BY: KIZZY COURTNEY
Like foundation, concealers come in many different shades and consistencies. If you have uneven skin tone, hyperpigmentation, dark circles or pesky pimples you need covered up, then foundation alone may not enough. It’s important to choose a concealer that works best for your skin type and concerns, for example, if you have dry skin don’t choose a concealer that has a matte finish as that will only emphasize your dryness. When it comes to makeup most products can have multi-usage and it is always fun to experiment. So, here are a few different ways you can use concealers.
Conceal blemishes – Everyone has that stubborn pimple they want to get rid of or acne scars they want covered up. Using a concealer is the easiest and fastest way to get an even skin tone if you can’t wait for time to clear things up. It is best to always start with a freshly moisturized and primed face. Choose a concealer that ‘is’ or ‘close to’ your skin tone and apply to the blemish or discoloration. Next, with the pads of your finger carefully press the concealer into your blemish. Never rub the concealer as you risk getting streaky results.
Highlight (subtle/intense) – Concealers can be used to brighten up the under-eye area as well as sculpt the face by using it as a highlight. For a subtle highlight use a concealer that is a little lighter than your skin tone and for a more intense/brighter highlight us a shade that is one to two shades brighter than your skin tone. When using a concealer to highlight the under-eye area be sure to apply the concealer in an ‘upside down’ triangle and gently blend until there is no line of demarcation between the concealer and your skin or your foundation.
Sculpt brows – If you want that ‘just done’ brows or ‘straight out of the salon’ brows using a concealer to sculpt your brows will give you just that. Simply fill in your brows like you normally would then with a lighter concealer place it under the brows and blend. This will give you that fresh look as well as highlight your brow bone. You can choose to do the same on top the brows as well or leave it as is. If you choose to clean up the top I recommend using a concealer that is your skin tone to avoid having that ‘haloed brow’ look. Nobody wants haloed brows, that is not cute! My go-to concealers to use to sculpt my brows are the La Girl Pro Concealers.
Foundation – Believe it or not concealers can be used as a foundation. Simple choose your correct shade and apply it to a fresh, moisturized, and primed face; blend out evenly with a brush or a makeup sponge then set with a powder. My favorite to use for this is the Pro Longwear Concealers from MAC.
Correcting – And of course, concealers can be used to correct your imperfections. Special concealers called ‘color correcting concealers’ are made specifically for this purpose. They come in different colors targeting specific skin ailments. For instance, for dark circles with a grayish or bluish tinge, covering them with an orange hued concealer will make the skin tone look most natural.
Concealers should never be applied to open wounds, in fact, no makeup should be applied to the face if they’re open wounds from saying ‘picking at pimples’, always wait for them to heal then proceed with your makeup. Remember to always set your concealers with a light dusting of loose or pressed powder. If your concealer was matte then setting it is not necessary. Also, if your foundation is a powder foundation always apply your concealers first to avoid your makeup looking clumpy and mottled. Makeup has no set rules, it’s all about fun and experimentation and seeing what works for you and what doesn’t.
