Male needing advice.

Hello.

I'm a 27year old male and have suffered from eczema most of my adult life. Because of this, and using steroid creams and stuff to try and keep it under control i've been left with redness and skin pigmentation or whatever you call it round about my cheeks which means they are red and(to me) unsightly pretty much all the time these days. It doesn't actually look that bad when i look in the mirror but with the camera out you can see it right away my skin looks blotchy and uneven. I have finally come to the conclusion that i'm gonna have to use make up to hide this unsightlyness and try and get back to looking good again.

So anyways, i found a video from a guy who is a make up artist about covering up acne and skin problems so i'm assuming it will work for me also as i moisturize my face and rarely get a break out of eczema it's more the affect that the steroid creams have had than the actual eczema these days.

Here's the video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBZgKOqnPFs&list=LLAD72K4Isq3TIAYg94XEkQg&index=2

So i'm gonna try the first thing that this guy suggested which is - MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation NW25 which leads me to my problem. I'm looking on the site this stuff is on but i'm not sure if it would be right for my face? My skin colour isn't really dissimilar to this guys but i don't want to fork out for this stuff and it end up being useless. Would anyone be able to help me out with this in choosing the right shade for me? If necessary i could send a pic of my face for comparison but i have brown hair and pretty fair skinned.

Ugh this is a nightmare i'm like my dad trying to go on the computer for the first time utterly clueless.

Anyways any help or suggestions anyone can give me would be much appreciated.

All the best,

Jamie.

The video has some great tips. MAC is great.  It's hard to say for sure about the color online. If you skin color is similar then maybe the color featured (NW25) would work for you. Many times a foundation color that is a bit off doesn't look so obvious when applied with a brush because you can control how much color is being applied. It's better to start with less amount and layer on more if needed.  Misting the foundation after to achieve more of natural look definitely helps like the artist points out in the video. If you want to be certain about the shade, the best thing to do is to go to their store or counter to get a color match. If you skin is fair, this might be a tad dark for you but again if applied with a brush, it won't be as obvious. You also don't want to pick a shade that is too light because you can look more ghostly that way. The featured color is about medium beige color so pretty universal unless you are really fair. Sorry it's hard to say about colors online.

I would agree with Reija and refer you to a makeup counter/store to check out the colors in person.  Nordstrom's usually have a MAC counter and I've had good experiences with the staff there.

To help with the pigmentation and ruddiness issues I highly suggest using Vitamin E and Olive Oil, or asking your doctor about it.  I use it on my face to keep my skin tone even and it helps keep my skin clear as long as I don't overdo it.  It can be a bit heavy so it might not be an every day product for you, but even a few times a week can make a difference.  I buy Vitamin E capsules, poke a hole in them, and drain it into a small dark bottle with a sprayer.  For every 3 capsules I add 1 tsp. of olive oil and a little bit of argan oil.  I shake it up, dispense one spray in my palm, and massage this on my face every night or if it starts to clog my pores every other.  Not only does it keep my skin soft and hydrated but it definitely helps even out my skin tone.  Trader Joe's also carries a Vitamin E blend for $4 that has soybean and coconut oil in it which is another good solution.  The Vitamin E in that just isn't as pure as you get with the capsules that are only Vitamin E.

Good luck - I hope you find a good solution!