Cosmetic Acne Concealers Overview
When choosing cosmetic acne concealers, skin care experts generally recommend the use of makeup that is mineral based, in simple terms this refers to that fact that the ingredients which form the product base are not synthetic and occur naturally on planet as an organic compound.
The main minerals used for cosmetics are usually mica, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide and these generally form the basis of loose powder makeup foundation, or just foundation, as it is commonly referred to.
One of the reasons mineral makeups are recommended is that, the minerals themselves usually have good opacity, and therefore they do not require any other synthetic chemicals to make them so, in addition several of the compounds used, notably zinc oxide and titanium dioxide may also prevent irritation and inflammation to skin owing to their inherent properties, it should also be noted that these two compounds are generally to be found as
ingredients in sun creams and lotions as when they are applied their high opacity may help shade the skin from harmful UV sun rays.
Mineral based cosmetics are also generally non-comedogenic, meaning that will will not block the pores of the skin and this is very important for the prevention and cure of acne.
Cosmetic manufacturers seeking to cash in on the current trend toward anti-acne products, are now offering some acne concealers as being totally natural or organic, and while this may be true in the majority of cases, they are not officially classified as organic in the US unless they have official USDA certification.
Criteria For Good Acne Concealers
It can be hard to find a really good concealer if you have acne skin, you may to search long and hard to find one suitable for your particular skin type. A good concealer must have the following attributes:
It must not cause any irritation to the skin
It must not block the skins pores
It needs to be as light as possible
It should have high opacity, meaning you will need to use less
It should match as close as possible your natural skin tone
Be aware that some cosmetics sold as being medicated, and thus suitable for acne sufferers, while these products are used with good results for some people, they may contain the compound salicylic acid which is an acne treatment in its own right, this compound can cause irritation to sensitive skin types. Most of the best concealers are not medicated and do not cause any chemical lightening of the skin, the medicated varieties often have a poor texture to them, and can be hard to apply, they may not contain enough pigment therefore requiring more than one application which can lead to a caked appearance, the colors may also be less than ideal making matching more difficult.
Strictly speaking you should only be using a cosmetic concealer to do just that, do not be tempted by trying to use a medicated concealer as an acne treatment alone as you will most likely just be wasting money.
Summary of Products
Find a brand that meets the above criteria and stick with it, you may find that some of the better carry the biggest price tags, but because of their superior covering power you will need to apply a lot less so they will last a lot longer.
Of course there are hundreds of products available from dozens of different makers, but the ones shown here are the products that have the best ratings overall by consumers that have actually used them as researched for this article.
This list is by no means exhaustive. Some of these products may only be available in the US.
Murad Acne Concealer
Black Opal Cover & Clear Acne
CoverGirl & Olay Simply Ageless
Proactiv Solution Concealer Plus
The Body Shop Tea Tree Concealer
Neutrogena On-the-Spot Blemish Wand
Dermalogica MediBac Clearing Spot Treatment
Benefit Cosmetics Boi-ing
Neutrogena Skin Clearing Liquid Makeup
Judith August Everything Pencil
Clinique Acne Clearing
Dermablends Smooth indulgence