Foundation transformation: How teen model with severe acne masks her scars with incredible make-up application
By
Daisy Dumas
Last updated at 8:08 PM on 1st December 2011
Cassandra Bankson is an ordinary 19-year-old in many ways. Pretty, bubbly and suffering from severe acne, she is one of many teenagers with the skin condition, facing college, life and friends with the constant awareness and pain of reactive, hormonally-affected skin.
Where she differs from the average teenage girl, though, is her mastery of clever make-up trickery and her bravery to take to the internet to broadcast a before and after film, watched over 1.7 million times, of her foundation routine.
So expert is her scar-concealing make-up application that the Californian has become a model, her skin appearing flawless in her portfolio shots.
With and without warpaint: Cassandra, from California, strips her make-up off before showing, step-by-step, how to apply perfect foundation and concealer
Wearing full make-up and looking picture-perfect, the Bay Area local explains to her many YouTube fans: 'I am the most self-conscious person about my face. The worst part about it, is its gotten a lot better. I mean it's a good thing to say but it still looks awful.'
Stripping back the expert layers of primers, foundation, powders and setting sprays, Cassandra goes from fully-made-up to make-up free - showing the extent of her pimpled and blemished skin.
The teen, a horse-back riding and hiking fan, returns to the camera in a bathrobe at her 'most insecure,' with bare skin and looking a very different person.
'I feel really disgusting,' she says, her nerves catching in her voice as she explains that 'this is probably the most nerve-wracking thing I could possibly do because it is my biggest insecurity... But this is my face.'
Honest: She is frank about the skin disorder, pointing out the extent of her acne and its unsightly spread
She goes to show the extent of the problem.
'The sad part is it's a lot better than it used to be. I mean it's still all over my chest, all over my back, it's everywhere and you can see it goes down my neck, it's all to the side, it even got on my ear.
'It's gotten a lot better but it's still really, really bad. It's my biggest insecurity.'
It is a far cry from the modelling portfolio shots that can be seen on her diamondsandheels14 channel on YouTube, where the striking, even-skinned brunette lounges on car bonnets, takes to the catwalk and poses in cut-out swimsuits.
The teen, whose series of short tutorial videos have been watched by over 4 million people, then takes viewers on a step-by-step lesson as to applying a perfect foundation that covers skin blemishes.
Lotions and potions: Applying a mutitude of different cosmetics, the teen carefully covers her scars and spots
'I have extremely oily skin,' she says, giving tips about the primers and oil-reducing tricks.
She is filmed in her parents' lounge room, where the 'light is better,' the blurring of the video in parts and the family surroundings lending the films a home-spun, unintimidating credibility.
Applying liberal amounts of cosmetics, Cassandra seems well ahead of her years, confident and knowledgeable about the complex potions upon which she relies.
She is frank, even wry, about her spots: 'I always carry everything down my neck because, well, I have acne there.'
She has become something of a skin expert, with other videos explaining he physiology of skin and acne and the treatments that best target the skin condition.
Fresh-faced: The lesson almost complete, Cassandra demonstrates the art of clever make-up use
Transformation: In other films, Cassandra addresses 'contouring and shading' and teaches about acne formation. She shows her modelling portfolio in another, and would like to become a dermatologist
By the end of the video, Cassandra is transformed - her flawless complexion giving no hint of the severe breakouts that come part-and-parcel of acne.
'Voila! I have somewhat clear looking skin,' she tells the camera.
'I hope that you guys enjoy this. I hope you can have flawless skin too.'
Filmed in 2010, Cassandra told MailOnline that she has since gone on to document her daily beauty juggle with acne, taking 'viewers with through the year long journey, showing they different products, different radical ideas, medications and holistic therapies.'
The student, who is studying to become a nurse, said: 'I hope to have the opportunity to bring advanced dermatology and skincare help to other teens and adults with this condition in the future - fixing it from the source.'
Obviously there isn't a one-size-fits-all cure for acne. Some will respond to topical treatments, some will respond to antibiotics or other pharmaceuticals, Still others will see results through dietary changes - even something as simple as cutting out soda, because sugar increases insulin production, and excess insulin causes inflammation, which can manifest itself as acne. For some it's hormone treatment. Presumably this young lady has tried the gamut, and while she waits for HER acne to clear, has come up with a solution to boost her self esteem. Well done!
- LoobyLou, My Little Corner, 01/12/2011 23:29
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