There’s nothing more annoying than waking up to a massive zit on your face on the same day you have a job interview or a really important meeting. While you can’t make that pimple magically disappear, you can use the powers of makeup to temporarily cover it up, so you don’t have to meet your potential boss with a paper bag over your head. While consulting a dermatologist about not exacerbating your acne is really your best scenario, in the meantime, here are super easy S.O.S. hacks to help you properly conceal that pesky pimple, plus every type of blemish in the book.
#1 Angry zit
With blemishes that have just reared their red, ugly heads, the first thing you should do is to cancel out the redness with a seamless, yellow-based concealer. Spot-treat the pimple with concealer—make sure to feather the product outwards and blend the concealer with the skin surrounding the zit. Proceed with foundation then set it with pressed powder to hold the concealer in place.
#2 Cystic acne
Cystic blemishes are the heavyweights of pimples. They’re larger, redder, and more painful. Sometimes, they also secrete pus. To best conceal these raging monsters, you need to start with a compress—icy or warm, depending on which feels better on your skin—to reduce the lesion’s inflammation.
Take note: It’s nearly impossible to fully conceal cystic acne; in fact, full-on makeup will only make it look bigger. Your best bet is to neutralize the red-purple hue of cystic acne with a concealer with yellow undertones. After applying primer on the area, use a small brush to cover up the delicate skin on and around the blemish. Finish off by delicately patting your entire face with pressed powder.
#3 Pimple Scabs and Acne Scars
Everyone told you not to pop the pimple. But. You. Just. Had. To. Pop. It. And now that your blemish is less pimple and more wound (i.e., one huge, irritated mess), you first need to clean and quickly treat it before concealing. Hold a Q-tip or a warm compress to the site to stop any bleeding and keep sebum from seeping out. Next, clean the area with warm water and mild soap before dabbing on anti-bacterial ointment. First, apply primer, then foundation to create a seamless base, then, using a fine-tipped makeup brush, dot concealer right onto the spot. Lightly blend with your finger, and apply a touch of pressed powder again to set.
#4 Dried up pimple
If your zit looks like it’s healing and the skin around the actual spot is now dry and flaky, make sure to exfoliate the surrounding dry skin so your makeup doesn’t look patchy. Next, apply an oil-free moisturizer on the blemish before reaching for any makeup. When a pimple is at this stage, dermatologists recommend that you don’t apply concealer directly on it, because you need the dried-up zit to breathe to properly heal. Instead, apply concealer on the area surrounding the pimple to bring down the redness.
#5 Acne scar
The marks left behind by acne can be as annoying as pimples in their ripe, angry state, partly because they can stick around much longer. Apply a lightweight, blendable foundation all over your face using a brush or sponge. Then using a fine-tipped brush, dot concealer over the marks. Finish by lightly dusting pressed powder to set the coverage and give your face a flawless finish.
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