By Leelah Linke, Dermal Clinician -

At ARC Medispa, our Dermal Therapists and Clinicians understand how to assess your skin to determine what makeup is best for you – based on your skin tone, features, hair and eye colour, and the age of your skin. 

Did you know that your makeup routine can change post-surgery?  Depending on your post operative results, and whether you have experienced some bruising, the makeup you choose for your face can improve your appearance, as well as cover-up any bruising that may have occurred.

As a Dermal Clinician at ARC Medispa, I regularly see patients for skin assessments, pre and post-surgery, to discuss their skincare and makeup regimes.  Carla* is a patient who underwent a facelift and blepharoplasty last year.  In our initial consultation pre-surgery, Carla expressed that she was looking to update her current makeup regime and discover what she could apply to her face post-surgery to highlight her new look and cover-up any bruising. I assessed Carla’s face to see what skin tone she had – for example, pink, yellow, brown or tan. I also reviewed what she currently had in her makeup kit that we could work with and update.  In our discussion, we decided to go with soft neutrals and browns to highlight her eyes and hair colour, and we determined that her base tone was yellow. 

In my experience, women are very savvy when it comes to makeup brands and the latest colours, however, they often need to be shown how to apply their base, concealer and powder to get more of a natural affect.  When I made-over Carla’s face pre-surgery, I showed her how to use makeup brushes for concealer and powder – patting it on gently, creating veil, and setting it with powder (so it does not melt or slide off the face or the concealed area). Post-surgery, ideal surgical concealment areas for Carla to consider included below and around the eyes, hairline, ears, and chin.

I saw Carla again post-surgery for a makeup assessment and to review the camouflage techniques we discussed pre-surgery.  For post-surgery camouflage, it is important to understand how makeup can conceal specific coloration from bruising. 

In summary, here are a few makeup tips to consider pre and post-surgery:

1. Choose a base foundation that flatters your skin tone – whether it’s pink, yellow, brown or tan.
2. Trendy makeup colours can be fun, but you should go with colours that will flatter your skin, hair and eye colour.
3. Concealers should be opaque, match your skin tone, and have a creamy consistency so they can be applied gently with a brush to minimize irritation to sensitive skin.
4. For camouflage techniques, concealers are used for neutralising the discoloration of bruised skin.  Lavender/purple works well for yellow tones, while green covers red tones.
5. Mineral based makeup is recommended, as it is low irritant, helps promote healing, can help to reduce redness, and may contain anti-inflammatory properties.
6. It is essential to remove your makeup every night with a gentle cleanser, and apply a suitable moisturiser for your individual skin type.

If you are considering plastic surgery or just want to freshen up your look, the Dermal Therapists at ARC Medispa are here to help you to look your best.

For more information, visit arcmedispa.com.au

*Name has been changed
Article Image Photo Credit: © GloProfessional & Featured Image Photo Credit: © iStockphoto.com/tomazl