How to use concealer – 5 expert techniques

Features and rules for using a face concealer is a fairly popular topic in the modern beauty field. Therefore, the journalists decided to find out what kind of product it is, what it is used for, how it differs from other decorative cosmetics products, how to choose and use it correctly. You will find answers to all these questions in this article.

Concealer – its features and differences from other types of decorative cosmetics

Concealer is a special makeup product designed to mask a variety of skin imperfections and imperfections. Until recently, concealer was used by professional makeup artists. However, gradually it began to be produced in the mass market and luxury lines of cosmetics. Not all girls and women understand how concealer differs from concealer and foundation, so the journalists of our publication asked the experts to clarify this issue. The main differences between these drugs are:

1. Skin Concealer – mainly used on the face, it has a dense structure, high overlapping and drying properties. The corrector is usually available in small tubes or sticks, in the form of a pencil, so it is used to hide small local defects of the skin, such as unwanted moles or single pimples. As a rule, correctors have different colors, which allows them to be used to solve different problems. For example, a green corrector masks red pimples well, a white or flesh one allows you to mask age spots, moles, freckles.

2. Concealer – can be used not only for the face, but also on the neck, décolleté, on the back of the palms and other areas of the body. Also suitable for masking large areas with skin defects. For example, it is advisable to use a concealer rather than a face concealer to hide under-eye bruises or areas of redness. The concealer has a lighter and more airy texture than the concealer and has moisturizing properties for the skin. The overlapping ability of this representative of decorative cosmetics is not too high. The color range in which concealers are produced includes all shades of nude and beige.

3. Foundation is a product that is applied to a corrective base and allows you to completely hide all the irregularities and imperfections of the skin. It has an opaque and dense texture, the shade is as close as possible to the skin tone of the face.

As you can see, the task of the concealer is to prepare the face for applying the foundation, increase the overlapping ability of the latter, and make the skin as smooth and uniform as possible. At the same time, it is obvious that the differences between the corrector and the concealer are not fundamental, they are interchangeable preparations. In addition, the beauty brands themselves still cannot determine exactly which product is a concealer and which is a corrector. Therefore, you should not be surprised if in the instructions for the corrector you find a recommendation to apply it to the entire surface of the face. Or if you see a green or purple product on sale labeled 'concealer'.

Concealer capabilities

The scope of application of the concealer is extensive. It can be used before, after, or even in place of foundation. It is advisable to use a face concealer instead of a foundation if it is hot or humid outside. A preparation with a less dense texture will better adhere to the skin, allow oxygen to pass through, it will be more convenient to 'wear' it in the warm season.

If you plan to use concealer as a corrective tool, you can count on it to cope with such defects:

1. Dark circles under the eyes. And it doesn't matter if this is an inborn feature of appearance or a consequence of lack of sleep and increased stress on the body.

2. Wrinkles, lethargy of the dermis and other manifestations of the aging process of the epidermis.

3. Foci of skin irritation.

4. Red spots on the surface of the skin.

5. Areas where the skin is flaking.

6. Imperfections and irregularities of the skin, which arise due to disorders of the sebaceous glands, hormonal changes, nutritional disorders. These can be acne, enlarged pores, blackheads.

7. The effects of acne, pockmarks, scars and scars.

8. Unwanted pigmentation on the face – freckles, moles, age spots.

To eliminate one or more aesthetic problems of the skin, you can buy a nude shade preparation. If the flaws are very pronounced, and the beige product is not able to mask them, use a colored concealer:

1. Green – designed to mask acne and redness.

2. Yellow and pink – mask bruises under the eyes, rosacea (vascular mesh), shallow wrinkles.

3. White – copes well with a variety of darkening of the skin – from freckles to pigmentation.

4. Violet, lilac, lilac – preparations of such tones will help remove yellowness of the skin, including masking yellowed bruises on the face or other parts of the body.

5. Beige with a radiant peach or apricot undertone – such a concealer will refresh tired gray skin, restore youth and radiance to aging, fading dermis.

In addition, a beige or nude concealer is widely used by professional makeup artists to contour facial features. In combination with a bronzer or dark beige eyeshadow, concealer can be used to highlight the good looks and deflect the flaws.

How to use for face contouring

This method is perfect for girls who have bought too light or, on the contrary, too dark concealer, and do not know how to apply it. Surely each of the women is a little unhappy with her facial features, even if they seem ideal to others. Some people don't like their too wide nose or heavy chin, close-set eyes or high forehead. This is where concealer comes in handy. If it is too light for you, then it will be used in contouring as a highlighter (clarifier). If the shade of the concealer is closer to dark beige, it will act as a bronzer (darkener). The very technique of using these two drugs is simple – the areas that need to be hidden or visually reduced their length, volume, need to darken; areas to which you want to draw attention should be highlighted.

An example of using a means for visual correction of appearance:

1. Narrow eyes. Apply light pigments to the lower eyelid along the mucous membrane. For this purpose, it is better to use a concealer pencil that is not sharpened too sharply. If you are not using dark eyeliner, you can also use concealer on your upper eyelids, and then apply mascara to your upper eyelashes. Using curling tweezers will also help make your eyes look bigger.

2. Eyes that are closely set in relation to each other. In this case, the concealer is applied to the skin in the inner corners of the eyes, as well as to the bridge of the nose.

3. Widely spaced eyes. The concealer is applied to the area under the eyebrows, darkened with bronzer or dark beige shadows in the inner corners of the eyes. The arrows on the upper eyelids, which originate not in the inner corner of the eye, but slightly closer to the bridge of the nose, do not interfere.

4. Massive chin, heavy jaw. Apply concealer to the center of your chin. Use a darker pigment to treat the lower lateral areas of the face, in particular, the protruding areas of the lower jaw.

5. A wide nose, possibly a little flattened. To correct this problem, apply the lighter concealer in a straight line down the center of the nose, starting from the area between the eyebrows and ending at the tip, and blend. On the sides of the nose, that is, on the wings, you can apply a dark pigment that acts as a dimmer.

6. Low, expressionless cheekbones. Apply concealer to the upper cheekbones, almost under the eye sockets, and blend. Apply a darkener to the area of ​​the face below.

7. High and flat forehead. Concealer is applied to the central forehead. You should end up with an inverted triangle with the lower end between the eyebrows. Blend the pigments. Apply the shade along the hairline on the head. The strip should be 1-1.5 centimeters wide, it smoothly enters the hairline so that a clear border is not visible.

8. Round face. Highlight the central part – nose, cheekbones, chin, center of the forehead. With dark pigment, treat the lateral zones of the face by drawing a conditional number 3, starting at the temple, rounding to the top of the cheekbone, bypassing the cheek and completing the line slightly below the corner of the lips. Don't forget to blend the bronzer.

How to use the product to mask aesthetic defects on the face

Usually, concealer is used after foundation. But this technique does not always allow you to achieve the desired result. Therefore, experts recommend trying the following sequence of applying cosmetics to the skin of the face:

1. Cleansing the epidermis from a variety of impurities. This item is mandatory even if you are going to make a make-up in the morning, right after sleep. Wash your face using running water and a special dermis cleansing foam.

2. Applying a nourishing, moisturizing cream that you use regularly as a day care product. After 10 minutes, the remaining unabsorbed cream can be removed with a cotton pad or paper towel.

3. Applying a primer for the face.

4. Applying a thin layer of concealer to those areas of the skin that require correction. If the defects are very noticeable, the pigment layering technique can be used. That is, you need to wait until the first layer of concealer has 'set' and dries a little, after which a second thin layer of concealer can be applied to enhance the concealing effect.

5. Applying foundation. This must be done carefully so as not to smudge the pre-made layers of concealer.

6. The use of powder and blush is optional.

If you want to apply concealer using the classic technique, proceed in the same way as described above, just apply the foundation first, and then mask the aesthetic defects with concealer. In this case, the use of powder is considered extremely desirable, since it will not only make the surface of the face matte, but will also help to consolidate the make-up, which will hold in place until the end of the day.

How to use the drug under the eyes

To hide dark circles, bags under the eyes and unwanted pigmentation of the skin under the lower eyelids, concealer should be used in this way:

1. Apply a moisturizer to the skin under the eyes, wait 5-10 minutes for it to be absorbed. If excess cream remains on the skin, remove it with a paper towel. The use of a cream is necessary, since the dermis on the area under the eyes is in most cases thinner and drier than on other parts of the face. The cream will protect delicate skin, restore its structure, and saturate with moisture. It will also prevent the conisler from clogging up into fine wrinkles and simply rolling into balls. It will be very good if the composition of the care product contains reflective pigments – this will allow you to get the maximum effect from using the concealer, as well as vitamin K, which has a lightening effect on the epidermis.

2. If you want to thin the concealer a little and make it look less dense and enhance the benefits of the concealer, mix it with a light under eye serum.

3. To make the preparation better adhere to the surface of the epidermis, powder the treatment area with a colorless transparent (transparent finishing) powder before applying it.

4. Rub some concealer onto a thin cosmetic brush that may have a slightly flat and beveled tip. Place 3-4 small dots under the lower eyelid.

5. Blend the concealer from the inner corner of the eye to the outer corner of the eye so that there are no boundaries between the shaded and unpainted areas. Try to distribute the pigments so that they take the shape of an inverted triangle, the bottom corner of which goes down to the top of the cheek. Do not drive or rub the pigments into the skin, their layer should be very thin.

If you are going to use a foundation after the concealer, then you do not need to apply the latter to the area under the eyes. Especially if the foundation has a dense texture. But you can apply the thinnest layer of powder, for this use a volume brush or a puff.

Non-standard ways to use face concealer

We have listed the main tasks for which concealer is used, and described how to use it correctly. But professional make-up masters have found many other uses for it, which is another argument in favor of buying:

1. As a primer for lips or eyelids. Using this product before applying lipstick or eyeshadow allows you to expect that the makeup of these areas of the face will also be more durable than usual. In addition, the concealer mutes the natural skin tone. Thanks to this, both lipstick and shadows have a richer tone, corresponding to those indicated on the package.

2. The drug will help make your lips plump. Apply a little pigment under the lower and upper lips, and also in the middle where the lips meet. Lightly 'hammer' it into the skin, then apply a soft or transparent gloss to the lips.

3. Facial concealer as a tool for minor correction of mistakes in make-up. Even experienced girls often make mistakes when applying decorative cosmetics to their faces. For example, often the arrows are of different lengths and thicknesses, or lipstick goes beyond the lip contour. Such minor imperfections, however, cause the makeup to be washed off and reapplied. But light pigment, which is used as a corrector, can correct the situation.

4. Concealer helps to make the look more expressive, wide open. If you have concealer in a fairly light (beige, flesh, white) shade, you can apply it under the tip of your eyebrows and in the inner corners of your eyes.

5. Concealer will help correct eyebrows if there are noticeable gaps in the bulk of the hairs. Apply the product to areas where there are bald spots, let it dry slightly, and then use eyebrow shadow.

As you can see, the scope of application of the face concealer is quite extensive, so it is recommended to always have it on hand.

4 common mistakes when using a face concealer

Experts have pointed out to us 4 main mistakes that girls make when using such a cosmetic product as concealer:

1. Incorrect application sequence for concealer and foundation. If you are using a colored concealer, apply it just before foundation. If you are using a nude shade correcting preparation, it is best to apply it at the very end of the make-up procedure.

2. Using the wrong shade of the drug. For example, if you apply a purple product under the eyes, bruises and swelling will not become less noticeable. On the contrary, acting in this way will only make the situation worse. Therefore, choose the tone of the cosmetic product in accordance with the nature of the problem. Green masks acne because it is the opposite of red in the color wheel. Therefore, if you have, for example, a fresh bruise on your skin, then a yellow-orange lightener will help to mask it.

3. Too thick layer of cosmetic product. Such a mistake seems obvious, but in real life, the desire to better mask a defect often causes the sense of proportion to disappear. To understand if you have overdone your makeup, go to the window and take a close look at yourself in the mirror, imagine that you are looking at a stranger. If the facial skin looks natural, there is no mask effect, then everything is fine. Otherwise, rinse off the makeup and use a concealer with stronger overlapping power instead of concealer, which will allow you to use fewer layers of makeup.

4. Application of masking strictly on the problem area, without any shading and without the subsequent application of foundation. In this case, an 'island' covered with cosmetics will be visible on the face, it will stand out strongly against the background of the skin not covered with pigments. The technique of using concealer assumes that this remedy only makes the appearance of the problem area close to that of normal skin. Once the desired effect is achieved, the borders of the area covered with concealer need to be blurred and then applied all over the face.

How to choose the right face concealer

In order for this face tool to be useful in makeup, you need to follow the advice of experts when buying:

1. Pay attention to the consistency and form of release. Liquid or creamy preparation is ideal for correcting minor aesthetic imperfections. If the defects stand out strongly enough on the face, a stick or pencil, which have a denser texture, will suit you.

2. The shade of the product also matters. To cover up the usual minor blemishes, just buy a nude concealer that matches your skin tone. If you have persistent blemishes that require regular corrections, use concealer in green, purple, white, or another color suitable for your daily tasks.

3. Finish character. Liquid preparations, as a rule, have different finishes – matte, satin, reflective. Matte is suitable for masking defects on all areas of the face and body. Reflective is only suitable for masking dark circles under the eyes, but it will only attract unwanted attention to pimples and wrinkles. A concealer with a light shine, that is, with a satin finish, is suitable for use in the hot season, as the skin will sweat under the sun's rays, and the lightest shine of the cosmetic product will make the make-up more natural.

4. The price category and brand are important criteria for choosing decorative cosmetics. All more or less well-known manufacturers have in their assortment not only foundation creams, but also corrective agents, including correctors and concealers. And here the consumer is faced with the question – which brand to give preference to? Let's start with the price. Luxury drugs from Lancom, Clinique, Dior, Shiseido, MAC, Chanel, Guerlain, Givenchy, Estee Lauder, Yves Saint Laurent, Bobby Brown cost around 1,500-3,000 rubles. But you need to select them with the help of qualified consultants. This is justified by the fact that many expensive drugs have not only the main, but also an additional effect aimed at solving specific problems. For example, a concealer can only be designed for dry or mature skin. At the same time, mass-market cosmetic products are almost all universal, suitable for any skin type. You can choose from more expensive options from Max Factor, L'Oréal, Yves Rocher, Garnier. The cost of their products is in the range of 500-1500 rubles. Or give preference to even more budgetary products of the brands Maybellin, Avon, Benefit, Oriflame, Vivienne Sabo, Artdeco.

5. If this is your first time buying concealer, do it at a stationary store, not online. You need to select a product in natural light using a probe. If it is a disposable sampler, you can safely apply the cream to your face, walk up to the window, look in the mirror and check how the chosen shade matches your expectations. You also need to compare the color of the concealer with the color of the foundation used, they should not overlap. Once you decide on the right shade of cosmetics, you can order this product from online stores. However, keep in mind that the shade of the skin changes – it becomes lighter in winter and darker in summer. Therefore, it is recommended to periodically visit stationary retail outlets in order to test samples and select the current shade of a cosmetic product.

6. There are additional benefits to using a probe before purchasing a concealer. You can form an opinion about how comfortable the consistency of the drug is for you, how comfortable it feels on the skin. And also make sure that the product is stable enough that it will not smear on the skin under the influence of body heat or environmental factors.

7. And the last tip – carefully read the information on the package and understand the composition of the product. Experts recommend opting for products made from natural ingredients. If the composition contains special ingredients – moisturizing, drying, nourishing, antibacterial – this is an additional advantage.

When is it not recommended to use a face concealer?

Concealer, like any other decorative cosmetic product, does not need to be used when there is significant skin damage on the face. We are talking about wounds, scratches, especially if the inflammatory process has begun. But in the case of acne with extensive rashes and pustules, the use of concealer can be helpful. But only if you use a remedy with antibacterial and regenerating properties, with tea tree oils and other beneficial ingredients in the composition.

You also don't need to use concealer if it's made from substances that you have or might be allergic to. Test the medication on the inside of your wrist and then apply it to your face.

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