From covering up a blemish, to creating cheekbones where there were none, concealer is the makeup bag must-have with a myriad of uses; so how do we make our concealers even more hard working?
We’ve spoken to the experts to get seven concealer hacks that will take your makeup game up another level.
Rosacea is the redness of skin that comes from enlarged capillaries, leaving you looking like you’re permanently blushing and for a quick fix, Musq’s Emma Reid recommends bypassing your skin-coloured concealer in place of a green corrector. “A green corrector helps counter redness of the skin, covering blemishes and minimising the redness that occurs from rosacea.”
Did you know concealer can be used to contour? Shu Umuera’s Kent Vaughan explains that to achieve this look you need two colours, lighter and darker than your skin tone. “Shu Umuera’s Duo Concealer Palette works well for contouring applied with a synthetic brush and then blended with a sponge to soften the edge for a flawless finish.”
Jane Iredale’s Martina Williams explains that the right palette of concealer can completely mask even the darkest discolourations, including tattoos or heavy bruises! “The Jane Iredale Corrective Colour Kit contains four shades, a yellow to neutralise red, a peach to neutralise blue, violet and grey, lilac to neautralise intense yellow, and also a universal beige blending shade.” So, if your bruise is a blue-black, use a peach tone to cover and then apply a skin coloured concealer of foundation on top of the peach to finish.
Bobbi Brown’s Alphie Sadsad says there are three things to remember if you’re needing to use your concealer on the run. “Make sure your select a product that’s easy to use, easy to carry and looks natural on the skin – if it’s too fake or cakey you’ll make the job bigger.” Alphie recommends the Bobbi Brown Retouching Pencil to lighten, brighten and freshen up under the eye area. The trick is to, “swipe the pencil from the inner corner of the eye out to where the shadows are then using your fingertip pat and blend into place.”
The trick to using concealer to highlight is to choose a product that’s a few shades lighter than you natural skin,” says Jane Iredale’s Martina Williams. Martina recommends applying a highlighting concealer like Jane Iredale’s Active Light on the brow bone, the tops of the cheekbones and the inner corners or the eyes. Then, sculpt a thinner nose by drawing a vertical line down the centre bride, blending the edges to avoid an obvious stripe.
If you’re looking to hide the appearance of fine lines, Estée Lauder’s Nica Marcello says it’s all about choosing the right formula. “Creamy hydrating formulas are your best choice. Couple this with a serum that addresses the appearance of fine dry lines. My favourite concealer for diffusing the appearance of fine lines is Estée Lauder Perfectionist Youth-Infusing Brightening Serum + Concealer. The Brightening Serum can be used to brighten underneath the eyes, concentrating on the outer corners, then use the cream concealer to cover any darkness.”
If you’re needing a coverage that will last all day and take you from the office to a dinner date, MAC Cosmetics, Carol Mackie suggests M.A.C Studio Finish Concealer Duo. “Try a warmer shade that’s not too light, going straight in with a light colour over darkness just makes the eye area look ashen.
Main image from Ali and Lana’s Wedding. Photography by Candid Image.
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