My Zits Seem to Go Away Faster When I Wear Makeup. Is That Possible?

Welcome to Ask a Derm, a series from SELF in which board-certified dermatologists answer your pressing questions about skin, hair, and nail health. For this installment, we tapped Shasa Hu, MD, the director of the cosmetic division at the University of Miami Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery. Her specialties include skin cancer detection and treatment, concerns of aging and ethnic skin, and skin rejuvenation.

Anyone who’s dealt with acne has probably been told at least once in their life to just “let their skin breathe”—meaning, skip the makeup. And sure, that makes sense: A heavy, full-coverage foundation can definitely clog your pores even further, leading to more breakouts. But this popular advice hasn’t always lined up with my personal experience.

Weirdly enough, I’ve noticed that my biggest zits sometimes shrink after I regularly conceal them with makeup—and it’s not just me. A bunch of acne sufferers on TikTok have also said that applying full glam daily seemed to make their skin somehow…better? So, we asked Shasa Hu, MD, board-certified dermatologist and associate professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, if there’s any science to support these anecdotes. The short answer? Well, kind of…

To be clear, it’s unlikely that the makeup itself is magically healing your acne. But it can have an indirect benefit: You probably touch your face less when you have it on. “It’s like when nail biters wear polish,” Dr. Hu explains. “Every time you see the nail polish, it’s a reminder not to ruin [your manicure].” The same goes for your carefully applied foundation—since you don’t want to smudge it, you’re less likely to poke, squeeze, or otherwise mess with your face.

For those of us who can’t resist feeling (or popping) their bumps, this can be a game-changer: Applying pressure to a zit with your fingers can “push inflammation even deeper into the skin,” Dr. Hu warns, which will only aggravate the blemish, preventing it from getting better (and also increasing your chances of being left with a lingering dark spot). So, anything that gets your hands off your face will at least allow your pimples to heal on their own.

Another factor that may explain your seemingly calmer, smoother complexion? You could be more committed to thoroughly cleansing your face when you wear makeup—something you may not be as diligent about on those au naturel days. According to Dr. Hu, using an oil-free cleanser can clear out dirt, dead skin cells, and whatever else is blocking your pores and causing breakouts. But FYI, you’re still supposed to wash your face every night, including when you’re only wearing skin care products like moisturizer and sunscreen. (Plus, even if you think there’s “nothing” on your face, oil and sometimes sweat naturally build up on your skin throughout the day.)

So, these theories about the zit-shrinking magic of makeup may sound promising, but Dr. Hu says you really shouldn’t rely on it to banish your bumps. One major reason is that a lot of cosmetics—particularly oil-based foundations, primers, and powders—are made with comedogenic (pore-clogging) ingredients like coconut oil, vitamin E, and isopropyl myristate, as well as possibly irritating fragrances. All of these additives, Dr. Hu says, can potentially worsen existing pimples and cause new ones, too. (In fact, there’s an official term for zits specifically caused by makeup: acne cosmetica.)

Before you ask: Why yes, choosing products with acne-safe ingredients (or opting for oil-free formulas) can lower your chances of experiencing flare-ups. However, noncomedogenic makeup can’t treat the root causes of breakouts—which can include hormonal imbalances, bacteria, and clogged pores. “It’s more of a temporary cover-up rather than a solution,” Dr. Hu explains, adding that acne-friendly cosmetics especially can’t do much for super inflamed, angry cystic acne that forms deep beneath the skin’s surface.

The bottom line, according to Dr. Hu: The most effective way to treat existing blemishes at home is with research-backed, derm-approved acne fighters, like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. But of course, if you want to camouflage your zits while they heal, it’s not the end of the world—just choose your beauty products wisely.

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