This article was co-authored by Daniel Vann. Daniel Vann is the Creative Director for Daredevil Cosmetics, a makeup studio in the Seattle Area. He has been working in the cosmetics industry for over 15 years and is currently a licensed aesthetician and makeup educator.
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No matter how much you think a scab damages your appearance, it can be covered with makeup. First, moisturize the scab to make it look as normal as possible. After it settles, spread a little bit of foundation and concealer over the area to make the scab vanish. Be gentle though, since a sore spot is harder to cover than an ordinary scab. With a little bit of treatment, no one will even notice you’re hiding a scab.
Things You Should Know
- Wash your hands before you get started to avoid spreading germs.
- Cover the scab with a layer of thick concealer that matches your skin tone.
- Blend with a clean sponge and dust with translucent powder to set the makeup.
Steps
Covering a Scab with Makeup
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1Wash your hands before touching the scab. Dirty hands mean bacteria, which can cause an infection. Wash your hands with soap and water first. Afterwards, wash them again to prevent spreading germs in your makeup.
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2Dab a small amount of moisturizer onto the scab. Break out your normal skin moisturizer and use your finger to dab a little bit over the scab. Let it sit on the scab for a few minutes as you get the rest of your makeup ready for use. Doing this first softens the scab so it doesn’t look dry and scaly later.Advertisement
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3Swab off excess moisturizer with a cotton ball. When you’re ready to begin covering the scab, remove the remaining moisturizer. A cotton ball is soft enough that it won’t disturb the scab. Dab it on the area until it feels clean. Many moisturizers have oil in them that can ruin makeup, so it's important to make sure the scab is dry.
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4Cover the scab lightly with foundation. A good foundation is one that matches your skin tone. Load up a small amount of the foundation on your finger and dab it onto the scab. Be gentle, as damaging the scab leaves you with an angry-looking sore that’s more difficult to cover.[1]
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5Top the scab with a small amount of thick concealer. A thinner concealer won’t hold your makeup in place, so opt for a thick and creamy one. Again, put a small amount on your finger and dab it on top of the foundation. If the concealer is the color of your skin tone, it should do a great job of hiding the scab.[2]
- For large scabs, you can try two shades of concealer. First apply a white concealer. When it dries, cover it with your normal concealer.
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6Blend your makeup with a small sponge or brush. Foundation and concealer brushes are generally too large for scabs. Instead, opt for a small makeup sponge, lip brush, or eyeliner brush. Dab it around the edges of the scab to blend the makeup until it looks natural.[3]
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7Dust the scab with translucent setting powder. Dip a small brush or finger in the powder and dab it over the scab. Only apply a thin layer so that it doesn’t cake. When done right, the translucent powder won’t be visible, but it’ll hold your makeup in place all day.
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Reducing a Raised or Inflamed Area
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1Stop picking at the scab. Scabbing is a healthy recovery mechanism for skin, so leave it alone! Picking makes the situation worse. Instead of a scab, you’ll end up with a nasty red sore or an infection. These are more difficult to subdue with makeup, so don’t let the situation get that far.
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2Apply a hydrocortisone cream to reduce itchiness. To prevent picking, pick up a tube of anti-itch cream from a drug store or similar location. Gently rub a little bit of the cream on top of the damaged area. It’ll prevent that maddening desire to itch, so you won’t feel tempted to disturb the scab and makeup covering it.
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3Reduce the swelling with ice. Wrap an ice cube in a damp face cloth or ice pack and hold it to the area until the swelling abates. Hold the ice in place for ten minutes. To fully reduce the swelling, do this three times an hour.[4]
- Make sure you disinfect the cloth or ice pack so they don’t infect open wounds.
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4Treat an open sore with a topical antibiotic. For swelling that refuses to go away, use an antibiotic such as Neosporin. First wash your face, then apply a small amount of the antibiotic to your sore spot. It’ll take at least a day, but it’ll kill the bacteria and make covering up the scab a lot easier.[5]
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5Apply eye drops to reduce redness. Now that the swelling is gone, reduce the redness so you can cover the spot with your ordinary foundation. Check the packaging on the eyedrops to make sure they’re designed to treat eye redness. They’ll work on inflamed skin too, so add a drop to a cotton swab and hold it over the area. After a minute, it should look much better and can be covered easily with makeup.
Expert Q&A
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QuestionCan I put makeup on a scab?
Daniel VannDaniel Vann is the Creative Director for Daredevil Cosmetics, a makeup studio in the Seattle Area. He has been working in the cosmetics industry for over 15 years and is currently a licensed aesthetician and makeup educator.
Licensed AestheticianYes, but don't use too much. This can irritate the skin and slow healing, which will only make the scab more prominent or make it last longer.
Warnings
- Popping acne causes messy scabs and should be avoided. Instead, reduce the swelling first and then cover the area with makeup.⧼thumbs_response⧽
Things You’ll Need
Covering a Scab
- Moisturizer
- Foundation
- Creamy concealer
- Translucent powder
- Cotton ball
- Small makeup sponge or brush
Reducing Redness or Inflammation
- Hydrocortisone cream
- Ice
- Ice pack or cloth
- Topical antibiotic
- Eye drops
References
- ↑ Daniel Vann. Licensed Aesthetician. Expert Interview. 12 April 2019.
- ↑ Daniel Vann. Licensed Aesthetician. Expert Interview. 12 April 2019.
- ↑ https://www.glamour.com/story/how-to-hide-a-pimple
- ↑ https://www.allure.com/story/get-rid-of-cystic-acne-fast
- ↑ https://www.drugs.com/mtm/neosporin-topical.html
About This Article
While a scab on your face might seem impossible to cover up, you can hide it from the rest of the world with some makeup. Before you start applying any makeup, wash your hands and dab a small amount of moisturizer onto the scab. This will soften the scab so it won’t look scaly later on. After the moisturizer has sat for a few minutes, wipe it off with a cotton swab then cover the scab with a foundation that matches your skin tone. Once you’ve covered the scab with foundation, apply a thick concealer. Then, gently blend your makeup with a small sponge, blending around the edges to make it seem natural. To hold your makeup in place, dust the area with a small amount of translucent setting powder. For more help form our co-author, like how to reduce your scab’s inflammation, read on.
