Today’s entry was prompted by a quick glance at this little bugger below:

I picked this up during the good ol’ days when e.l.f. standalone stores still existed (Pepperidge Farm remembers). This particular foundation was designed for people with oily skin (and I wasn’t too fond of the other type of foundation that was available. It just seemed too liquid for my personal preference), and the shade matched my skin tone.

One of the selling points of this foundation is that it contains salicylic acid, one of the most common ingredients used in acne treatment medications. Simply put, the foundation does two things: make your skin tone universal like a canvas and treating acne.

I placed it on a shelf absentmindedly one day and came across it while searching for something unrelated to it. That’s when I noticed this:

I have a set skincare routine – cleanser, toner, moisturizer (and sunscreen, provided I can get out the door quickly enough to get past the damn traffic). I do this every day before I go out for the day (be it for work or personal matters). e.l.f. sells this product primarily as a foundation – NOT as a medication. I find it disturbing that the instructions are written with the intent that this foundation is to be used as a medication.

I can’t imagine applying foundation like I would with skincare – makeup is a completely different medium to me. It’s not something I need to apply every day to take care of my skin to get me through the day, so for e.l.f. to give instructions for treating their foundation like skincare is a bit off-putting, just because it has salicylic acid in it.

More likely than not, the fine print is written in legalese – e.l.f. has to acknowledge that the foundation is more medication in nature than simply makeup due to the fact that there is salicylic acid. If you go to e.l.f.’s website, the pictured product is called “Acne Fighting Foundation.”

It’s a shame that e.l.f. couldn’t create that particular line without the salicylic acid – it’s a bit presumptuous from them that people who suffer from acne don’t have a skincare regimen, or that salicylic acid alone will be enough to serve as a type of treatment.

Until next time.