How To Cover Pitted Acne Scars With Makeup: 3 Best Makeups Reviewed
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We all want to have flawless and Instagram filtered skin. But the truth is that a lot of people go through too much struggle in order to achieve that.
Acne, chicken pox and other skin conditions can leave the skin deeply or slightly scarred. Pockmarks are painful reminders of the skin problems you used to battle in the past.
Some people simply have wider pores that give the skin a rough look and make them feel unattractive. Knowing how to cover pitted acne scars with makeup can be a life savior.
Este Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup For Face And Body Spf 15
OK, so technically this is more of a foundation, but the formula is so full-on that you can use a teeny bit of it as a spot concealer if you’re not after a full-face look. “I’ve been using the Estée Lauder Maximum Cover Foundation for years as an incredibly high coverage concealer,” Puckey says, of this concentrated liquid formula. “Unfortunately, the shade range is very limited but it’s amazing for discoloration and even tattoos.”
It’s so full-coverage and waterproof that Puckey says it needs to be removed with a “proper cleanser” if you want to get every last bit of it off at the end of the day.
How Do You Cover Scars
Work in layers, says Rachel Hardie, NARS Lead Artist. I would always layer product to cover scars and texture. Start by applying a primer to the skin to smooth the surface and prepare it for foundation or concealer.
VIEW NOW: Nars Smooth and Protect Primer SPF 50,£29, John Lewis
Not all scars are the same, says Chanel make-up artist Kay Montano. Scars can be flat or raised, and although you cannot smooth out scarring with make-up, it can help conceal any discolouration. If the scar is red, youll need a yellow or olive-toned concealer if the scar is grey-black, youll need richer apricot or terracotta .
Indent scars tend to be lighter than the rest of your skin, so opt for a slightly darker concealer when covering them. This will help to balance out the tones in your skin. Acne scars are the opposite and tend to be darker, so blend over these with a slightly lighter shade.
Kay continues: Always use good light to apply your make-up and paint directly onto the scar with a small concealer brush. The skin on scars is often shiny, so once youve finished layering colour, set the make-up in place with a loose translucent powder. I find that pressed powders can be too heavy.
VIEW NOW: Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre natural finish loose powder, £40.00, Chanel
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Use A Finishing Spray To Seal Your Look
A setting mist like Supergoop Defense Refresh Setting Mist Broad Spectrum SPF 50 will not only help your makeup last, but also break up any cakey-ness caused by the heaviness of the makeup.
Then, apply the rest of your makeup Jess recommends a bold lip or eye to distract from any bumps that may still be visible and you’re ready to go!
Conceal And Blend It Good

After you are done with the colour corrector, things might not look too glam, but don’t freak out. Things are going to better in a minute. On top of your colour corrector, apply a full-coverage concealer. You might be confused here. Allow us to elaborate.
Usually, a concealer is applied on top of foundation. Well, in that case, the concealer is applied to highlight and conceal the under eye area. Our aim is to hide the acne scars and what better product than a concealer to keep things hidden, right? So, apply the concealer and use a beauty blender to melt everything in the skin.
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Clean Your Makeup Tools
Makeup Tools
Cleaning whatever makeup you put on your face is an important step to clear yourself from oil and acne-causing bacteria. Pitted Acne Scar Makeup can only help you so much, but if you do not address the main issue, things will only worsen.
Also, makeup application will be a lot easier with a clean set of tools. Not cleaning your makeup tools is one of the worst makeup mistakes you can do.
So, how to choose the right makeup products? Well, knowing your skin type is the first step to finding the right makeup for you.
Most makeup for ice pick acne scars or other types of pitted scars is those that are suitable for acne-prone skin.
Choosing the right makeup for your face might take time. But, be patient. It will eventually pay off.
Maybelline Fit Me Matte Foundation
When you have acne scars, matte makeup is the way to go! As much as I love glowy and dewy makeup products, they make my acne scars look more prominent and exaggerate the texture of my skin. Thats why I like using a matte foundation. This makes my skin look airbrushed, and it makes perfectly covers my acne scars.
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Best Matte Finish: Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Foundation Spf 15
Its no secret that clay boasts several acne-fighting and skin-purifying benefits. In this formula, the popular skincare ingredient is used to impart a smooth, matte finish on the skin, leaving your complexion noticeably more even and illuminated. Here, Amazonian clay is joined by vitamin E, which acts as a soothing emollient and also provides antioxidant protection for healthier skin in the long run. Together, these powerful ingredients deliver the coverage needed to hide acne scars, as well as other sources of discoloration like dark spots and redness.
This foundation is all you need to get your skin glowingtrust us. Its skincare-makeup hybrid formula is designed to diffuse the look of imperfections by acting like a soft-focus filter to even the complexion. Its all thanks to the brands Glow Nectar Brightening Complex, which is infused with ginger to brighten the skin and a blend of cold-pressed avocado and melon for hydration. The result is the perfect no-makeup-makeup look that lasts all day.
Using The Right Makeup Concealer And The Best Technique:
Check out this insanely helpful video tutorial to know how to apply makeup foundation or concealer to cover up pitted acne scars.
Always apply your eye foundation before applying your foundation. This will help you remove any eyeshadow or eyeliner marks that accidentally find their way to your face. When it comes to picking your foundation, there are actually a lot of products and options that you can choose from.
A good airbrush makeup system will apply your foundation flawlessly to give you a filtered look. Airbrush foundation is usually airy and lightweight. Moreover, you have the option to mix and match until you get the perfect shade. It is a great investment if you tan a lot and want to use one product all year round. It is also very easy to use.
If you are not a big fan of airbrush makeup, you can always apply your favorite liquid or stick foundation. Stick foundations tend to provide more coverage while liquid foundations are lighter.
You can go for a matte, satin or dewy finish depending on how you like to wear your makeup. Use a stippling brush to push the product into the skin to cover all the pockmarks. After that, you can use a damp makeup sponge to blend it out.
Remember to pat and not to rub as this can move the product. You can use a makeup setting spray on your sponge to make your makeup last longer. Add a little bit of under-eye concealer to brighten the under-eye area. Use a shade that is lighter than your skin tone.
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Vichy Dermablend Corrective Fluid Foundation
Another product rated by Hammer, it comes complete with sun protection so vulnerable scars arent exacerbated by those harmful UVs. Created especially for blemish-prone skin, its ideal for mild to moderate scarring , the coverage is buildable to avoid a mask-like appearance, plus it works to hydrate the skin as well as camouflage it.
£14.99 | Superdrug | Buy it now
Step : Set Your Makeup
After applying face makeup to cover your acne scars, setting all of your products with a finishing powder or spray is a must. A setting product can help prevent your makeup from budgingrevealing your scarsas you go about your day. Use the LOréal Paris Infallible Pro-Spray & Set Makeup Extender Setting Spray, holding the bottle eight inches from your face and misting four to six times. Spray in an X and T motion to help ensure your makeup is totally locked in place.
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Covering Acne And Acne Scars With Makeup
Whether your acne-prone skin battles blemishes regularly or you’re just dealing with the occasional pimple, the steps to cover up unwanted acne with makeup are the same.
Similarly, you can use this technique to cover up acne scars, including post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation , that can linger much longer than the blemishes themselves.
Ashleys Experience With Microneedling For Acne Scars

Once Ashleys blemishes were under control, she started looking for a solution to the scars her pimples had left behind. She tried microneedling on June 25, a day after taking the final after photo in her skincare journey. Although Ashley didnt experience any negative side effects from her treatment, she also didnt see much of a positive change.
My skin felt a little bit tighter afterwards, but I didnt really see a massive difference and wasnt over the moon about the results, Ashley said.
While microneedling is a great treatment for indented or pitted acne scars, I wouldnt generally recommend it for the dark marks pimples often leave behind. The reason is because PIH is already caused by overactive pigment cells that have been woken up by the trauma of a zit. Microneedling could potentially keep those pigments cells activated longer by inflicting even more trauma on already injured skin. The goal is to get pigment cells to settle down and go to sleep, so its not ideal to keep them stimulated. Learn more about my thoughts on if microneedling for acne scars is worth it.
Read:How to Fade Dark Acne Scars
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Foundation: Create A Flawless Base
Next up in the acne scar-concealing process, we have foundation to create a uniform skin tone. Many people use concealer before foundation, but then the former just ends up smudging and blending in with your foundation.
A post shared by IT Cosmetics Australia on Jan 8, 2020 at 10:23pm PST
If your acne scars are limited to a few trouble spots, you may prefer to apply foundation to only these areas, blending until the colour disappears into your skin. If you have scars all over or suffer from redness, apply foundation all over your face, blending carefully with a sponge or blending brush.
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Since acne-prone skin tends to get oily as the day goes on, prevent shine by using Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Makeup. This bestselling foundation to cover acne scars has 24-hour staying power, so you can feel confident that your foundation wont smudge, oxidise, or fade throughout the day or night. Although it provides maximum coverage for imperfections and skin tone, the makeup still feels comfortable and lightweight. No cake face here!
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If you want the best concealer to hide acne scars, the Kryolan Concealer Wheel is for you. Presented in a 6-pan concealer palette, the full-coverage shades can be used individually or blended for an exact colour match. With high concentrations of pigment, this workable concealer formula creates your ultimate level of coverage, even for concealing deep pitted acne scars.
Seal In Your Makeup By Using A Setting Spray
Setting spray
Use of makeup setting spray for acne prone skin is better if it comes to sunscreen characteristics. Not only will it make your makeup last longer, but it also protects your skin all throughout.
You also do not have to worry about the cakey feel of heavy makeup.
After this, you can apply the rest of your eye makeup and lipstick. This is a great finish on how to fill pitted acne scars with makeup.
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Properly Blend The Concealer
Blending Consealer
Blend the concealer by using a beauty sponge. Carefully press the concealer by blending it well with your blemishes. Do not rub on your skin to avoid risking spreading any bacteria.
To have a more made-up appearance, try covering your eyebags. Get rid of any possible darkness in your eyes while waiting for your makeup to cook by correcting any under-eye discoloration.
See A Professional Concealing Acne Scars
Sometimes it takes intervention to get the results you want.Head to a qualified dermatologist for a laser treatment or chemical peel.These procedures effectively remove the top few layers of your skin, helping reduce the appearance of acne scars.You may have to get several rounds of both treatments to make the scars almost invisible, but this is a viable option if you have dark or deep acne scars.
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Choosing The Right Shade
Whichever product you choose, you will want it to look natural. Key to that is finding a color that matches your skin tone as closely as possible. This is especially important if you’re trying to conceal pimples. The wrong tone can actually enhance their appearance rather than hide them.
To find the best concealer color, test it on your facenot on the back of your hand, as is sometimes suggested. It’s also impossible to choose the right shade based on what it’s called: Names like “beige,””cappuccino,” and “bisque,” are made up for marketing purposes.
You can get help from a makeup professional at a department store or dedicated cosmetics store. If you’d rather test a product yourself, dot a small amount on your jawbone and blend gently with a clean makeup sponge.
When you look into a mirror and the product seems to disappear into your skin, it’s the right shade for you. If you can see where you applied the cosmetic, it is not a good match.
Even better, step outdoors and check the color in full daylight. Fluorescent lighting can cast a blue-greenish hue and alter how a concealer really looks.
Apply Concealer To Spots In A Criss Cross Motion
Jess applies a generous amount of concealer for ample coverage. If you’re using a concealer in a pot NYC Concealer Jar is a great affordable choice scoop it out with a new cotton swab each time to avoid cross-contamination from fingers and broken-out skin. Be sure you cover each side of the blemish by applying concealer in an “X” pattern.
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Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage
For light scars or blemishes, I love using this concealer, notes Hammer. You can choose from eight duos, its the right texture and wont rub off. The oil-free formula gives it superb staying power, while the easy-to-blend colours allow you to create your own custom shade to closely match your skin tone.
£28.50 | Space NK | Buy it now
How To Cover Pitted Acne Scars With Makeup

The key to conceal and cover pockmarks, pitted acne scars and pores is not about only using the concealers. Concealers are great to hide any kinds of spots in your face. However, theres something more. In fact, by following few simple and easy to achieve tips will help you get the look youve always wanted.
*In the last section, you will find a step-by-step video tutorial on how you can apply makeup foundation/concealer to hide acne scars.
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Tips To Cover Your Acne Scars
Anyone who’s suffered from acne as a teen or adult knows how stressful it can be to always feel like everyone is staring at your skin. As if dealing with acne wasnt challenging enough, sometimes you can be left with acne scars. And while you may have mastered your acne skin care routine, have you mastered your acne scar makeup look? Thats rightyou can temporarily disguise the appearance of acne scars with makeup.
Acne scarring can make you feel self-conscious about yourself. Even though makeup wont make the underlying acne scarring any better, it sure will boost your confidence when done properly and its a quick fix for makeup to cover acne scars.
If you have acne scars, it’s okay not to cover them either, but if you feel better or want to cover your acne scars for any reason – here’s a guide on how to apply makeup to cover acne scars.
Different acne and how to hide it
Whiteheads
Blackheads
Papules
Cysts