Whether you apply it every day or save it for special occasions, wearing makeup is a big part of a woman getting glammed up. From eyelashes to lipstick, there are so many different products to use, all serving a different purpose for your face. However, for women with acne-prone skin, the essential steps in their routine can be difficult to manage.

It requires more than consistently washing their face and cleaning their makeup brushes. Here’s how you can improve your glam with acne-prone skin.

Healthy Skincare Routine

Esthetician Charlene Dunlap argues that acne-prone skin doesn’t mean that women can’t wear makeup every day. She emphasizes that it’s simply important to have a healthy, regular skincare routine.

“It’s not that you can’t; it’s just that you need to treat the skin,” Dunlap told 21Ninety. “You want to cleanse, exfoliate, treat and hydrate.”

She advises women with acne-prone skin to use skincare products that can treat your acne and aoid using ingredients that can clog your pores.

“The main thing you want to do when you have acne prone skin is to get your pores cleansed,” Dunlap said.

She also encourages consistency and patience when figuring out what works well on your skin. A product that works for someone else may not be good for you.

“It takes at least 2 weeks before you see the start of results [and] a solid 30 days before you see the real results,” she told 21Ninety.

Don’t Apply Makeup to Open Wounds

It’s not uncommon for people to pop their own pimples when experiencing an acne breakout. Dunlap cautions women to never apply makeup over those burst pimples. She says not only are you damaging your skin, but also risking infection when using different brushes and applicators.

“If someone comes to me and they have visibly open wounds, I will not touch those wounds,” Dunlap said. “You’re cross contaminating and you could be giving some type of infection to your skin.”

She suggests seeing an esthetician for the proper way to extract and treat pimples. For those who don’t pop their own pimples, Dunlap asserts that it’s a big misconception to believe that makeup can mask it. 

“Makeup does not hide texture,” she explained. “I can cover up the redness of it, but I can’t cover up the texture.” explains Dunlap.

There are some temporary tricks makeup artists can use to cover blemishes. For example, Dunlap suggests using liquid eyeliner to mask a pimple because it will look like a mole.

Avoid Layering Products

Women with acne-prone skin should consider a more simple glam routine, to help prevent breakouts. Layering makeup products on your face won’t be a solution to hiding your acne. Dunlap says she has found ways to get around this.

“I will mix the primer and foundation,” she suggests. “That way I can kill 2 birds with one stone. If I don’t want to use a setting powder, I can just use the spray. That way I don’t have to put layer upon layer on my skin.”

She stresses the importance of using a primer because it acts as a barrier between your skin and makeup.

Don’t Sleep in Makeup

Always remove your makeup before you go to bed. Dunlap says aside from washing your face with a cleansing soap, using a cleansing brush and a steamer can help break down the makeup.

“I would not advise sleeping in your makeup if you have acne prone skin [because] it’s keeping your pores clogged up,” Dunlap said.