Blog 8 in Series: PCOS

If you don’t know what PCOS is, then please take the time to read the first post in this series, which can be found here.

This post refers to two other posts very strongly. First of all, it’s the third in a mini-series within the PCOS series in regard to Cystic and Hormonal Acne. In response to that posting, I wrote another post about the Beginner’s Guide to Acne Prevention and Care. These are both VERY important to know about before you start concealing the acne. You need to know your own skin type and how it reacts. Some people can’t wear makeup over their acne because it makes it worse! Just be careful, take it one product at a time, and let your skin indicate whether or not something works for you, not your stubborn head.

Just like acne prevention, there are a lot of products out there and you have to find which ones fit you best. Many people with severe acne problems, scarring, or redness tend to go more toward a full coverage foundation. Same goes for people with oily skin.

I can really only talk about my skin type in terms of knowing what works best. Something that works for me might not work for you, but it might! Experiment with drug store products. Get samples from Sephora or Nordstrom or Ulta of high end products that you will want to try. Believe me, they won’t look at you funny if you say you want to get a few samples to try. That’s what they and the sample cups are there for!

My skin is on the dry side and I have little tiny bumps and slight redness. I do get acne around my chin every now and then. I prefer more light to medium coverage and more of a serum or creamy consistency.

Below is a list of my favorite skin perfecting products. (They are all pictured above.)

Primers- Used under foundation to give a smoothing/brightening/perfecting look. Be careful with these, as some of them can clog your pores. I say, use sparingly. I only use on special occassions or sometimes I wear them instead of foundation when I’m having a “natural” day.

L’Oreal Revitalift Miracle Blur- Blurs out fine lines and imperfections.
*L’Oreal Magic Lumi- Worn under foundation or mixed in to give a boost of brightness.

Concealers- Used for specific imperfections. 

*Maybelline Fit Me Concealer- This is my holy grail. It is really great all around- under eyes, brightening, and concealing blemishes. It’s creamy in consistency and the wand makes it easy to apply.
Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer- This is meant for under your eyes and it’s great! Notice that mine is all torn up (AKA well-loved.) I lost the cap, tore off the sponge that is attached to the top because it was dirty (from losing the cap) and it just looks pretty poorly. Still works, but I am due for a new one soon anyway.
Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer- This one is pumped with some caffeine, which makes it great to wake up your under eyes. On the flip side, it’s infused with sparkles, so not everyone will like this one. It’s also not the best for blemishes either.
Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer- The packaging and use of this product is easy! It’s got a twist off cap and then you squeeze the product out to the attached brush and just brush on. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of coverage, so it’s best for light under eye concealing or other light imperfections.
*MAC Studio Finish Concealer- This is the bad boy that does the heavy duty work. I use it to cover blemishes, heavy redness, or dark spots. It’s awesome because it blends out to look like skin and it’s SPF 35! It’s water resistant, so feel free to wear it to the beach. I suggest NOT wearing it under your eyes because the formula is a bit dry and it can tug at your skin and collect in your fine lines.
Bobbi Brown Corrector- This is for heavy or dark circles under your eyes. It has either a pink or peachy tone to it (depending on your skin tone) that corrects blueness. It shouldn’t be used on blemishes. It is meant to be layered with your more yellow-toned concealer once the corrector is in place and blended. It works REALLY well on those “extra sleepy” days for me or on my one blue-black spot under my right eye.
**Honorable Mentions: My new purchases from England are worth looking at! I won’t go into detail, but check out Collection concealers and Bourjois Healthy Mix concealer.**

Foundations- Used to even out complexion. There are many different forms. Some are meant to mattify, make luminous, look flawless, fully cover and more.

*Smashbox Liquid Halo Foundation- This one has quickly become my every day, go-to foundation. The color matches my skin perfectly, it’s a very light consistency and while it brightens up the skin, you can’t really tell that anything is on the skin at all. It actually covers really well too. I hardly wear a concealer once I’ve applied this foundation.
L’Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation– This is my favorite (US) drugstore foundation. It’s luminous, offers great coverage and it’s buildable. It comes in a wide range of shades, so there should be something for everyone. If you like more of a matte foundation, their True Match line is awesome as well.
Yves Saint Laurent Le Teint Touche Eclat Illuminating Foundation- (That’s a big name, huh?) This stuff is lovely. It’s very smooth, luxurious and long-lasting, especially for a luminous foundation. If you can’t tell, I like a light to medium coverage and a luminous look. This foundation does a great job of that. The bonus is that it smells awesome too.
**Honorable Mentions: My new purchases from England are worth looking at! I won’t go into detail, but check out the Rimmel Wake Me Up and Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundations.**

I know this is a lot of information and it won’t help everyone, but I hope that you all can see how many different options at different price ranges there are! You can find awesome products in the drug store and at Sephora alike. I’ve notated my go-to or most used in each category with a *, so try those first! Let me know your favorite primers, concealers and foundations. I would love to try some new ones (after my No Buy, of course!)