Of all the different makeup products available, I think concealer is biggest workhorse of them all. Concealer can be used to brighten, color correct, and of course conceal just about anything, yet I haven’t seen many reviews of them. Today I’d like to break down the different options for you and help you figure out what kind of concealer might be best for your unique skin needs.
To Brighten
Some people may find that their skin could use some brightening, since it’s dry and dull. This can be done with concealer that’s a shade lighter than your own skin tone. The consistency would depend on your age as well as where you are highlighting: if you are brightening up your under-eye area, be sure to try a lighter consistency formulation such as the Maybelline Age Rewind in the Brightening Shade. Also make sure to use a light hand when applying, as it cake up, especially around fine lines or wrinkles. When brightening, also try a slight salmon of pink toned shade, as those are known to be brightening on the skin.
To Conceal Blemishes
Please only use concealer on un-popped pimples, as after you have popped a zit, it will be even harder to conceal due to the skin being incredibly irritated (picking your pimples will also scar your skin so let’s just not do that). For un-popped pimples, you’ll need something with high coverage and in the same shade as your skin tone. Anything lighter or darker than your natural skin tone will draw attention to that area, rather than concealing it.
To Correct Dark Under Eye Circles
This is an issue I personally deal with nearly every day. The problem is partly genetic and partly because I’m terrible at going to sleep when I should.
Dark circles can be caused by a bunch of different things, but covering them is essentially the same for everyone. I first use a correcting concealer, like NYX Dark Circle Corrector in Fair. For me, this will usually be pink or salmon-toned, and it has the same effect as the brightening products mentioned before. These brighter tones counteract the dark purple and blue tones that would be under your eyes.
The next step is usually to go over the corrector with a concealer that is a shade lighter than your natural skin color. This will brighten your under eye and give a flawless finish. When applying concealer to the under eye, I like to start in the inner corner of my eye one the bridge of my nose. Then I dot the concealer on the dark area. This way I can make sure I am not using too much. To finish the application, I blend out the concealer so there are no harsh lines and then set it with a powder. I am loving the Boots powder because it is so finely milled and easy to apply.
Tips for All Types of Concealing
– Blending is key—If you take anything from this whole post, make sure that it is that if you don’t blend your concealer, it will not look good, regardless of the product. This can be done with your finger, a brush, or a sponge. Try any method you’d like and see what works best for you. If you can’t see where your application ends and your natural skin begins, you have blended properly.
– Setting your concealer is important too—I know I’ve only mentioned setting your concealer in the dark circles section of this post, but you should be setting your concealer for all types of application. Setting will help your application last longer throughout the day, and for thicker types of concealer it will prevent creasing.
– Use a light hand—When using concealer, you may want to cover your whole face in it, but that would be a bad idea. Just use as much as you need. Concealer is supposed to make you look like you woke up like this, not that your face is being painted by numbers.
