Female Advice Preferred: Makeup

[Audacious]

Hey girls.

So I am 16 and I have recently started wearing makeup. I have had and known how to use it for years I just saw no point. My little brother who is 15 has now informed me that I need to learn to present myself if I ever want guys to take interest in me.

I have recently noticed that my face is either really oily or really dry. It's like there is no middle ground. Sometimes it's discouraging to wear makeup because when my face is really dry, I look really flaky almost when I'm wearing makeup. Sorry that sounds gross. It's just my nose and sometimes forehead. It's like I can't wash my face because if I do it gets dry but if I don't it's oily and I break out.

Any suggestions on how to find that middle ground? Any advice is welcomed

Jennifer

[losing touch.]

wash your skin daily with a gentle, moisturising soap. also, you can use a cleanser.. preferably water based if you're prone to oily skin. also, make sure you drink loads of water, it'll do wonders for your skin.

make sure to remove all of your make-up before you go to sleep or even better, as soon as you get in. make-up can cause you to break out if you're not careful.

also, maybe consider changing your foundation? it doesn't sound like whatever you're using is particularly suiting your skin type.

[LeapOfFayth]

I just wanted to say that you don't need to wear makeup to have guys take interest in you.
Oh and, my little sister has this stuff she washes her face with every day that is supposed to help with oily skin, I'll look at what it's called in the morning when I'm brushing my teeth and post it here. It seems to really work for her.

Oh and also, my sister had learned how to do her makeup properly by asking a professional to show her the first time. Maybe you could look into doing that? I think they do it at The Bay (I'm pretty sure they do anyways), or you could maybe google it to see what else is around where you live.

[Audacious]

Female, rick? I love you haha.

Thanks, I had a friend show me when I was a kid and I've been to mac at the mall with my friends and they showed us some stuff. Oh and I get cool tips from watching what not to wear haha.

And thanks about the not needing to wear makeup thing, but it might help me so I don't constantly look like I just got out of bed. My bro says that a girl not wearing makeup is like a girl who doesn't care about herself and guys don't like that... Idk.

[losing touch.]

Originally Posted by ForeverChanged

Female, rick? I luv u haha.

Thanks, I had a friend show me when I was a kid and I've been to mac at the mall with my friends and they showed us some stuff. Oh and I get cool tips from watching what not to wear haha.

And thanks about the not needing to wear makeup thing, but it might help me so I don't constantly look like I just got out of bed. My bro says that a girl not wearing makeup is like a girl who doesn't care about herself and uys don't like that... Idk.

i'm surprised you took it so well. if my brother dared to comment on what i looked like i'd probably inflict pain on him, or something equally spiteful.

[Audacious]

Haha well I figured he knows more about teenage boys than I do...

[eaty]

Personally i don't wear much makeup, i wear it every once in a while.

But my face does that same thing, were it will be dry or kinda oily. I found that was i used to use to wash my face was too strong or something and dried out my face a lot and made things worse. So maybe try washing your face with a simple soap. What i use now to help my face with breakouts. Is a oil-free acne moisturizer, which i love. It is from Clean & Clear, it works really well and it helps not dry out my face. So maybe try it, they also have some cleansers that might help.

[.Brittany.]

Try putting just a cheap hand cream on your face before you go to bed.. also, maybe try and avoid wearing make up for a few days. I wear cover-up, and eyeliner, and I have run into that problem, but thats what I did to fix it.

[Singing to the starlight]

Cleanse, tone and moisturise daily.
You can't go far long with this routine.
If you feel your skin is having a 'dry day' then slap some moisturizer on about ten minutes before you put your makeup on.
There is also 'tinted moisturizer' which is basically a more skin friendly foundation. Wearing this will stop your skin drying, and if you ever feel it is too greasy, pop some powder on.

[DeadlySin]

I had that problem before.
I have the wave face cleaner, which helps get rid of that.
Or just washing my face before I apply make up.
Along with face lotion helps a lot.

[Audacious]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I have proactive should I just be more persistent with that or should I find some other cleanser?

[Lana]

Meh. My mom always tells me wearing no makeup is fine and any guy worth it shouldn't base girls on that alone. But then, I don't have many guys paying attention to me, so what do I know? xD

Any three-step program like Proactiv (Clinique has one I use, and it's always been fine for me) is a good start. It doesn't mean it's guaranteed to cure acne, but it does get the bases: wash, cleanse, moisturize. They're all important.

Try and even out your routine with proactiv: use the toner more on the oily spots. Use the lotion on drier spots. The first step is an all-over thing. Maybe get a facial mask or something - my Clinique one is excellent. The Neutrogena Wave is very easy to use (especially in the shower) and works well. Most things by Neutrogena tend to be that way, so if Proactiv just isn't working, try some of their stuff.

As for makeup, I'm not too experienced, so I can't really help you much there. xD

Hope that helped. ^^

[The Morrigan]

Cleanse (to remove dead skin, prevents flakes)
Tone (to freshen skin)
Moisturise

They are cleansers, toners and moisturisers that you can get for combination skin which will mean they'll work when your face is oily or dry. Superdrug's home brand is pretty good and it's not expensive either.

[Audacious]

I really appreciate all the advice girls (and Rick). Thanks so much!

[kaseykaos]

it depends on what type of guy u want to attract. do u really want to be with a guy who wouldnt find u attractive without makeup?

if youre confident in yourself without makeup, you dont need it.

[Thirteen]

As far as "cover-up" goes (Yes, I use cover-up as an umbrella term!), you may want to look into some good mineral-based make-up. I found my skin was nicer even when I washed my face normally, with an unscented soap, then put non-scented shea butter lotion on my face, waited a few minutes, and used mineral-based foundation/cover-up stuff.

My cousin got me started with that routine because she has her own mineral make-up company. So now, I wash my face with her soap thats made with Honey and Oats and whatever else, lotion, then make-up. My skin has been less problematic since starting this routine, so it may be something to consider?

[Audacious]

Hey

I have mineral eye shadow but maybe getting it in a cover up foundation type thing.

I think one thing I need to change is drinking more water. I am a milk girl always have been haha. I will take a water bottle to school tomorrow and see if I can get into a routine and see how it goes

[Thirteen]

Originally Posted by ForeverChanged

I think one thing I need to change is drinking more water. I am a milk girl always have been haha. I will take a water bottle to school tomorrow and see if I can get into a routine and see how it goes

Definitely a good idea! After all, it IS said that drinking water helps the skin. Maybe try water between meals and such, too? It'll bring down any urges to snack as well, remember, thus less junk that could potentially turn into oils. Hopefully you find the right solution.

And remember, make-up isn't for ugly girls to look pretty. It's supposed to accent the nice features you already have. A bit of cover-up to take away any little flaws, like a pimple or two, then work on emphasizing on things like nice eyes, nice lips, etc, so your natural beauty just sticks out more.

[Magic.]

I get the opposite to you ... oily forhead /nose / chin (T zone) and dry cheeks. I use a combination moisturizer (Johnsons) which deals with both without making it worse. Then I use a light powder instead of foundation to even out tone. I avoid foundation because it's quite heavy and can block pores etc, if I ever want cover up I use something called Foundation Faker by Benefit ... it's expensive but for rare use it's really good and not as blocking for your skin as foundation.

[Audacious]

See I wouldn't mind my dry skin so much if it wasn't visible. But like even after I wash my face, when it dries my skin gets like...I don't know how to describe it without sounding gross...but flaky. I don't know if it's because I washed my face too hard and it needs to repair itself, but it's quite disturbing to me :P

[AmyIsLegit]

That's how my skin is.

I used facemasks and for some reason... They make your face a good texture. It's weird, but it doesn't last long, which stinks. So if you have a special occasion you are going to or something, it'd be easy to use a mudmask/facemask. It makes your skin pretty much perfect feeling. And it's easy to use make up on it then. But it does stink because then your putting stuff on your face when it feels so nice. Idk if that helps. Not really, probably. but I tried?

[diamondprincess]

i do make up at work and many people that come in have the same problem that you do including myself. what you need to you its a scrub every 3 days and use and oil control lotion and a skin smoothing cream when you feel dry. i use dermalogica which is a product that i sell but ive tried numerous things before and its the only line that i found works. but taking care of your skin also has to do with the make up you wear. i wear bareminerals and its also what i sell. bare minerals is proven that over time helps improve your skin with break out redness dryness and oilyness. i suggest you try some of the things i just suggested to you because its seems like we have similar skin types. hope i was a help and goodluck

[Audacious]

Thanks for all the great suggestions everyone

I like this forum. People talk to other people :P

[St.Vincent]

Originally Posted by .Brittany.

Try putting just a cheap hand cream on your face before you go to bed.

Do not put any cheap lotion on your face if it's not meant for your face. Who knows what that stuff has in it? Especially if it's meant for your hands. Hands don't break out, lol.

I would use a mild soap on the whole face and apply some facial lotion (or johnsons and johnsons baby lotio) on the whole face while it's wet, and then wait, and then the parts that feel dry or the places that you know are going to be dry should be addressed with another application of perhaps a stronger lotion (I like clinique dramatically different lotion). That way you don't waste lotion where you don't need it, don't break out, and the skin absorbs it better if you put it on before it's dry.

As for make up, I don't believe in using "skin colored" things unless its an "emergency". I think they are just damaging to your skin and it's always better to have naturally well cared for skin that looks good without beige goop on it.

As for lips and eyes, using makeup on them may make you look more inherently FEMALE. Read this, if you're interested.

But lips and eyes makeup doesn't need to be expensive. One way to save money on that stuff is to buy skincare stuff when they have free with purchase gifts by the company you like

[SilentEyes]

First of all as others have said, your brother is wrong

It sounds like you have combination skin, so anything you're using to cleanse and moisturize I'd try to buy specifically for that!