Concealer is one of those beauty products I can never live without. When applied correctly, it can take years off your face, make that humongous red zit disappear and make you look flawless. Below are a few rules I always stick to.
Rule # 1. Thou shall use the right product.
With the bazillion formulas out there nowadays, picking the right product can be tough so focus on what are you trying to cover up.
For undereye circles, look for something with a high moisture content, like liquid and cream formulas. One with light-reflecting particles will also help brighten the undereye area.
For blemishes or acne scars, I like a product with slightly heavier coverage and a matte finish. Pencil, stick and cream concealers are your best bet.
Rule # 2. Thou shall pick the right shade.
Again, this depends on what you are covering.
For undereye circles, use a concealer that is slightly lighter than your natural skintone to help brighten the area. Be careful not to go too light, as it can make your circles appear worse. If you have serious darkness around the eyes, use a yellow or peachy corrector prior to your concealer to counteract the purple/blue undertones.
To cover up bags, use a concealer that is one shade lighter.
For zits, freckles, redness or other imperfections, use a concealer that matches with your skintone completely.
Rule # 3: Thou shall apply concealer after foundation.
While certain people like to apply concealer prior to foundation, I always do it after. This way, you are less likely to overapply and will look more natural. If you apply foundation after concealer, you can also end up rubbing off the concealer.
Rule # 4: Thou shall pat and not rub when applying concealer.
To camouflage undereye circles, look into the mirror with your chin tilted slightly down. The darkest part (the area starting from the inner corner to the center of your undereye area) is where you should apply the concealer. Dip a concealer brush into the product and apply directly onto the darkest part. Blend either with a brush or index finger. Apply a light layer of powder to set the concealer or skip this step entirely if you have extremely dry skin. Click here for a step-by-step tutorial.
Contrary to what most people think, you should not apply concealer directly onto undereye bags. Instead, apply right under your bags. This way, the area will be highlighted hence making the bags look less obvious.
To hide a blemsh, use a brush and apply the concealer directly onto the zit itself. Make sure you blend the concealer into the surrounding area. Top with powder for maximum staying power.
For freckles and mole, apply the product directly onto the area with a brush or sponge. Pat with your index finger or a sponge to make sure the concealer is well blended.
8 Comments
THANKS FOR THE INFO ON CONCEALER!
I been needing concealer alot lately and I have been applying it…and YES I know I’m supposed to pat it yet I still rub it and NOW I know why NOT to..I didn’t think it actually would come off since it still looks there X_X
Hey I know this got nothing to do with the concealers but since I read in a topic before that you also wear eye contacts..I was wondering if tight lining (on upper lashes) would be a good idea for someone who wear contacts to do?
I wear contacts but I tightline my lashes too. As long as you do it properly and keep your liner and brush clean, it should not be a problem. This applies to other makeup too.
hey thanks for the answer <3
is it hard to remove off or do you try to remove it at all? it seems pretty dangerous to remove it o-o
of course you have to remove it. you should *always* remove all makeup before you hit the bed.
what you can do is take out your contacts, soak a q-tip with eye makeup remover then gently go back and forth at the base of you lashes or the inner rim.
Hi Phyllis! I have dark bags…How do i conceal them?
Hi!! I love your site!!!!!!!!! =o) This is my main problem. I have dark pigmentation under my chin and around my mouth, also under my eyes. I suffer from really dry skin, I’ve tried Mac Moistureblend concealers & the creamy ones that come in a pallete from Mac & Bare Escentuals honey bisque powder. I make sure I put lots of moisturiser before applying the concealer but my dry skin always shows through the concealer so you can see the ‘cracks’ in my skin =o( Is there anything I can do ?? Any tips on how to apply the concealer/which one to use. Thank you!! xx (p.s i did notice the powder concealer worked best of the three)
First I just want to say, your website rocks! I just discovered it today and I have been finding it very informative so thanks very much 🙂
As to my question…I bought TheBalm Time Balm concealer recently on rave reviews but even though its a “cream” concealer in a pot, it seems so dry and hard to put on. The saleswoman said put some on the back of my hand and “warm” it before applying, but it seems hard to even scoop out with my finger. the most i can seem to do is swirl my finger around in the dish until the thinnest top layer becomes pliable. if i attempt to put it on the back of my hand, it dries right there and there’s nothing to put on my face. I just don’t think I’m doing it right. The SA didn’t have this much problems. Any advice?
Hi Phyllis,
Since i found ur blog, ive been reading it almost everyday. Anyway i have quite a terrible dark circles problem. ive been using the concealer from Bobbi Brown together with the loose powder from bobbi brown as well. Im not sure why everytime when i have my concealers on, my under eyes always look cakey. and fine lines were always showing as well. (therefore i had to apply loosepowder). sometimes it even show a line or dark circles from the inner corner. what can i do about it?