One of the most common
questions I am asked regarding personal grooming is how to stop your skin (when
you're wearing make-up, that is) looking and feeling like a gross greasy mess
by the end of the day.
While I am all for a hyper
glowy come greasy sheen on skin it has a time and a place. Generally on alien
skinned models wearing Wang. On a runway. For five minutes max. It's time and
place in real life is short lived and often impracticable.
For years I suffered
through a sheeny skin that only really felt fresh for a couple of hours after
applying make-up. “Quelle horreur” I would shudder with a horrible sinking
feeling when I would catch a glimpse of my shiny complexion in shop windows. I
would simply avoid looking in the mirror on bathroom breaks so to not see the dreaded
confirmation of my greasy skin fears.
I can happily say I am
now rid of this vanity crippling affliction. My makeup looks fresh for 12+
hours and I don't even need to touch up, I feel fully confident that I can go
from work to drinks and not be the one offering the disco ball ambiance from my
shiny round face.
It wasn't easy to
achieve this level of comfort and confidence and it took years of trial and
error, product purchases and well-meaning but misguided advice from counter
girls.
I often feel that for
western skincare and cosmetics skin hydration is a major focus (in terms of
skincare and benefits that our cosmetics have pumped into them) at the expense
that those of us that are on the shiny side are left with few options that
allow us to enjoy dreamy skin.
My dream skin is matte
but not flat, it's glowy but not shiny and importantly it never feels slick or
sticky. Unless you have suffered through the sheen it's very hard to understand
let alone advise and recommend a regimen so I have put together here a
comprehensive collection over two posts of some of my very best tips and learning’s
on how to fight the shine and slime so you too can put your dream face
forward.
1. Never skip the prep
step
It all starts with how
you moisturise. It's so easy to be tempted to skip this step with the thought
in mind that "I'm oily so I don't need any more moisture". Alas you
do - if you skip moisturiser then you will create this horrible cycle whereby
the skin feels dehydrated so it produces more oil to coat the skin in order to
keep it balanced. This balance and natural skin regulation might be okay if you
were to be sans maquillage however as soon as you start coating your skin with
silicone-y and emollient products your natural oils are going to break on
through and leave your careful makeup prep looking a mess.
If you are currently
using a moisturising cream in the morning you will notice a difference if you
switch this to a lotion. If you are super oily look for a product that states
that it is oil free, has a gel base or that it has oil controlling properties
(I really like Kiehl's Sodium PCA Oil-Free Moisturizer). What you want to try
and achieve with your moisturising step is light weight hydration that adequately
moisturises the skin with out leaving a greasy residue or that over compensates
later in the day. Other lotions that I found to achieve this are: MACMineralize Charged Water Face and Body Lotion (great for normal-super oily) and Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream (good if your normal-dry - dry skinned gals get
shine too. It says cream but it really acts and feels like more of a lotion). I
find with really gung-ho oil controlling moisturisers that mattify don't help a
lot as the actually leave the skin feeling dry, like you haven't moisturised at
all. I think it's best to avoid this as it's important for the surface of the
skin to feel lightly hydrated and supple.
If you are already
using a moisturising lotion that promises all of the above then try using about
half the amount. Worried you won't cover your whole face? If you place the product
on your hand and then dab all parts on your face before massaging it in you'll
be surprised how much less you manage to use.
Further to switching
up your moisturiser for a lotion you can cleanse and tone skin with an oil free
formula that will make skin feel clean and grease free - the Kiehl's UltraFacial Oil-Free line is great for this. Look for a cleanser that has a moderate
foaming action and a clear toning lotion. If you have time on your side during
your grooming ritual do try to wait at least ten minutes after applying
moisturiser before putting your base on.
2. To prime or not to
prime?
This is a great
question. A primer is a product used to prepare the skin before foundation. It
generally contains silicone which creates a super smooth, soft surface for
foundation to stick to. A good primer should leave skin feeling silky and
looking extra smooth. You should also use much less foundation. You'll often be
recommended a primer to help keep foundation lasting longer however I think
this is very much dependent on your skin type. Often the primer can do exactly
the opposite as it is an extra layer of emollient product with the potential to
slip and slide on the skin – also a primer will more than likely moisturize the
skin which you may not need. At first it may leave the skin looking matte but
as the day wears on I can find them to actually exacerbate the problem and
cause skin to look shinier. My advice here would be to absolutely try before you
buy. Some primers will keep your skin looking better for longer and some will
leave you looking shinier, sooner. Ask the sales assistant to fill you up a
sample so you can try it over a couple of days and see how it works with your
skin. There's nothing more disappointing than buying a product that not only
doesn't fix the issue, but makes if worse! I have tried out a few primers and
have two absolute favorites. MAC Prep and Prime Skin leaves skin looking
visibly smoother and more radiant. Lancôme La Base Pro is a beautiful
velvety primer that makes skin feel incredibly smooth – so smooth I find my
self using less than a third of the amount of foundation I would normally use –
incredible! These are both super popular options but again, try before you buy
as one woman’s wonder product may be another’s worst nightmare.
The above two tips should
have your skin set up for shine-free success before cosmetics are even applied.
Part two will help you choose the appropriate foundation and my favorite
product for ensuring your base looks ace all day. Get prepping!
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