Concealer is the perfect undercover secret weapon! It’s such a winner for feeling that little bit more awake, concealing any naughty blemishes or just evening out your skin tone in preparation for your makeup looks. As with all makeup products and tools, it can be pretty tricky to get concealer perfectly right straight away – it’s all a question of some light practice and a few tips and tricks to help you along the way…
Prep your face properly
Makeup needs a primped and primed canvas to sit upon, an uneven or unkept base just won’t hold onto it as well. So, be sure to give your face a nice exfoliation to keep everything even and smooth. You can use a physical exfoliant, which is a product with microbeads (boo, plastic!) or natural “bits” that will physically remove dead skin and build up off your face when you scrub. If you want something a little more sophisticated, opt for a chemical exfoliant – which sounds scary but really, it’s just using a liquid or facemask that has a gentle acid in it. Look for a retinoid or salicylic acid to dissolve dead skin, oil and grime. Follow up with a nourishing serum and creamy moisturiser for the perfect makeup base.
Match with your foundation
This doesn’t just mean matching your shade to your foundation, but also the formula! Matching the general composition of your concealer to your foundation will mean that your makeup looks so seamless that it could be natural, which is ideal. If you use a stick foundation, go for a stick concealer. Using mineral makeup? Be sure to grab a mineral concealer! When in doubt, buy your concealer from the same brand that you’ve bought your foundation – ideally, from the same range.
Use multiple shades
You don’t want to look flat and one dimensional, and a great way to avoid looking like a statue is by using multiple concealer shades. Choose something lighter for underneath your eyes and your highpoints, go darker for your nose, chin and forehead. This will make you look completely natural and well-sculpted whilst also giving you all the coverage that you need!
Pat, don’t rub
Concealer shouldn’t be rubbed in with your sponge, brush or fingers, it just distributes the product too much and results in less coverage and actual concealer on your face. Instead, you should pat your product in – this will up the coverage and make sure your concealer isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Dilute with other products
If you’re having a particularly good skin day and you want lighter coverage, there’s nothing wrong with diluting your concealer with your moisturiser. You can also mix your concealer with your SPF and liquid highlighter for a great makeshift, glowy foundation when you run out or mix your cream blush with your concealer if you have discolouration or blemishes on your cheeks. If you have a long-lasting concealer, this can also be your eyeshadow primer on hotter days.
Clever contouring
A concealer that’s three or four shades darker than your skin tone can make the perfect contouring product! Swipe on your temples, nose and cheekbones to carve out your facial structure – just be sure to set properly and you’re good to go!
Follow these tips for absolutely flawless concealing!
Photo by Anderson Guerra from Pexels
