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5/5/12

Reader In DISTRESS! Make-up & Skincare For Hyperpigmentation/Melasma

Some days back, I got this email from a reader:
"CZ!!! i need your help please!!! Rote in to u soo many times but i just havent heard from you!!!! wats a gurl gotta do to get your attention huh????!!!! :P ;) Its summertime and that = lots of sweating and melted off makeup on the face!!! :@ I desperately need you to recommend a good waterproof long lasting liquid foundation for me!! Ive heard liquid foundations are good for heavy coverage ie cover pigmentation, melasma?? :S I suffer from pigmentation of the upperlip and i generally wear foundation on tat part and spread it out a bit to lighten the pigmentation but coz of the summers it melts all over!!! :\'( im desperately in need of help CZ & only U can help me!!! I dont trust salesladies at makeup counters to give a honest enough opinion!! I had written to you on your lakme mousse review page to but still no reply!!! Please please pleaseeee help!!!! Or ill stop recommending your name to my friends!!!! *muahahha* :P ;) ok maybe that was being a bit too dramatic but wats a gurl without some drama huh?? ;) PLEASE REPLY FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!! :)
Hugs,
Ri!! :) "

Firstly, I'd like to say to all those whose distressful queries/comments I have not replied to, most times I simply forget! Sometimes I go back to an old blog post, see a comment I think I should have replied to but completely FORGOT, and I feel very bad. Very bad. Same with emails. So, my sincere aplologies if I missed replying to your queries. I advise you to resend sometimes so it pokes me "Reply....reply, woman!" Believe me, I forget to reply to emails from people who want to give me free stuff & money, too. This head, I tell you. 

Secondly, hahaha....!!! I read this email one morning & it totally woke me up =D


Okay, below are my favorite products that help me conceal dark patches & blemishes:


Make-up:
  • Oil-free Foundation Primer: Primer is what will help your base stay on longer, especially in sweaty conditions. My favorite is Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Oil Free, and Too Faced Primed & Poreless is also not bad.
  • Medium-to-Heavy Coverage Creamy Foundation: I find that a creamy foundation works better on hyperpigmentation, just like a creamy concealer is better for under eye circles. Especially if you're going to use a creamy concealer afterwards, a creamy foundation would be more compatible with it. Right now, I like Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse Airbrush Foundation because it's kind of creamy. Other Options are: Kryolan Supracolor, Colorbar Triple Act Compact (which is a foundation, concealer & compact in one), MAC Mineralize Foundation SPF 15. Of course, I still use Liquid Foundations too & I like- Revlon Colorstay for Oily/Combination Skin & Make Up For Ever HD Foundation, L'Oreal True Match Foundation.
  • Tattoo Concealer:  After foundation, apply concealer on your dark patches. I prefer creamy ones here as well. My most used concealer is MAC Studio Finish Concealer
*After applying concealer, pat everything with a damp makeup sponge. This helps the products adhere to your skin better. I used to do this when my dark patches were out in the open.

  • Loose Powder: Set everything with loose powder. Loose powder looks more natural than compact powders. I like- The Body Shop Loose Powder, Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder. Of course, you can also use compact powders, but use a powder brush instead of the puff that comes with it, for a non-cakey finish.
  • Oil Blotting Sheets: You NEED these for all-day shine-free face, and they are great to use before retouching your powder during the day, because it's unhygienic to apply powder on a greasy face. Basically, they are thin oil-absorbing sheets, which you can use to pat off excess oil from your face. Sometimes, you wouldn't need powder after using them, coz they make the skin look matte already. I currently use Clean & Clear Oil Control Film (the blue thing up there) but they are not easily available in India. Other options are Inglot Oil Blotting Sheets & The Body Shop Tree Tree Oil Facial Blotting Tissues.

Skincare:
  • Cleansing ~ Hyperpigmented skin falls under sensitive skin category, so avoid soap- especially if you are using a strong prescription cream. Cetaphil Cleansing Lotion is best. But when it's very hot & my skin gets really oily, I like to use a foaming face wash like Pond's Clear Pimples Facial Foam.
  • Serum ~ Serum is a concentrated formula which you can use to target specific skin concerns. If your problem is hyperpigmentation, you pick a whitening one. If your problem is wrinkles, you pick anti-ageing one. It could be a substitute for moisturizer. I have used a bunch of serums, but I haven't really found a miracle worker yet, so I'm not going to recommend any right now.
  • Moisturizing ~ Skin needs to be moisturized for smooth/even makeup application. I like Cetaphil Mosturizing Lotion, especially when I have pimples too. But you can use anything that suits you.
  • Sunblock ~ A MUST! Sun exposure will only increase the size of your dark patches and cause some more. Tried & liked ~ Neutrogena Dry Touch Sunblock, Lakme Cucumber & Lemongrass Whitening Sunblock
* Yes, you apply both moisturizer & sunblock before applying your make-up, unless your foundation or moisturizer have SPF.
  • Exfoliation ~ Use a face scrub 2-3 times a week to remove dead skin cells. I like to use a whitening one like Lotus WhiteGlow Oatmeal & Yogurt Skin Whitening Scrub 
  • Microdermabrasion ~ This is a bit stronger than a basic face scrub. I've never gone for professional microdermabrasion services, and I've only done it at home with Pond's Age Miracle Resurfacing Microdermabrasion Kit
  • Night Treatment Cream ~ Of course, you need a special cream that will banish your dark patches (Forever, we hope!). Something with Hydroquinone is recommended. I have used some controversial creams, but I'm not going to go into that right now. I suggest you do your own research on Dear Google and find out what most people with this problem are using.

Hope that helps everyone suffering from Hyperpigmentation & Melasma. I realize this is a very complicated topic that could go on forever, so I will keep posting tips & let you know the products that work for me.


♥ Cynthia Z *.*

25 comments:

  1. Haha! Love the picture and the letter :) I am in the same situation with really random pigmentation. It's so bad that the MUA at Kryolan store couldn't cover it up after using 3 different shades together. I finally bugged my parents to take me to a derm and she tells me it's because I've been wiping the sweat off my face too roughly with a kerchief...apparently you should only dab not wipe! I mean SERIOUSLY...of all things!? I just got my first chemical peel today..hopefully my skin will even out soon :)

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    1. LOL! Who would've thought a hankie could cause it?!! I hope it heals well :). Would love to know if the chemical peel does wonders for your skin

      ♥xx♥

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    2. LOL! Who would've thought a hankie could cause it?!! I hope it heals well :). Would love to know if the chemical peel does wonders for your skin

      ♥xx♥

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  2. Blessed thy reader who atlast managed to grab your attention and thank you CZ for replying to it ! This is a really interesting one, cause girls of all ages suffer from melasma and tips to tackle the problem would be quite a help for all of us ! :)

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  3. really threatening letter you got...lolz..but the information you shared that will also help people like me..thnx.

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  4. that was one distressed reader, and thankfully you replied her to your level best, i admire you for patience, i am aware you would be swamped with mails since you are the best

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    1. Thanks Rentu! You always say the nicest things :) <3

      ♥xx♥

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  5. Oh.. its nice of u to reply ...
    ;)

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  6. its so cute of u to show that letter to all of us..:)

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    1. Such drama has to put up here :D

      ♥xx♥

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    2. like i said earlier, whats a woman without some drama & ESPECIALLY wen the chica she writes to doesnt check her messages regularly!!!!!! :P :D

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  7. I also suffer from reddish-purplish acne scars on both my cheeks and chin, plus freckles.

    I use Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer and it helps quite a lot. I don't know if it's as potent a the MAC concealer that CZ suggested tho. I also love Lucy Minerals Original Formula Foundation. Although being powder mineral makeup, it melts on the skin like cream, and has medium-full coverage and looks natural at the same time.

    For skin care, the much safer, more natural alternative ingredients for hydroquinone are Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Biowhite, Gigawhite, Chromabright, Sepiwhite, Alpha-Arbutin, Melanstantine 5 and Tyrostat 9. I just found this serum in Skin-beauty.com that contains Biowhite, Gigawhite, Melanstantine 5 and Tyrostat 9, and it looks highly concentrated. I really want to give it a try myself. I would use hydroquinone as the utmost last resort.

    I have already been using DIY 15% Vitamin C Serum with Chromabright myself. Too bad the Chromabright I got from the supplier has been diluted, because I can see that it helps, but, at this state, very slowly.

    Good luck with your quest! :)

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    1. Forgot to put this link. You might find it helpful. :)
      http://www.totalbeautyanswers.com/skin-brighteners

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    2. Wow thank you so much for sharing all that. Very helpful!

      ♥xx♥

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    3. OMDoubleG!!!! Thanks a ton freckls!!! :D The only concentrated versions of Vit C serums i know of are Bodyshop Vit C capsules & Lakme apparently launching something similar too!!! I can confidently say that im at that stage right now where i may get weak & resort to using hydroquinone :( Hence i rote in to CZ 1st, before doing something i would regret for life!! :(

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  9. Hahahahah! But still, I did not need a gun for your attention :D Hahahaha!
    I needed a suggestion for concealer. Good I got the answer. My acnes bug me too much and I do have uneven pigmentation :(

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    1. haha....! I can totally understand Nivedita. Uneven skin is so such a hassle =(

      ♥xx♥

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    2. hehehehe!!! The image with the woman holding the gun was CZ's "undar ki aurat" coming out!!!! :P :D CZ that translates to "the woman inside" !! ;)

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  10. CZ im gona keeeeeel you with the same gun in the picture!!!! :P :P Uve made me an overnite celebrity on IVC by posting my email for the whole IVC world to c!!! :P :D I thought you were a tightass woman who was too proud to reply to her follower's queries but im soo glad you proved me wrong!! *doin a lil jiggy dance* :D I read your email @ 01.30 on saturday, & was in a hell of a shock when i saw the webpage!!! :P hehehehe!! I cudnt stop laughing and told my hubby too that CZ has made me a celebrity!!! :D Btw, is the lakme mousse suitable for camouflaging pigmentation, and im guessing its waterproof too rite? I cant thank you enough for replying babes :) Ive a feeling that my pigmentation got worse over the years coz of constant threading of the upperlip, and offlate ive noticed pigmentation on my chin too, which kinda proves that wat ive been doubting may be true. I suffer from PCOS so ive been dealing with hair issues since puberty :( :'( Ive yet to visit a dermat regarding this issue. Im still scouting for one in bombay :'( Manu had earlier mentioned that her dermat said its coz of use of a kercheif but thats a lil unbelievable, unless she uses it to vigorously rub her upperlip. Im not trying to say that her dermat is wrong but with doctors, its alwaysss better to get a second opinion. Ive always heard women complain that threading over the years causes darkening or 'greening' of that area. I never believed it until i saw a friend's sis have greenish skin around her eyebrows & it was very obvious coz shes fair. Pigmentation is a horrid issue among asian woman & im glad in a way that uve posted my email for all to read, coz there may be soo many woman out there who want to write to you but may b too embarrassed to put their feelings into words. Ive seen teleproduct ads that claim to camouflage melasma, hyperpigmentation, scars and burn marks on the face by applying their foundations/creams!! :O Maybe you could do a review some day on those too ;) I think once of them is called Coverderm?? :S I really hope the stuff that uve suggested in this article is available in India or Bombay atleast!!! ;) Cant afford to go to Malaysia to buy them u c!! heheheh! ;)

    Cheers & God bless!! :D

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    1. Most times, I am tightass, coz I really can't find time to reply to all :)

      Lakme Mousse is nice, but caused pimples for me. Coverage is good though. Haven't tried products like Coverderm.

      4 of those products are easily available in India.

      Best wishes.

      ♥xx♥

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I ♥ finding little notes in my Vanity Case, so do drop one. I read all of them & I try my best to reply to each & every one of them [check back in 2-3 days =D] but most times it's physically impossible! Either way, I love to hear from you & really appreciate you taking the time out to share your thoughts <3

Thank you for reading! :)

♥xx♥