Steps to Skin Rehab (How To Recoup Your Skin After Heavy Makeup Wear)

With Halloween fast-approaching, (see my article here for a great resource on makeup and costume inspiration) I became apprised to the idea of writing an article on what to do for your skin for it to look and feel its best after heavy makeup wear. Doing special and dramatic makeup, (even with lots of face paint, faux lashes, and prosthetic pieces and so on) or simply just a heavier amount of product than normal with your everyday items for any special occasion can be really, really fun and exciting. But it can sometimes be stressful to our skin, even causing irritation and clogged pores, and breakouts. This does not mean that wearing heavier, or even theatrical makeup, is necessarily harmful to the skin. Rather, it is all about how you treat and pamper your skin before and after application.

Preparation Can Make All the Difference: Perhaps the biggest secret to saving your skin after heavy makeup wear is to start with the tender loving care even before a single bit of paint goes on your face. If I am doing makeup for a costume (for the theatre or Halloween) or just more full-fledged makeup for an event where maybe I'm getting my photograph taken, for example, I will always take time to do a complete skincare routine before starting the process of applying the makeup I plan to wear. The products I use for this are no different than they would be in my normal routine, but I do take extra care in applying more face oil and even occlusive moisturizer beforehand. This not only helps to start the process of creating a smooth, plumped canvas for the makeup to sit on, but it also helps the skin feel good and protected and have a barrier between itself and the makeup when it goes on. I do ideally like to wait a good 15 mins between the skincare routine and the start of makeup application to let all the products soak in thoroughly both for my skin's benefit but it also helps the makeup be ensured to not slide around on too oily or slick of a base as it is going on. Plus, the wait time also gives my skin a small break from being stimulated by hand contact when applying things, which helps to cut down on sensitivity. Also, being sure to apply a foundation primer before you go in with heavy foundations or face paint is a good idea to help protect your skin and improve the staying power of the look you're creating.

Double Cleansing Is Your Friend: When it is time to start removing all the makeup you've put on, there is no better product to rely on than an oil cleansers. Applied and massaged onto a dry skin (directly on top of your full face of makeup) the oil of an oil cleanser starts to attract and break up the heavy oils and waxes and other fillers that are often present in more specialized or longwearing makeup formulas, and the movement of your hands as you rub the product around not only facilitates this but also helps to start to boost your circulation and do some mild pore cleaning to help refresh your skin. The longer you do this, the better to ensure a thorough clean. Even as you rinse and wipe up the makeup away, you'll still likely want to do second cleanse with either your regular face wash or even go in again with the cleansing oil a second time to just make doubly sure all the makeup is removed and to give your face a little extra relaxing massage.

Calm and Comfort: Once every trace of your makeup has been removed, it is an excellent time to really focus on skin comfort. This may look a bit different based on your skin type, your skin's current needs, or just how it is feeling in the moment after the event and/or the double cleanse. I personally like to do a clay mask and this stage, especially concentrated in areas where I am prone to breaking out, to address any inflammation that may cropped up in my skin from wearing all the makeup and to make extra sure my pores are clear of debris. I will also make sure, though, that I use a lot of moisturizing products at the stage too to rehydrate and re-feed my skin barrier. You can do this in a variety of ways such as following up your clay mask with another, creamy or deep- moisture mask, washing it off or leaving it on your skin overnight as a night cream. Also, if you like to use hydrating sheet masks, they are great to apply in this stage. In a similar but different vein, I particularly like lightweight but deeply-penetrating hydrating serums here to go deep into the pores to refresh but without adding weight to my skin as it recovers. I also particularly like to use rosehip seed oil as a calming and nourishing oil for the skin, but any oil or oil blend you like will be good. Also, in interests of giving my skin a break and keeping it calm, I also try to refrain from wearing much base makeup for a few days after an event to let my skin further recuperate.

Doing fun, funky, glamorous, or more dramatic makeup is a fun escape and change-up from the everyday. But it is always good to have ways to reset your skin to keep it its best.