How Concealer Is Applied

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The job of a concealer is to hide the things that we don’t want other people to see. But depending on what you want to hide and where it is on your face will determine what type of concealer you use and how you apply it. That’s exactly what we’re going to explore now!

To start with we need to pick the right concealer. Choose one that is up to but no more than 2 shades lighter than your current skin tone and that is also yellow based. Notice we said current skin tone… if your skin tone changes (you’ve been on holiday and have a tan) then you will need to get a different concealer that is up to but not more than 2 shades lighter than your tanned skin tone. You might end up looking like you’re wearing Halloween makeup if you go too light with the concealer.

If you’re just looking for general coverage and don’t have any specific areas that you would like to conceal then begin by adding a few dots to the inner corner of your eyes and underneath the eyes near the lower eyelashes. Tap the concealer in and blend well. Tapping is always better than rubbing. You can then continue with the same technique on other areas like your nose or chin. Wherever you would like to put it basically. Do this gradually and start with a ‘less is more’ approach. If need be, you can always apply another layer… we’re all seen the cake effect that can happen when concealer is applied a bit too liberally. Follow this up by taking a light and fluffy brush and use it to apply a light dusting of a loose powder to help set your look.

Now, if you have specific areas that you would like to cover then we’ll give some tips on how to manage them. We have listed some of the more common issues and have given very simple and brief (but effective) methods of application that will make your concealer work much better for you.

Dark Circles: To cover these don’t use a regular concealer. There are concealers designed specifically for this reason. Alternatively you can try a highlighting cream to create a more awake and alert looking eye.

Spots/pimples: For this, a good starting point is to apply a liquid bandage over the area to give a little extra protection and then gently building up layers of concealer. Don’t apply too heavily or you will just bring more attention to the area (something you’d like to avoid) and then follow this up by applying a translucent powder.

Scars: If you have scars on your face from acne then concealing them requires quite specific techniques of application. For a concave or pockmark scar you will need to take an angled brush and dip it in the concealer. For this choose a concealer that is a shade lighter than your skin. Fill in the centre of the scar but be careful not to go over the edges. After this, dust the skin with a translucent powder. For hypertrophic or raised scars then we recommend using a concealer that is the same shade as your skin and apply it by patting the concealer on to the scar. This should be followed by a setting powder.

Redness around the nose: To hide any redness around your nose it is important to recognise that it is often the case that makeup will come off this area more quickly due to oil. Because of this it is important to use an oil absorbing setting powder and apply it after you apply your concealer. In the winter, if you get dry skin here then be sure to keep it moisturised.