Beginner seeking advice for make up and sensitive skin

[elizabethcr]

Spoiler

Hi! I am 25 years old and brand new to wearing make-up. I have dry, very sensitive skin, eczema (haven’t had a breakout in years) and milia (just researched this weekend and found out).

I want to have a subtle, natural look at the moment because I am so new to this.

I am looking for advice for a beginner… it may have been a mistake to try out a new toner (with salicylic acid and glycolic acid) and retinoid the same day I try make up. But my cheeks and chin are now red, bumpy, itchy, peeling and it stings. I’m not sure if it’s an eczema flare up or some type of contact dermatitis.

these are the products I recently bought:

• CLINIQUE Even Better™ All-Over Primer + Color Corrector 
• Smashbox Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Oil-Free Foundation Primer /
• tarte Shape Tape™ radiant concealer 
• bareMinerals Mini COMPLEXION RESCUE™ Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream SPF 30 
• NUDESTIX Mini NUDIES Roses 'N Honey Nudes 3pc Kit
• Urban Decay All Nighter Waterproof Makeup Setting Spray Standard Size - 4 oz/ 118 mL 

Things I’m actively seeking out:

• How to prevent my tinted moisturizer from peeling.
• Can I mix primer and tinted moisturizer before applying?

I waited about 30 minutes (dried my hair) before applying tinted moisturizer after my usual face moisturizer. I’ve read many places not to apply primer before tinted moisturizer, so you can receive the benefits, but I peeling and flaking and I want to know if I can mix the two before

• make-up and skincare tips for dry, sensitive skin and a history of eczema
• is powder, cream, sticks, or liquid best to apply for dry skin?
• what can I do for under eye concealer creasing?

after using the Clinique primer and color corrector and then dabbed setting spray into it, I think was better than before but I still want the keep the make up from sinking into my eye creases

• order of applying products 

as of right now I’ve done: moisturizer, tinted moisturizer, face primer, under eye primer & corrector, under eye concealer, dab setting spray under eyes, blush, contour (only on cheeks), high lighter, setting spray dab and spray

• any other information you think of helpful!

Thanks I’m advance for those who have taken the time to read this. I greatly appreciate it!

[missaa8]

@elizabethcr, have you noticed a difference in complexion after starting bareMinerals Mini COMPLEXION RESCUE™ Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream SPF 30?

[JoSometimes]

@elizabethcr Ooof… Itchy, red, and peeling are never a good combination. I have eczema too and I feel your pain (still kinda getting over a bad flare up myself).

I think the best thing to do for your skin is dial it back to the bare minimum cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen and as @CynthieLu mentioned, slowly add products back in. Give each one a few days to make sure your skin is ok with each one. 

For primer, I started out with skincare as primer. I used #SEPHORA COLLECTION All Day Hyaluronic Acid Hydrator Moisturizer 1.69 oz/ 50 mL as both part of my skincare routine and as primer for my makeup. And you can usually mix it with your foundation or concealer. 

Primer’s general purpose is to create an ideal base for the makeup to stick to. Depending on your skin type and look you’re trying to achieve, sometimes you want a layer in between. Mixing them isn’t wrong and if it works for you, then go for it! CynthieLu mentioned pilling, which happens when the chemistries of two products don’t work together and cause all the ingredients to just separate. Try mixing two together off your skin first and see what happens. If they start looking like spoiled milk, they aren’t compatible and the ingredients in both are causing everything to separate.

For makeup in general, I use a light hand when it comes to powders. I find those areas to be the driest and powder tends to just suck moisture out of my skin and makes me look even drier. On the other hand, mineral powders can be more eczema friendly. I look for ones that have skincare ingredients in them that I know my skin enjoys. 

And for concealer, I like to make sure my skin is fully hydrated and I use a light hand when I apply it. I use SEPHORA COLLECTION Bright Future Gel Serum Under Eye Concealer and it works well for me. I put a few dots in the areas I want to conceal, spray some setting spray onto my blender before dabbing, and then spray setting spray directly onto my face after. If I feel like I need more coverage, I just go back and build it up. 

At the end of the day, a lot of this is experimenting to find what works best for you. Hopefully there’s a starting point for you somewhere in all this. Good luck!

Also, feel free to check out What works? 💜 Eczema, Rosacea, Psoriasis and Redness Support

If you find something that works for you, please share it with the rest of the community!

[CynthieLu]

Hi @elizabethcr I hope you get some responses and some helpful feedback to your questions. 

If you are still red and sore you should plan to visit your derm or doctor. A professional can give you some advice on what's going on with your skincare and help with the healing process.

For me if I have a reaction I stop using my actives and just do a basic skin routine until my skin has healed and recovered.

Finding out what in your routine is causing a reaction can be tricky.

when it happens to me, I remove it one item each day from my routine to hopefully find the culprit. Also, over using actives,  can cause skin reactions too.

If two products have a reaction togeather and rub and flake off, it's called pilling and can make it hard to get a smooth make up application.