Spoil yourself: face primer as acne and oily skin tamer

My skin still breaks out. At forty-something. Pretty hard on the old self-esteem. I’m self-conscious about it.

I’ve tried a whole host of products to ‘cure’ it, both over the counter and prescription, but nothing quite works. To top it off, I have oily skin, which makes for large pores, or ‘orange peel’ skin. This weekend I did some digging around on the Internet and came up with two products to try: one by Clinique and the by MAC.

I’m a believer in primers, now… Here’s why…

I actually like both products, but for different reasons. Clinique’s Pore Minimizer Instant Perfection glides on silky smooth and instantly softens large pores and fine lines. It’s a fantastic primer for makeup, as well: your makeup stays all day! With oily skin, a foundation tends to slide right off. Using a primer is the answer to shine, as well. Neat stuff. It’s too early for me to corroborate, but the packaging claims that the Pore Minimizer, when used over time, will will strengthen pore walls.

MAC has a couple of primers to choose from, but the lady behind the counter recommended MAC Prep + Prime Face Protect SPF 50. It’s very different from the Clinique product, more like a moisturizer, less like a powder, but unlike when I use the Clinique product, my skin tone is less flat/matt.

What I love about both of them is the staying power my foundation has. No more shine. I put on my face in the morning and fuggedaboudit.

What tricks do you use to keep yourself looking good, single mothers?

(photos are from the corporate websites of Clinique and MAC)