How to cover a scar with makeup

Firstly let's discard the word makeup, we're going to be talking about using Skin Camouflage Creams which are medical grade, pigmented creams which can be used by everybody. For more detailed information on Skin Camouflage Creams click here.
Scars can be difficult to cover completely but with clever use of Skin Camouflage Creams their appearance can be reduced significantly. If the scar is an issue mainly due to the fact it is a different colour, then camouflage creams can really improve the appearance. Whatever the situation the aim is to cover the scar as easily as possible and with as little product as possible. This is where skin camouflage creams really come into their own as they are very highly pigmented - a little goes a long way.

Skin Camouflage Creams are very highly pigmented

The first step is to find a good colour match for your skin. This is best done by a professional skin camouflage practitioner who has experience with the different brands and colour ranges. You can try yourself at home but it is very difficult to guess your skin colour by looking at colours online on a computer or phone screen. People often find they end up constantly ordering more samples to try and find a match to their skin. Time, effort and money can be saved by seeing a professional.
Once a good match has been found for your skin with either one colour or a mix of a couple of colours, paint the cream/s over the scar in a random fashion using a small, flat synthetic brush. Avoid 'drawing' an exact line over the scar with the cream, instead leave parts of the scar showing. This to 'break up' the line of the scar and produce a realistic skin-like result. Skin is never one colour in any area so a block of cream will look unnatural. Next press the cream firmly into the skin using your finger. If you are happy with the coverage, set the cream with translucent fixing powder. Use a professional powder puff to do this rather than a brush; you really want to press the powder into the cream rather than lightly dusting it. The cream will now be set, can last for hours and is waterproof.

Small Flat Synthetic Brush

Professional Powder Puff

Translucent Fixing Powder

If the skin match colour doesn't cover the scar enough on its own, it may be worth using a correcting colour over the scar first. This is where we need our colour theory and in particular a Colour Wheel. If you search online for a colour wheel you will find images easily. The basic rule is you use the colour opposite to 'correct' the colour of the scar. So a blue/purple scar can be corrected by a yellow/orange cream. In theory this means a red scar can be corrected by green cream however green tends to give a 'dead' look to the skin and looks, well, green! Instead go for a yellow to correct the redness. Apply your chosen corrective colour again randomly over the scar and press it into the skin. Press powder into the cream with a powder puff. Wait around five minutes then apply the skin match colour over the top. Again powder this. Using this method first neutralises the colour of the scar. Then we cover the neutralising colour with the skin match to bring it back to your skin colour.

A Colour Wheel

The processes above are not always the solution to successfully reducing the appearance of scarring. This is where a professional skin camouflage practitioner can really help you find the best solution for your scar cover and teach you the process of application.
To book an appointment with skin camouflage practitioner Phil Briggs at Camouflage Consultations head over to the contact page.

Only neutralising colours were used to reduce the appearance of this scar, no skin match was needed. A red colour was stippled over the middle of the scar to better match the tone of the surrounding skin. A yellow colour was applied randomly around the edge of the scar to neutralise the red outer edge. A skin camouflage practitioner can help you find the best solution for your scar

Skin Camouflage Creams from many brands together with Fixing Powder and Professional Powder Puffs can all be bought online from xtrememakeup.com