What is concealer?
As its name suggests, concealer is used to conceal. It can conceal everything from spots to dark circles, redness to blemishes. Similar to foundation, it is often a thick cream-based cosmetic. Choosing the right concealer for your skin is an important factor determining its success. This blog post will help you decide which concealer is best for you!
Concealer Undertones
To ensure the concealer is best suited for you, it is important to consider its undertones. An undertone is the colour below the skin’s surface, which affects your skin’s overall shade. Commonly, a concealer’s undertones will feature a yellow/peach/orange tone. However, there are also ‘corrective’ shades (designed to balance) such as purple and green.
- Yellow undertones reduce facial redness
- Peach undertones offset dark blemishes
- Purple undertones counteracts yellow tones
- Green undertones correct hyperpigmentation
Our Top 5 Concealers
1. YSL Touche Eclat (£27): adored by makeup artists and celebrities alike, this gorgeous and smooth concealer from Yves Saint Laurent is the perfect addition to your makeup bag. It is particularly good at brightening the under-eye area and improving the radiance of your skin’s natural complexion. We recommend you use this concealer to combat dark circles by applying it under the eyes, sides of your nostrils, and on your chin to help shape and contour.
2. Maybelline’s Eraser Eye Concealer (£6): voted the UK’s number 1, this liquid concealer is a must have! A personal favourite of ours, it is super easy to use and comes in a variety of shades. What makes this product particularly special is its applicator. Simply twist the tube to release the product into the attached sponge, then dab it gently on your target areas. This gives a smooth and natural final look. At just £6, this concealer is also extremely affordable.
3. Maybelline’s Fit Me Liquid Concealer (£6): This oil-free and non-comedogenic concealer is one of the best concealers for the lowest price. Whilst we love the aforementioned Touche Eclat, you could buy more than 4 of Maybelline’s ‘Fit Me’ concealer for the same price. It expertly conceals facial redness and reduces blemishes. We think this particular brand of concealer offers a more natural finish. So much so, we sometimes wear it without the need for foundation! That being said, the formula is very blendable, making it perfect to use with foundation also. However, the only downside to this particular brand of concealer is that we believe there is a limited number of shades available.
4. Bourjois Healthy Mix Anti-Fatigue Concealer (<£5): Albeit the cheapest concealer on this list, we highly recommend the Bourjois Healthy Mix concealer. This product is particularly good for makeup first-timers. Why? It has a smooth formula which easily blends into your skin. This helps you to cover any signs of tiredness without leaving streaks or marks. As given by its name, this concealer actually contributes to healthier looking skin. For example, it contains vitamins C, E and B5 which helps to create a glowing radiance. It’s also super easy to apply. Using the soft tip applicator, you can precisely apply it to your target areas. We recommend using this concealer for day-time makeup wear.
5. Stila One-Step Correct Concealer: Last on our list is a unique, innovative concealer from Stila. Its triple-swirl helix serum is used to prime, colour-correct AND brighten your skin. Leaving your face feeling flawless. As discussed earlier in our blog, this concealer uses colour-correcting pigments to even your skin complexion. First, the green tone is used to neutralise redness and conceal blemishes. Second, the lavender tone counterbalances sallow undertones and replaces them with a vibrant, energised look. Third, the peach tone illuminates the skin, helping reduce the appearance of sunspots.
How to Apply Concealer?
In order to reduce blemishes, it is recommended you apply your chosen concealer (using a stiff makeup brush) in a dotting motion.
Step One: First, choose your shade. As discussed, there are many colours of concealer. In order to decide which is suited best for your skin, it is recommended you first determine what you need the concealer for. Are you trying to cover up spots? Acne? Dark under-eyes? Determining your reason for concealing helps you to choose the best-suited colour and shade.
Step Two: Second, choose the type of concealer you wish to use. As shown in our top 5 list, there are many different types of concealer. Some come as sticks, serums, and pencils etc. Different styles offer different coverage. Choosing which style to use should be based on your skin-type. For example, if you have oily skin then we recommend avoiding cream or stick concealers. A liquid concealer would be better. Moreover, stick concealers are recommended to conceal spots/acne. This is because the concentrated edge enables you to better target spotty areas.
Step Three: Third, preparation. Before applying any makeup, you must first wash your face and go through your skincare routine. If you use primer, concealer goes on straight after. This is the first step in makeup application, and is intended to be applied over a blank canvas. That being said, concealer can be used throughout the day/night to top up blemished areas.
Step Four: Fourth, in order to reduce blemishes, it is recommended you apply your chosen concealer (using a stiff makeup brush) in a dotting motion. For under-eye areas, use a concealer brush or your fingers to the dab concealer in. Otherwise, for your cheeks, chin and forehead, it is recommended you blend the concealer around the edges so that there is no noticeable difference between your natural skin-tone and the concealer. For acne or lone spots, dab your concealer and then blend outwards. We recommend not over-using your concealer at this point. A thin layer will ensure you avoid a ‘cakey’ look. It’s better to keep it light and apply more throughout the day if needed.
Step Five: Lastly, it’s time to set everything. Add your foundation over the top of your concealer, and then use a setting powder to spray on top. This will ensure your makeup stays where it should and remains long-lasting.
