Hello, I would like some advice on the correct product range for myself. Unfortunately, I have a fairly bad skin, acne scars, dark spots and I’m still struggling with ongoing breakouts (at 28 years of age). I have never used make-up before, but considering giving it a try for some extra confidence boost and would like something that would enable me to cover up my skin imperfections to a moderate level. The main concern in regards of foundation / concealer / powders is that ‘m afraid to clog my pores even more resulting in additional breakouts which is completely undesirable result. Also, I don’t take heat very well, so I’m worried that during the hot summer days I would look like a melted candle J. I was looking into primer / foundation / concealer / powder / setting spray combinations.

As I’ve mentioned, since I never actually used make-up before, I’m not sure how natural the face would look after application of all these products, although I would want some decent coverage but I would prefer to avoid looking like a birthday cake. Would be grateful for any advice, also I’m attaching a few pictures of my skin (outdoors and indoors) for the advice on product colour ranges. Best Regards, Simon.

Good evening sir, I hope you are well and thank you very much for getting in touch with us. I can confirm that the colour N4 is the most appropriate colour on our MMUK MAN colour palette to match your skin tone. After describing your current skin issues and the kind of look that you’re looking for with makeup for men, i’m very confident that I can help.

It's not uncommon for me to read about your type of skin from what you have described. Often gentlemen that suffer in their younger years still face break outs well into their 30's. As your skin is still prone to these and you're keen to ensure your pores don't become clogged, resulting in more break outs, i'd highly recommend the use of our mineral range of makeup.

To begin your routine, i'd recommend starting off with our Skin Primer, which will smooth your skin surface and create a nice canvas, which can be built upon naturally. Next, our Mineral Matte Foundation can be applied to your skin in small amounts, paying close attention to areas of your face that particularly suffer with blemishes and making sure that you blend the product lightly into your hair line, helping to avoid any tide marks and making your makeup wear look noticeable.

The beauty with our mineral collection is that it's particularly good for sensitive skin that's prone to break outs and due to its mineral composition, won't end up clogging the pores and instead, offers completely calming skin benefits. It's not uncommon for guys new to makeup to be concerned about a cakey and orangey finish and to put your mind at ease, i'd recommend applying each product lightly and in natural light to begin with - just until you're completely comfortable with their look.

The next product i'd recommend in your routine is our Liquid Concealer. Whilst the foundation is great for evening your skin tone and enhancing its surface, some larger blemishes may still be visible. You can therefore dab this liquid concealer onto them, as well as under the eyes - helping brighten them a little. As this is liquid based, rather than a thicker cream, it won't clog your pores and result in break outs.

As i'm guessing your skin gets quite shiny and oily in the heat, i'd recommend finishing your routine with an application of our Anti-Shine Powder across your t-zone in particular. This powder will not only resize and refine your pores, but it will also protect against shine all day long and help your new look remain in place and stay natural.

At this stage, if you wanted to, you could apply a little setting spray to your face, but this is completely an added extra. Most of our clients love it because it cools their face and it's very popular with our overseas customers and here in the UK during heat waves.

In terms of application, you can use a Foundation Brush to apply your foundation and a Mineral Buffer Brush to apply your mineral matifier. I've put links below to all my suggestions to for your review. I know it may seem quite daunting, but honestly with a few applications, you'll be feeling much more confident and know exactly how much of each product to apply to get your desired natural look.

I you have any more questions with regards to our men’s makeup products, i’m always here. Regards, Lucy.