Halloween Aftercare – Prevent Acne Breakout from Makeup
Fact Checked By Skin Formulations
| Oct 25, 2021
Introduction
Halloween is the most fantastic time of year to experiment with both your makeup products and your makeup techniques.
This time of year is traditional to try and recreate those iconic characters of film or fable through the medium of makeup and dressing up and trick or treating or simply have that Halloween gathering to enjoy all the things the occasion brings.
However, there is always a downside to Halloween, especially the makeup! Using a lot of makeup or specialty makeup for those unique Halloween looks, such as special effects makeup or face paint, can be particularly harsh on the delicate skin on your face and neck, which can, of course, lead to your skin being in a bad way afterward.
We are talking about breakouts!
Breakouts, pimples, and full-on mountainous spots are caused by many elements of life, such as poor diet and inefficient skincare. Still, mainly they are caused by your pores being blocked by makeup or environmental matter, which then causes the skin to develop an overproduction of sebum, which together is not a good combination!
If you are incredibly prone to breakouts or have skin that is particularly sensitive to some products, you will need to be uber cautious when creating your Halloween looks this year. There is always a way to reduce the breakouts, and here is some fantastic advice from the experts on minimizing breakouts to follow this Halloween.
Prep Your Canvas!
Your skin is your canvas for the Halloween look you have chosen, and much like a regular artist, you cannot and should not try and create something beautiful on a base that is unprepared.
For a higher chance of reducing your breakouts after the Halloween look has been removed, treat your skin for at least 24 hours before the makeup creation starts by making sure that your skin is fully hydrated, moisturized, and protected.
The best advice is to do this within 3 -7 days beforehand. However, any moves you make to look after your skin immediately before Halloween will stand your skin in good stead for the harsh makeup applications of the day.
Know What Ingredients to Avoid!
To categorically know what ingredients you should avoid in your Halloween makeup look of 2021, you must first know your skin!
While makeup, even stage, and special effects makeup, have come a long way in their developments of being dermatologically friendly, the products you choose must be the ones that will suit your skin and not exacerbate any chances of spots and breakouts!
As a rule, you should be avoiding any products that contain:
- Harsh perfumes (Especially for those with sensitive skin)
- Talc, or derivatives of talc
- Sulfates
- Phosphates
- Artificial colors
- Products that have warnings for sensitive skin
- Alcohol (especially for those with dry skin)
- Oil-based products (Mainly in face paints and special effects makeup- a big no-no for those who are prone to breakouts and spots)
Knowing your skin and how it behaves is one of the best life lessons you can learn that will guide you in choosing the right products for your skin type to avoid breakouts and skin irritations.
Patch Test Religiously!
Patch testing is something that you should do with every new product you include in your daily regimen, and just because Halloween makeup may not be in your daily routine, we advise that a patch test should still be carried out – it could save your skin!
To complete a patch test, you should:
- Prepare the product you intend to use as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Take a small amount of the prepared product and apply it to a clean patch of skin, either inside your elbow or behind your earlobe (these are the most sensitive areas to test the skin).
- Leave the product on the area for as long as it will stay there (sometimes this is not easy if it is a liquid or powder as they move and disperse).
- After periods of 1, 3, and 6 hours, note any changes to your skin. Look out for indicators such as redness, swelling, bobbling of the skin, or a burning sensation.
- Do not continue to use that product if any of those symptoms occur during the test process.
We suggest doing a patch test of each new product at least 24 hours ahead of the event. Still, ideally, it should be 72 hours before, which can potentially highlight any longer-developing reaction, such as overdrying the skin.
Remove the Makeup Properly!
Makeup removal is an element that needs to be the essential part of the Halloween look to keep your skin free from blemishes and breakouts, but it is often the element that most people fall on horrendously!
Suppose you have a regular skin cleansing routine, which is excellent! However, it is unlikely to cut the mustard with Halloween makeup!
Cleansing is the action of removing makeup and surface grime from your skin, so it doesn’t cause any ill health to your skin. But removing Halloween makeup can be a whole different ball game, so we need to ensure that the cleansing routine has multiple parts to remove everything cleanly!
Here’s how! Proper skin cleansing routine:
- Start with a foaming cleansing wash – it’s best to start with a wet cleansing stage, so a foaming cleanser will be perfect for removing the harsh outer layer of the makeup with warm running water to flush everything off and away.
- Pat your face dry and use an oil-based cleansing balm to continue removing some of the buildups you can’t see and dissolving any of the oils that are still present on your skin (this is a regular stage in what’s called a “Double Cleanse” even though we are treating our skin to 3 steps of cleansing here!) The balm will nourish your skin as it removes the oil and grime.
- Finish the cleansing routine with a gentle cleanser, such as cleansing milk (sensitive and dry skin types) or micellar water (all skin types, especially oily) to finish the skin off and make sure you are Halloween makeup-free!
Post-Halloween Skin Care Is Important!
Once the occasion is over, and the makeup look you have chosen has been removed, we need to make sure that your skincare is the best it can be for the following few days, up to a week ideally!
So here are some things you can include in your post-Halloween skin rescue routine that will prevent any nasty breakouts occurring in the days after.
- Cleanse twice a day, morning and night.
- Exfoliate! Removing any dead skin cells away from the surface of your skin is super important too!
- Treat spots if they occur – make sure that any blemishes that do appear afterward are treated directly.
- Use a nourishing and antioxidant-packed face mask once or twice a week by making sure the skin is intensely nourished and given a hit of skin-friendly antioxidants, we can treat our skin from within!
Conclusion
The worst thing with Halloween makeup is to be afraid of creating something scarily beautiful because of what it may do to your skin. This feeling can kill the mood of Halloween, and we don’t want that!
By treating your skin with nourishment and love before the event, we can work towards keeping the skin blemish-free afterward! Make sure it’s moisturized and cared for in the days leading up to the event, and one of the best actions you can do with Halloween makeup is to prime the skin before the makeup goes on!
Choosing products free of harsh chemicals, perfumes, and artificial ingredients will be the best products for you as this lessens the chances of your skin reacting to anything that doesn’t suit your skin. Knowing what skin type you have will also make your makeup product choices a little simpler too!
The best way to make sure your skin stays blemish-free after the makeup has been removed is to cleanse, cleanse, and cleanse some more! You can then give your skin treats for the following days after the Halloween event because you deserve it, and so does your skin! Be cautious of your cleansing routine and make sure everything has been appropriately removed.
