Make Up and Acne: Picking Cosmetics That Don't Cause Pimples

Speaking at the American Academy of Dermatology’s 2003 Annual Meeting in San Francisco, dermatologist Zoe Diana Draelos, MD, Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, discussed dermatologists’ best cosmetic bets for keeping sensitive, acne prone skin looking and feeling its best.

Dr. Draelos writes, "Women should know what type of ingredients to look for when they’re purchasing products at beauty counters or drugstores, as well as know how to properly use those cosmetics once they bring them home."

To find your ideal makeup that will not induce acne, Dr. Draelos offers the following recommendations:

1. Think powder, not liquid

Powder cosmetics reduce shine and contain relatively few preservatives and other ingredients that can cause skin irritation. Moreover, powder cosmetics are much less likely to cause problems for women with sensitive skin than liquid foundations.

2. Do not over strip your skin's moisture with makeup removers

Removing waterproof cosmetics, like mascara, requires a special solvent. This solvent also removes sebum, the oily substance made by the sebaceous glands in the skin. Without this oil barrier, skin is exposed to potential irritants that can cause skin eruptions and pimples.

3. Keep your cosmetics fresh

"Women should keep track of cosmetic expiration dates and throw out any items that have passed their peak," cautioned Dr. Draelos. "Old make-up products may have spoiled or become contaminated, a particularly important point when it comes to eye products."

Typical freshness lifespan for cosmetics:

* 1 year for foundation and lipstick

* 3-4 months for mascara

* 2 years for powder foundations and eye shadows

It is also important to wash make-up brushes and sponges regularly since they can harbor dirt and germs that will aggravate sensitive skin.

4. Black eyeliner is skin friendly

Women with sensitive skin will find that dramatic black is best when it comes to eyeliner and mascara product colors. Dermatologists feel that black is the least allergenic of all colored cosmetics like eye shadow and mascara.

5. Pencil in your eyes

According to Dr. Draelos, "Pencil eyeliner and eyebrow pencils are wax-based and contain pigment and minimal preservatives. They are much less likely to cause problems than liquid eyeliners that contain latex and may cause problems in latex-sensitive individuals."

Speaking at the American Academy of Dermatology’s 2003 Annual Meeting in San Francisco, dermatologist Zoe Diana Draelos, MD, Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, discussed dermatologists’ best cosmetic bets for keeping sensitive, acne prone skin looking and feeling its best.

Dr. Draelos writes, "Women should know what type of ingredients to look for when they’re purchasing products at beauty counters or drugstores, as well as know how to properly use those cosmetics once they bring them home."

To find your ideal makeup that will not induce acne, Dr. Draelos offers the following recommendations:

1. Think powder, not liquid

Powder cosmetics reduce shine and contain relatively few preservatives and other ingredients that can cause skin irritation. Moreover, powder cosmetics are much less likely to cause problems for women with sensitive skin than liquid foundations.

2. Do not over strip your skin's moisture with makeup removers

Removing waterproof cosmetics, like mascara, requires a special solvent. This solvent also removes sebum, the oily substance made by the sebaceous glands in the skin. Without this oil barrier, skin is exposed to potential irritants that can cause skin eruptions and pimples.

3. Keep your cosmetics fresh

"Women should keep track of cosmetic expiration dates and throw out any items that have passed their peak," cautioned Dr. Draelos. "Old make-up products may have spoiled or become contaminated, a particularly important point when it comes to eye products."

Typical freshness lifespan for cosmetics:

* 1 year for foundation and lipstick

* 3-4 months for mascara

* 2 years for powder foundations and eye shadows

It is also important to wash make-up brushes and sponges regularly since they can harbor dirt and germs that will aggravate sensitive skin.

4. Black eyeliner is skin friendly

Women with sensitive skin will find that dramatic black is best when it comes to eyeliner and mascara product colors. Dermatologists feel that black is the least allergenic of all colored cosmetics like eye shadow and mascara.

5. Pencil in your eyes

According to Dr. Draelos, "Pencil eyeliner and eyebrow pencils are wax-based and contain pigment and minimal preservatives. They are much less likely to cause problems than liquid eyeliners that contain latex and may cause problems in latex-sensitive individuals."

Naweko San-Joyz helps people look better. You can get started by using her natural beauty recipe ebooks located at http://www.noixia.com/blog