5 Tricks to Try with Concealer

Using a concealer is an art and a science. While different from foundation, it can still be used as a tool to cover up unsightly spots or dark circles. But none of us are strangers to a concealer disaster: you’ll have to be precise in order to make it look natural. While most have it down, using concealer also comes with a few tricks you can apply to take your look to a 10! Check out some of our favorites.

1. Use it to sharpen your features.

One of our favorite concealer hacks is using it to carve out areas we want to emphasize in our face, almost like a form of contouring. The best example is using concealer to enhance your brows. You can trace the outline of your brows with concealer using a flat brush, and blend into your skin to enhance the shape of your brows by making them look sharper.

You can also use it as a way to sculpt the shape of your nose by highlighting down the middle of your bridge. These little details are just as important and can really enhance the rest of your look subtly without over-contouring.

2. Choose a shade that’s lighter than your skin tone.

Many make the mistake of using a concealer that is identical to their skin tone or foundation shade; this is actually not what you want to do! Since what you’re trying to cover up is usually darker (dark circles under eyes, bumps or blemishes that usually produce a shadow, etc.) you’ll want to choose a lighter shade to counteract. A shade or two lighter should do the trick: light enough to counteract darkness but not too light as to wash you out. Most of the reason you notice a blemish is because it is darker than your skin, or is raised so that it produces a shadow. By overcompensating and making this area lighter, you are balancing out what is unsightly. Think about it: when you use foundation over dark circles, they are usually still visible. Try a shade lighter and watch them disappear!

3. Apply in dots or lines.

Since concealer tends to be thicker and more opaque than foundation, you won’t want to apply it in full onto the areas you want to cover. Try applying in dots or lines so that it is blendable and sheer enough to still give natural-looking coverage. Over-applying may result in having to completely take it all off. It can be hard to spread or even out if you apply too much.

Many tend to apply in triangle shaped areas under the eyes and blend outward as they see fit. Try to avoid blending out into the sides of your eyes or face, as it is not always needed there.

4. Blend with a sponge.

Application technique is important when working with concealer. Again, since it is more opaque than your average foundation and you are working with a lighter color, it can easily cake up and wash you out if applied incorrectly. Brushes tend to push the product around without picking up or blending areas effectively, so use a beauty sponge, or if you have to use a brush, use a bigger one.

Apply it in triangles under the eye that can be blended back into your normal skin color without spreading too far into other areas of your face. You’ll also want to pat to blend as opposed to smearing or dragging the product, so that you’re picking up product and smoothing it out at the same time.

5. Be sure to set with powder.

Just like your foundation, concealer has a lifespan during the duration of your day. You can extend the wear of it and make it look more smooth & polished by setting with powder. Concealer has a tendency to get cakey or settle into the creases under your eyes if left to its own devices. Setting will remove excess oils and mattify.

Custom Blended Concealer by LULU

Here at LULU we offer the ability to custom blend a concealer just for you! Have your choice of color, consistency, texture, and add whatever additional elements you’d like to it! We have custom blended Liquid Concealer to include a Hydrating Booster and a Firming Booster, suited exactly to our client’s needs! This may be the perfect option for someone with some lines that is wanting to avoid a cream-based concealer. Get your own custom blend to suit your needs!