6 Makeup Products Designed To Fight Acne

There’s no way around the fact that acne sucks. Aside from genetic unicorns, we’ve all been there – whether it was during the oily, cringe-worthy days of middle school or an annoying obstacle we’re still tackling. Either way, we can agree that it’s a serious struggle to find makeup that won’t irritate and inflame acne even more. Thankfully, there are heroes out there who understand that people with acne-prone skin want to wear makeup, too. There are hundreds of products on the market that claim to cover and treat acne, but can we really trust them? We spoke to New York City dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD, about what ingredients to look for – and avoid – when you have acne-prone skin. “It’s important to choose the right time of makeup for effective coverage and future breakouts,” he explains. “The wrong makeup can clog your pores and actually make acne worse. I recommend mineral-based makeup or powder foundations. The pigment particles in mineral products tend to not clog pores the way heavy liquid foundations can. If you want to use a liquid foundation, look for a product that contains a low concentration of salicylic acid to help keep the pores open.” If you want to use a tinted moisturizer, look for an oil-free formulation. “They contain dimethicone rather than petrolatum, giving a light feel on the skin and actually helping to absorb oil to reduce shine,” says Dr. Zeichner. We rounded up makeup products designed for acne-prone skin, ahead: