So, what is concealer?
Concealer is a liquid or cream based formula that is used to "conceal" or cover up small imperfections on the face and neck. No, you do not put concealer all over your face, that is what foundation is for.
It is supposed to match your skin tone/color. Yes match! (foundation is the one that should be one or two shades lighter.) The only exception to this is, if you want to use a concealer that is lighter than your skin color then you are also doubling it up as a highlight.
Concealer is used on many things, the most common being: areas of redness, acne, scars, freckles, hyperpigmentation (dark tan spots on skin), and dark circles.
If you are a young person, younger than 30, and you want to cover up some small facial imperfections, then I suggest concealer, not foundation. Your young and bright skin has no need for it! =D
What kind of concealer should I use?
This depends on your skin type and how much coverage you want.
Liquid concealer: This tends to be a more sheer coverage, lighter and gives a more natural appearance. It can be buildable, but it is difficult to build up because it's watery formula tends to spread and even out. This is good for all types of skin generally, but if you have very dry skin, your skin might look flaky after using liquid concealer. (especially if not moisturized properly)
Cream concealer: Cream based concealers are thicker and heavier. They provide more coverage and are easily buildable. I personally recommend cream concealers to anyone, it is probably the more flexible to work with of the 2 kinds of concealer.
How do I apply concealer?
You can apply concealer in a variety of ways. Many people use their hands, which is fine, as long as you have clean hands. There are concealer brushes and you can also use a sponge.
The way to apply it is through light patting motions. You do not rub concealer on, this will irritate the skin and for people with dry skin, cause microexfoliation which will cause you to start shedding and looking flaky. You also should not spread concealer onto the face, that is not the point. The point is focusing on the imperfection. Spreading it out makes the concealer more sheer and this will not help cover the problem. You only want to spread it out, if it is used for concealing dark circles.
If you have dry skin, I suggest you use your fingers or a damp sponge to gently pat concealer onto the skin. This can give a more natural finish. And if you use clean fingers the warmth of your fingers can warm up the product, prevent from being dry and cakey when it's on your skin.
I would love to do a tutorial but my camera is not high definition enough.
However, I will link to you an excellent excellent tutorial by a professional makeup artist.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUEtCNrhBeY
Gossmakeupartist is a professional makeup artist in the UK, he is a charming pro and his tutorials and tips will blow you away! I have learned a lot by watching his videos. And if you have not tried his videos you definitely should! =D
Which color of concealer works for me?
You need to find your natural skin tone. And your natural skin tone is based on your neck and chest. If your neck is tanned or tends to get red then use your chest as a color reference because that should have very little exposure to light and chemicals since it's usually covered up.
Most people are actually yellow toned. This does not mean you have yellow skin and has nothing to do with being asian, haha, really, trust me =)
Just go ahead, look at the mirror with good lighting and examine your upper chest area where it meets the neck and that's where you can find your skin tone.
Where should I apply concealer?
Really, wherever you want. Please, just don't over do it.
Whatever you consider to be an imperfection on your face. And please, don't say that everything is an imperfection =( That's so sad, you should love your skin and take care of it, and don't stress out about it and trust me, it will get so much better =).
Personally, my most important imperfection I want to conceal is my dark circles under my eyes. This will make me look so much more awake and bright!
I actually leave my acne alone, no matter how bad it is. Everyone knows that everyone gets acne. It's annoying yes, but it's not the end of the world. My boyfriend and friends will not be embarrassed about me if I have acne, they have acne too, so whatever =P.
Tricks and Tips!
Here are some tricks I have learned that will help prevent concealer from creasing or help it last much longer.
Instead of facial primer, use eye primer! Yes eye primer is excellent for preventing creasing!
For dark under eye after you apply a layer of concealer, take a piece of tissue (like, blow your nose tissue), tear it (like you are opening a ziplock bag) so it becomes 2 thin sheets of equal thickness, and gently blot under your eyes. this will absorb the excess oils under your eyes. Then, put another layer of concealer on.
After applying concealer you can gently dust it with finishing powder to prevent it from moving and sliding on your face, especially if you have oily skin. However, if you have dry skin, then you probably don't need finishing powder, because that can give your skin a flaky appearance.
I hope I touched on everything you wish to know about concealer. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to say anything in the comment section below! I will edit and add to this post for you!
Have a wonderful day! ^o^ (or night, or morning XD)
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