Correctly apply concealer to your face (English)

Knowing how to correctly apply concealer to your face step by step (photo), you can easily not only disguise imperfections and minor blemishes on your facial skin that foundation could not cope with, but also correct its shape. Typically, concealers are matched to the natural color of the skin, but there are also colored options that allow you to hide the most problematic areas. Read on for more details.

“Concealer” – what is it?

What is the difference between a corrector-concealer and a regular foundation and what is it? In its properties, it is very similar to a regular corrector, which is also applied directly to the problem area of the skin (pigment spots, dark circles under the eyes, pimples, scratches, fine wrinkles, freckles, etc.).

The product is quite dense in structure (but at the same time it can be applied to the most sensitive and delicate areas of the skin), which is why it produces a stunning visual effect. However, concealer is not a replacement for foundation or makeup base.

Concealer: how to choose

It is advisable to choose a shade of concealer for everyday makeup that is a shade lighter than your foundation.
To disguise dark circles under the eyes, use a concealer with pink or peach undertones.
Green color corrector-concealer “hides” defects in the form of pimples, various types of redness and bruises well.
Purple perfectly hides yellow skin and age spots.
To hide any rashes on the skin, it is advisable to choose a product with a dense structure, which contains additives that reduce the growth of bacteria. Such concealers not only mask problem areas, but also heal them, neutralizing the inflammatory process.

What types of correctors are there?

Manufacturers produce a very large number of concealers, differing not only in color, but also in texture.

Liquid. The light texture of this product allows you to bring the color of the concealer as close as possible to the fusion of the main tone of the face. The advantage of the concealer is that it is easy to apply and can be combined with any skin type. One of the disadvantages is transparency, which does not make it possible to disguise serious problem areas.
Creamy. Such correctors are produced in tubes, and they are applied to the face using a special brush or your own fingers. Creamy concealers are ideal when you need to disguise “tired” blue circles under the eyes and other similar imperfections.
Based on mineral powder. More effective correctors that have a very dense structure (and therefore are difficult to shade), capable of hiding those imperfections that others have failed to cope with, while, in addition, providing a therapeutic effect.

As for choosing a concealer based on your skin type, everything is individual - for dry skin a moisturizer is selected, for oily skin - with a drying effect.

Palette of color concealers

Color correctors are very popular, with which you can hide imperfections on the face and, if necessary, correct the oval line, but only if you know how to correctly apply concealer to the face step by step (see photo with description below). The choice of color depends on the problem that needs to be masked.

with the help of white concealer you can “hide” freckles well;
pink will help hide bruises and visually reduce veins;
yellow masks dark circles under the eyes, wrinkles and spider veins;
orange or apricot copes with hiding circles and dark circles under the eyes, but be careful, as these shades are not suitable for everyone;
green color corrects scars, reddened skin, rashes of various types;
purple is used to hide yellow complexions and bruises;
brown is used to sculpt the face.

Subtleties of applying concealer

To get a perfectly even complexion, you need to consider your face shape when applying concealer. This will highlight the advantages and hide the disadvantages.

How to apply concealer correctly? The corrective agent should be applied along the massage lines, namely the upper part of the cheekbones, forehead, chin and nasolabial folds.

So, apply the corrector to the work surface (stand or hand), distribute it to problem areas. Using a sponge, brush or fingers (whichever is most convenient for you), blend with light movements. If necessary, you can apply another layer if the coating is not dense enough.
To correct dark circles under the eyes, concealer is applied. Attention! cone-shaped (under the lower eyelid), gradually (shading) moving down and making a smooth transition with the foundation. Next, apply a small amount of the product to the upper eyelid, starting from the inner corner of the eyes, and very little under the eyebrow. Thanks to this technique, the eyes will look rested and the look will gain radiance.

Dark shades of concealer are used for areas that need to be hidden, and light shades are used to highlight prominent areas of the face or to create a strobing effect.
At the end, to consolidate the result, be sure to powder your face, otherwise the makeup will smear after a few hours.

Correcting face shapes with concealer

When applying concealer, follow the following rule: if the concealer is lighter than the foundation, then it should be applied first (under the tone), and if the color matches the tone of the foundation, then the sequence in application will not matter much.

How to properly apply concealer to your face step by step (photo) will be clear if you repeatedly go through the entire process in practice. The main thing is to remember the basic rules of application and you will be guaranteed a flawless complexion!

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Every girl and woman always dreams of her skin looking fresh, smooth and velvety. However, ensuring that your face really looks absolutely perfect every minute is hardly easy; for this you need to constantly make every effort. Global environmental pollution, constant stress at work and at home, total lack of sleep, fatigue, unhealthy food, as well as a sedentary lifestyle do their dirty work day after day, causing our skin to become excessively dry, or, conversely, oily and prone to irritation. and rashes. Moreover, it will not be possible to get rid of an unhealthy appearance using emergency methods, so cosmetologists and makeup artists have found a way out - to use concealers that can give your face a radiant look. True, not everyone knows how to properly apply concealer to their face.

What is concealer and what types does it come in? It won’t be difficult to figure out how to apply concealer to your face.

To begin with, you should definitely figure out what this mysterious and enigmatic concealer is, about which there is a lot of gossip and talk. In fact, concealers can be called one of the most difficult products in the cosmetic industry to use. Among other things, many girls simply don’t even know how to apply concealer, the photo can be seen below, so after trying several times they give up and after such a negative experience they tell everyone that this is the prerogative of only real professionals.

You need to know that concealer is a creamy or liquid cosmetic product that is specifically designed to mask any blemishes on the skin of the face. In addition, it is with the help of such a tool that you can sculpt an owl’s face, that is, visually highlight those areas that you consider look more advantageous and “hide” those that would be desirable to hide.

To begin with, you need to clearly understand that concealer is not a foundation, not a corrector, and not a basis for applying the rest of your makeup, so using it in the manner of these products is not correct, and it is not worth it. You won’t be able to achieve a good result this way, but you’ll definitely be guaranteed to look like you’re wearing three tons of plaster. So what can a properly applied concealer help with? With professionally applied concealer you can:

Photo from the site: sunny7.ua

Hide a wide variety of skin irritations and color defects.
Gently and effectively hide dark circles and bags under the eyes after a sleepless night.
Get rid of freckles, at least until you wash your face.
Effectively hide scratches or inflammations, as well as other, wide variety of skin defects.

Types and types of concealers for a variety of purposes

It is worth knowing that the modern cosmetics industry offers consumers an incredible number of diverse options produced by various brands, both well-known throughout the world and with completely unnoticed names. However, they differ not only in their color palette, which is quite logical, but also in their release form. For different purposes, you need to choose only what suits best, then applying concealer will be much easier, because it is better to always do everything according to the rules.

Photo from the site: cherrymix.com.ua

The thinnest concealers are sold in bottles, similar to lip gloss. It is best used to retouch dark circles under the eyes. This product has a light, creamy texture that penetrates well into the skin and is well distributed over the entire surface. Using this product, under which foundation has already been applied, you can disguise even quite noticeable bruises and redness near the wings of the nose.

Photo from the site: vk.com

The most popular lately have become concealers, which come in the form of a palette with a full range of different shades. They are quite thick, but spread easily and can be blended well. It is these concealers that are best used for sculpting your own face, since it is possible to work with shades. The video at the end of the article will tell you in the best possible way how to apply concealer.

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Concealers of various shades, produced in the form of sticks, are already much thicker; they are intended to correct problematic skin, which often experiences redness, rashes, pimples and the like. For spot correction, such a concealer, which resembles lipstick, will not work, as it tends to shade rather poorly, it needs to be applied to a fairly large area of the face.

Photo from the site: macbrand.ru

There is another option - a concealer in the form of a pencil, which will help to precisely hide some imperfections on the surface of the dermis. Among other things, such pencils often have a high bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect, that is, they not only mask, but also eliminate the problem.

How to apply concealer to the face: step-by-step photos illustrate the accessibility of the process

In fact, if you think that you just need to choose a shade of concealer that matches your skin tone and smear it all over your face, then in this way you will get the perfect appearance and perfect skin, but this is far from the case. With such actions, you can turn your own pretty face into a porcelain doll mask, which everyone around you will, at best, look at with bewilderment, and at worst, with sarcasm. You need to know how to apply concealer, and that’s what we’ll be talking about.

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It is worth understanding that there is nothing overly complicated in the process of applying concealer. Therefore, our improvised instructions will show you step by step how to properly apply concealer to your face, which I hope will be useful. It is worth saying that everything needs to be done methodically, repeating everything that is needed step by step, otherwise you will not be able to achieve exactly the same, ideal result as the models in magazine spreads. However, first of all, it is worth understanding that the concealer is applied on top of the foundation and not vice versa, otherwise there will be no use at all.

The right concealer will give amazing results

The success of all subsequent actions will depend on how correctly you choose this cosmetic product. First of all, the choice will depend on what problems with the dermis you need to hide.

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To disguise dark circles under the eyes, products that are two or even three shades lighter than the natural skin tone are usually used.
To correct bruises, spots and red pimples, it is best to use greenish or bluish shades of concealers.
In the case of acne, it would be optimal to choose a pencil concealer, which is the easiest to draw dots with, and also copes with this task best.
You can check whether a particular shade of concealer is suitable only by applying it directly to your face, and no hands will help you. That is, test color and texture exclusively on the face.

Preparing the skin for facial concealer: how to apply, diagram and comments

When the products are finally selected, you can move on to the stage of preparing the face itself, applying concealer, which can really make you look like candy in just a few minutes.

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Wash your face using the usual method, it doesn’t matter whether it’s tap water or thermal micellar water.
Apply a light moisturizing or nourishing cream to the surface of the epidermis, and then gently massage it into the skin.
Apply the foundation you use and then you can begin the magic itself, that is, applying concealer.

Before you start applying anything to your face, you need to first choose the right color. No one will doubt that the facial concealer, as the diagram will show in full, how to apply, should become invisible, but give an effect.

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Let's start with the mirror of the soul: how to properly apply concealer under the eyes

You definitely need to figure out how to apply concealer under your eyes, because this is where the most important magic begins. If you make inaccuracies here and do everything wrong, then the area around the eyes will constantly catch the eyes of others, ruining your entire spectacular appearance. You need to understand that the product can actually hide many skin defects, but only if applied correctly and in no other way.

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You should start applying concealer under your eyes exclusively from the inner corner to the outer corner.
Please note that you can shade the product with your hands, a special brush, or a regular cosmetic sponge. It is best to choose a brush, but you still have to learn how to work with your fingers. The main thing here is that they are warm and the concealer literally “floats”, gently lying on the skin, using driving movements.
Rubbing concealer into the skin under the eyes is strictly not recommended, as you will not get results and can injure the dermis.
Try to blend the product well along the lower eyelid, as close to the eyelash line as possible, so your tricks will be less noticeable.

Photo from the site: life-moments.net

Among other things, you don’t need to limit yourself solely to the area around the eyes. Visually draw triangles with vertices extended downwards on the face and blend the product so that it covers the entire area, then the result will be the best, and with all the inconspicuousness, you will be able to hide bruises, wrinkles and even bags.

We correct spots and pimples and finally consolidate the result

At the last stage of correcting our face, we also need to learn how to hide pimples and rashes, dark spots or annoying freckles, although it is worth considering that most men are simply crazy about these funny and touching specks on their cheeks and nose. For high-quality retouching, you need to choose the right color, that is, figure out, in essence, how to correctly apply a concealer palette. Above is a color matching chart that should serve as something of a permanent reference for you.

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So, the concealers are finally selected, and all that remains is to carefully apply them to individual pimples, spots or inflammations.
Do not forget to shade all edges thoroughly.
If the edges still make themselves felt, then it won’t hurt to go over the edges with a little foundation, thereby hiding pronounced transitions. You need to apply foundation exclusively with a brush so that the layer is minimal.
From above, the entire face should be covered with translucent powder, which will not allow your makeup, applied with such difficulty, to simply take off and flow, especially in the hot and even sultry summer period.

How to apply concealer on your face: common mistakes that you would like to avoid

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Thus, there is nothing overly complicated in such a process as applying such an excellent corrective product to the face and every girl can do it with just a few practice. However, time after time, many representatives of the fair sex still make a number of annoying mistakes and blunders that affect their appearance. To avoid them, you should listen to the recommendations of real world-famous makeup artists.

Real professionals never tire of repeating that concealer should never be applied to dry and clean skin. It is carefully spread over the foundation, which should “stand” for seven to fifteen minutes. Also, you should not apply foundation over concealer to avoid a “plaster” effect.

You shouldn't use foundation as a concealer; it will simply get stuck in pores and wrinkles, not masking, but even highlighting, which we definitely don't want.
If you need to hide a defect or pimple, you should not smear the product directly on it, it won’t work. Real experts apply concealer around the spot, and then blend it, gradually approaching the center, so the result will be maximum.
Do not apply concealer to the area around your eyes until your foundation or cream has dried. These products will prepare the “testing ground” and the concealer will apply perfectly.

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Among other things, many girls try to blend concealer over the surface of dry skin, and then say that they either purchased a defective product or it is completely unrealistic to learn how to use it. In fact, remember, the skin should be as moisturized as possible, that is, before applying foundation, you need to wash it, and then apply the appropriate cream. If you do everything correctly, then the result will definitely please you.

An even, natural skin tone is a virtue that not every girl has, but the vast majority strive for this as an ideal. Some areas of the skin need color alignment and lightening. It is for these purposes that concealer was created. It is applied to the face, to the area under the eyes, to mask certain imperfections.

What is the difference between corrector and foundation?

In terms of functionality, the concealer is similar to a corrector, however, the texture is more delicate and light, and also brightens the skin tone. It is used to correct minor imperfections that are not convex, since brightening emphasizes protruding defects.

If you compare the concealer with the foundation, it will turn out to be denser, with better coverage.

Concealers come in colors, not just beige shades. Their palette includes blue, orange, pink, green, and peach shades.

Release forms

How you apply concealer to your face is determined by its texture.

The texture of the product will differ depending on the form of release:

Concealer with brush. This is a bottle that ends with a brush. As a result of pressing on it, the product saturates the brush and is applied to the desired areas. You need to distribute it with line movements and then shade it.
In a tube. The texture of the product can vary from liquid to creamy. This concealer can even out skin tone, brighten and make minor imperfections invisible. The liquid texture blends well, but does not cover significant unevenness well. The creamy texture is more versatile, but it won’t hide severe redness either.
With applicator. The applicator is a brush or brush like a lip gloss. The consistency of the products is also similar. It can be used dotted or shaded in small areas.
In a stick. The shape resembles lipstick. The texture of this product is thick. This concealer covers and mattifies well. Often the composition contains moisturizing and caring components: beneficial extracts, oils. But it cannot be used to treat the under-eye area.
Solid. Designed for spot application to mask imperfections. It doesn't require much blending.
Case. A thick concealer is placed in this form. It is applied with a brush.
Palette. The palette includes several concealers in different shades, each of which performs specific tasks.
Powder. This product with brightening properties can mattify, even out tone, and give freshness to the skin. But due to its texture, loose concealer emphasizes flaking and wrinkles. But it is indispensable for oily skin, as it absorbs oily shine.

The concealer may contain reflective particles, which allows it to be used as a highlighter. In this case, it is especially preferred for use under the eyes. Concealer containing zinc has an anti-inflammatory effect, while vitamins and antioxidants nourish the skin.

Antibacterial components prevent the development of infection, soothe inflammation, salicylic acid reduces skin oiliness.

Selection rules

Concealer for masking skin defects should match the skin tone or be 0.5-1 tone lighter. If concealer is used for spot correction of imperfections, then even a slight difference from the natural skin tone will be noticeable. This is especially true for girls with fair skin. It is important to choose the right undertone of the product: yellowish or pinkish.
To sculpt, you need to purchase two products: one lighter and one darker than your skin tone.
It is more practical to buy a palette with several tones of concealers, since the natural skin tone changes depending on the season.
You can only select the perfect tone in natural light.
The product from the sample should be applied under the eyes, and not on the inner surface of the palm. The tone of these areas often does not match.
When choosing the consistency of a concealer, you need to take into account your skin type. The drier the skin, the more liquid the product should be.
For the first time, it is recommended to buy budget brands of concealers.

If you are worried about constant rashes, you should not rely on cosmetics - In this case, it is better to carry out special therapy.

Rules and recommendations for application

Experienced makeup artists advise how to apply concealer to your face correctly:

Before applying concealer, you need to moisturize your skin and let the cream absorb.
Defects are corrected with concealer after applying the main tone; concealer is not used as a foundation.
You need to blend the concealer with warm fingers. It is enough to rub your palms together. The warmth of your hands will make the product more liquid and blend better. However, it makes no sense to make a very thin layer, since it will not cover the defect. It is important to maintain a golden mean.
It is better to apply less than too much. You can always add concealer, but it’s harder to remove it if it’s too noticeable. Concealer applied in a thick layer gets into the folds.
It is recommended to use a brush with artificial hair to blend the product. The brush and brush included in the kit are designed for applying the product to the skin in strokes. Subsequently it needs shading. It is difficult to perfectly shade the transition of shades with a sponge.
You need to apply concealer in good lighting, preferably daylight, to avoid spotting.
Concealer is applied under the eyes so that a right angle is formed, looking down. This is how the product will look most natural. If you apply the product in a semicircle, it will be noticeable on the face.
To avoid the appearance of wrinkles with frequent use of the product, you need to shade it with light movements, preferably with your ring finger, since it is the most sensitive and gentle.
Apply powder over the concealer, so that it stays on the skin longer, but because of this, wrinkles may become more noticeable.
Scratches and other similar damage cannot be masked with concealer. This contributes to the development of inflammation.

Video on how to apply concealer correctly:

Blackheads are covered by applying the product in a spiral from the periphery to the center.

Apply before or after foundation

The main condition for applying concealer is not to apply it to dry skin., because it will be very difficult to shade. The skin should be moisturized with cream or foundation. Typically, concealer is applied after foundation. If after blending the concealer the borders are still visible, apply a light layer of foundation on top.

Application scheme

First, the skin is cleansed with a familiar product.
Apply a moisturizer or emulsion.
After the moisturizer is absorbed, the corrector is applied.
Next, apply foundation.
Then they treat minor defects by applying concealer pointwise and pat the product into the skin with their fingers.
Powder the skin on top.

Where to apply concealer

Makeup artists have determined how to apply concealer to the face to adjust its volume, based on the basic properties of colors. Dark shades reduce volume, light shades increase volume. To contour your face, you will need two shades of concealer: white or light beige and dark.

A light tone is applied to the lower and middle part of the forehead, above the “Cupid’s arch”, on the chin, bridge of the nose, under the eyes, under the eyebrows.
Dark is used to highlight the hairline, temples, and sides of the bridge of the nose.
It is recommended to highlight the cheekbones with a purple shade.
If you are wearing clothes with a low neckline, you need to apply concealer to your neck and chest to smooth out the transition.

The transitions need to be shaded, and then use powder to cover the concealer.

How to use colored concealers

Each tinted concealer has its own purpose:

Yellow masks the imperfections of purple and blue.
Green covers redness and vascular network.
Pink refreshes yellow skin.
Peach gives freshness to a tired gray face.
The blue tone neutralizes pigmentation, tanning, dark circles under brown eyes.

Colored concealers are applied to the face area pointwise in a minimal amount.

Face shape correction

Concealer is used as a product that not only helps to mask imperfections on the skin, but also corrects the shape of the face.

Application areas will vary based on face shape:

A square face is distinguished by a wide forehead, jaw, and massive cheekbones. These areas need to be darkened so that they are in shadow and less noticeable. You need to lighten the central part of the forehead, the back of the nose, the area under the eyes, the center of the chin. This technique will visually make the face more elongated.
A round face is too wide, so the temples, cheeks, and sides of the chin are darkened to make the face appear narrower. Use a light shade to highlight the middle of the forehead, under the eyes.
A triangular face is characterized by a wide forehead and a narrow chin, so a dark concealer should be applied to the sides of the forehead and temples, and a light concealer should be applied to the chin and infraorbital area, thereby visually expanding the lower part of the face.
A diamond-shaped face is especially marked by prominent cheekbones - they need to be darkened, the remaining areas are lightened.
An elongated face needs to be visually reduced in length. For this purpose, a dark concealer is applied along the hairline on the forehead and chin, and a light concealer is applied to the cheekbones and cheeks.

How to correct imperfections under the eyes

To remove circles under the eyes, you need to apply the product in two strokes to the area under the eyes, converging at the lowest point, cover the area inside and blend.

To disguise bags under the eyes, you will need two products: a light shade and a slightly darker one. A dark shade is applied to the protruding area, and a light concealer is used to fill the depression under the bag, thereby visually evening out the volume. After applying foundation, the bags will become almost invisible.

When not to apply

Concealer should not be used:

in the presence of an allergic reaction. In this case, you need to choose a hypoallergenic product;
with the progression of the inflammatory process on the face.

Dry concealer should not be applied to dry skin. It will emphasize flaking and lay down in an uneven thick layer that will be difficult to blend.

Ideal makeup should be multi-layered, make-up artists think so. One of the must-have products is concealer. It is applied to the face after foundation, since in this case it shades better. The product brightens and emphasizes the desired areas.

Author: Irina T.

Article format: E. Chaikina

Useful video about concealers

A story about using colored concealers:

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Correctly apply concealer to your face (English)

Correctly apply concealer to your face