Should My Concealer Be a Lighter Shade Than My Foundation?
I am a fully qualified freelance Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist. I have been working in the beauty industry for just over three years now.
Using the wrong concealer? Be sure your cover-up isn't actually drawing more attention to the spots you’re trying to hide.
Dark spots? Pimples? Under-eye circles? Forget about ‘em! With the perfect concealer, you can make annoying skin issues a thing of the past.
Once you have the right concealer shades and some simple techniques, you can have the skin of your dreams. Here’s how.
How to Find the Right Concealer Formula
Liquid concealer: Covering a large area? Liquid concealer is the best pick for you. It’s great for around your eyes and any other relatively wide spaces.
Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation and Concealer
A wonderful 2-in-1 foundation and concealer, this will provide amazing coverage while still letting your skin breathe. Available in a range of colours, this is a well loved go-to for many, and we think you'll love it too!
Stick concealer and compacts: Thick concealer formulas are perfect for small spots. These spill-proof products are also easy to tote around for quick coverage.
Benefit Boi-Ing Hydrating Concealer 3.5g
With a sheer coverage and lightweight feel on the skin, this hydrating concealer contains a rich formula of antioxidants to minimise dark circles and imperfections. Perfect for the gal on the go, the petite tube packaging is ideal for travelling and makes touch-ups so easy!
How to Find the Right Shade of Concealer
First things first: it’s important to know that you might need more than one concealer. These definitely aren't 'one-size-fits-all' makeup products.
The area under your eyes is different to the rest of your face. Dark spots need different coverage than red spots. Ultimately, concealers are personalised products, so you have to think about your goals and needs.
While under-eye concealer should be lighter than your natural skin tone (or red-orange if you're colour-correcting), you want your all-over concealer to match your skin colour as closely as possible.
Ready to start shopping? Here are a few of our favourite products:
Covering Hyper-Pigmentation: Maybelline Master Camo Colour Correcting Pen in Red banishes shadows by counteracting dark and ashy tones.
Covering dark circles: Jane Iredale Active Light Under-Eye Concealer transforms tired eyes.
Covering blemishes: To clear and prevent blemishes, you'll love oil-free Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Clearing Concealer. This gentle and soothing formula covers even the reddest spots.
All-over, waterproof coverage: Estée Lauder Double Wear Waterproof All Day Extreme Concealer is one of the most versatile picks. If you're going to be working up a sweat or getting your face wet, you'll be blown away by how powerful this stuff is.
PRO TIP: Your skin changes all the time! Winter skin is paler and drier. And in the summer, even if you don’t go tanning (and you shouldn’t!), your skin will naturally get darker. It’s a good idea to adjust your concealer colours and formulas seasonally for best results.
