Makeup 101: Everything You Need To Know About Concealers (With Bonus Tips Included)

When it comes to makeup, a concealer is any girl’s fairy godmother. From spots, blemishes, and discolorations to scars and dark circles; a concealer can hide away any natural imperfections to leave you with flawless skin.

A concealer might seem like the magic solution to all your beauty woes, but applying it involves its own risks – too much of it can make your makeup look cakey and the wrong shade can mess up your look like nothing else. While applying a concealer is not an intuitive process, it is not rocket science either. Here’s your complete guide to applying concealers correctly for flawless skin:

Concealer v/s Foundation

The chief difference between concealer and foundation is the procedure of application. Foundation is applied on the entire face whereas the concealer is applied on problem areas or imperfections such as dark circles, blemishes, pimples, scars and expression lines.

Though there is no fixed chronological order, if you apply your foundation first, you’ll not need to use as much concealer. If you apply a concealer first, however, you’ll remove most of it while applying your foundation.

How to conceal dark circles under eyes

A concealer is the most effective tool for hiding dark under-eye circles. In case you’re wondering which concealer to use to hide those unsightly circles, the answer is pretty simple. If you have more brown colored circles, then use a peach or orange based concealer (80% of all women fall under this category). However, if your circles are more blue-tinged, use a yellow-based concealer one shade lighter than your skin tone.  This color masks the blue discoloration and brightens the skin. Ideally, you should use a liquid concealer or one with a gel-like base to avoid caking it up under the eyes.

The most flattering way to apply concealer would be to draw a triangle with the base under your eye and the point towards your cheek. This triangular shape not only conceals the dark circles but it also instantly creates an illusion that your face is lifted. Use the pad of your middle finger to tap in the concealer (instead of rubbing it in) till it blends and disappears. Let the first layer dry and apply a second layer, if required. Finish up by applying a dab of translucent fine loose dust powder with a fluffy brush to set in the concealer.

Also Read: 13 Quick Beauty Hacks For The Working Girl

How to conceal pimples

When concealing a pimple, cancel out the pimple’s redness by applying green concealer with a clean brush to only the pimple (not the skin around it) to avoid spreading the bacteria. Now use a cotton swab to cover the area with a high-coverage concealer that matches your skin tone perfectly to camouflage the pimple. Blend it into the surrounding skin and set it with some translucent powder.

In addition to the above, concealers are like magic makeup wands that can serve many purposes and help you achieve the best results from all your makeup & beauty equipment. Some examples to get you started:

• For buying the right concealers, find out the uses of the different colors of concealers available in the market.
  
• After applying concealer under your eyes, blot the area with a thin tissue to prevent the product from settling in the creases around your eyes and leaving behind a cakey look.
• In case you find yourself without a concealer, place a small dot of liquid foundation on the area of concern, wait a few minutes for the formula to set, and then lightly blend it out with your finger.
• Your concealer can help get you fuller lips! Apply the lipstick, and then, fill in the middle section with a light concealer. Blend it out with your fingertip, finish up with a nude lip gloss and voila!
• Make your eyebrows pop by lining them above and below with a concealer that’s one shade lighter than your skin tone.

Have some concealer hacks of your own? Share them with everyone! Simply comment here with your tip and we’ll add it here, with due credits, of course!