In my early 20s, my skin decided to have a year of doing whatever it felt like. Those ‘adventures’ included some super-red (and sore) acne breakouts.
I followed the rules and did NOT pick at my acne. Still, I was left with some scarring that I like to hide when I’m vibing a flawless complexion.
In the same boat? You’re not alone.
Up to 85% of teenagers get acne. And
40% to 55% of adults are diagnosed with low-grade acne and oily skin.
When you experience a breakout, it can be tempting to camouflage it with the first cover-up you find.
But the wrong skincare products can contribute to acne by clogging your pores, irritating existing breakouts, and even allowing bacteria to fester into a full-fledged infection.
If you feel comfortable rocking your acne scars without makeup, we totally applaud you. Keep doing you. But if you’re feeling called to explore some makeup options, we rounded up products specifically formulated to help conceal those acne scars when you wish they would disappear.
Primer: your skin’s trusty sidekick
When covering acne scars, you might be tempted to head straight to foundation and concealer. But prepping your skin with a
primer can improve your results.
After you apply your
serum(s) and moisturiser, reach for your primer. Priming products are mostly used to help makeup last longer, smooth the skin's surface, and even out skin tone. This means the primer does some of the heavy lifting to hide acne scars—
neutralising any redness and evening out the dips to pave the way for your foundation and concealer.
When it comes to choosing a primer, a great option is one specifically formulated to target redness and correct colour. A
green-tinted product might look strange at first! But by cancelling out redness, it helps you conceal pimples and scarring.
This professional-quality, lightweight primer utilises green pigments to neutralise the redness of acne scars. The result? Nothing remotely witchy; only a more even skin tone. When applying a colour corrector primer, use a small amount for the most natural look. Place it precisely on and around the acne scar. Then blend carefully.
Try a soft blending brush like the
M.A.C Cosmetics 195 Concealer Brush for seamless coverage. Remember: you want to neutralise redness, not turn your whole face green (we’re not aiming for a Hulk look!). Apply your primer and then use the blending brush in circular or windshield-wiper motions to completely blend.
Other priming options include
The Ordinary High-Adherence Silicone Primer. This affordable option uses advanced adaptive Silicones to create a matte, hydrating, blurring primer for makeup. Apply this primer as the last step in your skincare regimen, either on its own or as a makeup prep. Do you have sensitive skin? Don’t worry: it’s alcohol-free and oil-free, plus vegan-friendly.
Foundation: create a flawless base
Next up in the acne scar-concealing process, we have foundation to create a uniform skin tone. Many people use concealer before foundation, but then the former just ends up smudging and blending in with your foundation.
If your acne scars are limited to a few trouble spots, you may prefer to apply foundation to only these areas, blending until the colour disappears into your skin. If you have scars all over or suffer from redness, apply foundation all over your face, blending carefully with a
sponge or blending brush.
Foundation to cover acne scars Since acne-prone skin tends to get oily as the day goes on, prevent shine by using Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Makeup. This bestselling foundation to cover acne scars has 24-hour staying power, so you can feel confident that your foundation won’t smudge, oxidise, or fade throughout the day or night. Although it provides maximum coverage for imperfections and skin tone, the makeup still feels comfortable and lightweight. No cake face here!
Concealer: the end game
After you've applied foundation, it’s now time to use concealer to hide any acne scars that can still be seen. Apply the concealer directly to the scar and to any red or discoloured areas surrounding the scar. Blend so that there are no obvious edges, but not so thoroughly that the mark becomes visible again.
If you want the best concealer to hide acne scars, the Kryolan Concealer Wheel is for you. Presented in a 6-pan concealer palette, the full-coverage shades can be used individually or blended for an exact colour match. With high concentrations of pigment, this workable concealer formula creates your ultimate level of coverage, even for concealing deep pitted acne scars.
Other concealer options include
Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation and Concealer is non-acnegenic and oil-free. ‘Non-acnegenic’ means it won’t clog your pores and is less likely to cause further breakouts. This tube concealer also provides immediate hydration to keep eye-area skin feeling comfortable and looking fresh and natural.
Brand and product inclusions are at the sole discretion of Adore Beauty. We do not seek or accept payment from brands or individuals listed in our guides.
Want to find more of the best makeup for acne? Check out these helpful guides...
Sensitive & Acne Friendly Makeup<p>It can be really difficult to find makeup that is right for your skin type, especially when your skin is sensitive and reactive, or you're suffering through a breakout.These are our best picks for makeup that is free from common irritants, yet give your face a flawless finish.</p>
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<p>if your skin is sensitive, it's possible that makeup part of the problem - if some ingredients don't agree with your skin they may cause congestion, or irritation. It's often very difficult to pinpoint what is causing the issue, however it is good to look for hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic products that do not contain potentially problematic ingredients. And remember - what works for you may not work for others, and vice versa.</p>
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<p>If your skin is sensitive or acne-prone, try using foundations, tinted moisturisers or BB creams with mineral-based physical sunscreens. Keep an eye out for Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide - they sound like a mouthful, but they're both mineral ingredients that block the sun naturally. These aren't absorbed by the skin, so are great if your skin is sensitised.</p>
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<p>Another thing to try is a mineral powder! Many new-generation mineral powders are made with skincare ingredients and emollients, so you may be very surprised at how flattering and hydrating they are - they don't cling to flaky or uneven skin areas, and give the look of natural skin with just a bit of blending. They're also perfect for sensitive skin, and feel like wearing nothing at all.</p>
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<p>Still not sure about which makeup solution you need to perfect your look? We'd love to help! Simply <a title="Makeup Product Recommendation Form" href="http://www.adorebeauty.com.au/makeup-product-recommendation" target="_blank">fill out our makeup product recommendation form</a> and we'll get you in touch with our trained makeup artists.</p>
