What Does Concealer Do?
Concealer is one of the most valuable and versatile makeup products out there. You can use it in so many different ways, making it a must-have.
So, what even is concealer? It's a face product that's thicker than foundation, allowing you to hide a variety of imperfections. You can hide dark circles, blemishes, redness, acne and more.
Concealer works great on its own but looks best on top of a premium foundation. A little goes a long way. You can do a lot with a small amount of concealer.
While there are many different types of concealer on the market, you don't always have to use a different concealer when covering various imperfections. A high-quality concealer will work well on multiple areas of your face.
Let's cover (pun intended) the many uses and benefits of concealer.
What Is Concealer?
First, let's dive a little deeper into what concealer actually is and the different forms it comes in.
Concealers exist to conceal or cover up skin imperfections on the face. They generally work by adding color to your skin to create an even complexion. Concealers also contain other ingredients besides pigment that help cover your flaws.
We covered that it has a thicker consistency than foundation. The formulation difference is because you need a heavier product to conceal your skin's flaws. Foundation can get you halfway there, but noticeable imperfections need a little more. If you try to use a foundation as a concealer, you will use a lot more than if you just used a small amount of concealer.
Concealer comes in many different formulations. There are liquid, cream, and stick concealers. The most versatile is liquid concealer because it's easy to use on multiple areas of your face. Liquid concealer is easy to apply and is also buildable. It works for most skin types.
Concealer can change the color of your skin and highlight your facial features. When put on after foundation, it can make your skin look even more even and smooth.
How To Choose A Concealer
How do you choose a concealer that is going to work for you?
It's always good to start by identifying your skin type and focusing on what imperfections you have that you want to conceal.
If you're looking to highlight your face, try a concealer that's a shade or two lighter than your natural skin color. When you use it in the center of your face, like under your eyes and on the t-zone, it has a brightening effect. Try not to use a light shade all over your face, though. You might end up looking like a ghost.
If you are covering acne, aim for a concealer that blends in seamlessly with your foundation. If you use the same shade that you use to brighten your face on a blemish, you may end up highlighting it instead of concealing it. Nobody wants that!
HIDE Premium Concealer is a great product if you're looking for something that can cover multiple imperfections. The formula is long-lasting and oil-free, which will give you a matte finish that lasts all day.
Corrective Concealers
You may want to consider a color-correcting concealer if you are trying to conceal imperfections that are a much different shade than your natural skin tone.
For example, covering blue under-eye circles or redness can be easier with a color-correcting concealer. They are used to target an array of skin issues such as dullness, redness, under-eye circles, dark spots, and bruises.
Color correcting is when you use complementary colors to cancel out discoloration. You want to look for colors that are directly opposite in the color spectrum.
Color Correcting Guide
- Green: Neutralizes Redness
- Red: Neutralizes darker tones on deeper skin tones
- Orange: Neutralizes blue
- Yellow: Neutralizes gray and purple
So depending on what kind of discoloration you have, you may need more than one color correcting concealer.
When applying, use a small amount so you don't end up with creasing. You will also want to apply a concealer that matches your natural skin tone over the color-corrected areas.
Different Uses For Concealer
The sky's the limit for the different uses for concealer. If you're only using your concealer in one way, you're missing out.
You may not even realize what you can achieve with this one makeup product. Let's explore the many different things concealer can do, some will be obvious, and some may give you a new idea.
Conceal Dark Circles
One of the first things you may associate with concealer is its use under the eyes.
If you've ever had a sleepless night, you may already know the importance of a good concealer. It can cover those dark circles and brighten up the area, making you look rested and put together.
Hide Blemishes
There's nothing like a bad blemish to ruin a whole makeup look. Even if IRL, you're the only one that notices it.
Concealer can help you hide it from the world. As mentioned before, you want a concealer that matches your skin tone and isn't a shade lighter or darker. The last thing you want is to emphasize your blemish, and the wrong color will do just that.
Blur Fine Lines
Everyone has some fine lines on their face. They don't need to be covered up, but concealer can help you do that if you want to.
A buildable concealer formula is best, so you can apply it in thin layers as needed without causing creasing.
Prime Eyelids
You don't necessarily need a hundred different products to achieve an excellent makeup look. Lipstick makes a great cream blush, eyeshadow can be a highlighter, and concealer can be an eyeshadow primer.
You can simply dab your makeup sponge on your eyelids after blending out your under-eye concealer. The excess product on the sponge will cover your eyelids and provide an excellent base for your eyeshadow.
Contour
You can create that perfect contour chiseled effect using concealer.
Select a concealer that is easy to blend and is two or three shades darker than your skin tone. Place it in the areas of your face that you want to appear more sculpted. These areas are usually the cheekbones and under the jaw.
Once you place the concealer in the desired areas, blend it out until you have that flawless finish.
Applying Concealer Step-By-Step
How you apply your concealer can make or break your look no matter how good the formula is.
If you want to create a flawless finish, you should try to follow these few simple steps.
Step 1: Prime Your Skin
Preparing your skin for makeup will go a long way. It’s always best to start with a clean, fresh face.
Exfoliating your skin is also very useful. When exfoliating, you're removing dead skin cells that prevent makeup from going on smoothly. Good skin is going to lead to a more airbrushed finish.
After you clean your skin, apply a moisturizer, so it stays hydrated.
You can stop at moisturizer, but if you feel like going the extra mile, you can also apply a foundation primer to help your skin's appearance and to ensure your makeup lasts all day, no matter the weather.
Step 2: Apply Foundation
Your next step is to apply your foundation.
Foundation first will give you an even skin tone and an excellent base to build off of. HIDE Premium Foundation is a great option that will reduce the appearance of imperfections.
If you apply your concealer first, you could end up taking it off as you go over it with foundation.
Step 3: Place Concealer Where You Need Extra Coverage
Once your foundation is on, it should be obvious where you need extra coverage.
You can spot-conceal around your nose where you may have redness or on any blemishes.
Blend your concealer out into your foundation with a slightly damp makeup sponge. If you don't have a makeup sponge, you can use your ring finger. This finger is actually your weakest finger, so you won't apply too much pressure when blending out your concealer in your delicate eye area.
Step 4: Set Concealer And Face Makeup
After you finish applying your liquid face makeup, use a setting powder. A setting powder will help keep your concealer locked in place all day. It will also prevent creasing in those fine lines.
Once you finish with your makeup, you can also use a setting spray to help make your look last all day.
However, HIDE products can be used without a setting powder or a spray and still last for over 12 hours!
Perfect Imperfections
Concealer is one of the most underrated products. It's definitely a must-have in any makeup bag.
Concealer has so many different uses. You can conceal imperfections, highlight, prime your eyelids, and contour all with the same product.
When applying concealer, there are a few tips and tricks that will help you achieve that flawless finish.
HIDE Premium Concealer is an excellent option for any makeup bag if you want to make covering your imperfections effortless.
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