Until recently, camouflage makeup has had a bad rap. If you were born before the mid noughties, it’s likely you associate it with thick, claggy creams that may well have covered imperfections, but also left you looking a little like an Oompa Loompa.
Camouflage make-up 2.0
It is time to put aside everything you think you know about camouflage makeup, as this is camouflage 2.0. No longer the cake-y covering of times gone by, specialist formulations mean that people now have a solution to masking skin conditions when no other treatment completely fits the bill.EV Expert and Medical Director at Health & Aesthetic Clinic in London, Dr Bhavjit Kaur, is a big advocate of specialist camouflage makeup and has found it particularly effective for covering skin conditions such as hyperpigmentation, melasma and vitiligo, as well as burn scarring.
“Camouflage makeup has vastly improved over the years," says Kaur. It's more easily available and user friendly and you don’t have to wear thick layers to get the right effect.”
Whereas camouflage makeup ironically used to take more of a one-size fits all approach, Dr Kaur has been pleased to discover that shades are now more diverse and cater to all skin types.
Research into camouflage makeup has previously revealed ‘a significant emotional benefit’ for those affected by skin conditions. However, despite its improvement and move towards inclusivity, Kaur finds it an underused and underrated aesthetic solution.
“The majority of my patients who could benefit from camouflage makeup do not know anything about it," she says. "In my 13 years of experience working with it, I have come across only four people who wore makeup to camouflage a skin condition – this was to conceal hyperpigmentation.”
How can camouflage makeup help?
Modern camouflage makeup can work wonders on the face and body for conditions including vitiligo, melasma, lupus erythematosus, rosacea and vascular skin issues. It is effective for concealing scarring caused by surgery, acne scars or burns, and can also be used to temporarily conceal tattoos or birthmarks.For those who want to create contour without the permanence or price tag of an aesthetic procedure, camouflage makeup is also worth mastering.
Kaur says, “Sometimes there will be a treatment for a certain skin condition, but no out-and-out cure. Improvement in the skin can also take as long as 12 weeks following treatment and many months to clear, and this is where camouflage makeup can come in.
“It is all about confidence. If someone is comfortable with their skin, there’s no need to do anything at all. Skin conditions can knock people’s confidence, however, and I aim to restore that self-esteem when I recommend treatments. Camouflage makeup can greatly improve people’s quality of life, and as an added bonus, it also provides protection from the sun's rays.”
Where to find it
Leading camouflage makeup brands include Dermacolor, Dermablend, Covermark, Veil and Keromask – these can easily be found online and are even available on prescription at your GP's discretion.Professional makeup destination Screenface has two stores in London and comes highly recommended by Dr Kaur. Founded by renowned makeup artist Magdalen Gaffney Danvers, Screenface started out as a go-to for makeup artists of all genres. As well as stocking the makeup, both locations provide access to highly trained makeup technicians. The stores also host semi-regular workshops to teach people how to apply camouflage makeup to best effect, whether you’re looking to conceal or contour.
Bhavjit Kaur, Aesthetic Doctor
An aesthetic physician with over 26 years of clinical experience, Dr Bhavjit Kaur is the co-founder and director of...
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