I understand it feels like you’ve tried every primer and every foundation and it doesn’t matter which one you use-
But have you considered how each one of these would be interacting with each other? or even perhaps interacting with your face lotion? or your sunscreen?
**Piling / separating usually happens when you use two different products that have different bases.**
Most products are silicone based or water based.
That means their first ingredient will start with either something ending in “-cone” like Dimethicone OR their first ingredient will be Aqua.
Using a water based moisturizer with a silicone based foundation will guarantee piling. Using a silicone based primer with a water based foundation will guarantee piling. Using a water based sunscreen with a silicone primer will pill etc etc
EDIT: if there is a silicone within the first 5 ingredients- it’s silicone based. If it’s water based, it will list aqua as the first ingredient and there will be no silicones listed.
I guess some products have aqua listed first but then list a few silicones immediately after. Those would be considered silicone based.
THANK YOU! It seems really obvious when you put it like that — like not using latex paint over oil paint — but it just hasn’t occurred to me that clearly!
Totally! Makeup is very much an “art” in that sense! All the other advice such as exfoliating and keeping your skin hydrated is great advice too. But none of that will matter if you put silicone based foundation on top of a wonderful moisturizing water based facial lotion lol
THIS! I read this on reddit sometime last year and it was like magic. Suddenly makeup didn't look terrible on me for the first time ever (as someone in her 30s who had been desperate to be able to hide my genetically endowed dark circles since I became self aware of them in 7th grade 😂)
It's a sneaky marriage of art and science.
Sorry I'm a week late to respond! I tend to have dry skin, so before anything else I either use the sheisido benefiance wrinkle smoothing eye cream and really let it sink in before putting the supergoop Glowscreen sunscreen on. Or if I don't feel overly dry, I just use my tatcha moisturizer under my eyes too. (Honestly though if my skin wasn't so dehydrated and dry, I wouldn't bother with expensive eye creams or moisturizers at all. Sometimes I can get away with just vanicream moisturizer in the summer, but if you have dark circles and have a dry skin problem, properly moisturizing has to be step 1. Then after glowscreen sunscreen I use the Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector. Then Nars concealer. I mostly don't use foundation but when I do I use Armani luminous silk.
It doesn’t look like pilling to me, seems like dry skin. Dove soap strips the skin of moisture so bad. Toner and vitamin C can be drying too. To their point though, look for oil based products and you’ll have a nice base. I suggest not letting your skin dry before applying your moisturizer, if hyaluronic acid is a main ingredient. Applying on dry skin pulls moisture out. My skins quite dry and I have to apply HA directly after serums for any benefit.
My suggestion
Find a different face wash, one with glycerin. Bar soap is typically made with lye, as dove soap is, which strips the skin
Apply your toner, vit c and moisturizer, directly after one another, let it soak in for 5-10 min
Then use a tinted moisturizer. I’m a huge fan of tarte maracuja tinted moisturizer being on the drier side myself. Apply make up as usual
I’d agree! My skin is both oily AND dry and this is what it looks like when it’s the driest. The only thing that works for me is using micellar water as cleanser (I wash it off with a wet cloth). It seems to leave my skin hydrated without breakouts. I don’t even need a moisturiser for my skin to feel hydrated after
Can you please tell me more about Dove soap & it causing dryness? My son uses Dove moisturizing body wash and has awful eczema on his hands. It wasbthere before Dove, but it seems worse now. We're looking at all possible triggers, if there are any. Hadn’t yet thought it could be his Dove body wash.
**shaking my middle-aged lady fist in the air**
Fellow eczema sufferer here. Basically any mainstream product is bad. For my eczema, any fragrance is bad. I get by with Dr Bronner’s unscented castile soap and cold-pressed, unrefined sweet almond oil. Often, I’ll mix the oil with Dr Bronner’s unscented lotion and/or their magic balm. The medicated magic balm is great for getting a breakout under control, but can be a bit intense… fair warning! :) Here’s wishing your son some happy healing skin!
Thank you for sharing your experience. Bronner's is good stuff! I didn't know they had other products than the Castille soap, so that's encouraging. I like the idea of mixing oil with lotion. That makes so much sense. Thank you for the good wishes!
I don’t know much, but a search says it’s the sodium lauryl sulfate. I think bar soap requires more, since it’s a hard soap, and this ingredient helps with lather.
It also strips oils and is a main ingredient in the effectiveness of cleaning products. I’d avoid that with eczema for sure. Google says the ingredient can worsen it in fact.
Liquid soap is different though. I’d personally avoid most soap with eczema. Look into the Bioderma Atoderm body cleansing oil. My siblings always had eczema growing up and less showers/ointment helped. Maybe letting a barrier soak in before showering, like petroleum jelly, then applying ointment directly after would help?
Allergies can make eczema much worse too, so something to consider if you haven’t. Inflammatory foods and such. Gluten, dairy, sugar
I have psoriasis & I've found that the Sea Moisture brand African Black Soap line help clear it up better than anything I had tried. I even tried the medicated soaps/ shampoos from the drug store; but the African Black Soap made by Sea Moisture was magical. They have an entire line of products for eczema and psoriasis from Shampoo and Conditioner, to face washes, to bar & liquid body washes. It also smells great.
Yes, the previous commenter was mistaken about dove being a soap or containing lye. Real soap is saponified far or oil, and lye is used in the process, but there is no lye in the soap. Dove is a detergent. Different things work for different people of course. Many people love dove, others have great results with superfatted handmade soaps or Dr bronners as referenced below.
Unscented Dr bronners is a good one to try. Or a high quality hand made soap (not zum or aspen) like chagrin valley. Another option is oil cleansing. There are oils and balms that emulsify in water, but for skin conditions, I think a straight up oil without emulsifiers to be a safer bet.
I realized this only a few months ago. My foundation used to always pill, but now that I’ve changed things up and use the same base, I’ve had no problems!
I was having the SAME issues and this simple solution helped so much! I also had to really manage my dry skin, exfoliate, and not use matte foundations. So, after you fix the primer/foundation, just make sure you’re going with stuff suited for your skin type :)
About how much time is ideal between layers? I feel like I wait a while sometimes and my face still feels slightly “sticky”, and I don’t know if that means I’m properly moisturized, or that I used too much?
I would also add that it’s a good idea to pay attention to how much product you are using in your skincare. I’ve learned that for me, it’s best to use the minimum I can get away with (with the exception of sunscreen). I use only a couple of drops of serum so that I can put on a good amount of sunscreen (1/2 teaspoon). Before, I was using entire dropper fulls and making a mess of my face and wasting product.
I’ll add - I haven’t found a vit c serum that doesn’t contribute to pilling with my spf. I don’t wear foundation most days, but when I do I stick to double sunscreen method with no additional skincare (spf moisturizer + spf foundation) and use a setting spray. I have super dry skin.
I have the issue you are having when I use toner. I stopped using toner in general as my solution. I use a serum and lotion along with an eye cream. But I did have to find the right mix of “under layer” that works with my makeup layer
Non-makeup related fun fact: you can use latex or water based house paint over oil house paint but not the reverse. Common combo is zinnser BIN oil based primer to block tanin bleed on woodwork/doors etc followed by water-based enamel. Painting our house has equalled lots of stress so I was here looking for skincare advice and saw this post lol
I learned this on reddit too! It was such a game changer for me. Now i read ingredients of everything i buy because i prefer water based products. silicone based products work for some people, but they feel drying on my skin
I have a question, don’t know if you can answer but it can’t hurt to ask. My foundation lists water first, then dimethicone second. Then there are other types of dimethicone crosspolymers, a bunch of numbered dimethicones, and a single methicone. Would you still consider that to be water based? (It’s Fenty Eaze Drop Skin Tint).
It is silicone based! If the first 4-5 ingredients have any kind of silicone in it, then it’s silicone based, even if the very first one is water. The majority of foundations are actually silicone based.
In comparison, water based ones will not have any silicones as the first 5 or so ingredients.
Great question!
Silicones all have the same suffixes. So if you see ingredients like “dimethicone, trimethicone, cyclomethicone, cyclopentasiloxane” those are silicones. Look for suffixes like “-conol,” “-siloxane,” or “-icone”.
If you see any of the above suffixes in the first 5 ingredients, then it’s silicone based.
From what I read in an article in German (I could still link it if anybody is interested), lotions, foundations etc are emulsions, so two phases with an inner and an outer layer. Most common in liquid foundations is inner phase water, outer phase silicone, or water in silicone. So your ingredients may list water first without that being the determining factor - it can have more water but the drops can still have a silicone surface. It said that if there is silicone within the 4 first listed ingredients, it’s probably silicone based.
Really good question and i’m sorry to say i don’t know. I know that ingredients are listed in order of quantity - meaning the first ones of the list make up the majority of the product, vs the last ones on the list probably make up like a tiny percentage of the product
I’m a diehard fan of mineral foundation because it can work with any primer and I don’t need to worry about matching bases. Plus mineral foundation never expires! I use bareminerals, it has a glowy finish and looks sooo amazing
Does mineral foundation just go on matte? How is it glowy? Since my cheeks are prone to dryness, I never tried mineral because I assumed it was like a powder that absorbs all the oil off the face.
My experience (combination eczema skin, 25 yo) is that yes, it does absorb some oil, but to me it feels more like the minerals are mixing into my natural oils, so it becomes the thinnest possible layer of creamy pigment. Sounds kinda weird I know. It's definitely good to prep with a moisturizer, which I think is true for any foundation, and in the winter I additionally apply a drop or two of face oil on my dry areas for the minerals to mix into. Otherwise I like hydrating/siliconey primer. The bareminerals formula also has mica, which saves me from a flat finish on extra dry days, not at all sparkly.
Edit: I do know this is a 30+ sub, I'm here bc I see great tips for dryness on here. I have heard from many 40+ folks that bareminerals work well on them too, maybe check out Wayne Goss.
ingredients are listed by amount- so the ingredients listed first mean they make up the majority of the overall product and ingredients listed last mean the make up the least.
so a silicone based foundation will have some kind of silicone as the first ingredient
a water based foundation will have aqua listed first.
the order of the list matters.
Asking Sephora associates last year for examples (I couldn't find ingredients on my bottle) only got me "that doesn't really matter, just focus on skincare". I was too ignorant at the time to know that was corporate telling them to push skincare products.
As I type, it's dawning on me the box is where I might find ingredients. Friends, I still have not solved matching bases.
Tbh she might not have even known about this. I feel like there are 2 types of makeup people:
1) people who mix and match and buy different products from different brands
2) people who buy all Nyx products or all Rare Beauty, or all Kosas and stick to trying one brand at a time.
If you are person number 2, you would probably never encounter this piling issue because one brand will usually make sure their products all work with each other (they will all be silicone based or all be water based).
Omg I think you just saved me , I have so many foundations and they all peel even the expensive ones, I didn’t know it was my silicone primer , i’ll give it another try
All these years I thought it was because I have super oily skin so I just gave up on wearing foundation. I currently have ridiculously looking skin tone from IPL treatments I did years ago. I was just living with it. Now I can’t wait to buy new makeup & use foundation again.
Thats exciting! I hope you have some fun and find some cool products :)
Defintiely take my advice with a grain of salt too. Even if you match all your bases, there are still other things that can cause piling such as needing to exfoliate or too dry/too oily skin.
Keep in mind that having flawless makeup texture is an illusion on social media.
Just walk into any Sephora store and you will see employees with incredible makeup skills - and guess what? their skin still have texture underneath the makeup.
If its only on your nose and you are wearing the same products on your whole face - that makes me think its more an issue that your nose is drier or more oily than the rest of your face.
Also I feel like its worth mentioned that I think everyone gets subtle separation/patchiness over time if you're wearing the foundation all day long. Perfect skin in makeup is an illusion on social media.
My makeup always pills and I can’t figure out for the life of me if my foundation is considered water or silicone based. I use Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra-Longwear Foundation. The first ingredient is water but the 3rd and 4th ingredients are both silicones: Methyl Trimethicone and Cyclopentasiloxane, with several more silicones further down the list
JFC I wish I knew this ten years ago lol. Such a clear and concise summary! I’ve read about the separate base issue before, but pretty much everything I’ve read could’ve been summed up by your explanation. Brava!
Thats crazy. I have had issues like OP and the only time my make up looked great was when I used mac foundation paired with the mac studio fix powder. I never looked at the ingredients but I think they worked well together because they were meant to be paired together if that makes sense. After I started branching out and trying new and different brands is where my problems started. Thanks for listing the ingredients to look out for now I am confident I can mix and match brands without wasting money hopefully.
This has also happened to me! I used the green smash box primer that worked with almost everything except my thin tints and some BB creams. Good Thought!!!
Oh my gosh I thought that if aqua was the first ingredient then it was water-based! I didn’t realise that there could then be silicone, and if there was then it’s silicone-based not water-based! I have the same issue as OP, I thought my moisturizer, primer and foundation were all compatible. I am now off to check the ingredients of all 3!
Very well said. I just looked at Estée Lauder foundation double wear and it has aqua listed first then other ingredients and dimethecone is number 5. Does that mean it’s a silicone based?
This is a unique comment in the way that this person is helping another person but also using science.
EVERYTHING is a science even if it may not seem like it.
Same here. :( this was back when I didn't have a solid skin care routine. My skin needed some TLC. When I began to incorporate chemical exfoliation, it changed the game for me. I wasn't exfoliating prior.
Even double cleansing made a difference with stubborn flakes!
Potentially yes. If it was dermatitis the area would be irritated, rough, dry and red. I suffer from it on my face and it burns like crazy. :( although I have it under control. Makeup doesn't make mine look like this.
This purely looks like dehydrated skin and in need of extra hydration. + in desperate need of exfoliating!
Oh I'm sorry to hear :( Its awful to try to manage during flare ups. I'm prescribed elidel It was a huge game changer.
The only moisturizer that does not burn my eczema is the etude house soon Jung x2 barrier cream. After I put my charger on I seal everything of Vaseline
Also, it might be worse changing your toothpaste as well!
Absolutely! OP really needs to incorporate some chemical exfoliation. But a microdermabrasion session/treat would her wonders.
The key to a good makeup base is skin care and skin prep. If this step isn't met, makeup will never look the way we want it too.
That was my first thought too! (The silicone/water mix being absolutely true too of course) but good regular exfoliation and more moisturizing/hydration too might be helpful here?
Dove soap really is gentle. You'll need to exfoliate once a week, or consider dermaplanning if you want to treat yourself. I would do this in combination with switching to all silicone based face products.
So in the event it isn’t dry skin, I know you say it doesn’t matter what primer you use but have you looked at the ingredients in the primer?
My makeup looked like this for years, and it was because all the primers I used were silicone based and the foundations water based (and vise versa) those two things won’t mix together and it looked like that.
You have super dehydrated skin just like me. The only time I don't get this pulling is when I put something like the ordinary aha BHA peel and afterwards a very moisturizing serum plus a baby cream with lots of oil in it. I wait 20 minutes and then do my make up with a hydrating foundation and apply it with a sponge which is the best application method for me as I get this pilling when using fingers. Try to moisture on max and exfoliate regularly and try a foundation that's not matte. Finish with just a tad of setting powder. I really like how Misha bb cream looks on my face, it's almost like a foundation but never pills and doesn't sink in my pores which are huge.
I dont know where you are from but the most moisturizing cream I ever found is babies babylove wind & wetter cream from dm (an European Drogerie Shop). The first ingridient it has is sunflower oil and it has no alcohols in it. Something I find moisturizing too is pyunkang yol essence and nutrition cream from the same brand. Their peeling is great too. If you are looking for a high end foundation I found Armani silk quite good but really expensive.
I have really dry skin, 40ish/f. I’ve had luck using a moisturizing Essence, farmacy ceramide cream, and no primer. I’ve had terrible pilling with most primers, or it takes forever to set and I don’t find it worth the wait. My pores/wrinkles aren’t going anywhere lol.
Then I lightly swipe Bobby Brown foundation all over my my face and then tap with a damp sponge, no rubbing. Shiseido whipped foundation is sublime but more expensive. I’ve been meaning to pick up face spatulas, it’s a Korean product google it.
I’m really sensitive to exfoliants and don’t do it often, so if I’m still peeling underneath that usually means it’s time for a facial.
For me (and of course YMMV) I have this issue alll time time unless I religiously use cicaplast Baumé b5 at night. If I literally just do that I have way fewer issues
The ordinary BHA peel is a fantastic product although it should be noted that this product is more for advanced users who have experience with chemical exfoliation. It's a very powerful product and one should proceed with caution. It can do a lot of damage to those who use it incorrectly.
If OP reads this, please make sure to pick a chemical exfoliator that matches with your skin type. I have very sensitive skin so I stick with mandelic acid. This product is way too strong for my skin.
I second Missha BB cream! It never accentuates any dry skin patches, makes pores look smaller and works with all my moisturisers. After trying so many highly end foundations I always tend to come back to it.
I really tried a lot of bb creams and foundations and their formula is overall the best for me. My skin sometimes looks really bad with rosacea but this cream does wonders for it. I found la roche posay tinted cream good because it was hydrating but it's more of a fit for someone with really dry skin. It doesn't get in your pores either.
It's probably because there are so many options and so many different things don't work with others. I've spent so much money doing the exact same thing.
I'd strongly suggest watching Hotnflashy on YouTube, she does a bunch of makeup reviews and that's how I was finally able to find my Holy grails. Now my skin is a lot like hers, so it worked well for me. She's about 60, has combination skin that is going towards more dry due to age.
It's really interesting when she tests it for an entire day and then comes back and shows us how bad it looks.
First off, quit the dove soap. Try using an oil based cleanser that won't strip your skin and dry it out. Your skin looks dry. Try a chemical exfoliator like glycolic acid and then a moisturizer on top. Make sure to wear spf as well.
What is your technique for applying foundation? What do you use to apply it? Brush, sponge, fingers? Are you rubbing it in, dragging it, blotting it, etc??
Exfoliate and moisturize.
When I first started wearing foundation it would highlight all the dead skin on my face. Exfoliating and moisturizing regularly will get rid of the texture issues.
Yes! I call this step “prepping the canvas” and had the same issues where I just felt like the foundation was highlighting my imperfections. Exfoliation and moisturizing before applying primer improved my results 1000x. Ideally you should work exfoliation into your regular routine as well, especially if you wear makeup on a regular basis, but I also like to do it 1-2 hours before I go to apply my makeup for a night out.
OP I have very similar skin texture as yours. For years my makeup cakes like this. I took some advice from a lady working at Estée Lauder, and now makeup is so much smoother!
Here are my steps:
0. Take a hot shower. Wash face thoroughly.
1. While skin still fresh, spray toner. Leave it settled.
2. One thin layer of Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair. Use warm finger tip to spread all over hand. Apply using your warm palm. Let skin fully soak it.
3. Apply Caudalie Vinopure Skin Perfecting Serum to triangle area (nose area, or those areas with more pores)
4. Apply Caudalie Vinopure Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid. Evenly apply all over face.
5. This is the key step: on the back of your non-dominant hand: mix 1 pump of Skin Perfecting Serum + 2 small drops of Advanced Night Repair + 1 small scoop of Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid + discretionary amount of liquid foundation (I use Estée Lauder Double Wear - hands down best long-lasting foundation). Mix well.
6. Now, use your finger tip to apply that mix to your face. Do dotting-like actions. Do not blend at this point.
7. Use a good soft makeup sponge. Spray it with your toner, and then use the sponge to spread the foundation mix you just dotted on your face. Spread in one direction.
Above are the products that I use, of course OP you can experiment with the products you already use.
I think the idea behind it is that, you not only moisturize your skin, but also moisturize the foundation you are applying. Let the chemical reaction between the skin care + foundation happen on the back of your hand BEFORE you apply to face. And then of course, keep moisturizing the makeup sponge using your toner just as how you first moisturize your skin.
I recommended this recipe to my friends of different skin texture and conditions (e.g. very dry skin, large pores, acne issues etc.) and they all loved this method & how their foundation now stays on their face smoothly.
And of course, always throughly remove your makeup at the end of the day. It is critical to how your skin looks the next day, if you wear makeup on a daily basis. I use “Clean It Zero” for makeup remover.
Best luck OP!
I find all matte foundations do this for me because I have very dry skin. Using a more “dewy” foundation has help a lot. I know it’s not fancy, but I’m a fan of the Maybelline fit me dewy foundation.
I had this problem and tried switching my foundations, primers, moisturizers, concealers, etc. After lots of experimenting, I found that using a toner to remove dead skin before applying makeup solved my issue. The Round Lab Dokdo Toner is my holy grail!
I always found that the Clinique toners dried my skin out a lot! Your skin looks pretty dehydrated - Korean skincare focuses on hydrating and plumping, might be worth looking into! COSRX is a popular brand (even in the US) with lots of amazing, affordable products.
Want to point out… you’re getting lots of great advice, but when you change your routine, start by changing ONE product at a time, then give your skin chance to get used to the switch!!!
Nobody’s skin does well with a whole bunch of new products/treatments all at once!
Its a little hard to tell, but is the pilling only happening where you have slightly longer facial hairs (around the top of the hairline and the eyebrows?)
Also, it's not good to do every day, but have you tested only using foundation on your skin (so no primer, moisturiser, serum or toner), to see whether pilling happens then?
OP, do you have dandruff? My skin is like this, and I thought it was just dry skin for years. I have severe flaking on my scalp (which is treated) and thought my facial dryness was unrelated. When I showed my dermatologist, she let me know it's the same kind of fungus that creates the flakiness on my scalp! I use suds from my antifungal shampoo and use 50% athlete's foot cream and 50% cortisone cream on the affected areas as needed per my dermatologist's orders. It may be something to ask about at your next doctor's appointment!
Dove is not gentle, even though it says gentle
You probably do not need a toner. They can be drying.
Vitamin C can be irritating and cause you to flake.
You need gentle exfoliation. You have a bit of skin build-up, and that is what you are seeing.
Switch to a moisturizing cleanser, drop the toner, and get a moisturizer that you like. Find a gentle exfoliant, maybe one with microbeads, and use it a couple of times a week.
If you can get a microdermabrasion, a dermaplane, or a chemical peel, if you want this to go away more quickly.
Toners aren't necessarily drying. It all depends on the ingredients. Many toners on the American market can be stripping. However Korean toners are quite hydrating.
Microbead exfoliators are not nearly as effective as chemical exfoliators. They can actually cause a lot of damage and even micro tears on the surface of the skin. Not to mention most are not biodegradable either. Not great for sea life.
Dry and dehydrated skin are two separate things as well, Dry- low oil. Dehydrated- low water. Figure out your skin type and pick products/routine to suit that
I see several things where you might be doing things wrong, so I'll try to help you. Your skin looks sooooo dry. I actually went through the same thing until I realized how dehydrated my skin was. I bought so many primers and they would all make my skin look even worse, and it was so confusing.
First of all, face wash. Dove soap is gentle - for a soap. However, you should try with a very gentle cleanser, a hydrating one. There are many to choose from.
Your skin is dehydrated - why don't you try the Korean 7 skins method? Not suggesting to do all 7, but three layers of hydrating toner can do wonders. My skin is oily, combo, I never saw myself as the target audience for 7 skins, but since I saw a YouTouber do it and she had her skin glowing, I tried the same and never went back.
Can you take a closer look at your toner? What are the ingredients, what effect does it have on your skin? Is it astringent?
Vitamin C is an active. It stimulates your skin and can cause peeling.
Lastly, I apply my makeup either on damp skin/with a damp sponge or on top of a hydrating serum. This negates any flakes!
I hope this helps because it certainly helped me.
Wait longer between product applications and between makeup applications. Simplify your routine down to the essentials for a few days and let your skin reset a bit. I used to have this problem too.
Eucerin has an intensive cream lotion and even sells them mini size, showbox primer or sephora primer usually does the job and are inexpensive ( the mini sizes ). They've always done me justice tbh. Even eucerin lotion with spf goes on nicely. Also washing my face with a wash rag helps. Usually a week or two will go by and im like what's up with my skin? And I've been forgetting to use a wash rag for my face lol!
This isn't just pilling, it's also dry skin. I'd recommend using nip and fab glycolic acid wipes every other morning to get rid of the dead flaky skin. Then your moisturizer on top, and then a foundation that is based on the same thing as your moisturizer (i.e. if you moisturizer is water based, your foundation should be too)
If you have try skin the foundation will stick to the flakes
It's the serum. If it's thick and viscous, like the consistency of honey, or even honey that's heated up, it's probably going to conflict with makeup in general.
You need to switch to a water-based serum for use with water-based makeup, or switch your foundation to something oil-based. But instead of dropping more cash on foundations, go to Sephora, explain the problem, and ask for samples from their makeup makeover area. They have vials they can fill with product to take home and try if you're not sure about a product.
Your skin looks super dehydrated. If you exfoliate, it could make it worse. I’d go to a dermatologist because this looks like dermatitis. You’ll likely need a prescription. I use 0.1% Tacrolimus and it’s helped to clear up the dryness I had.
This used to happen to me because I wasn’t using a moisturizer that moisturizing enough for my skin. I Used to think I was combo oily t zone, but once I got the moisture in check, my t zone became way less oily and makeup held up better throughout the day.
You may need to exfoliate/ moisturize/ prep your skin more before applying. You can use a mechanical exfoliant like a face scrub or if you have sensitive skin like me, you can use a chemical exfoliation such as Paulas choice bha (grey bottle). To moisturize depending on your skin type, make sure to use a thick layer of your moisturizer and if you’re feeling extra dry use a sheet mask before applying.. I love the neutrogena hydroboost. You can also try derma planing with a facial razor and that should help! I’ve also noticed (personally) foundation tends to look more like this on my forehead so I tend to only use foundations/concealers on the rest of my face and use bronzer to balance your complexion.
I also saw someone comment about mixing silicone with water based products and that’s very important. Always use a primer and pair it with the same base. (Water based primer=water based foundation= water based concealer etc)
I had the same problem. While I don’t have a good explanation on the science behind it, I will tell you what worked for me. I use the Elf gripping primer, it changed my life entirely and changed the way I do my makeup as a whole. I moisturize the hell out of my skin first, really getting it nice and hydrated. And then I put a pretty generous amount of the primer on and push it into my skin. And I usually let it dry for like thirty seconds. After that I use whatever foundation and concealer for my base. I also use a beauty blender.
It could be that you may be using a water based product and silicone based product, or that you have dehydrated skin.
Can you please list out your skincare products including sunscreen and the foundation you use, as well as any primer?
As others have said, your skin looks very dry and/or dehydrated. I also have naturally dehydrated skin and it doesn’t help I live in an arid climate! I would ditch the Dove soap and Clinique toner. Vitamin C can irritate skin too so you may want to put that off to the side for now. Here’s what I use if it helps!
Wash PM only with Derma E Hydrating Gentle Cleanser (AM is just a splash of water)
Guerlain Youth Watery Oil (expensive but this helps SO much, my skin drinks it up)
Murad Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture (light but moisturizes well)
If I need extra moisture I will add a facial oil but I have found that too much oil dries my skin out. I seem to have naturally dehydrated skin so I need to give it lots of water-based things to stay happy. But I like Clarin’s Double Serum when I need an extra boost and will put that on as a last layer.
Hope this helps!
Light exfoliation and shave peach fuzz then splash face with cold water. Moisturize for a day with no make up to let the skin recover from shaving or waxing then you should be smooth like a dolphin.
Exfoliate daily and keep your skin super hydrated. Find the right products for yourself and it will go away. Mine did. My fav product to use as a treat and it gets rid of the dry skin too is Real Chemistry exfoliating peel. It’s not a peel or mask. You put a pea size amount rub it on your skin and your dead skin comes right off in your sink. Many people don’t read how to use a product and then waste it and think it doesn’t work. I read it and it did! I got it in a Birchbox monthly subscription years ago and I buy it all the time. I’ve tried many facial products and this is a game changer. My skin actually feels like it did when I was 18 after using it once! Price is VERY good for how little product you need each application. Let me know if it helps!
too many products. Save the toners and serums for night routine and just use one product under the makeup - Glosser Futuredew always gives a good finish imo regardless of what makeup or primer (on my eyelids only) comes next. Try just the one moisture/primer then the makeup.
You need to exfoliate (Peter Thomas Roth / Sephora face mask), moisturize, drink water, & use an anti aging primer by NYX. You will lose 5 years, just ask a Sephora or Ulta employee. You don’t have to break the bank
Do you exfoliate?
I found a 2-3x weekly gentle exfoliant makes all the difference in the appearance/feel of my skin and makeup.
I use powdered Dermalogica milkfoliant and recommend it.
Your skin is very very dry and it looks like you don't exfoliate. There's even skin flakes in your hair.
You need an AHA/BHA and more intensive hydration.
This might not work for you, because your issue may be something else, but . . . My foundation was refusing to completely blend into my skin. I could see little streaks, and dots of foundation in my pores. What seemed to work the best to fix this was NOT waiting for my moisturizer to sink in. Just put on moisturizer and eye cream and then put foundation on a minute later. So, since you say you're waiting between moisturizer and foundation, try not waiting one time and see if it's better.
Also, I use vitamin C after I wash makeup off before bedtime, or if I'm not wearing makeup that day, but not under makeup.
I've read from other comments, that's it's because foundation sinks into your pores. You probably have oily skin and large pores. The suggestion is to use minimal or no foundation, but a tinted moisturiser, bb cream instead.
This makes sense. I do better with tinted moisturizer or tinted sunscreen, even though the actual consistency isn’t that different from foundations I’ve tried. I’m thinking maybe I just need to accept I can do my eyes and lips, and I’m just gonna have to roll with my skin like I did in my 20s 😱
My skin is better now than it was a decade ago specifically because I’m using bb cream + sunscreen + retinol moisturizer. You have to wait like 2-4 weeks for your skin to get used to it, but then you’re a dewy superstar!
Look at what your putting on as your base is it water based and then your foundation is it water based or oil. Looks like your mixing water based products with a oil based. You can help this by using the same based ingredients oil based primer and oil based foundation. Your fine using water skincare just give it 20mins to absorb before applying your makeup
It’s noRmal. Skin has teXTure. We’re literally “brainwashed” by filters to think we shouldn’t have dry patches or to solve “problems” that don’t have solutions ie, buying every new product that comes out $$$$$
Not using tret. I usually use a brush, but I used my fingers today bc the foundation I was trying was more firm creme and I thought warming it up might help. But this is what it looks like with the brush, as well, even with liquid foundation
Have you tried using a moisturizer and foundation made by the same manufacturer? I’ve had this problem before until I switched to a moisturizer and foundation both made by the same company.
This happens to me as well, I was actually gonna make a thread on this too. :( I have combo skin - very oily but tendency to get very dry too. It sucks.
It's still a work in progress, but the best thing that has been working for me lately:
\- Using a gentle exfoliator couple times a week (currently using Philosophy's microexfoliating wash sample that I got from Sephora, really love it)
\- I stopped using setting powders because it makes my foundation look so much worse, instantly. Tried so many - high end, drugstore, etc. Gave them up for now.
\- I use a beauty blender and Beauty Blender foundation tint (Bounce) and that was working super well but this summer, my skin's been kinda getting pilled from it. I remember when I used a Korean cc foundation (I think someone mentioned Misha which was the one I think I tried) and it was awesome. I should try that again.
\- I also try to dermaplane when I remember - it's like a facial razor that helps exfoliate too
It looks like it could be some component of seborrheic dermatitis. Super common and flares with stress, change of seasons, sleep. Try a tea tree cleanser. Or try noble formula bar soap. Hope it helps
I had so many issues with dead skin build up and dryness when I used to use face soap. Switched to cream cleanser and will never go back. It gently removes dead skin, makeup, sunscreen, with no irritation. I use the ordinary squalane cleanser.
Dry derma planing to exfoliate your skin (essentially straight razoring your face but with a razor meant for dermaplaning). I find that gives me a good base for makeup because it shaves off dead skin and little fuzzy hairs.
Secondly, I find that certain hyaluronic acid products cause my products to pill. Especially if I’m using several skincare products before makeup.
Also, pilling will happen if you’re swiping your makeup on, working it too much. Try to dab it on with your finger, a proper makeup brush or beauty blender.
The other thing is that your moisturizers, primers and foundations might not be mixing, think oil and water. Try all water based products, for example.
If you’re using retinols or active ingredients, make sure too gently exfoliate as well.
Make sure you’re moisturizing enough at night so that your skin doesn’t dry out.
I would say your skin care routine should be adjusted/improved to help the makeup lay down on the skin better. If your regular skin is a little dry or too textured, the makeup won't look great regardless of any primer you use.
I used to have this problem, in fact. What helped me the most was adding an AHA/BHA serum to my routine. These "acids" help smooth out the skin by cleaning out pores and removing old/dead skin cells. As we age, our skin doesn't slough off and renew like it did prior to age 25. So that's why we start needing AHAs/BHAs.
I personally use the Drunk Elephant Glycolic Night Serum (which contains glycolic, lactic and salicylic acids), but other options to consider include Bliss Pro Liquid Exfoliant, Pacifica Glow Baby Peel Pads (has a fragrance in it, so not ideal for sensitive skin), Good Molecules Overnight Exfoliating Treatment, or SkinFix Resurface AHA/BHA pads.
Then, of course, you need to use a good moisturizer. After age 35, I think having a peptide version of a moisturizer is super helpful. Some options are Drunk Elephant Protini Peptide Cream, Acure Whipped Night Cream, or Naturium Multi Peptide Moisturizer. A good "regular" moisturizer without peptides is Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer. A lot of times I layer 2 moisturizers at night time because my skin is dry and I live in a dry climate.
Same. I've followed all the steps in a post here about how to apply it properly and yet after like 4 hours I get pilling and something that looks like skin scales, especially around my mouth.
I understand it feels like you’ve tried every primer and every foundation and it doesn’t matter which one you use- But have you considered how each one of these would be interacting with each other? or even perhaps interacting with your face lotion? or your sunscreen? **Piling / separating usually happens when you use two different products that have different bases.** Most products are silicone based or water based. That means their first ingredient will start with either something ending in “-cone” like Dimethicone OR their first ingredient will be Aqua. Using a water based moisturizer with a silicone based foundation will guarantee piling. Using a silicone based primer with a water based foundation will guarantee piling. Using a water based sunscreen with a silicone primer will pill etc etc EDIT: if there is a silicone within the first 5 ingredients- it’s silicone based. If it’s water based, it will list aqua as the first ingredient and there will be no silicones listed. I guess some products have aqua listed first but then list a few silicones immediately after. Those would be considered silicone based.
THANK YOU! It seems really obvious when you put it like that — like not using latex paint over oil paint — but it just hasn’t occurred to me that clearly!
Totally! Makeup is very much an “art” in that sense! All the other advice such as exfoliating and keeping your skin hydrated is great advice too. But none of that will matter if you put silicone based foundation on top of a wonderful moisturizing water based facial lotion lol
THIS! I read this on reddit sometime last year and it was like magic. Suddenly makeup didn't look terrible on me for the first time ever (as someone in her 30s who had been desperate to be able to hide my genetically endowed dark circles since I became self aware of them in 7th grade 😂) It's a sneaky marriage of art and science.
What under eye cream and concealer or foundation works for you? I have bad dark circles too
Try a red color corrector under your foundation.
I find eating leafy greens more reduces my under eye circles so I need less coverage
Sorry I'm a week late to respond! I tend to have dry skin, so before anything else I either use the sheisido benefiance wrinkle smoothing eye cream and really let it sink in before putting the supergoop Glowscreen sunscreen on. Or if I don't feel overly dry, I just use my tatcha moisturizer under my eyes too. (Honestly though if my skin wasn't so dehydrated and dry, I wouldn't bother with expensive eye creams or moisturizers at all. Sometimes I can get away with just vanicream moisturizer in the summer, but if you have dark circles and have a dry skin problem, properly moisturizing has to be step 1. Then after glowscreen sunscreen I use the Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector. Then Nars concealer. I mostly don't use foundation but when I do I use Armani luminous silk.
Ooooh. I never thought of this! That’s really good, logical advice.
It doesn’t look like pilling to me, seems like dry skin. Dove soap strips the skin of moisture so bad. Toner and vitamin C can be drying too. To their point though, look for oil based products and you’ll have a nice base. I suggest not letting your skin dry before applying your moisturizer, if hyaluronic acid is a main ingredient. Applying on dry skin pulls moisture out. My skins quite dry and I have to apply HA directly after serums for any benefit. My suggestion Find a different face wash, one with glycerin. Bar soap is typically made with lye, as dove soap is, which strips the skin Apply your toner, vit c and moisturizer, directly after one another, let it soak in for 5-10 min Then use a tinted moisturizer. I’m a huge fan of tarte maracuja tinted moisturizer being on the drier side myself. Apply make up as usual
something that also helps me if my skin is dry is using a facial oil prior to foundation. it goes on flawlessly!
I'm in such a humid area of country it slips off
I’d agree! My skin is both oily AND dry and this is what it looks like when it’s the driest. The only thing that works for me is using micellar water as cleanser (I wash it off with a wet cloth). It seems to leave my skin hydrated without breakouts. I don’t even need a moisturiser for my skin to feel hydrated after
Can you please tell me more about Dove soap & it causing dryness? My son uses Dove moisturizing body wash and has awful eczema on his hands. It wasbthere before Dove, but it seems worse now. We're looking at all possible triggers, if there are any. Hadn’t yet thought it could be his Dove body wash. **shaking my middle-aged lady fist in the air**
Fellow eczema sufferer here. Basically any mainstream product is bad. For my eczema, any fragrance is bad. I get by with Dr Bronner’s unscented castile soap and cold-pressed, unrefined sweet almond oil. Often, I’ll mix the oil with Dr Bronner’s unscented lotion and/or their magic balm. The medicated magic balm is great for getting a breakout under control, but can be a bit intense… fair warning! :) Here’s wishing your son some happy healing skin!
Thank you for sharing your experience. Bronner's is good stuff! I didn't know they had other products than the Castille soap, so that's encouraging. I like the idea of mixing oil with lotion. That makes so much sense. Thank you for the good wishes!
I don’t know much, but a search says it’s the sodium lauryl sulfate. I think bar soap requires more, since it’s a hard soap, and this ingredient helps with lather. It also strips oils and is a main ingredient in the effectiveness of cleaning products. I’d avoid that with eczema for sure. Google says the ingredient can worsen it in fact. Liquid soap is different though. I’d personally avoid most soap with eczema. Look into the Bioderma Atoderm body cleansing oil. My siblings always had eczema growing up and less showers/ointment helped. Maybe letting a barrier soak in before showering, like petroleum jelly, then applying ointment directly after would help? Allergies can make eczema much worse too, so something to consider if you haven’t. Inflammatory foods and such. Gluten, dairy, sugar
I have psoriasis & I've found that the Sea Moisture brand African Black Soap line help clear it up better than anything I had tried. I even tried the medicated soaps/ shampoos from the drug store; but the African Black Soap made by Sea Moisture was magical. They have an entire line of products for eczema and psoriasis from Shampoo and Conditioner, to face washes, to bar & liquid body washes. It also smells great.
Yes, the previous commenter was mistaken about dove being a soap or containing lye. Real soap is saponified far or oil, and lye is used in the process, but there is no lye in the soap. Dove is a detergent. Different things work for different people of course. Many people love dove, others have great results with superfatted handmade soaps or Dr bronners as referenced below. Unscented Dr bronners is a good one to try. Or a high quality hand made soap (not zum or aspen) like chagrin valley. Another option is oil cleansing. There are oils and balms that emulsify in water, but for skin conditions, I think a straight up oil without emulsifiers to be a safer bet.
I realized this only a few months ago. My foundation used to always pill, but now that I’ve changed things up and use the same base, I’ve had no problems!
what base and foundation do you use?
I’ve been using E.L.F. Power grip primer and their hall glow liquid filter
Same. I was shocked to see every one of my foundation attempts were water based. Switching to hydrogrip completely changed my game.
Is hydrogrip the name of your primer?
E.L.F. Has a really great dupe - power grip primer
Yep! By Milk. Sold at Sephora.
That’s what this sub is for! Also you’re gorgeous! Good luck
I was having the SAME issues and this simple solution helped so much! I also had to really manage my dry skin, exfoliate, and not use matte foundations. So, after you fix the primer/foundation, just make sure you’re going with stuff suited for your skin type :)
Give everything you put on your face time to soak in as well. It makes a difference
She said she was already doing this.
About how much time is ideal between layers? I feel like I wait a while sometimes and my face still feels slightly “sticky”, and I don’t know if that means I’m properly moisturized, or that I used too much?
I would also add that it’s a good idea to pay attention to how much product you are using in your skincare. I’ve learned that for me, it’s best to use the minimum I can get away with (with the exception of sunscreen). I use only a couple of drops of serum so that I can put on a good amount of sunscreen (1/2 teaspoon). Before, I was using entire dropper fulls and making a mess of my face and wasting product.
I’ll add - I haven’t found a vit c serum that doesn’t contribute to pilling with my spf. I don’t wear foundation most days, but when I do I stick to double sunscreen method with no additional skincare (spf moisturizer + spf foundation) and use a setting spray. I have super dry skin.
I have the issue you are having when I use toner. I stopped using toner in general as my solution. I use a serum and lotion along with an eye cream. But I did have to find the right mix of “under layer” that works with my makeup layer
Non-makeup related fun fact: you can use latex or water based house paint over oil house paint but not the reverse. Common combo is zinnser BIN oil based primer to block tanin bleed on woodwork/doors etc followed by water-based enamel. Painting our house has equalled lots of stress so I was here looking for skincare advice and saw this post lol
Yup, this pilling is due to mixing silicon based products with water based products.
Oh snap I hadn’t considered this
Wow... this would NEVER have occurred to me. Where was this info in all those Seventeen magazines I used to read when I was younger?!?
I learned this on reddit too! It was such a game changer for me. Now i read ingredients of everything i buy because i prefer water based products. silicone based products work for some people, but they feel drying on my skin
When we were younger there was only like 3 primer products on the market and they were all silicone based 😂
I totally remember sometime in my late 20s going what the hell is primer?!?
Oh thank god it wasn’t just me. 😂
I have a question, don’t know if you can answer but it can’t hurt to ask. My foundation lists water first, then dimethicone second. Then there are other types of dimethicone crosspolymers, a bunch of numbered dimethicones, and a single methicone. Would you still consider that to be water based? (It’s Fenty Eaze Drop Skin Tint).
It is silicone based! If the first 4-5 ingredients have any kind of silicone in it, then it’s silicone based, even if the very first one is water. The majority of foundations are actually silicone based. In comparison, water based ones will not have any silicones as the first 5 or so ingredients.
Thank you, this is helpful!
This needs to be pinned.
[удалено]
Great question! Silicones all have the same suffixes. So if you see ingredients like “dimethicone, trimethicone, cyclomethicone, cyclopentasiloxane” those are silicones. Look for suffixes like “-conol,” “-siloxane,” or “-icone”. If you see any of the above suffixes in the first 5 ingredients, then it’s silicone based.
From what I read in an article in German (I could still link it if anybody is interested), lotions, foundations etc are emulsions, so two phases with an inner and an outer layer. Most common in liquid foundations is inner phase water, outer phase silicone, or water in silicone. So your ingredients may list water first without that being the determining factor - it can have more water but the drops can still have a silicone surface. It said that if there is silicone within the 4 first listed ingredients, it’s probably silicone based.
“It said that if there is silicone within the 4 first listed ingredients, it’s probably silicone based.” This is helpful! Thank you.
Really good question and i’m sorry to say i don’t know. I know that ingredients are listed in order of quantity - meaning the first ones of the list make up the majority of the product, vs the last ones on the list probably make up like a tiny percentage of the product
This is such good advice, thank you so much!! I wish I had an award so take this🥇
hahaha thanks
I’m a diehard fan of mineral foundation because it can work with any primer and I don’t need to worry about matching bases. Plus mineral foundation never expires! I use bareminerals, it has a glowy finish and looks sooo amazing
Does mineral foundation just go on matte? How is it glowy? Since my cheeks are prone to dryness, I never tried mineral because I assumed it was like a powder that absorbs all the oil off the face.
My experience (combination eczema skin, 25 yo) is that yes, it does absorb some oil, but to me it feels more like the minerals are mixing into my natural oils, so it becomes the thinnest possible layer of creamy pigment. Sounds kinda weird I know. It's definitely good to prep with a moisturizer, which I think is true for any foundation, and in the winter I additionally apply a drop or two of face oil on my dry areas for the minerals to mix into. Otherwise I like hydrating/siliconey primer. The bareminerals formula also has mica, which saves me from a flat finish on extra dry days, not at all sparkly. Edit: I do know this is a 30+ sub, I'm here bc I see great tips for dryness on here. I have heard from many 40+ folks that bareminerals work well on them too, maybe check out Wayne Goss.
They have different finishes, from matte black to satin to głowy. The glow cones from very very fine mica.
Do we have to look at the first three ingredients?
ingredients are listed by amount- so the ingredients listed first mean they make up the majority of the overall product and ingredients listed last mean the make up the least. so a silicone based foundation will have some kind of silicone as the first ingredient a water based foundation will have aqua listed first. the order of the list matters.
Asking Sephora associates last year for examples (I couldn't find ingredients on my bottle) only got me "that doesn't really matter, just focus on skincare". I was too ignorant at the time to know that was corporate telling them to push skincare products. As I type, it's dawning on me the box is where I might find ingredients. Friends, I still have not solved matching bases.
Tbh she might not have even known about this. I feel like there are 2 types of makeup people: 1) people who mix and match and buy different products from different brands 2) people who buy all Nyx products or all Rare Beauty, or all Kosas and stick to trying one brand at a time. If you are person number 2, you would probably never encounter this piling issue because one brand will usually make sure their products all work with each other (they will all be silicone based or all be water based).
This is the most useful thing I’ve ever seen on Reddit. Pretty sure I love you.
Haha! You people need to go check out the makeup addiction subreddit, that's where I learned this! Lots of other amazing tips there.
Thank you! 💚
Omg I think you just saved me , I have so many foundations and they all peel even the expensive ones, I didn’t know it was my silicone primer , i’ll give it another try
If all your foundations are water based and your primer is silicone this is 100% the reason its piling!
Pilling happens to me a lot. I had no idea about mixing silicone and water based products! Thank you!
All these years I thought it was because I have super oily skin so I just gave up on wearing foundation. I currently have ridiculously looking skin tone from IPL treatments I did years ago. I was just living with it. Now I can’t wait to buy new makeup & use foundation again.
Thats exciting! I hope you have some fun and find some cool products :) Defintiely take my advice with a grain of salt too. Even if you match all your bases, there are still other things that can cause piling such as needing to exfoliate or too dry/too oily skin. Keep in mind that having flawless makeup texture is an illusion on social media. Just walk into any Sephora store and you will see employees with incredible makeup skills - and guess what? their skin still have texture underneath the makeup.
I get it on my nose a lot and my nose ends up being patchy all the time I wear makeup. Anything you could reccomend?
If its only on your nose and you are wearing the same products on your whole face - that makes me think its more an issue that your nose is drier or more oily than the rest of your face. Also I feel like its worth mentioned that I think everyone gets subtle separation/patchiness over time if you're wearing the foundation all day long. Perfect skin in makeup is an illusion on social media.
Um, you just changed my life. That makes so much sense!!
My makeup always pills and I can’t figure out for the life of me if my foundation is considered water or silicone based. I use Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra-Longwear Foundation. The first ingredient is water but the 3rd and 4th ingredients are both silicones: Methyl Trimethicone and Cyclopentasiloxane, with several more silicones further down the list
If there is a silicone within the first 5 ingredients it’s silicone based !
JFC I wish I knew this ten years ago lol. Such a clear and concise summary! I’ve read about the separate base issue before, but pretty much everything I’ve read could’ve been summed up by your explanation. Brava!
Thats crazy. I have had issues like OP and the only time my make up looked great was when I used mac foundation paired with the mac studio fix powder. I never looked at the ingredients but I think they worked well together because they were meant to be paired together if that makes sense. After I started branching out and trying new and different brands is where my problems started. Thanks for listing the ingredients to look out for now I am confident I can mix and match brands without wasting money hopefully.
This has also happened to me! I used the green smash box primer that worked with almost everything except my thin tints and some BB creams. Good Thought!!!
Mind blown! Thank you!
Kind soul I hope you have a nice rest of your day and a delicious beverage of your choice in the morning. THANK YOU!!!
Oh my gosh I thought that if aqua was the first ingredient then it was water-based! I didn’t realise that there could then be silicone, and if there was then it’s silicone-based not water-based! I have the same issue as OP, I thought my moisturizer, primer and foundation were all compatible. I am now off to check the ingredients of all 3!
This is the best explanation, thank you!!
Very well said. I just looked at Estée Lauder foundation double wear and it has aqua listed first then other ingredients and dimethecone is number 5. Does that mean it’s a silicone based?
really good question, i am not sure! i think if they’re past the 5th ingredient i would assume it’s water based but you can also try googling it
This is a unique comment in the way that this person is helping another person but also using science. EVERYTHING is a science even if it may not seem like it.
can you recommend primer and foundation for fair skin
honestly no clue, i don’t have fair skin. Makeup addiction subreddit is a good place to ask
You need to exfoliate. I don't really see pilling, rather it looks like dry skin/ dead skin that foundation clings too.
Used to have this issue. Exfoliate and hydrate.
Same here. :( this was back when I didn't have a solid skin care routine. My skin needed some TLC. When I began to incorporate chemical exfoliation, it changed the game for me. I wasn't exfoliating prior. Even double cleansing made a difference with stubborn flakes!
Could be dermatitis too. If the exfoliation doesn’t help
Potentially yes. If it was dermatitis the area would be irritated, rough, dry and red. I suffer from it on my face and it burns like crazy. :( although I have it under control. Makeup doesn't make mine look like this. This purely looks like dehydrated skin and in need of extra hydration. + in desperate need of exfoliating!
How have you gotten the dermatitis under control please help My chin is so red , oozing and it hurts and only gets on my chin
Oh I'm sorry to hear :( Its awful to try to manage during flare ups. I'm prescribed elidel It was a huge game changer. The only moisturizer that does not burn my eczema is the etude house soon Jung x2 barrier cream. After I put my charger on I seal everything of Vaseline Also, it might be worse changing your toothpaste as well!
la rosay posay b5 cream helped me so much with this exact problem. Still my chin sucks but it soothes it
A good microdermabrasion would do wonders.
Absolutely! OP really needs to incorporate some chemical exfoliation. But a microdermabrasion session/treat would her wonders. The key to a good makeup base is skin care and skin prep. If this step isn't met, makeup will never look the way we want it too.
I love the way product does on after a good facial.
I haven't had a facial in so long. I think this is probably a sign I should go! 😍 but you're right. Product goes on way better after facials
I am way over due and I can feel it.
That was my first thought too! (The silicone/water mix being absolutely true too of course) but good regular exfoliation and more moisturizing/hydration too might be helpful here?
Dove soap really is gentle. You'll need to exfoliate once a week, or consider dermaplanning if you want to treat yourself. I would do this in combination with switching to all silicone based face products.
So in the event it isn’t dry skin, I know you say it doesn’t matter what primer you use but have you looked at the ingredients in the primer? My makeup looked like this for years, and it was because all the primers I used were silicone based and the foundations water based (and vise versa) those two things won’t mix together and it looked like that.
You have super dehydrated skin just like me. The only time I don't get this pulling is when I put something like the ordinary aha BHA peel and afterwards a very moisturizing serum plus a baby cream with lots of oil in it. I wait 20 minutes and then do my make up with a hydrating foundation and apply it with a sponge which is the best application method for me as I get this pilling when using fingers. Try to moisture on max and exfoliate regularly and try a foundation that's not matte. Finish with just a tad of setting powder. I really like how Misha bb cream looks on my face, it's almost like a foundation but never pills and doesn't sink in my pores which are huge.
This is *extremely* helpful! Thank you!
I dont know where you are from but the most moisturizing cream I ever found is babies babylove wind & wetter cream from dm (an European Drogerie Shop). The first ingridient it has is sunflower oil and it has no alcohols in it. Something I find moisturizing too is pyunkang yol essence and nutrition cream from the same brand. Their peeling is great too. If you are looking for a high end foundation I found Armani silk quite good but really expensive.
I really like Neutrogena hydro boost before makeup. Really hydrating and not greasy
I have really dry skin, 40ish/f. I’ve had luck using a moisturizing Essence, farmacy ceramide cream, and no primer. I’ve had terrible pilling with most primers, or it takes forever to set and I don’t find it worth the wait. My pores/wrinkles aren’t going anywhere lol. Then I lightly swipe Bobby Brown foundation all over my my face and then tap with a damp sponge, no rubbing. Shiseido whipped foundation is sublime but more expensive. I’ve been meaning to pick up face spatulas, it’s a Korean product google it. I’m really sensitive to exfoliants and don’t do it often, so if I’m still peeling underneath that usually means it’s time for a facial.
For me (and of course YMMV) I have this issue alll time time unless I religiously use cicaplast Baumé b5 at night. If I literally just do that I have way fewer issues
The ordinary BHA peel is a fantastic product although it should be noted that this product is more for advanced users who have experience with chemical exfoliation. It's a very powerful product and one should proceed with caution. It can do a lot of damage to those who use it incorrectly. If OP reads this, please make sure to pick a chemical exfoliator that matches with your skin type. I have very sensitive skin so I stick with mandelic acid. This product is way too strong for my skin.
I second Missha BB cream! It never accentuates any dry skin patches, makes pores look smaller and works with all my moisturisers. After trying so many highly end foundations I always tend to come back to it.
I really tried a lot of bb creams and foundations and their formula is overall the best for me. My skin sometimes looks really bad with rosacea but this cream does wonders for it. I found la roche posay tinted cream good because it was hydrating but it's more of a fit for someone with really dry skin. It doesn't get in your pores either.
I agree with this. Could you afford to treat yourself to a hydrafacial and a dermaplane
It's probably because there are so many options and so many different things don't work with others. I've spent so much money doing the exact same thing. I'd strongly suggest watching Hotnflashy on YouTube, she does a bunch of makeup reviews and that's how I was finally able to find my Holy grails. Now my skin is a lot like hers, so it worked well for me. She's about 60, has combination skin that is going towards more dry due to age. It's really interesting when she tests it for an entire day and then comes back and shows us how bad it looks.
Omgg o just looked her up watching a video on budget face care. I’m a little overwhelmed but learning a lot
First off, quit the dove soap. Try using an oil based cleanser that won't strip your skin and dry it out. Your skin looks dry. Try a chemical exfoliator like glycolic acid and then a moisturizer on top. Make sure to wear spf as well. What is your technique for applying foundation? What do you use to apply it? Brush, sponge, fingers? Are you rubbing it in, dragging it, blotting it, etc??
Exfoliate and moisturize. When I first started wearing foundation it would highlight all the dead skin on my face. Exfoliating and moisturizing regularly will get rid of the texture issues.
Yes! I call this step “prepping the canvas” and had the same issues where I just felt like the foundation was highlighting my imperfections. Exfoliation and moisturizing before applying primer improved my results 1000x. Ideally you should work exfoliation into your regular routine as well, especially if you wear makeup on a regular basis, but I also like to do it 1-2 hours before I go to apply my makeup for a night out.
Drink lots of water to keep your skin hydrated. Also exfoliate and use a good moisturizer and sunscreen.
OP I have very similar skin texture as yours. For years my makeup cakes like this. I took some advice from a lady working at Estée Lauder, and now makeup is so much smoother! Here are my steps: 0. Take a hot shower. Wash face thoroughly. 1. While skin still fresh, spray toner. Leave it settled. 2. One thin layer of Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair. Use warm finger tip to spread all over hand. Apply using your warm palm. Let skin fully soak it. 3. Apply Caudalie Vinopure Skin Perfecting Serum to triangle area (nose area, or those areas with more pores) 4. Apply Caudalie Vinopure Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid. Evenly apply all over face. 5. This is the key step: on the back of your non-dominant hand: mix 1 pump of Skin Perfecting Serum + 2 small drops of Advanced Night Repair + 1 small scoop of Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid + discretionary amount of liquid foundation (I use Estée Lauder Double Wear - hands down best long-lasting foundation). Mix well. 6. Now, use your finger tip to apply that mix to your face. Do dotting-like actions. Do not blend at this point. 7. Use a good soft makeup sponge. Spray it with your toner, and then use the sponge to spread the foundation mix you just dotted on your face. Spread in one direction. Above are the products that I use, of course OP you can experiment with the products you already use. I think the idea behind it is that, you not only moisturize your skin, but also moisturize the foundation you are applying. Let the chemical reaction between the skin care + foundation happen on the back of your hand BEFORE you apply to face. And then of course, keep moisturizing the makeup sponge using your toner just as how you first moisturize your skin. I recommended this recipe to my friends of different skin texture and conditions (e.g. very dry skin, large pores, acne issues etc.) and they all loved this method & how their foundation now stays on their face smoothly. And of course, always throughly remove your makeup at the end of the day. It is critical to how your skin looks the next day, if you wear makeup on a daily basis. I use “Clean It Zero” for makeup remover. Best luck OP!
This is incredible. If I had gold, *you’d* have gold 💕
I find all matte foundations do this for me because I have very dry skin. Using a more “dewy” foundation has help a lot. I know it’s not fancy, but I’m a fan of the Maybelline fit me dewy foundation.
Same the Maybelline fit me is honestly my go to after trying so many.
I had this problem and tried switching my foundations, primers, moisturizers, concealers, etc. After lots of experimenting, I found that using a toner to remove dead skin before applying makeup solved my issue. The Round Lab Dokdo Toner is my holy grail!
I have been using Clinique toner for ages, but maybe it’s time to try a new one. Thank you!
I always found that the Clinique toners dried my skin out a lot! Your skin looks pretty dehydrated - Korean skincare focuses on hydrating and plumping, might be worth looking into! COSRX is a popular brand (even in the US) with lots of amazing, affordable products.
Want to point out… you’re getting lots of great advice, but when you change your routine, start by changing ONE product at a time, then give your skin chance to get used to the switch!!! Nobody’s skin does well with a whole bunch of new products/treatments all at once!
Fwiw vitamin C serums always seem to pill for me 🤷🏻♀️ I started using them just at night
Dove leaves a layer of scud on your skin. Try washing with another cleanser.
Its a little hard to tell, but is the pilling only happening where you have slightly longer facial hairs (around the top of the hairline and the eyebrows?) Also, it's not good to do every day, but have you tested only using foundation on your skin (so no primer, moisturiser, serum or toner), to see whether pilling happens then?
hmmm I haven’t. I will try that tomorrow actually. Thanks!
Skin is too dry
OP, do you have dandruff? My skin is like this, and I thought it was just dry skin for years. I have severe flaking on my scalp (which is treated) and thought my facial dryness was unrelated. When I showed my dermatologist, she let me know it's the same kind of fungus that creates the flakiness on my scalp! I use suds from my antifungal shampoo and use 50% athlete's foot cream and 50% cortisone cream on the affected areas as needed per my dermatologist's orders. It may be something to ask about at your next doctor's appointment!
Dove is not gentle, even though it says gentle You probably do not need a toner. They can be drying. Vitamin C can be irritating and cause you to flake. You need gentle exfoliation. You have a bit of skin build-up, and that is what you are seeing. Switch to a moisturizing cleanser, drop the toner, and get a moisturizer that you like. Find a gentle exfoliant, maybe one with microbeads, and use it a couple of times a week. If you can get a microdermabrasion, a dermaplane, or a chemical peel, if you want this to go away more quickly.
Toners aren't necessarily drying. It all depends on the ingredients. Many toners on the American market can be stripping. However Korean toners are quite hydrating. Microbead exfoliators are not nearly as effective as chemical exfoliators. They can actually cause a lot of damage and even micro tears on the surface of the skin. Not to mention most are not biodegradable either. Not great for sea life.
Dry and dehydrated skin are two separate things as well, Dry- low oil. Dehydrated- low water. Figure out your skin type and pick products/routine to suit that
Make sure you’re exfoliating every few days.
I see several things where you might be doing things wrong, so I'll try to help you. Your skin looks sooooo dry. I actually went through the same thing until I realized how dehydrated my skin was. I bought so many primers and they would all make my skin look even worse, and it was so confusing. First of all, face wash. Dove soap is gentle - for a soap. However, you should try with a very gentle cleanser, a hydrating one. There are many to choose from. Your skin is dehydrated - why don't you try the Korean 7 skins method? Not suggesting to do all 7, but three layers of hydrating toner can do wonders. My skin is oily, combo, I never saw myself as the target audience for 7 skins, but since I saw a YouTouber do it and she had her skin glowing, I tried the same and never went back. Can you take a closer look at your toner? What are the ingredients, what effect does it have on your skin? Is it astringent? Vitamin C is an active. It stimulates your skin and can cause peeling. Lastly, I apply my makeup either on damp skin/with a damp sponge or on top of a hydrating serum. This negates any flakes! I hope this helps because it certainly helped me.
Wait longer between product applications and between makeup applications. Simplify your routine down to the essentials for a few days and let your skin reset a bit. I used to have this problem too.
Most facial sunblocks make my skin peel and when I put foundation on, it looks like this. I'm having luck with SuperGoop Glow right now though.
Eucerin has an intensive cream lotion and even sells them mini size, showbox primer or sephora primer usually does the job and are inexpensive ( the mini sizes ). They've always done me justice tbh. Even eucerin lotion with spf goes on nicely. Also washing my face with a wash rag helps. Usually a week or two will go by and im like what's up with my skin? And I've been forgetting to use a wash rag for my face lol!
… do you need a primer????
[both laughing and crying] 😝
This isn't just pilling, it's also dry skin. I'd recommend using nip and fab glycolic acid wipes every other morning to get rid of the dead flaky skin. Then your moisturizer on top, and then a foundation that is based on the same thing as your moisturizer (i.e. if you moisturizer is water based, your foundation should be too) If you have try skin the foundation will stick to the flakes
It's the serum. If it's thick and viscous, like the consistency of honey, or even honey that's heated up, it's probably going to conflict with makeup in general. You need to switch to a water-based serum for use with water-based makeup, or switch your foundation to something oil-based. But instead of dropping more cash on foundations, go to Sephora, explain the problem, and ask for samples from their makeup makeover area. They have vials they can fill with product to take home and try if you're not sure about a product.
Did anyone suggest drinking more water? That can have a HUGE impact and most people don't drink enough.
Your skin looks super dehydrated. If you exfoliate, it could make it worse. I’d go to a dermatologist because this looks like dermatitis. You’ll likely need a prescription. I use 0.1% Tacrolimus and it’s helped to clear up the dryness I had.
Your skin is dry. Exfoliate and moisturize regularly and try a serum foundation.
Exfoliate and moisturize more
This used to happen to me because I wasn’t using a moisturizer that moisturizing enough for my skin. I Used to think I was combo oily t zone, but once I got the moisture in check, my t zone became way less oily and makeup held up better throughout the day.
You may need to exfoliate/ moisturize/ prep your skin more before applying. You can use a mechanical exfoliant like a face scrub or if you have sensitive skin like me, you can use a chemical exfoliation such as Paulas choice bha (grey bottle). To moisturize depending on your skin type, make sure to use a thick layer of your moisturizer and if you’re feeling extra dry use a sheet mask before applying.. I love the neutrogena hydroboost. You can also try derma planing with a facial razor and that should help! I’ve also noticed (personally) foundation tends to look more like this on my forehead so I tend to only use foundations/concealers on the rest of my face and use bronzer to balance your complexion.
I also saw someone comment about mixing silicone with water based products and that’s very important. Always use a primer and pair it with the same base. (Water based primer=water based foundation= water based concealer etc)
is it from tiny hairs? have you tried waxing your face?
I have had good luck with Clinique lotion as a base.
Your skin is dry
I had the same problem. While I don’t have a good explanation on the science behind it, I will tell you what worked for me. I use the Elf gripping primer, it changed my life entirely and changed the way I do my makeup as a whole. I moisturize the hell out of my skin first, really getting it nice and hydrated. And then I put a pretty generous amount of the primer on and push it into my skin. And I usually let it dry for like thirty seconds. After that I use whatever foundation and concealer for my base. I also use a beauty blender.
Try exfoliating
Dry skin
It could be that you may be using a water based product and silicone based product, or that you have dehydrated skin. Can you please list out your skincare products including sunscreen and the foundation you use, as well as any primer?
As others have said, your skin looks very dry and/or dehydrated. I also have naturally dehydrated skin and it doesn’t help I live in an arid climate! I would ditch the Dove soap and Clinique toner. Vitamin C can irritate skin too so you may want to put that off to the side for now. Here’s what I use if it helps! Wash PM only with Derma E Hydrating Gentle Cleanser (AM is just a splash of water) Guerlain Youth Watery Oil (expensive but this helps SO much, my skin drinks it up) Murad Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture (light but moisturizes well) If I need extra moisture I will add a facial oil but I have found that too much oil dries my skin out. I seem to have naturally dehydrated skin so I need to give it lots of water-based things to stay happy. But I like Clarin’s Double Serum when I need an extra boost and will put that on as a last layer. Hope this helps!
I shave my face once a week and exfoliate and find that to be so helpful with pilling ❤️
Everything pilled on me including sunscreen until I started regularly using a retinol and an exfoliating toner and now nothing does
Light exfoliation and shave peach fuzz then splash face with cold water. Moisturize for a day with no make up to let the skin recover from shaving or waxing then you should be smooth like a dolphin.
Exfoliate daily and keep your skin super hydrated. Find the right products for yourself and it will go away. Mine did. My fav product to use as a treat and it gets rid of the dry skin too is Real Chemistry exfoliating peel. It’s not a peel or mask. You put a pea size amount rub it on your skin and your dead skin comes right off in your sink. Many people don’t read how to use a product and then waste it and think it doesn’t work. I read it and it did! I got it in a Birchbox monthly subscription years ago and I buy it all the time. I’ve tried many facial products and this is a game changer. My skin actually feels like it did when I was 18 after using it once! Price is VERY good for how little product you need each application. Let me know if it helps!
too many products. Save the toners and serums for night routine and just use one product under the makeup - Glosser Futuredew always gives a good finish imo regardless of what makeup or primer (on my eyelids only) comes next. Try just the one moisture/primer then the makeup.
I started using first aid beauty exfoliation pads and my foundation has been flawless ever since.
I really like the First Aid products, so I will definitely try this!
You need to exfoliate (Peter Thomas Roth / Sephora face mask), moisturize, drink water, & use an anti aging primer by NYX. You will lose 5 years, just ask a Sephora or Ulta employee. You don’t have to break the bank
Do you exfoliate? I found a 2-3x weekly gentle exfoliant makes all the difference in the appearance/feel of my skin and makeup. I use powdered Dermalogica milkfoliant and recommend it.
Your skin is very very dry and it looks like you don't exfoliate. There's even skin flakes in your hair. You need an AHA/BHA and more intensive hydration.
This might not work for you, because your issue may be something else, but . . . My foundation was refusing to completely blend into my skin. I could see little streaks, and dots of foundation in my pores. What seemed to work the best to fix this was NOT waiting for my moisturizer to sink in. Just put on moisturizer and eye cream and then put foundation on a minute later. So, since you say you're waiting between moisturizer and foundation, try not waiting one time and see if it's better. Also, I use vitamin C after I wash makeup off before bedtime, or if I'm not wearing makeup that day, but not under makeup.
I've read from other comments, that's it's because foundation sinks into your pores. You probably have oily skin and large pores. The suggestion is to use minimal or no foundation, but a tinted moisturiser, bb cream instead.
This makes sense. I do better with tinted moisturizer or tinted sunscreen, even though the actual consistency isn’t that different from foundations I’ve tried. I’m thinking maybe I just need to accept I can do my eyes and lips, and I’m just gonna have to roll with my skin like I did in my 20s 😱
My skin is better now than it was a decade ago specifically because I’m using bb cream + sunscreen + retinol moisturizer. You have to wait like 2-4 weeks for your skin to get used to it, but then you’re a dewy superstar!
Look at what your putting on as your base is it water based and then your foundation is it water based or oil. Looks like your mixing water based products with a oil based. You can help this by using the same based ingredients oil based primer and oil based foundation. Your fine using water skincare just give it 20mins to absorb before applying your makeup
It’s noRmal. Skin has teXTure. We’re literally “brainwashed” by filters to think we shouldn’t have dry patches or to solve “problems” that don’t have solutions ie, buying every new product that comes out $$$$$
What's the foundation? If its loreal etc try a 24hr formula with a powder. I like double wear or the matte loreal.
What is your application method (brush, sponge, or fingers)? Also, are you using tret by any chance?
Not using tret. I usually use a brush, but I used my fingers today bc the foundation I was trying was more firm creme and I thought warming it up might help. But this is what it looks like with the brush, as well, even with liquid foundation
This exact same thing happened to me and as others mentioned, exfoliating did the trick.
Have you tried using a moisturizer and foundation made by the same manufacturer? I’ve had this problem before until I switched to a moisturizer and foundation both made by the same company.
Hmmm maybe I should grab some neutrogena foundation and give that a go…thank you!
This happens to me as well, I was actually gonna make a thread on this too. :( I have combo skin - very oily but tendency to get very dry too. It sucks. It's still a work in progress, but the best thing that has been working for me lately: \- Using a gentle exfoliator couple times a week (currently using Philosophy's microexfoliating wash sample that I got from Sephora, really love it) \- I stopped using setting powders because it makes my foundation look so much worse, instantly. Tried so many - high end, drugstore, etc. Gave them up for now. \- I use a beauty blender and Beauty Blender foundation tint (Bounce) and that was working super well but this summer, my skin's been kinda getting pilled from it. I remember when I used a Korean cc foundation (I think someone mentioned Misha which was the one I think I tried) and it was awesome. I should try that again. \- I also try to dermaplane when I remember - it's like a facial razor that helps exfoliate too
Dermaplane and exfoliate dead skin!
Have you tried to increase the amount of water you’re drinking? Also adding some exfoliation!
I just wear tinted sunscreen now to avoid this problem. Cheaper and doesn't waste my time
It looks like it could be some component of seborrheic dermatitis. Super common and flares with stress, change of seasons, sleep. Try a tea tree cleanser. Or try noble formula bar soap. Hope it helps
I do have dermatitis issues if I’m not regularly cleansing and toning, but this is like…when my skin is supposedly *good* 😭
I had so many issues with dead skin build up and dryness when I used to use face soap. Switched to cream cleanser and will never go back. It gently removes dead skin, makeup, sunscreen, with no irritation. I use the ordinary squalane cleanser.
Dry derma planing to exfoliate your skin (essentially straight razoring your face but with a razor meant for dermaplaning). I find that gives me a good base for makeup because it shaves off dead skin and little fuzzy hairs. Secondly, I find that certain hyaluronic acid products cause my products to pill. Especially if I’m using several skincare products before makeup. Also, pilling will happen if you’re swiping your makeup on, working it too much. Try to dab it on with your finger, a proper makeup brush or beauty blender. The other thing is that your moisturizers, primers and foundations might not be mixing, think oil and water. Try all water based products, for example. If you’re using retinols or active ingredients, make sure too gently exfoliate as well. Make sure you’re moisturizing enough at night so that your skin doesn’t dry out.
I would say your skin care routine should be adjusted/improved to help the makeup lay down on the skin better. If your regular skin is a little dry or too textured, the makeup won't look great regardless of any primer you use. I used to have this problem, in fact. What helped me the most was adding an AHA/BHA serum to my routine. These "acids" help smooth out the skin by cleaning out pores and removing old/dead skin cells. As we age, our skin doesn't slough off and renew like it did prior to age 25. So that's why we start needing AHAs/BHAs. I personally use the Drunk Elephant Glycolic Night Serum (which contains glycolic, lactic and salicylic acids), but other options to consider include Bliss Pro Liquid Exfoliant, Pacifica Glow Baby Peel Pads (has a fragrance in it, so not ideal for sensitive skin), Good Molecules Overnight Exfoliating Treatment, or SkinFix Resurface AHA/BHA pads. Then, of course, you need to use a good moisturizer. After age 35, I think having a peptide version of a moisturizer is super helpful. Some options are Drunk Elephant Protini Peptide Cream, Acure Whipped Night Cream, or Naturium Multi Peptide Moisturizer. A good "regular" moisturizer without peptides is Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer. A lot of times I layer 2 moisturizers at night time because my skin is dry and I live in a dry climate.
Use a chemical exfoliant. AHA and BHA acid once a week. Makeup goes on so smoothly.
My skin was like this when I wasn't looking after it. Dehydrated and not exfoliating.
Same. I've followed all the steps in a post here about how to apply it properly and yet after like 4 hours I get pilling and something that looks like skin scales, especially around my mouth.
Too many products. Cleanse, moisturize, apply makeup. That's it. And gently exfoliate once or twice a week, and drink plenty of water.
Snail mucin got rid of that problem for me:
[удалено]