Multimasking, contouring, baking, strobing… so many different trends and techniques to try these days! Ladies, there’s officially one more trick to add to that list – concealer wardrobing. Professional MUAs are very familiar with this method, because they’re used to making their clients’ skin appear flawless on and off camera, however, it’s not a one-product task. So, how does this technique apply to real life?
Summer days are over, so it’s time to transition from naked dewy skin to more polished looks with help of strategic concealer application that addresses the skin’s local problems on the spot. Literally. Just like your favorite spot cleaner or stain eraser pen, having multiple concealers in your beauty arsenal can help achieve a very polished look with less effort than you might think.
First of all, you’ve got to figure out what exactly it is you’re trying to conceal. It’s also important to take into account your skin type in the affected area. I have combination/dry skin with oily eyelids, so I have to adjust my skin care and makeup formulas accordingly.
Here’s an example of concealer wardrobing [and by the way, I have not retouched any of these pictures at all, so you can see how these concealers really work]:
1. First and foremost – apply your foundation first [unless you use powder foundation, in which case conceal first]. You’ll find that you may need less to conceal, which will end up potentially saving a lot of time.
2. As a personal preference, I conceal my under eye circles first, however, you may start anywhere. For my blue-ish circles I opt in for concealer bases with peach or pink tones. You may find some that are shrimp-colored -those are perfect! My current favorite – Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer in Radiant.
3. Next I move on to brightening the eye area on top of my peachy corrector. I prefer easy-to-blend liquid formulas that contain light-reflecting particles, like It Cosmetics Eyelift In A Tube in Fair. The shades in it seem to match my NC15 skin pretty well. A tip I learned from a MUA – apply your concealer in a V-pattern for the most natural-looking finish.
4. Blemishes are always tricky to hide, because you need two products: a green-toned concealing pigment [I currently use Dermablend Smooth Indulgence Redness Concealer], and an actual concealer that meets three important criteria: thick, pigmented, and the color matches your skin tone as closely as possible.
I’ve been struggling with finding the perfect shade, and still on the hunt for more options in case my two current close matches get discontinued. Lately I’ve been loving Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Cream Concealer in Fairly Light Neutral and Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer in Golden Ivory. I even featured that first one in my favorites roundup.
5. Last but not least, some may want to conceal hyper pigmentation, like acne scars or melasma. Depending on your foundation, you may or may not need to touch up a few spots here an there. I normally use light to medium coverage foundations and BB creams, so I have to add a little extra coverage in a few places, particularly on my cheeks, chin, and over that tricky red area under one of my nostrils. For me a medium coverage pencil or wand concealer works best for this task, and I also use it to give my face subtle definition. Right now I’m testing Amazing Cosmetics Perfection Stick in Fair and so far I like it quite a bit!
Those were the basic techniques I use all the time, however, concealers can do more than just conceal. Another benefit of having a concealer wardrobe is that you can use it to enhance your features beyond simply masking imperfections and discolorations. Here are some of my favorite tips:
1. Re-shaping. You can do it with different colored foundations, or you can do it with concealers if it’s a small area. I find that keeping a bunch of concealers on hand for this purpose is cheaper than holding on to multiple bottles of foundation. For instance, correcting my nose or lip shape with pencil or wand concealers is much easier than blending out liquid foundation.
2. Correcting. Any MUA reading this post will probably roll their eyes at me, but yes, I do use concealers to correct makeup mishaps. That’s how I get perfect winged liner, clean lipstick lines, and sharp brow edges.
3. Highlighting. There are so many light-reflecting concealers these days, so why not just use one as a highlighter? I particularly love highlighting with shimmery concealers in my cupid’s bow area, under the eyebrow, and in the inner corner of the eye.
I hope you enjoyed this little chit-chat about concealer wardrobing! This might sound like a complicated process on paper, but it’s all much easier than it looks. I suppose, my final tip is no matter how or where you apply your concealer – set it. Any translucent powder will do, but there are special “setting powders” out there designed specifically for the task.
P.S.: I will feature this makeup in another blog post next week, so you can take a closer look at it. Stay tuned!
Now it’s your turn to share! Have you ever tried using multiple concealers? What are some of your favorite products to hide imperfections? Do you have a drugstore must-have for covering blemishes? Let me know in the comments below!
Disclosure: This post features products received for editorial consideration and may contain affiliate or referral links. For more details about my product review policy, copyright, and information about affiliate links, please refer to Disclosures & Content Use page.
