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No doubt about it, concealer is one of the most powerful products in your makeup arsenal. With the right formula, you can cover just about anything you’d like to hide, from dark under-eye circles caused by a restless night’s sleep to blemishes and breakouts.
Concealers can also help extend the life of other makeup you’re wearing, such as eyeshadow. If you’re wondering how to pick a concealer that’s formulated to help you camouflage birthmarks or scars, we can help with that too! In this blog post, we’ll cover everything you need to know when it comes to how to pick a concealer, including:
If you’re wondering how to find the correct concealer for you, the best place to start is to ask yourself what you’re hoping to achieve. Is your top priority reducing the appearance of dark circles, or are you more concerned with concealing sun damage or scarring? Would you benefit from a concealer with anti-aging ingredients built in? Here are seven recommendations for high-performing concealers that rise to the top in each of the following categories:
This concealer is specifically formulated for use around the eyes. It helps neutralize discoloration under and around the eye and provides antioxidant protection with vitamin E and chamomile extract. Aloe provides light hydration as coconut oil helps lock in moisture. You can also apply it to your eyelid as an eye makeup primer to prevent creasing, increase color vibrancy and boost the longevity of your eye shadow.
“While it is usually possible to perform fillers or Botox without bruising, anything can and will happen,” says board-certified dermatologist and LovelySkin CEO Dr. Joel Schlessinger. “It most often seems to happen to the person who must be at an event or in the public eye. That's why every dermatologist has their go-to products for just this instance.” Dr. Schlessinger recommends these two concealers to provide medium- to full-coverage of post-procedure bruising or dark circles. Dermablend Cover Care Full Coverage Concealer is a hydrating formula with a soft matte finish and an angled doe-foot applicator for easy use. It also comes in a wide array of shades to complement any skin tone. Another fantastic option is jane iredale Enlighten Concealer, which works to brighten skin and soothe under-eye puffiness while also concealing the look of bruising and dark circles. It comes in two shades: Enlighten 1 for light to medium skin tones and Enlighten 2 for medium to dark skin tones.
If combatting under-eye puffiness is your primary concern, this concealer from Colorescience will take care of that and more. This concealer was specifically created for the eye area and, as you might guess, from the 3-in-1 name, it’s a serious multitasker. It reduces puffiness and brightens the under-eye area to help you look well-rested, while also protecting skin against sun damage using SPF 35 mineral sunscreen. And if that wasn’t enough, it also helps improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The blend of active ingredients behind all these benefits is called Proprietary Total Eye Complex, which contains peptides, polysaccharides and beneficial plant extracts that all work together to leave you looking fresh and ready to start your day.
If covering hyperpigmentation or sun damage in the form of dark spots or freckles is your primary goal, consider this innovative concealer. Consisting of concentrated pigments suspended in a soothing and hydrating aloe-based gel, this concealer is formulated to promote oxygen uptake to reduce acne and irritation.
“I like to recommend Oxygenetix for my patients who spend a lot of time on camera or on stage and have struggled with skin irritation or acne from wearing heavy makeup in the past,” Dr. Schlessinger says. “This concealer does a fantastic job covering dark spots and hyperpigmentation without clogging pores or causing skin irritation.”
This concealer is also water-resistant for up to ninety minutes, making it a fantastic choice for sweaty situations.
If you’re wondering how to find the right concealer for redness, this concealer can help you even out your skin tone. It provides light to medium coverage that cancels out any unwanted color, such as visible redness from skin conditions such as rosacea. It dries to a natural finish with a touch of radiance, thanks to light-reflecting diamond powder and mineral pigments. A sponge-tipped applicator wand makes for precise and easy application wherever you need it, from the creases around your nose to the under-eye area.
Need a little brightness in your life? This versatile concealer contains mica to give your skin a shimmery boost of brightness while camouflaging blemishes and discoloration. It also contains sun protection, hyaluronic acid and squalane to boost hydration and cacao extract to protect against blue light. Just squeeze out a bit of the cream formula onto your fingertips and lightly pat it into your skin until you achieve your desired coverage.
If anti-aging is your top goal when it comes to skin care, you can bolster your efforts with this nourishing under-eye concealer. It contains plant-derived peptides to improve the texture of under-eye skin and reduce the appearance of crow’s feet and fine lines. It also contains two mineral sunscreens, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, to protect the delicate eye area from sun damage and photoaging. The stainless steel applicator is cooling and comfortable. Plus, it’s curved just right to adeptly cover the delicate skin around your eyes.
Facial scars—whether from acne, injury or otherwise—can be tricky to cover without the right concealer formula. This concealer from Japanese brand Koh Gen Do is designed to melt into the skin and offers full-coverage correction with a lightweight feel. It dries to a natural-looking luminous finish, and thanks to a proprietary water-repellant powder technology, it resists caking and creasing throughout the day.
Now that you know how to pick a concealer that has the right formula to fit your needs, you might be wondering how to find the correct concealer color. If you want to conceal under-eye circles, choose a concealer shade that is one or two shades lighter than your skin tone. If you plan to use your concealer elsewhere on your face or body to camouflage blemishes or scarring, you’ll want to pick a shade that matches your skin tone exactly.
When using a liquid cream foundation, apply your foundation first, and then, layer concealer over it. This technique provides the coverage you need without overapplying product. However, there is one exception: if you use a powder foundation, it’s best to apply your concealer first for the smoothest finish.
Choosing the right color of concealer and applying it in the correct order with your foundation will help you achieve the most natural look. Next, gently and sufficiently blend your concealer using a concealer brush or professional makeup sponge, which creates a more natural finish than using just your fingers.
There are a few different factors that make concealers look noticeably cakey or creased. One is overapplying concealer, as excess product can clump up over time and look unnatural. Another reason is dehydration or dry skin, so make sure to use an eye cream as a regular part of your skin care routine.
Now that you know how to pick a concealer, have you ever wondered if you might have sensitive skin? Here are seven signs to look out for.
Aaron serves as Editor at LovelySkin. Since graduating from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2016 with degrees in Creative Writing and English, he has immersed himself in the beauty industry. When he’s not writing about the latest beauty trends, he spends time cuddling his dogs, scouring antique stores, playing tennis and hiking.
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