This post has been updated since it was originally published to include more expert insight re: concealer.
No matter what your goal is when beginning your makeup routine—whether it’s to cover acne redness, smooth fine lines or brighten your dark under-eye area— concealer is a vital tool to help you do so. As each person has different shades, colors and undertones to their face, how do you find the right concealer for you?
We asked professional and celebrity makeup experts for tried-and-true advice regarding concealer shopping, and timeless techniques to always keep in mind. Read on for concealer tips and suggestions from professional makeup artists Mary Winkenwerder, Mandie Brice and Lynn Simpson.
Tip #1: Find Your Main Tone & Undertones For The Best Match
While you may have found a concealer color that matches your facial skin tone, that isn’t the only one you should use, Winkenwerder explains.
With the help of your hand, testing out multiple colors can help you find your undertones, as most people fall under one of three common product categories— “warm, cool, or neutral.” Brice notes that you can find your undertone “easily by looking at the veins on the inside of your forearm.”
“Think of concealing the eyes the way you would contour your face,” Winkenwerder advises. When you contour your face, more than one tone is used to accentuate the features, she says.
“Select more than one tone of concealer—up to three—and use them as needed.” You may contour the eye area using all three colors or you may use just one color at a time depending on how you choose to wear a color or nude all-over makeup statement, she notes.
Tip #2: Always Prep Skin Before Applying/ Testing
When testing out an under-eye concealer product or one for redness or dark spots, you may not see its full potential if you aren’t adequately prepping the area before applying, Simpson says.
“Always, always apply an under-eye cream before concealer to ensure the smoothest texture of skin before application,” she says, adding that an ideal concealer “has amazing coverage, but doesn’t move.”
Overall, if you find that you need more coverage, Simpson says to look for concealers that don’t stay emollient. “You want one that will set and dry under the eye. If they stay emollient and creamy they will slip and slip around the eye and settle in fine lines and wrinkles,” she says. Winkenwerder agrees, and concludes that when selecting concealer, “make sure the skin under your eyes is moisturized and true to natural color.”
