Cosmetic camouflage is the application of make-up creams and/or powders to conceal colour or contour irregularities or abnormalities of the face or body. Cosmetic camouflage creams were first developed by plastic surgeons during World War II to cover the massive burns received by fighter pilots. Nowadays, men, women and children can use cosmetic camouflage.

How to use cosmetic camouflage

There are 3 basic approaches to cosmetic camouflage.
Concealing – concealers are thicker and more opaque than regular foundation makeup. They effectively cover healed incision lines from surgery, scars and/or bruises on your face or body. Concealers are usually creamy products and come in a variety of shades to match the natural colour of the skin. Sometimes they are blended with colour correctors to achieve a good colour match.
Colour correcting – colour correctors are used to disguise the yellowish shade of a bruise or the overall redness from a burn. Colour correctors come in tints, purple corrector blended with concealer neutralises yellow skin tones, while green corrector yields a brown tone to neutralise redness.
Contouring – contouring corrects the irregular facial surface contours by creating dimension using light and shadow. Dark colours make swellings or protrusions appear to recede, while light colours make surface depressions appear shallower. To achieve contouring you need a highlighter, which is about 2 shades lighter than your concealer, and a contour shadow, which is about 2 shades darker. Powdered blush-type products are best suited for contouring.
It is important to remove camouflage cosmetics from your face and neck every night before you go to bed. Because of their waterproof nature, an oily cleansing cream or lotion may be needed to wipe off the makeup. Follow by cleaning with soap and water or your normal facial cleansing routine. Camouflage cosmetics used elsewhere on the body can be left on for 3 or 4 days before removing them and re-applying.

Advice for cosmetic camouflage

It may take some practice to achieve a satisfactory final appearance. In some countries, hospitals, charities or societies hold cosmetic camouflage clinics where individual's camouflage requirements are assessed. For example, Look Good Feel Better®, a charitable programme sponsored by the Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association (CFTA) and organised by the Cancer Society in New Zealand, runs cosmetic workshops throughout the country to improve the self-esteem of women dealing with the side-effects of cancer. Similar programmes are available in the USA and many other countries.
Standard everyday makeup may be sufficient for your needs. The important thing is to use products that are hypoallergenic and fragrance free. Your doctor or dermatologist may recommend special cosmetic camouflage products available through your pharmacy.
The procedure
Before starting cosmetic camouflage Before disguising a skin lesion a physician should determine
the nature of the problem and whether medical or surgical treatment could offer any benefit. Laser treatment, bleaching preparations, surgery, or other therapeutic modalities might cure the problem or simply improve the condition. The consultation before cosmetic camouflage should be informative of 1
the patient’s medical history and the duration and location of the problem; 2 topical or systemic medication that might alter the color of the patient’s skin and interfere with color match; 3 any possible allergies or sensitivities; 4 any skin care products that the patient has been instructed to use by the doctor (cleansers, sunscreens, emollients, etc.); 5 the psychological impact the condition has on the patient; 6 the patient’s expectations from the cosmetic camouflage; 7 the patient’s social activities, hobbies, and sports; 8 the nature of the patient’s employment and the environmental conditions of his or her work (lighting, humidity, etc.).
The patient should understand that after camouflage therapy, it will be obvious that he or she is wearing a cosmetic. The camouflage therapist should take into consideration the patient’s individual budget. This is
particularly important for long-term use of makeup products, as they may be quite costly.

Methods: Camouflage Cosmetics Procedures

When to Begin
You should always consult your surgeon about the appropriate time to begin to apply cosmetics after any surgery. Even though the makeup may be antiseptic and hypoallergenic, there are always residual effects of any surgical procedure that may be complicated by external variables. The time to begin using cosmetics depends on your surgery. Most people can cover bruising and swelling a day or two after the procedure, but people who receive nose jobs should wait until their cast comes off and patients with chemical peels should wait until any residual skin crustiness disappears.
What to Look For
Unscented and hypoallergenic cosmetics are the best to use to conceal the after effects of your plastic surgery. These are found in the larger department stores or possibly even in the makeup you already use. It is important to use new applicators to prevent contamination from germs and bacteria from your face from entering into your wounds.
In some cases your surgeon will prescribe you special medications depending on a case by case basis, but regardless of your situation the three most important aspects of camouflage cosmetics are concealing, color correcting, and contouring.
Concealing
Concealing makeups are thicker and less transparent than other types of foundation makeup in order to hide the bruising and swelling common to plastic surgery. It is important to choose a concealer that is waterproof and not creamy enough that it pulls your skin as you apply it. Avoid using concealer on the delicate skin around your eyes as the thick concealer will get stuck in the creases.
Color Correcting
Color correcting makeup hides the discoloration of bruisers and redness after a surgery or dermabrasion. There are two main types of color correcting make up; lavender for covering the yellows of bruises and green cancels out the red of scarring and irritation. Correcting makeup is more transparent than concealers and is used under the foundation.
Contouring
Contouring makeup is used to minimize the visual appearance of swelling by creating artificial dimension to your face. There are two separate types of contouring cosmetics; a highlighter and a contour shadow. The highlighter is lighter than your foundation and the shadow is darker, and when combined properly they allow you to blend away any residual swelling and bruising. Applying this type of makeup is something of a subtle art, so don't be discouraged if it takes you awhile to get it right.
Removing Camouflage Cosmetics
Most camouflage cosmetics are thicker and stickier than normal makeup, so removing these cosmetics may be a bit more difficult. A good cleansing cream to remove the makeup and an alcohol-free toner removes residue from the cleanser. It is important to clean the area around your wounds especially well to prevent any contamination or potential infection.

Benefits of Camouflage Cosmetics

Healthy individuals benefit from camouflage cosmetics by enhancing appearance through concealment of unwanted aesthetic effects of various health problems.
Camouflage cosmetics will also benefit patients after a medical and cosmetic surgery. It can conceal bruising, incision lines, swelling and other side effects of invasive procedure.
It benefits people experiencing skin imperfections such as birthmarks, chemical peels, post-laser redness, surgical discolorations, bruiding, lupus, rosacea, dark eye circles, acne scars, hyper pigmentation, vitiligo, melasma, broken capillaries, varicose veins, surface scars, spider veins, and broke capillaries.
It also conceals cleft and craniofacial conditions, sunspots, age spots, brown spots, furrows, freckles, uneven skin tone and tattoos.

Candidate for Camouflage Cosmetics Therapy

Suitable candidates for camouflage cosmetics are patients of all ethnic origins, male or female of all ages with traumatic or congenital lesions, including surgical scars.

The Camouflage Cosmetics Techniques

Using camouflage cosmetics is not as simple as you may think. Each condition uses either concealing, color correcting, contouring or a combination of cosmetics.
* Concealers are thicker than regular foundation makeup. It can cover scars, bruises and healed incision lines on the patient’s face or body.
In choosing concealing cosmetics, find opaque and waterproof concealers that are creamy enough to prevent pulling of the skin when applying it. When you find a concealer that matches your skin tone, you may not combine foundation makeup with it.
Applying concealer around your eyes can be tricky. Using concealers on delicately thin skin around your eyes may not be a good idea since the concealer will collect in the creases. Instead, use a normal liquid foundation, eye makeup or color corrector.
* Color correctors are used to conceal or disguise the redness or yellowish shade that occurs after dermabrasion or chemical peels. Color correctors come in tints – green shades counteract with redness, while lavender shades neutralizes yellow tones.
Color correctors are less opaque than concealers are. It is similar to the sheerness and consistency of foundations. For this reason, it is best to use it combined with normal foundation.
* Contouring products can be applied anywhere on the face. However, it is generally applied to conceal swelling after facial implants or nose surgery. These products create a dimension using light and shadow – darker spots recede, while lighter spots appear to come forward.
In contouring, you will need two separate products – a highlighter (around two shades lighter than your foundation) and a contour shadow (around two shades darker than your foundation.
Blending is the most important part of contouring. Once you’ve mastered applying appropriate shades of foundation, you can use contouring to narrow your nose, minimize swelling of facial parts or create higher cheekbones.

Product Information

Based on the latest criteria by skin care professionals, plastic surgeons and dermatologists, camouflage cosmetics should include these important qualities – appropriate for all skin types, clinically tested, fragrance free, allergy tested, non-greasy, waterproof, smudge resistance, non-comedogenic, opaque coverage, natural shade selection and long lasting.

All camouflage cosmetics should also have detailed instructions. The patients will use this to master the cover-up techniques that will best suit their needs.

Side Effects of Camouflage Cosmetics

There are very few side effects associated with camouflage cosmetics. Infection, which is the only real side effect, occurs when patients use the cosmetics on open wounds.
Always consult your surgeon before attempting to apply cosmetics. Different factors, such as kind of procedure and individual recovery will determine when it is safe to use camouflage cosmetics.

The Results

When you have applied camouflage cosmetics, not only will the scars and pigmentation be concealed, these products will also give anti-inflammatory benefits, chemical free sunscreen and calming effects of inflamed skin.

When to Start

It's best to ask you surgeon's advice before you start using camouflage cosmetics. Most people can begin applying makeup to cover bruising or disguise swelling as early as a day or two after surgery. If you want to hide incision lines, you'll need to wait until the stitches have been removed and the incision is completely closed.
After nose surgery, you can normally use makeup as soon as the cast is removed. With a chemical peel or dermabrasion, if a crust has formed you'll need to wait until it's completely gone.

Removing Camouflage Cosmetics

Camouflage cosmetics tend to be thicker and more adherent than everyday makeup, so it's important to remove them every night. First, use a cleansing cream that removes all of your makeup. Then use a gentle, alcohol-free toner applied with a cotton ball to remove any cleanser residue. Follow this with a moisturizer formulated for your skin type: oily, dry, or combination.