Every girl knows the plight of trying to cover up that zit that decided to pop up right before that big event. But what do you do after you decided to take matters into your own hands despite the ancient skincare proverb “thou shalt not pick at thy face?!” While what was once an unsightly red bump is now an ugly uneven scab ready to ruin not just your night but your week (not to mention the potential for scarring if not properly cared for) the answer is not to hide away in your house watching Sex and the City on HBO GO. We at the Pink Dot Beauty Bar in downtown Charleston will get you camera ready again in a few easy steps.
1.) RESIST – The temptation to peel it off.
Self control is really the most important step. A scab is your body’s way of healing, and the only way to really get rid of it is to let it heal. Think of a scab like a shield for the new delicate skin that is growing beneath it. It will actually fall off naturally when the skin beneath it is ready!
2.) MOISTURIZE
A face oil like Sunday Riley Isis for super dry skin is perfect for a scab. It has rose hip oil which helps a lot with redness while also smelling beautiful. Moisturizing with an oil also tricks your skin into producing less sebum, and while your body produces sebum with good intentions, in the case of a scab (and the zit that caused it) the less sebum the better. Acne is caused by pores that become clogged with sebum and become infected. Since the surface layer of your beauty wound is sealed off by the scab for the healing process, the sebum produced below it cannot get out and the building pressure could collapse the follicle wall. If this happens you may find yourself with one of those painful under the skin pustules. If this is enough to convince you to embrace a face oil for everyday use, welcome to the club and try Sunday Riley’s Artemis oil for combination/oily skin or Juno for normal to dry skin.
3 .) TREAT
We’ve already talked about self control, so now let’s talk treatment. I LOVE Lucas Papaw ointment! Created by Dr. Thomas Pennington Lucas, it contains fermented papaya from Queensland and pharmaceutical grade petroleum jelly. The ultimate natural healing balm, it is a must have for the Charleston beauty guru. This ointment can also be used to treat eczema and dermatitis along with other minor scrapes and rashes so you can have beautiful Charleston makeup with any skin crisis.
4.) PRIME
A primer is often misunderstood and therefore chosen last for your beauty routine’s kickball team. Give this guy a chance and you will discover your makeup’s new MVP with the brains to help you cheat on the even foundation test. Primers work to fill in fine lines and enlarged pores to give your makeup a smooth surface to lay upon. Too Faced makes a great primer as well as Sunday Riley for everyday use. The hardest part about concealing a scab is the texture. Just throw on concealer and the scab will grab the makeup unevenly making it impossible to blend!
**FUN FACT – Using the Lucas Papaw Ointment will work as both a primer and a treatment for a scab because of its balmy texture. Yay for two steps in one!! I wouldn’t recommend the ointment for all over the face though, so make sure you have something lighter feeling for the rest of your face.
5.) COLOR CORRECT
This may sound crazy, but if your scab is still all red and irritated, using a green colored concealer first will neutralize the discoloration making it easier to conceal with your skin tone’s powder and concealer.
**FUN FACT – Green is also great for angry red zits and yellow for sad blue under eye circles.
6.) CONCEAL
Here we begin the layer-cake process of using a concealer and or powder to build up overage to attain an even look. Susan Posnick mineral foundation is really your secret weapon here. The coverage is amazing because of the high quality minerals. This foundation will fill in the scab and smooth it out with very little muss and fuss. Just pat it right on with your finger or small concealer brush.
7.) LOOK ALIVE
Bet you wouldn’t think to put blush or bronzer on a scab to hide it! Seriously do it though. You just spent the last two steps layering on green and skin tone color to remove the saturated discoloration, but your skin needs some color in it to look healthy and radiant. A too neutralized spot will stick out. Our friend Susan Posnick has us covered again with her bronzer, which is more of a blushing bronzer, so it simplifies this step. Plus its mineral powder texture is a pro at evening out a rough scab.
8.) MIST
Get a good moisturizing face mist like an Evian that you can spritz on your face throughout the day to keep your excellent cover-up job from looking crusty. These mists are also great to help refresh your impecablly done makeup in the hot Charleston summertime whether you be beach side or strolling to the Pink Dot Beauty Bar downtown. My favorite setting spray in general is “Model in a Bottle” which works like a hairspray for your makeup – perfect for the humidity in Charleston.
9.) EXFOLIATE
But gently! And only about 4-5 days into the healing process! Best to try cleansing with Eve Lom’s legendary cleanser that is applied to dry skin. Now do I have your attention? Its unique balmy texture and essential oil blend works best when massaged on the face and then steamed in using one of her muslin cleaning clothes moistened with hot water and held over the face for a few seconds. Then gently wash off the makeup with the cloth which provides mild and gentle exfoliation. Eve Lom’s process gently cleanses, moisturizes, and treats not only your scab but your skin too!
xoxo,
Anna