How to use facial concealer: step-by-step photos of the application process will help even a beginner. Concealer is able to disguise redness, pimples, bruises and circles under the eyes, blackheads, enlarged pores, and other spot skin imperfections that foundation cannot cope with. Using these two products in tandem, you can achieve a perfectly even skin tone.
Differences from the corrector
Concealer is often confused with corrector, but the products have slightly different purposes. Both products fall under the category of concealer products.
Although they can replace each other in some cases, there are several significant differences between them:
- Different textures: the concealer is lighter, the corrector is thicker. Due to its lightness, the concealer merges with the foundation, and its scope of application is wider than that of a corrector.
- The corrector is applied under the foundation, and the concealer is applied over the foundation.
- The corrector tends to dry out the skin or existing inflammations, since it contains salicylic acid.
- The concealer moisturizes the epidermis.
- The concealer is easily distributed over the entire surface of the skin; it can be used to model the oval of the face.
Rules for choosing a concealer
The concealer pencil should be the same color as the foundation, or 1-2 shades lighter. Concealer tends to darken after applying powder. This fact must be taken into account when choosing a color.
The shade should be selected in natural light: apply the product to a small area of the face, and it should merge with the skin, and not look like a separate spot.
How to choose a facial concealer that will perform all the necessary functions:
- if you need to hide age spots, a stick or cream concealer will come to the rescue;
- a pencil will help to precisely camouflage acne (it is better to take a greenish tint, with salicylic acid in the composition);
- a yellow product will mask redness;
- for the area around the eyes it is suitable with a lifting effect that will not settle into skin irregularities;
- For oily skin with enlarged pores, it is not recommended to use the stick version. It is better to give preference to a liquid texture;
- To disguise dark circles under the eyes, a product with reflective particles is recommended. If you see a gray tint under your eyes, use a coral-colored concealer to hide it. If the bruises under the eyes are purple, then you need to take a mustard-colored product.
Step-by-step instruction
Facial concealer - what is it and how to use it correctly:
- It is necessary to prepare your face. If there are remnants of past makeup on the surface of the skin, you need to use a makeup remover - this can be hydrophilic oil or micellar water. After which you need to wash your face with a cleanser and apply a moisturizer.
- A common mistake girls make is applying concealer under foundation. First you need to distribute the foundation over your entire face, not forgetting your neck and ears. If the foundation is of a thick consistency, do not apply it under the eyes. The skin in this area is thin; it is not recommended to reload it again.
- Concealer under the eyes is applied in the form of an inverted triangle, the tip of which should end at the level of the nose. The ideal tool for application would be a brush or a beauty blender. The product should not be applied using driving movements, but carefully shading it towards the temple - this way you will get a lifting effect. It is important to pay special attention to the inner corners of the eyes and the lower eyelid. If you skip these places, your eyes will seem tired.
Before using facial concealer, you need to learn the application technique.
The eye area should be given special attention:
- The area under the eyes has thin and dry skin, so before applying makeup you need to apply a moisturizer to the area around the eyes. It is recommended to give preference to products with reflective particles or vitamin K - they lighten the skin;
- The ideal concealer texture is liquid or cream. The dense composition will clog into facial wrinkles and roll off;
- if the density of the product is increased, it must be mixed with eye cream;
- moisturizer, primer and other products used before makeup should be oil-free. Oily products significantly shorten the period of concealer action.
Concealer stick for face
The facial concealer pencil has a thick, dry texture. Ideal for spot concealing imperfections.
Often the product contains antibacterial components that dry out the skin, so it is more suitable for those with oily or problematic skin.
In addition to camouflage, the pencil performs several other functions:
- enlarges lips. If you apply it slightly away from the lip contour, you can, on the contrary, make your lips smaller by filling them in a little;
- By applying the product as a base for eye shadow or lipstick, the painted areas will become noticeably brighter;
- you can highlight your eyebrows by applying the product along the contour of your eyebrows;
- Enlarge your eyes and make them look like a doll by applying a pencil along the mucous membrane of the lower eyelid.
Cream concealer
This remedy is considered the most universal; it can handle any imperfection. It has a dense texture and good masking ability. They usually do sculpting and contouring. The product is available in palettes with several shades or in small jars.
Advantage over other concealers:
- a universal remedy that will mask any imperfections;
- convenient application, blends perfectly with any tool and even with your fingertips;
- Suitable for facial correction.
A cream concealer is exactly the product that should be in an inexperienced beginner’s makeup bag.
Liquid concealer for face
Liquid facial concealer is considered the most versatile and popular. It will hide any redness and dark circles under the eyes. It has a light, unique texture, applies well and spreads evenly over the skin.
Advantages:
- not visible on the skin;
- some companies produce concealers with a caring effect; as a result of use, the epidermis receives additional care;
- Almost all liquid concealers contain vitamins that nourish the skin;
- often in the composition you can find zinc and other antibacterial components that have a disinfecting effect;
- Some types of products come with reflective particles that give the skin a beautiful glow and brighten it.
Concealer stick
The shape is somewhat similar to a pencil. The difference is that the stick extends.
Characteristics:
- there are two types: oily or dense consistency;
- convenient application. You don’t need to use additional tools, it’s great to blend with your fingers;
- strong camouflage ability. Hides scars, unevenness and other defects;
- It is not recommended to apply locally to the area under the eyes, around the lips and to inflamed areas;
- may clog pores. For those with oily skin types, it is better to give preference to any other version.
Dry concealer
The basis of this type of concealer is mineral powder. Usually available in the form of palettes consisting of several colors. They are convenient for modeling the oval of the face.
How to use:
- perfect for oily skin, it will mattify it, and will also hide redness, age spots, inflammation;
- Should be used on the cheeks, forehead, and chin. The area around the eyes should be avoided, as it will tighten the skin and will settle into expression lines, emphasizing them.
Yellow concealer
This color masks defects with a blue-violet tint. Bruises, capillary networks, veins on the face will become completely invisible. If you apply the product correctly, you can also hide tattoos.
Main uses:
- the main area of application is the area around the eyes and wings of the nose;
- can be used as a base for shadows so that they do not crease and last all day;
- If your face has an earthy, dull tint, you can use the product as a facial primer.
Purple concealer
Lavender and violet colors neutralize yellow imperfections, age spots or brown spots.
Mode of application:
- if you have an uneven tan, it will help soften your skin tone;
- as a base for makeup, if the skin tone is yellowish (usually typical for Asian appearance), the skin will glow with a healthy glow;
- will hide any kind of pigmentation with a yellowish tint and freckles.
Green facial concealer
Green facial concealer, according to the spectral color chart, is the opposite of red, which means it is suitable for:
- neutralize redness, including acne marks, various rashes, insect bites;
- hide the redness of swollen eyes;
- neutralize redness near the wings of the nose;
- remove redness after sunburn.
This color is considered the most universal. It hides those defects that every girl has from time to time.
Pink concealer
Will get rid of green circles under the eyes and strongly protruding veins.
Purpose:
- a real salvation for girls with Eastern and Mediterranean type of appearance. Usually, with such an appearance, the eye contour has a brown tint, which is not covered by the usual tone, and no matter what makeup the girl does, it will always have a brown tint;
- a pink tint will correct a dull, grayish complexion. It will make your skin look ruddy, fresh and youthful;
- will cover up the green color, for example, veins, bruises of a greenish tint.
How to use a color concealer palette
Several color options are available for sale. Each is suitable for any color type of appearance and masking certain defects.
How to apply concealer on your face so that your makeup looks harmonious:
- Colored concealers are applied only under foundation.
- Concealer should be applied strictly from top to bottom so as not to lift up the vellus hair on the face and highlight the texture of the skin.
- The concealer must be applied in a thin layer.
- The product is ideally distributed with a brush or sponge. If you don’t have special tools at hand, you can use your fingertips. In this case, the movements should be driving in.
- To get the perfect concealer shade, you can mix two different products or simply dilute it with foundation.
In addition to correcting color imperfections on the skin, you can use concealer to perform contouring based on your face shape.
The main principle of contouring is to bring the face closer to an oval shape, which is considered ideal. You can do this in the following ways.
Contouring technique for round faces
The round face is distinguished by smooth lines, the chin is barely defined, and the forehead is wide. The jaw needs to be made a little narrower and more expressive. This method will bring your face closer to an oval shape. For contouring, it is recommended to use matte concealers, highlighter without shimmer and large glitter.
Contouring for a round face is done according to the following scheme:
- Darken the side area of the entire face and forehead.
- The highlighter is applied to the chin, in the center of the forehead and under the eyes on the prominent bone of the cheekbones.
When contouring a round face, the highlight areas should be kept small. The triangles under the eyes should be shorter than in other cases. Darkening zones must predominate.
For an oval face
Girls with an oval face shape have the easiest time, since they do not need to put much effort into creating makeup.
It is necessary to pay special attention to the cheekbone area, following the following application pattern:
- The sculptor is applied under the cheekbone and carefully shaded.
- The same should be done along the hairline, this will help narrow the forehead.
- Highlighter is applied to the chin, from the temple to the protruding part of the cheekbones.
For a square face
A face of this shape has relief, sharp lower cheekbones, the width of the upper and lower parts is the same.
In this option, it is necessary to soften the facial features and narrow the jaw in the following ways:
- Narrow your forehead by applying contouring to the sides.
- In the area under the cheekbones, contouring is applied from the ears and the middle of the cheeks.
- Highlighter should be applied to the chin and under the eyes as close to the nose as possible.
For a triangular face
A triangular face shape has a sharp chin and a high, wide forehead. You should not focus on the chin; special attention should be paid to the forehead.
It needs to be visually narrowed and the cheekbones slightly adjusted:
- Light concealer should be applied to the sides of the lower jaw.
- Dark contour in the middle of the chin. This will smooth out its sharpness.
- Dark color should also be used on the sides of the forehead.
- Apply a little dark shade under the cheekbones.
For a long face
Concealer for the face: an application scheme for an elongated face shape, according to which the chin should be narrowed, the forehead should be reduced, and facial features should become softer.
It is recommended to place the main emphasis on the cheeks.
- The chin, part of the lower jaw, and the growth line must be darkened.
- Light accents are placed on the protruding part of the cheekbones and in the center of the forehead.
- Blush should be used as far away from the temples as possible.
It is not advisable to use a corrective product that is too dark in color or in large quantities, as this will only make your face appear longer.
How not to use concealer: warnings
The purpose of this concealer is to make your skin perfect. But if it is used incorrectly, you can only aggravate the situation by emphasizing existing imperfections.
Mistakes that girls most often make:
- Applying a nude concealer under foundation is prohibited, as it will not give any effect. The exception is colored concealers that are applied under foundation.
- Circles under the eyes can be of different shades. Before applying a cosmetic product, it is important to carefully consider its shade, and then decide on the choice of color concealer.
- Concealer is applied only in a thin layer, since a large amount of product will emphasize the texture of the skin and will be very noticeable even from afar.
- Do not use a spot correction product instead of foundation. This action can clog your pores.
- The concealer needs to be blended thoroughly. If you don't do this, imperfections on your skin will only stand out. As a result, the face will look dirty with prominent spots.
- It would be a mistake to apply concealer under your eyes in a semicircle. This arrangement will only emphasize the presence of bags under the eyes.
Having a good understanding of the technique of how to use facial concealer (a step-by-step photo will help you visualize the stages), you need to experiment with images, try different styles of application and new cosmetic products.
To use the services of a professional makeup artist, you need to spend a lot of money, but you can learn how to apply makeup yourself. If you love your skin and take care of it, it will reciprocate.
Article format: Olga Pankevich
Video on how to use facial concealer
Contouring your face with concealer:
How to choose the right shade of concealer:
This product looks like an artist's palette. The green corrector masks redness, the orange one hides dark circles under the eyes, and the pink one adds radiance to the skin. We tell you the details.
- Corrector palette: what is it and why is it needed?
- Types of corrector palettes
- How to use the shades in the palette
- How to apply concealer correctly
- Scheme for applying correctors
- Lifehacks for use
Corrector palette: what is it and why is it needed?
Skin tone can be adjusted using products of different colors: orange (salmon), purple, yellow, green, pink. Brown is used to darken some areas of the face, and light beige “creates” volume. To make our life easier, manufacturers collect color correctors into a single palette (or palette). Such products save space in your cosmetic bag and money in your wallet.
Types of corrector palettes
Basically, correctors come in two types.
Dry (powdery, compact)
Powder products for the visual correction of cheekbones are considered easy to use, although there are nuances. For example, professional brands have contouring powders that are more pigmented: a professional makeup artist can easily handle them, while a beginner risks leaving a stain on the face.
Correctors are produced in two formats: compact and cream © iStock
Cream
Most color correcting products have a creamy texture - they are easier to apply and easy to blend even with your fingers. Also now popular are products for light-shadow modeling of the face: these can be either palettes or single products. Modern cream correctors are perfect even for beginners.
Remember: the greasier the product, the easier it is to blend, but the worse it will stick to the skin.
How to use the shades in the palette
We describe in detail which shade of corrector is suitable for which purposes.
Green
The green color corrector covers redness: pimples, inflammation, spider veins. Apply it with point-to-point movements, carefully blending along the edges.
Wait 30 seconds for the product to set, then move on to your foundation and finally set your makeup with loose powder.
Yellow and orange
These shades neutralize the blue under the eyes. Apply this corrector to the appropriate areas with your fingertips. Then use a concealer with reflective particles.
Pink
Violet
Serves to cover yellowish and greenish spots on the skin (pigmentation, traces of hematomas after injections). Apply according to the same pattern as the others. It is typically used around the mouth, where pigmentation appears with age.
Different shades of concealer perform different functions © iStock
Sculptor
It is designed for light-shadow correction of the face, and its ideal shade depends on your skin color. Some people prefer a sculptor with a high content of red pigment, others - purple.
The most popular sculptor color among Russian girls is taupe (from the English taupe). This is a gray-beige cool tone that suits most Slavic women. If you are dark-skinned, you will need a warmer shade.
Highlighter
A highlighter is a stick, cream or fluid saturated with reflective particles. It is applied to the prominent parts of the face: cheekbones, bridge of the nose, the area above the curve of the upper lip (the so-called “Cupid’s bow”) to give the skin radiance.
The matte light beige tone visually adds volume. With its help, the space between the eyebrows, the area around the nose and the chin are highlighted.
How to apply concealer correctly
The method of applying the corrector depends on its texture.
If your goal is to apply it to spots, take a small, flat brush and use an applying motion to transfer the powder onto your skin. If we are talking about shadow correction, take a medium-sized fluffy brush and blend the sculptor with soft movements from the bottom up.
Creamy textures can also be applied with your fingers. If you want a thicker layer, use a flat synthetic brush. A damp sponge and fluffy brush will give lighter coverage.
Apply concealer with a brush or fingertips © iStock
Scheme for applying correctors
The main rule is to darken everything that we want to hide and highlight those areas of the face that we want to emphasize. We take an oval face shape as an ideal.
Round face
Its characteristics are smooth lines of transition from the chin to the cheekbones and then to the forehead. The difference between the height and width of a round face is small. It often appears flat, which can be corrected with dark and light correctors and blush. Blend the latter over the apples of your cheeks.
Apply the dark corrector under the cheekbones, emphasizing their relief. To visually elongate your face, darken your jawline and highlight your chin.
Square face
The width of the lower jaw and forehead are approximately the same. These proportions and right angles can make a square face look rough. The sculptor shaded around the perimeter will add softness.
Triangular face
Oval face
An oval-shaped face is considered ideal. Judging by the proportions, the owners of such a face have a forehead width that corresponds to the width of the cheekbones, and the height of the face is 1.5 times its width. Correction around the perimeter is not needed here, but you can emphasize the cheekbones.
The corrector application scheme depends on the type of face © iStock
Lifehacks for use
We have three universal tips. Write it down!
Shade the sculptor by turning sideways to the mirror. This way you will see what your face looks like from the outside, and the result will be more natural.
Set creamy textures dry to enhance the effect. This method works great with light-shadow modeling, spot correction of imperfections and lightening of dark circles under the eyes (use this set: color corrector + concealer + translucent powder).
Apply concealer under your eyes, imitating the shape of an inverted triangle, and corrector only on dark spots.
Sculpting cream-powder “Infaillible Sculptor”, L’Oréal Paris
Using the dark part of the palette, create shadows on the face, adjusting its shape and relief. And the light texture is suitable for adding volume to the cheekbones and highlighting the bridge of the nose.
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The condition of your skin, or at least the appearance of how healthy it looks, plays a huge role in your overall appearance. An even tone and uniform relief, beautiful color and the absence of problem areas, pimples, wrinkles, irritation and even freckles, all this helps to look perfect, but not many people are naturally endowed with such wonderful dermis. Most often, there are problems with the skin, spoiling the appearance and giving an unkempt and careless appearance, which many girls and women dream of getting rid of. In order to make your skin perfect, you will have to put in a lot of effort, but it is not a fact that you will be able to do this at all, but a face corrector palette will help you quite successfully disguise flaws and imperfections, and we will tell you how to use it in our article.
When and how to use a corrector palette
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Many people simply do not understand the difference between concealers and correctors, however, there is one and it is worth paying special attention to it. Concealer most often has a shade that is as close as possible to a person’s skin tone. It has a dense and opaque texture, which is why it completely covers the imperfections of the dermis. The corrector has slightly different properties, a translucent texture, and it “hides” skin imperfections thanks to color correction, that is, correcting refraction in particles of daylight or artificial light.
Having learned and memorized how to use a palette of correctors in 15 colors, you can easily and quickly disguise a wide variety of imperfections on the dermis of the face. For example, the palette will do an excellent job of masking capillary mesh, pimples, freckles, redness, scratches, dark circles under the eyes and other aesthetically unattractive nuances.
A universal invention that has become popular only recently is a corrector palette, which includes up to twenty-five tones of a product designed to disguise imperfections in the dermis. It will be difficult to purchase such a palette today in almost any cosmetic store. It is worth relying on the experience of those who have already used similar cosmetics, therefore it is better to refuse offers that are too cheap, and if you are short on funds, it is better to choose a product of the middle price category, otherwise you can get something foul-smelling and immediately noticeable on your face, and this there is a useless waste of money.
Photo from the site: shopingtam.ru
You should always choose a corrector palette with only a light and airy texture in order to be able to use the cosmetic product every day without worrying about the health of your own skin. Due to the fact that the palette usually contains up to fifteen different colors, it makes sense to understand in more detail how to use the corrector palette correctly in order to achieve a truly revolutionary effect and simply transform yourself, adjusting not only the basic tone, but also the shape of the face, skillfully playing colors and shades.
The corrector is applied to the face not over the entire plane, otherwise you can get the effect of a wax doll, but selectively, depending on the desired effect. For example, in order to disguise circles under the eyes, you need to take one shade, and for pimples or freckles, another. Therefore, you should definitely listen to what the professionals recommend on how to properly use a face corrector palette in order to always look your best.
How to use a corrector palette: the perfect tone
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First of all, it doesn’t hurt to figure out how to choose the correct shade of corrector that is required for your purposes. In fact, there are not so many of them, so over time you will simply remember simple recommendations and you yourself will know exactly how, what and where to apply in order to achieve maximum effect.
Mint (green)
As everyone knows from school drawing lessons, red is evened out very well with the help of green. This works not only in an album, on whatman paper or on canvas, but also on our pretty faces. For this reason, for any redness, you can and should use a mint or light green shade corrector.
This corrector will cope perfectly with red pimples, scratches, inflammation and other troubles. Mint corrector also works well in the fight against vascular capillary meshwork, which also has a reddish tint. After applying such a product, you can notice the effect of the slightest haze, but you still need to complete the process with body correctors.
Salmon, yellow and orange
If you have been bothered by dark and even slightly bluish circles under your eyes for quite some time, and doctors have not figured out why they do not disappear, you can simply disguise them. The easiest way to do this is with the help of a yellow corrector, which copes wonderfully with this task. It is able to perfectly even out the tone and can even cover up an old and faded blue tattoo.
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The same can be said about orange and salmon shades, which perfectly cover up dark circles under the eyes from fatigue and lack of sleep, even quite noticeable ones. However, you should definitely take into account the fact that orange tones are not suitable for all dermis colors, but only for darker and olive tones. It is better for white-skinned people to give preference to slightly salmon and yellow concealers and this will be correct.
Lilac, blue and lilac
A few more shades that can be seen on the corrector palette are cool blue tones. It would seem, why do you need blue color if, on the contrary, you want to get rid of it as quickly as possible, but it’s not so simple. Too dark, gray-black circles under the eyes can’t hurt to lighten them with blue first, and it covers pigment spots perfectly, leaving almost no trace.
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If your skin has an unpleasant yellowish tint, or maybe you are simply bothered by the scattering of sunny freckles around your nose, then it makes sense to try one of the proposed options, they will definitely be useful. Brown spots, tattoos and dark circles simply cannot resist such powerful weapons as bluish color correctors.
Pink and pastel
Grayish skin tone must be corrected, otherwise you will always look sick and tired. It is worth paying special attention to correctors in pinkish and pastel shades for those women whose age is defined as Balzac's or older. Such tones will give the skin brightness, elasticity, youth and freshness, of course, with reasonable and dosed use.
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A pink corrector can easily disguise bluish bruises under the eyes, and not only that; it is best to cover up any hematomas with products of this particular shade, but only when they have already acquired a greenish tint. Moreover, it is worth paying special attention to zoning, since on a green background a pastel or pink corrector will be appropriate, but on a blue background it will give a terrible purple glow, which will only aggravate the situation.
In order to better understand how to properly apply a corrector palette to your face, you should find out what the color wheel is and correctly apply the knowledge gained. This circle includes three primary colors: blue, yellow and red. These colors cannot be obtained by mixing with others. The corrector palette also contains additional colors that can be obtained this way. Colors located opposite are called contrasting, and their combinations are complementary, which is what the original arrangement of shades in the palette is based on.
According to this special order of colors in the palette, you can figure out how to use them correctly, when and what shade to apply, and exactly how to do it. For example, you need to understand that opposite colors cancel each other out, like red and green. That is, painting a red spot with a green tint, and a greenish bruise with a red tint.
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The palette also contains beige and brown shades of corrector, which we did not mention separately due to its ease of use and application. It is intended for the same purposes as foundation or powder, so most likely it will not be difficult to figure out. However, it should be borne in mind that such a corrector must be strongly shaded, otherwise it will be visible in spots and stripes, which is unacceptable.
Recommendations and tips: how to apply a face corrector palette
If you nevertheless decide that you need a palette of correctors and even purchased it, then it will not be so difficult to figure out the colors, just master the basics given a little higher. Combinations and leveling of colors one another will be your guiding star, and moderation and maximum shading should be your best companions in this matter. The corrector was invented precisely to make skin imperfections invisible, its tone even, and its relief even, and not at all to turn your face into a mask of an actress of the Japanese kabuki theater.
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- First, before applying correctors and concealers, the skin of the face must be thoroughly cleansed and moisturized. All this can be done with the usual means, for example, micellar water and cosmetic cream for nutrition and hydration.
- First, a primer or makeup base is applied to the face, and only then a corrector, after which you can use foundation or, better yet, powder.
- You can apply the corrector from the palette using your fingers, a brush, or a sponge lightly moistened with water. Moreover, the product should not be smeared, but rather beaten into the skin, so it will lie much more evenly and cover all visible flaws.
- The corrector is applied from top to bottom so as not to lift the tiny skin hairs that every person on the planet has.
- It is allowed to mix two or more shades of correctors to obtain the most similar color.
It wouldn’t hurt to mix the corrector with foundation to weaken the effect and refresh the tone, but the effectiveness and covering effect will be slightly lower. Anyone can cope with this task and learn how to use a 15-color corrector palette, and even for an absolute beginner there will be no problem.
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If you don’t want to spend money without knowing what effect you might get, then you can do a simple test. You need a little dry eye shadow of the desired shade and a little foundation, which is mixed until a homogeneous mass is obtained. When such a product has helped and facial skin imperfections have been hidden, you can safely buy the palette and use it for its intended purpose.