Why This Viral Acne Makeup Tutorial Is Sparking a Ton of Debate

By Beth Shapouri. Photos: Courtesy of Instagram.

There's currently a massive beauty debate occurring online thanks to a clip of a makeup artist covering a woman's acne with foundation that's gone viral—as in, it now has over 450,000 views in three days—on lash-maker and former Shahs of Sunset star Lilly Ghalichi's Instagram feed. Based on the comments, there seems to be a ton of confusion about what's actually healthy to wear on top of skin that's broken out, with some viewers wondering if thick layers of makeup could cause more trouble than it's worth.

Ghalichi picked up the clip from makeup artist Carla Moran (a.k.a. @carlabeauty), who showed the power of makeup using a mix of foundations and concealers, and, yes, the application is quite heavy, but it does cover the subject's acne pretty flawlessly. So we turned to two expert dermatologists, Dr. Hadley King of SKINNEY Medspa and Dr. Kally Papantoniou, MD of Advanced Dermatology PC, to break down if there's anything to worry about here.

First, the good news. When it comes to acne, generally it's OK to wear makeup as long as you pick the right stuff. Papantoniou says to be extra careful to choose formulas labeled oil free and non-comedogenic (meaning non-pore-clogging). Luckily, one of the foundations Moran tagged, Estée Lauder Double Wear, qualifies.

Watch the video, here.

But here's the tricky part: Even with these formulas it really is best to use a light hand. "Even products that are advertised as non-comedogenic can have the potential to clog pores and make acne worse when applied heavily," says Dr. King. So use the thinnest layer you can get away with.

Beyond that, Dr. King says, "Make sure you are using makeup that is fresh and clean—nothing expired or that smells funny—and no dirty brushes or sponges so that you aren't spreading bacteria on the skin." As for how often you should clean your brushes, "washing once per week should be adequate," says Dr. Papantoniou. Sound like too much work? Just use disposables.

Finally, Dr. King warns, "Never pick your acne. If over the counter products containing salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide aren't doing enough to clear up your acne, see a dermatologist so you can treat your acne instead of just covering it up."

This story originally appeared on Glamour.

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