjoys getting glammed up or even just giving your features a little enhancement from time to time, there are steps that you can take in order to keep your skin healthy while wearing makeup.
- Find makeup products that work with your skin. If you have dry skin, it will likely be worsened by makeup designed for oily skin and vice versa. Everyone has different skin concerns, so it’s important to select makeup designed for your skin type. Travel sizes can help you discover what works best for you. Many dermatologists suggest mineral makeup, as it sits on top of your skin, and is ergo less harsh.
- Don’t forget your skincare routine. At the minimum, you need to wash, moisturize, and apply sunscreen. This is good both for your skin in general, and to alleviate some of the side effects makeup can cause. For instance, moisturizer can help with the dryness makeup can cause and sunscreen can prevent premature aging. Plus, your makeup will look better if your skin is healthy. For best results, let your skincare sink in before applying makeup, to ensure that it is effective and to avoid pilling.
- Clean your brushes regularly. Many people don’t clean their brushes very often. However, bacteria can build up on your brushes from both your skin and your makeup, which can harm your skin. You want to clean them regularly. Once a week is best, though after each use would be even better.
- Always remove it before going to bed. You never want to sleep in your makeup, as this can lead to clogged pores, premature aging, and more. Use a makeup remover and then don’t forget to go about your normal nightly skincare routine.
- Toss expired products. Many people don’t realize that makeup can expire, but it can. If you use expired makeup, this can cause not only skin issues like acne, but also rashes and infection and other such reactions. You’ll want to check the product’s period after opening (PAO) which should be listed on the packaging.
These are but a few of the ways you can keep your skin healthy while wearing makeup. If you have any skin concerns, Intermountain Aesthetics is here to help. Contact us today to learn more about the treatments we have available to keep your skin healthy.
