Oh, hi there, fellow pizza face. This might be the least glamorous beauty story you read today, but probably the most useful for all time. Having acne-prone skin has worked to my benefit in two strange ways. One: My prescription retinol doubles for 86ing fine lines and wrinkles, keeping me Dorian Gray young! Two: My zits forced me to become skilled at doing my makeup. Still, even with my many (many, many) years of pimple-masking experience, I’ve only now learned some new techniques from makeup artists on how to cover every type of breakout.

When it's a whitehead.

whitehead Getty

Start with a clean, dry face (duh). “It’s really important that your concealer has a dry, thickish consistency — almost like a putty,” says makeup artist Mally Roncal, founder of Mally Beauty. “The wetter and more slippery a concealer it is, the harder it is for it to adhere to that mound/bubble. This kind of concealer is usually going to be found in a pot or tube, not in a wand — that type is too thin.” Once you’ve found your spackle, use a small brush, like a precision eyeliner brush, to cover both the whitehead and the red, inflamed area surrounding it. “Be as targeted as possible. You could even use a magnifying mirror,” says Roncal. “You don’t want to cover any of the good skin around the pimple or you’ll create a ‘look at my zit’ bulls-eye.” After application, give the zit a gentle pat with a finger so it doesn’t look tall. Translucent powder can make a whitehead look shiny and white; instead set your concealer with a fluffy brush dipped in a powder foundation that matches your skin tone.