Concealer – One that Can do Everything for You

For me Concealer is almost as vital in the morning as the first coffee. Slept badly? Then he conjures up the dark shadows from under the eyes. Eaten wrong? Concealer makes red spots disappear. Pimple alarm? Cover and that’s it. But it is also irreplaceable for optical cheating like fuller lips and perfect brows. What he does not forgive, however, are errors in the application. Concealer doesn’t like it when he is visible. He works under cover, so to speak. His look is a no-makeup look.

If the concealer is to work invisibly on the face, the right choice of color and texture is essential. Have you got it already? Right. You can’t get by with just one concealer if the “cheating” as such is not to be seen. What you need is a lighter, not too compact version and a darker, but somewhat thicker version. The former should be a shade lighter than your own skin. But: Do not use stubbornly all year round, but always adapt to the season, i.e. the tan! Light can be used against dark circles under the eyes or for small make-up tricks, which we will get to later. A liquid texture or cream that melts gently is easier to blend and pat so thinly into the sensitive skin under the eyes that you don’t have to expect “crumbs” at some point. The face looks fresher in no time, the eyes more alert. For the rest of the face and to cover imperfections, the darker concealer can be a bit firmer, creamier and more covering. So far so good. But to find the right color, it is not enough to choose only between light and dark. If this does not harmonize with the natural undertone of the skin, you can forget it: the concealer looks ashy or stands out unattractively. Warmer skin types should use masking products with a yellow or orange undertone, while cooler skin types with shades of pink are better advised. But how do you recognize your own skin undertone? Take a look at the wrists: if the veins show through bluish / purple, the complexion is rather cool. If they look green, it is a warm undertone. But there are also neutral types that can wear all colors. Their veins shimmer blue-green. Chosen correctly, the concealer will blend seamlessly with the skin.

It’s Prime(r) Time

Just as a painter primes his canvas, the face must also be prepared for the “application of paint”. First clean, then distribute a moisturizer. A primer is a great little helper. Ideal in the morning when there is no time for an extensive makeup routine. The concealer can be spread evenly and easily on top. But what is a primer? It leaves an even skin, evens out impurities, reduces at least optically enlarged pores and also makes the foundation more durable. If you don’t use foundation, apply your concealer right now. Otherwise, it’s only after the foundation is applied, because a large part of the concealer will be blurred again when you apply it. Incidentally, the make-up is only used where it is actually needed on the face – including under the eyes. Don’t be too wasteful with it, otherwise you will emphasize exactly what you want to hide.

Position correctly

Every woman knows that concealer belongs under the eyes. Right! Even so, it is often done wrong. Like Foundation, it only belongs where it is really needed. And these are the dark areas of the so-called tear trough, not the entire lower eyelid. If you cover it in the shape of a crescent, you get a strange owl-eye effect. Especially when the color is not one hundred percent right. The concealer is spread from the inner corner of the eye to about a third of the length of the eye. Do not apply make-up too close to the lash line on the inside. No hard line should be visually visible. Spread well towards the bridge of the nose. If you don’t get along with this technique, the triangle trick is a good alternative: Apply concealer in the shape of a triangle. The broad side lies under the eye, the tip points towards the cheek. Use a brush and finger to apply. First start with a short, flat concealer brush, picking up little of the texture and spreading it under the eye. If necessary, you can rework at any time. It is best to use the ring finger for blending. It is the weakest and exerts the least pressure on the sensitive eye area. Could the eyes shine a little more? Pour a touch of peach corrector over the concealer. Finally, don’t forget to fix it. After all, what good is a perfectly applied concealer if it has disappeared after a few hours? Usually it is because too much oil is building up on the skin. If the concealer, also applies to eyeshadow and foundation, is to last as long as possible, blotting paper is used as the last step. These “powdered” papers are more advantageous for setting than loose powder. It likes to collect in the wrinkles.

Optical illusion

Because pimples are raised and do not result in a smooth surface as they are under the eyes, they are also a challenge for the concealer. There is also an overproduction of sebum here. To reduce the oil film in advance, first dab it off with a blotting paper, then apply a matt primer. The troublemaker is practically sealed by the contained silicones. Then use a concealer that matches the skin tone and spread it over the spot with your finger. But concealer can do even more: messed up the eyeliner? Easily eradicated with liquid concealer and a beveled brush. A kind of tip-ex for the face. If the eyebrows are not plucked perfectly, a touch of the skin-colored masking cream covers the flaw. Troubled skin on the eyelid? Here, too, concealer is on hand and not only balances out the color differences, but also makes the eye shadow last longer. In an emergency, he will even replace the foundation if it has just run out. Mix a few drops of cover liquid into the day cream. It’s also easy to cheat on the mouth. If you put a little of the color on the center of the lips and blend them outwards, the mouth immediately appears fuller.

Photos: Vladimir Gjorgiev/Jayannpo @shutterstock