Use concealer not only to cover spots and circles under the eyes, but to highlight your better side too.
It’s because most make-up artists apply concealer to erase blemishes and to create natural looking highlights that the cosmetic industry has designed products perfect for both jobs. This means the tops of cheeks, for example, can be highlighted for a smooth transition between blush and natural skin tone, and broken capillaries concealed at the same time.
How to Apply Concealer
Rule number one when applying concealer, either as cover or highlighter, is to use as little as possible. Too much accentuates blemishes rather than covering them and appears ‘caked’.
Apply Concealer Over or Beneath Foundation?
Unless using a color corrective concealer, always apply over foundation; only in this way is it possible to know where concealer is needed and where foundation suffices to cover blemishes and shadows. Apart from that, the necessary exact placement of concealer is ruined by applying foundation over it.
Apply Concealer with the Finger or a Brush?
It’s easier to work concealer into foundation with a brush. Fiddly areas, like the inner corners of the eyes, are almost impossible to reach with the finger, especially with long or longish nails. If using the finger, choose the ring finger to avoid applying too much pressure.
Apply Concealer to Cover Blemishes
For pimples, spots and acne, concealer and foundation must match natural skin tone exactly. A medicated product is a good idea only if its consistency is not too dry — creamy products always work best to cover and blend. In order that concealer doesn’t draw attention to the blemish it endeavours to cover, it should be matted and fixed with powder, again in a matching tone.
Blend minimally with the tip of the brush. Only when necessary, use the finger very carefully for further blending.
It is often said that a concealer darker than natural skin tone draws attention away from spots by causing them to recede. This is untrue; it makes spots more prominent.
For reddened areas, including broken capillaries, use a green, color corrective concealer. This must be applied beneath foundation. Too much color corrective concealer shimmers through foundation — use as little as possible.
Apply Concealer to Cover Under-Eye Circles
The pigment density of concealer is greater than that of foundation, making it ideal to cover dark areas and unwanted shadows, including circles under the eyes. For this, it must match foundation or natural skin tone exactly — not a shade lighter or darker; a lighter color accentuates circles and puffiness. Concealers of a creamy consistence are best to prevent emphasis of fine lines. Use loose powder to fix and take off shine — compact powders settle in lines, especially below the eyes.
For most women, a yellow based concealer is best for circles under the eyes; pink makes them appear blue.
Apply Concealer for Natural Looking Highlights
The principle of highlighter is very simple; areas that are deeply set, or those that should be accentuated, are drawn out by highlighting, just as those that are too prominent are played down with blush and shading products.
Concealer creates natural looking highlights. Reserve products that offer a luminous sheen for the brow bones and cheeks.
The Inner Corner
This highlight is for everyone. Not only does it make eyes look clearer and fresher, it covers the blood vessels that shimmer through the thin skin. Generally, concealer is applied over foundation, but foundation isn’t applied here at all when using concealer; it would look ‘caked’.
Begin at the innermost part of the eye, and work upwardly and downwardly.
The Outer Corner
This area should be lightened when a darker area of skin pulls the eye optically downwards. This is always the case with hooded eyes or a strong brow bone.
Place the highlighter at the outer eye corner and blend it down towards the cheekbone.
Beneath the Entire Eye
This is for those with small or deep-set eyes.
As before, highlighter is placed at each corner of the eye, but in this case it joins at the centre and runs downwardly to form an imaginary triangle. This highlight attracts light, making the eyes appear more open.
Using too much concealer/highlighter directly below the eye emphasizes lines and swelling as well as looking ‘caked’. Always remember; less is more.
The Frown and Nasolabial Folds
These are difficult areas, and most women only succeed in making matters
worse. The diagram illustrates two possible placements for each area.
Nasolabial Fold
Lighten only the area above the nasolabial fold (where the curve of the cheek attracts no light) rather than directly on it.
To achieve an exact placement, use a brush. Work concealer well into foundation.
The Frown Crease
The frown crease is somewhat trickier. There’s no guarantee this will work for everyone, but the illustrated placements are a good starting point. It’s one of those things that function differently from person to person. Just try it out and experiment.
The danger is in inadvertently playing up the crease rather than playing it down, especially at the base of the brow bone. Again, it’s best to use a brush. Start by using as little concealer as possible and work it well into the foundation.
The Mouth
If the corners of the mouth slope downwardly, apply concealer to each corner
and blend into foundation. This is easily done either with the finger or a brush.
Wrinkles on the upper lip are eradicated by filling the notch that forms the bow of the lip and blending outwardly along the lip. Not only does the mouth area appear smoother, it also prevents lipstick from ‘bleeding’ into lines.
If the space between nose and upper lip is too short, place a highlight under the nose (exactly as in the diagram) and blend it into foundation.
For a receding chin, apply an imaginary triangle below the mouth and blend downwardly and outwardly.
For Square and Round Faces
Placing concealer below the eyes tapering to the corners of the mouth gives the face length. Blush is used to add structure.
Where Else can Concealer be Applied as Highlighter?
- On the brow bone
- For stunning eyes, place a highlight at the centre of the upper eyelids. A light, shimmery eyeshadow over regular eyeshadow also produces fantastic results.
- At the centre of the forehead running down the bridge of the nose.
- On the collar bones to accentuate.
- On the curve of the breasts, again, to accentuate.
- Special effect highlighters work well on the brow bone, the top or apple of the cheeks, the shoulders and cleavage. Try products especially designed for this kind of highlighting for sparkling glamor.
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