How To Stop Your Makeup From Oxidizing

Did Kristin Cavallari'south foundation oxidize at the 2012 premiere of 'This Means War'?

Q: I wear All Solar day Luminous Foundation and information technology looks adept on my skin, but later on 2 hours, my face gets very dark—around two to iii shades darker. I take dry out pare but an oily T-zone.

Every foundation I try, it's the same thing after two hours. Also, my face dries out and my skin feels flaky and dry. Could y'all please advise something? Cheers — Nisha

A: Nisha, the problem you're describing is a chemic reaction known as "oxidation."

Only like apples and other fruit will turn brownish when exposed to the oxygen in the air, foundation tin can turn a shade or 2 darker (or more orange) on your skin over the form of the twenty-four hours.

There'due south no unmarried ingredient that is the culprit behind oxidation; rather, it has to exercise with how the oils and pigments react with your skin's natural oils, acidity level and the humidity in the air.

Here a few ideas for how to stop a foundation from oxidizing:

Apply a Primer

A primer will create a bulwark between your skin and the foundation, which should help prevent information technology from reacting with your natural oils.

If you have combination pare, consider using an oil-controlling primer on your T-zone and a hydrating primer on the rest of your face.

Make Up For Ever has an amazing new line of primers (reviewed hither). Their Mattifying Primer would be great for your T-zone, with the Nourishing Primer on dry out cheeks.

Make Up For Ever Pace i Skin Equalizer Mattifying Primer controls oil with silica.

Related:Make Upwardly For Ever's 10 New Primers Solve Every Possible Texture and Tone Concern

I also love Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector, reviewed hither—it'south by far the most mattifying primer I've always come up beyond, and so be conscientious to just put it on oil-decumbent areas.

Becca E'er-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector soaks up excess oil.

Related:The Best Primer I've Always Found For Oily Peel

Although I'm personally non a fan of silicones (more on that below!), some makeup artists think silicone-based primers form the best bulwark to minimize the oxidation process. The primers above are made with silica, but a silicone formula I've had good luck with over the years is the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer.

Silicone-based primers such as Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer may form the best bulwark to prevent foundation oxidation.

Blot Your Skin

After you lot apply your primer, take a half-ply of make clean tissue and apply it to absorb your face. Do this again after applying your foundation—it will remove any excess oils and wet to help the colour to stay true.

Blotting your primer and foundation with tissue tin aid your makeup last longer.

Ready Your Makeup

Later y'all've applied your foundation, ready information technology with a translucent setting pulverization. This volition help lock the makeup in place and absorb whatsoever remaining oils that might trigger oxidation. You tin likewise re-utilize your setting powder throughout the day.

I think pure silica powder is the best manner to get, equally talc formulas can dry out the peel and await cakey, especially if you're touching up with additional layers. You can't go incorrect with Make Up For Always Hd Microfinish Powder or RMS Dazzler "United nations" Powder, practical with a powder puff.

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Set up foundation with a translucent powder, such as Make Up For E'er Hard disk Microfinish Pulverisation.

Related:The Best Powder For Setting Your Makeup (and How To Use It)

Another option is setting spray, which you mist all over your face equally the last footstep in your makeup. Urban Disuse All-Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray works by lowering the temperature of your makeup to keep it looking freshly-applied.

Setting sprays such as Urban Decay All-Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray are designed to keep foundation looking just-applied.

Effort Tinted Moisturizer

If you're finding that most foundations oxidize on you, consider using tinted moisturizer, BB cream or CC foam instead. Since they're not as pigmented, at that place's less gamble that the colour will change on you—plus, they'll hydrate your dry skin at the same time.

If yous're worried that tinted moisturizer won't provide enough coverage, check out Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer—it's still ane of the best formulas out at that place, and I think its coverage level is comparable to a low-cal-to-medium coverage foundation.

Tinted moisturizers such as Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer are less likely to oxidize than foundations.

For any imperfections/blemishes you notwithstanding demand to cover up afterwards that, try spot concealing (or "pinpoint concealing," as Lisa Eldridge calls it). Apply a tiny castor—I like retractable lip brushes—and an opaque full-coverage concealer such as Brand Up For Always Total Cover Concealer. This allows you lot to get away with a sheerer skin finish, but still hide any discolourations.

Purchase a Lighter Foundation Shade

If yous've plant a foundation formula you really beloved, information technology might be worth getting it one to two shades lighter so that when information technology oxidizes, you accept a perfect match to your peel tone. This requires some trial and error, of course, and you lot'll have to conform your schedule to wait for the oxidation process to happen. All the same, it's an selection to consider if yous can't find anything that doesn't change colour on y'all.

Get Oil-Free

Nisha, I know y'all're already using an oil-free foundation and it's oxidizing. However, others might have luck switching to an oil-free formula, as fewer oils might mean less gamble of an oxidative reaction on your skin.

Related:The New NARS Foundation Gives Armani Some Serious Competition

Re-Think Your Skincare

Heavy creams can be a culprit behind oxidized foundation by leaving too much wet on the skin and/or encouraging your skin to produce more oil. If your T-zone is truly oily, then you can probably get abroad without whatever moisturizer at that place—or at least switching to a hydrating serum or lightweight oil-free balm (with something more than nourishing on your cheeks).

Related:Do You Really Need To Moisturize?

As everyone who reads this blog knows, my favourite light hydrator for ALL skin types is Consonant HydrExtreme.

Consonant HydrExtreme is the perfect lightweight hydrator nether makeup.

Related:The Best Natural Hydrating Serum

On the other hand, it'southward possible that your skin is dehydrated, which can cause rebound oil production. If there's a chance that you're stripping your skin by over-cleansing or over-exfoliating (and so not replenishing that moisture), try switching to a gentler routine to run across if that helps with the dryness and excess oil.

As for silicones, I'thousand cautious. Although they tin can give your skin a temporarily smoother appearance, they tin can accumulate in the pores, which interferes with the peel'south natural regeneration procedure—this can atomic number 82 to dry, dehydrated skin. (The aforementioned goes for mineral oil and petrolatum.) Consider investing in a silicone-free moisturizer (and fifty-fifty silicone-free foundation, such as Sappho Organics Liquid Foundation), to encounter if that helps your pare become dorsum into balance.

Related:The All-time Natural, Organic Liquid Foundation

Balance Your pH

Ane more idea for your skincare routine is apple cider vinegar (ACV) equally a toner. Since oxidation can be triggered past pare with an acidic pH level, you could try balancing it with the ACV. (Annotation: According to Dr. Karen Hammerman, a New York dermatologist, "Pare is naturally acidic but when vinegar is used equally a toner, information technology helps skin find the ideal residuum between dry out and oily.) Make sure to dilute it, though—say, one part vinegar to 2 parts water—and apply with a cotton pad.