Makeup Patchy/Cakey

[SeaBreezy]

Hi all! I'm so frustrated and hoping you can help me figure out what I am needing to fix here.  Background: I have acne rosacea amongst other auto-immune related skin issues.  My skin is very red in most spots on my face.  I also suffer from lovely rosacea bumps that come and go depending on sun exposure and body temperature.  My skin gets oily yet has dry patches.  I use Dr. Jart Tiger Grass color correcting cream, but it makes my makeup look like garbage (settles into all my pores, makeup won't stay).  I moisturize (Tarte H2O), prime (usually Smashbox photo finish), Kat Von D Lock It Foundation and Setting Powder, Cover FX Setting Spray.  I sometimes have issues right from the beginning with how the makeup settles into corners around nostrils, how it looks cakey, etc.  But ALWAYS it looks like oil on water by the time the end of a day rolls around.  I blot with papers as needed but it looks SO terrible by the end of the day.  Smears, missing patches, oily yet flaky, etc. It CLEARLY looks like makeup separated from skin.  What products do you lovely people recommend for a flawless, LASTING finish? Am open to all suggestions and help.  Thanks in advance!  Foundation must offer full coverage as the redness is hard to cover up otherwise.

[kthorsen]

I've had the same problem with texture, redness, and oil! I recommend a two-pronged approach. You first want to help deal with the skin-- I'm loving the CosRX (you can get at Ulta or Amazon for less than $20, sorry Sephora hehe) BHA Blackhead Power Liquid for clearing congestion, exfoliating and calming my skin. If you can handle AHA/BHA peels, I recommend trying the Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Daily Peels. I use the 14-day supply as a "pick-me-up" for when my skin is flaring up, flaky, or break-out prone. You will see results in less than a week by incorporating this step. With these products, you'll want to make sure you moisturize well, but definitely give yourself the time to let the moisture soak into your skin. This will prevent any excess buildup or clumpiness! As far as makeup, I can't recommend this foundation enough. I LOVE the Too Faced Peach Perfection Foundation. It works so well with combination/textured skin, and it covers all my redness in a light layer! Even though it is scented, it has not irritated my skin in the slightest. With a beautyblender, the application is flawless and my skin looks incredibly creamy and smooth. I have such oily skin and have never found a foundation that doesn't break apart throughout the day, but this one lasts. I find that the coverage is good enough that I can either skip or minimize concealer, so this helps with keeping my base makeup smooth and flawless. You can set this with a powder in areas where you get oily (I've been using CoverFX Perfect setting powder, and I've had no trouble, but I've seen others use different powders with great results) and it will seriously last all day. 

[yankeefaithful]

I would love if you would try DermaMd Pink Silk serum.  It is very soothing for inflammation and rosacea.  It has antioxidants and athaxanthin to help with your rosacea. They also have other products that would help with your skin. Their customer service is very helpful.  You can find them on their website DermaMd.com and is located in Phoenix, Arizona. Also, be careful not to use anything harsh and abrasive on your skin.  You might like to try a mineral foundation like Bare Minerals original foundation or Jane Iredale.  They're work great on oily/combo skin and do not cake or crease.  I hope you can find a solution.

[SistarPhilly]

I don't have rosacea, but I do have acne prone skin.  When I started using glyclolic acid toner and hyaluronic acid, I noticed a huge improvement in my skin's texture.  I still have acne scars that are fading, but my skin is pretty smooth.  

Have you tried Wet n Wild photofocus foundation?  It is buildable to full coverage with a natural finish.  I think you should try a natural finish instead of something matte.  I don't consider this foundation long lasting, but it lasts long enough to get me through a typical work day.  It's not a 15+ hour foundation though (at least on me).  

Also, I don't know anything about the Dr. Jart product, but maybe try a more siliconey primer, like smashbox photo finish.  It really creates a smooth canvas on the skin.  Maybe the primer and foundation just aren't working well together.  If you really like the Kat Von D, test that out with different primers first.  I like the smashbox color correcting stick in dark orange.  They have one in green too, that you can use for redness.  It is a stick, so it would be more work to use that on a large area of redness.  It is really creamy and easy to blend.  Smashbox does have correcting primers, but I've never used those.