Halloween Makeup Tips That Will Keep You From Looking Scary the Next Day

Lincoln City skin doctor

Transforming yourself into a ghoulish goblin or creepy cadaver offers some of the immense appeal of what makes Halloween such a fun time of year. Wearing complicated costumes that require a lot of makeup can make for a memorable Halloween night, but can also cause complications for those with sensitive or acne prone skin. To keep your Halloween makeup from transforming you into a zombie with zits, your Lincoln City skin doctor at Valley View Dermatology has a few recommendations.

Select the Right Makeup for You

Face paint you buy at the costume shop or order online during this COVID impacted season are usually oil-based. If you have sensitive skin or skin that’s prone to breakout, stay away from these frightful face paints.

The addition of more oil to the surface of your skin can only cause further problems to develop. Excess oil works to clog pores and cause breakouts more frequently.

Rather than purchase the first face paint product you find, do your skin a favor and take the time to find a more suitable alternative instead. Try finding a brand of makeup that’s oil-free, non-comedogenic, and that won’t clog your pores.

Any brand of makeup that contains some combination of these terms on its label will most likely be appropriate for those with acne-prone skin to use.

Unfortunately, acne caused by makeup (also referred to as acne cosmetica) can take months before the effects become obvious. The long gap can make the cause of your breakout unclear, unless you happen to remember that one time you applied an oil-based cosmetic to your face months prior.

One obvious sign that your breakout may be makeup related is the position of the pimples on your face. Acne cosmetica will most likely appear as tiny bumps on your chin, cheeks, and forehead. If your lipstick or lip gloss is behind your breakout, you’ll usually see tiny pimple around your lips.

For those with incredibly sensitive skin, mineral makeup often makes an ideal choice. Mineral cosmetics don’t usually feature the type of pore clogging ingredients that make oil-based makeups a real holiday nightmare.

Give it a Go Before Going Out

Even if those Halloween makeup tutorials have got you excited for the big night to finally arrive, don’t get carried away before giving your makeup a test run. You never know whether fake blood, facial putty, or a witch’s nose will trick or treat the health of your skin.

Makeup, fragrances, and latex all offer the potential of causing what’s known as contact dermatitis. This occurs when your skin comes in to contact with an irritant. Some of the symptoms of dermatitis include:

  • Itchy skin
  • Rash
  • Excessively dry skin
  • Stinging
  • Hives
  • Burning skin

You don’t want to experience any of these symptoms shortly after you leave the house and need to either go back home or remove your makeup. Instead, take the time to rub or apply a small portion of the product on your arm or hand. Allow it to harden or set and then wear it for a few hours. This will help to determine how your skin may react.

Don’t Suffer the Pains of Halloweens Past

While you can probably reuse parts of your costume this year, don’t feel tempted to use the same makeup that you have left over from Halloweens past. Makeup that’s been open for the last year has likely become a breeding ground for the types of bacteria that can irritate your skin and cause breakouts to develop.

Old makeup can also lose its effectiveness, which could require applying more for the same effect. If using an oil-based face paint, that additional layer can lead to more pores clogging and a higher chance of you breaking out. Old makeup that has lost its effectiveness can also damage your skin.

So when should you start tossing out old makeup? Start by looking for an expiration date. If one doesn’t appear on the packaging, you should see an illustration of a round jar on the back of the label. This illustration will include a number that indicates how long after opening you can still safely use the product.

 

Having a safe and healthy Halloween that doesn’t require visiting a Lincoln City skin doctor. All it requires is knowing your skin and what types of makeups to avoid. Come back next week as we continue to look at a few more Halloween makeup tips.