Concealing & Colour Correcting
I love concealer nearly as much as I love my husband… nearly! So, first and foremost, on behalf of all the women out there, I would like to thank the marvellous person who invented concealer. You, my friend, have saved us from many a late night, countless blemishes and tons of other beauty dilemmas that we didn’t want the world to see.
Seriously though, concealer is an everyday essential for most. However, I regularly see it applied incorrectly. So below are my top tips on how to conceal and correct those bloody beauty bothers that we all get at some point in our lives.
First things first, which concealer is right for where? Well it’s pretty straightforward, actually. Obviously the below come in different coverages. If in doubt, go for a lighter coverage as these still work wonders and avoid that cakey look.
Liquid based concealer
Best for under the eyes as they tend to be hydrating, brightening and don’t sit in creases. Not gonna lie though, I adore a liquid concealer so you’ll often find me chucking one all over my face.
Cream based concealer
Best for the rest of the face. They tend to blend well into the skin, as well as give a good a good coverage.
Before we talk application techniques, let’s talk colour correcting because, if you need to use these magic products, they should be applied under your concealer.
I’m a big fan of colour correctors. It’s amazing how they can balance and even out your complexion in seconds. The two biggest mistakes are: first, picking the wrong shade and second, applying too much product. Trust me, I’ve seen many a ‘Shrek shade face’!
Below I’ve put a basic chart of what colours work for what dilemma.
Please print If you regularly use concealer and colour correctors!
Fave colour correcting palettes
NYX 3c colour correcting palette £10.50
Great value with all the tones you’ll need. Click to buy.
Studio fix conceal and correct palette £30
Great coverage and it comes in shades for all skin tones. Click to buy.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Vanish £24
Great for neutralising and brighten the skin. I love this under the eyes if it’s necessary. Click to buy.
Now you know what type of concealer and colour corrector to go for, here’s how to apply them for the different dilemmas.
Dark circles
These pesky things can be caused by many reasons: dehydration, lack of sleep, stress or they can just be hereditary. The skin around the eyes is 40% thinner than anywhere else on the face. This is why darkness around the eyes tends to be most obvious. Even if you don’t have dark circles, brightening under your eyes makes such a huge difference to your look.
Rather than applying directly under your eye, draw a triangle from the inner corner, down to the top of your cheek, and back up to the outer corner of the eye. Blend this in, upwards towards the eye. Then use a touch of your concealer on the eyelids too, blend up towards the brow. Dark circles are called that because they can appear all the way from your eyebrows, down to the cheeks, so brightening that entire area will give you the best results.
My faves
NARS Radiant creamy concealer £24
This is in my kit for a reason. It’s creamy and brightening as the name suggests. It also blends beautifully. Click to buy.
Maybelline Eraser eye concealer £8.99
Love the sponge applicator on this. It gives an even coverage and brightens. I find this works particularly well if you have a yellow undertone to your skin. Click to buy.
p.s If you’re unsure of your undertone, click here.
Armani luminous silk concealer £22-£34
So you know the luminous silk foundation is one of my favourite of all time. Well the concealer is also a beauty. It’s full of Vitamin E and glycerine which is great for dark circles. It blends beautifully with a fluffy eyeshadow brush. Click to buy.
Fenty Pro filt’r concealer £19
A brilliantly buildable coverage that reaches full coverage. Great if you tend to layer your powder over your foundation. Click to buy.
Moisturising, creamy and a concealer and corrector hybrid. This is a great product. I also love the large doe foot applicator. Click to buy.
Rosacea and redness
This is a very common dilemma. If you suffer from high colour, yellow colour corrector will become your best friend. Apply the corrector on the areas you get the redness, apply foundation over the top, and finish with a cream concealer to match your complexion. Avoid using your fingers as they are warm and can bring the redness out. Use a damp sponge, dampened with cold water. Avoid red based blushers, and rather stick with coral/orange tones.
My friend Rose (@rosegallagher) has Roseacea and has some brilliant tutorials on her instagram showing how to cover it.
My fave products
Glossier Stretch concealer £15
An anti-caking formula thanks to its flexible formula. A light to medium coverage that can be used anywhere on the face. Click to buy.
Vichy Dermablend colour corrector £15
A great longer product that covers even the strongest red tone. Click to buy.
IT cosmetics Bye bye redness neutralising correcting cream £41
IT are famous for their anti-redness range so they know their stuff. Their correcting cream is a great starting point for neutralising red areas. Click to buy.
Pigmentation
This dilemma comes in many shapes and forms, and can get worse during the warmer months. Pigmentation can randomly appear during pregnancy (known as Melasma) or taking birth control pills. SPF is key to avoiding pigmentation. Wearing a high SPF every day, whatever the weather, is essential. Vitamin C is a great product to incorporate into your skincare routine to help combat those pesky dark spots.
From a makeup point of view, a colour corrector with an orange undertone (see above for the tone of orange for your skin tone) will help to knock back the darkness. Apply this under your foundation. Use your fingers to press and layer it in place. After your foundation, press a concealer to match your skin tone over the area of pigmentation. Don’t go too heavy on either the concealer or foundation as it could actually make the brown spots stand out more. Just an FYI from me. If you have freckles, embrace them. I think they are absolutely beautiful.
My fave products
Ultra-sun Anti age and anti-pigmentation SPF50 £24
One of my favourite SPF brands, Ultra sun’s products really work. Click to buy.
La roche-posay Anthelios SPF 50 £17.50
Ultra light weight and great for sensitive skin. Works really well under makeup. Click to buy.
Yes it’s expensive but Murad is an incredible brand and this helps with long term skin damage as it has the Murad technology behind it. Click to buy.
Shisedo Expert sun protector SPF 30 £34
If you want an SPF30, this is my fave. Lightweight and highly moisturising as well as giving you a good layer of protecting. Great under makeup. Click to buy.
Concealers
Laura Mercier Secret camouflage £24
Another OG that I’ve used forever. This is a creamy concealer and corrector combo. It brightens and gives you a beautiful finish. Click to buy.
Bobbi Brown creamy concealer kit £26.50
Great for oily skin as this kit includes a creamy concealer one side and a silky powder the other. Use the concealer to cover and then the powder to set. Click to buy.
Blemishes
Ugggh spots! Potentially the most annoying skin thing. They can appear at any time and come in all shapes and sizes. The best thing to do is to leave them alone. Try not to put makeup over them as this can make them worse. Skincare wise, you want products that contain nice acids, such as Salicylic, Lactic and Glycolic. Whatever you do, DO NOT pick your spots! If you absolutely must cover them, then use a yellow based colour corrector to take back any redness, followed by foundation and a cream concealer. I like to buff this in with a clean, fluffy eyeshadow brush as they are super gentle and will help give an airbrushed finish to your skin. However, don’t be tempted to use this brush anywhere else on your face until it has been properly washed. The last thing you want to do is spread the spot.
My Fave products
Vichy Normaderm SOS sulphur paste spot treatment £17.50
Great for taking down inflamed spots over night. Click to buy.
This is a brilliant product full of salicylic and tea tree both known to reduce spots. Brilliant for travelling. Click to buy.
These are great. They are little stickers, almost transparent, that you put over a spot. They don’t budge until you take them off and they really do help to take down an angry spot. Click to buy.
Mario Badescu Drying lotion £16
A cult product because it’s an excellent spot treatment, made with a blend of Calamine and Salicylic Acid to clear up and soothe unsightly whiteheads overnight. Click to buy.
One more thing! I get coldsores, they are an absolute pain but please try to NOT cover them. It won’t help. Just take your lysine daily and be patient. However, if it’s a major emergency like a first date or the first trip to the pub after lockdown, ha! Follow the same technique as Rosacea.
Hopefully this has answered all of your concealer and colour correcting questions. As always, feel free to comment below or DM me to ask any beauty questions you may have.
Love & Lipstick,
Lisa xx
p.s. Links are affiliated. This doesn’t change the price for you, it just means I get a few pence from each sale.