Which mac foundation?

[Fearnotsomuch]

Currently I use BE foundation which I love because it doesn't look like I have foundation on...but I still have a few problem spots that it doesn't cover as well. I'm scared to go back to "regular" foundation but I figured I'd give it a shot. I don't have a lot of acne but I break out once in a while, I have 8 billion blackheads, and my skin is very oily! I get dark undereye circles and there is some redness on my nose. What should I be looking for?

 

[meggie2006]

Sounds like MAC foundations wouldnt be good for you. I have heard a lot of horror stories about mac foundations because they are soooo thick and pore clogging. I have stayed away from their foundations...because i am scared for my skin!

 

[Hawkeye]

Honestly-RUN FROM MAC FOUNDATIONS!!!
Don't even think of using them! I have similar skin and it DESTROYED my face!

The best thing to do is to first have a really good skincare regimine-I'm not sure what yours is like but this has helped with my blackheads/pores etc.

- Murad ABA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser every night. I find that if I exfoliate the more I do the cleaner my pores are!
- Laura Mercier Perfecting Water in Light (it's nothing more than a moisturizing toner)
- Laura Mercier under eyedration under eye cream. Wonderful stuff

When I really want to get down to the nitty gritty and clean out my icky blackheads I use this stuff:

- Joey New York Pure pores mask about once a week (and I usually do it while putting a hair mask in my hair)- then I wash it off and then I take a hot shower (to get the hair mask gook out of my face but that helps to *REALLY steam open the pores) Then I use--

Biore Pore Strips-the ultra cleaning and the nose strips-I only use the nose strips-but I put them over my entire face. They tell you not to do it but I do anyway and I have never had a problem with it. I wait 15 minutes pull it out- then try to decide which one has the most gook on it then get bored with that then I wash my face again and apply toner.

That really helps with all the disgusting black heads (at least in my case)

NOW back to what you asked for in the FIRST place:

MAC Foundations RUN LIKE HELL AWAY. Seriously- they are the WORST.

The best thing to do is get a nice light primer (In your case I would recommend the Laura Mercier Primer) and with the red nose you may need a color correcting primer-but I'm scared to tell you that because it may clog your pores some more.

Laura Mercier also has an amazing concealer called Secret Concealer that can help with the nose and the under eyes

Vincent Longo has an amazing foundation that I recommend to everybody because it doesn't break me out and I'm insanely oily and it does a fairly good job! It's called Liquid Dew Finish Foundation. It's amazing stuff.

also on to a more random topic- the dark circles- have you tried taking a very strong "B" Vitamin? Because when I started taking Vit. B it really helped my dark circles.

But the main thing is to KEEP YOUR PORES CLEAN and that will help with the blackheads.

 

[Fearnotsomuch]

Thanks.. that helped a lot! Maybe I'll just still with BE for now since I don't quite have the money for Laura Mercier or VL. Right now for my face I just wash with the good ol' Neutrogena then use a tea tree based toner. I try exfoliating once a week but I'm all out! Then I use a moisturizer (which ends up clogging my pores..so I'm a little lost there!)

I probably don't really need the color correcting for my nose.. it just gets a little red after I try to get some of those blackheads out!

 

[Showgirl]

The only one I'd even consider trying with oily, clogged skin is Studio Fix powder.

 

[Simply Elegant]

I agree with youbeabitch. I've heard way more bad things about MAC's foundations than good things and your skin type doesn't seem compatible for them. Anyway, coverfx makes a really good pigmented concealer that I'd recommend and then just sticking with the BE for everywhere else.

 

[m4dswine]

I have really bad, spot prone skin and MAC foundation is fine for me, I don't find it thick or goopy, or clogging.

And it doesn't really matter what foundation you put on if your basic skincare isn't helping your skin.

If you have really congested skin I would reccomend cleansing with jojoba oil (you should be able to get it from a health food store) and a muslin cloth, or jsut cotton pads if you can't get muslin. Jojoba oil is the closest veg oil to sebum you can get, and the best way to deep cleanse is to use oil. Oil cleans away oil better than anything else.

Massage the oil into your face and remove with a warm, damp cloth until you get nothing off. Use lavender water as a toner to regulate oil production and for moisturiser use a tiny amount of the jojoba oil and massage into your skin.

 

[Hawkeye]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fearnotsomuch Thanks.. that helped a lot! Maybe I'll just still with BE for now since I don't quite have the money for Laura Mercier or VL. Right now for my face I just wash with the good ol' Neutrogena then use a tea tree based toner. I try exfoliating once a week but I'm all out! Then I use a moisturizer (which ends up clogging my pores..so I'm a little lost there!) I probably don't really need the color correcting for my nose.. it just gets a little red after I try to get some of those blackheads out!

Ahh ok you left that part out

(about the red after trying to get the blackheads out) .

Yes stick with the BE foundation.

If you want to use an exfoliating scrubbing mask, Neutrogena came out with one with microbeads and it foams. If you can get that. I have a great amount of respect for Neutrogena! And as for a toner- if you can find some witch hazel that will be great.

As for a scrubby mask- Get a little bit of water, use some sugar or baking soda and mix and then rub on your face. Nice and cheap

AND if you wanted to do a mask you can do the asprin mask and that helps draw your pore gunk out of your face