Redness, pimples, dark spots skin patches and under eye dark circles are some common skin problems that women these days are dealing with. You use various makeup products to hideout these flaws from your face and the best product that works is concealers. Top quality concealer is a secret for achieving an unblemished complexion. The best makeup concealers neutralize discolorations, disguise blemishes lighten shadowed areas.
The skin under your eyes is very sensitive and soft, so the best eye concealer for dark skin are those which are soft and feather-light but still be durable enough to combat dark circles and cover up those annoying lines.
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Concelears purpose and expectations
Before we discuss how to choose and apply concealer let us discuss about what is the actual purpose of concealer and we should expect from it. Concealer is basically used to patch up the small discoloured areas like under eyes, around nose. It is not an alternative of foundation. Actually it works best with foundation. Depending on how much treatment you need concealer can be applied over or under your foundation. Generally if you are using powder foundation then apply concealer before foundation.
If you want to achieve perfection by using only concealer then it is a myth. You need to apply foundation all together and then concealers on those small areas where it is required. If you try to use only concealers then it will result in uneven skin tone and concealer spots will appear on your face. However if you already have clear skin then this technique can work for you. But even then you have to take care that the concealer matches your skin tone. Makeup with concealers can get you close to natural look but flaws like acne, white patches cannot be cured by simply using concealers. Even best concealers also have limitations.
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Tips for choosing Makeup Concealers
- Choose the concealer according to your skin type. For dry skin don’t go for a liquid concealer with a matte finish because it will increase the dryness further more. If you have oily skin with enlarged pores then don’t use cream based concealer as they will block your skin pores. If you have scares, dark circles or brown spots then choose the concealer with medium coverage
- While choosing the eye concealers for dark skin always select the concealer with shade lighter than your skin colour. For other parts of your face select a concealer that exactly matches the colour of your foundation. The best under eye concealer dark circles are beige and slightly yellow shades. Try to avoid colourful concealers like pink, peach, orange etc.
Following the above guidelines, you can choose the best textures, colours and finishes of concealers that works for you. Now we will discuss the types of concealers available in market.
Types of Makeup Concealers
There are different types of concealers flooding in the market and you have to choose them wisely. If you have multiple problems then you may need two of them. Colour also plays an important role while considering the concealer. For example if you want concealer for dark circles then probably you need light colour and if you need concealer for brown spot then light colour concealer won’t work there. Talking about fragrance most of the concealers are fragrance free. They need to be because they will be used by different skin types and especially around your eyes.
Liquid concealers:
Liquid concealers are most common type of concealers available in market. Because it provides great coverage and is suitable for all types of skin except dry. Moreover liquid concealers are easy to apply and can be done by using your fingers. They also don’t end up with building cake on your skin and there is no risk of breakout in long duration.Thin texture of liquid concealers makes them best to use for wrinkles. Liquid concealers come in matte finish and satin finish. Matte finish lasts for long duration on the other side satin finish gives you more natural touch. Liquid concealer with a glowing sparkle finish is good for bags under eyes because it covers and highlights the area with a soft glow.
- Works best for combination, oily and sensitive skin
- Comes in matte, satin and shimmer finish
- Coverage is buildable from small to full coverage
Cream based concealers:
Considered best concealer for the mask of pregnancy. They are very effective in dealing with light tan to brown discoloration. They work well under the eyes. They are generally packaged in small palette or small pots. Because of opaque pigments and thicker texture cream concealers can give you intense coverage and it is easier to build coverage as compared to liquid concealers. The intense coverage that you can get from cream concealers is due to their thicker texture and more opaque pigment, which means it’s easier to build coverage than with liquid concealers. The disadvantage is cream concealers look heavy if not blended properly. Always use powder to press it properly on your skin.
- Best for normal, dry, sensitive or combined skin
- Coverage is buildable from small to large
- Satin and creamy finish is available
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Stick concealers:
This type of concealers can be put in dotted on or swiped on in a line of colour and then blended. It is having a semi-solid texture like a lipstick and is having rich pigments and thick creamy texture. Blending is must otherwise you will put more of it and which result in formation of creases throughout the day. Stick concealer provides reliable medium to full coverage they are considered to be the best under eye concealer for dark circles. Stick concealer works best under the eyes and around the nose and mouth area and is great for hiding brown or black spots. If you have acne problem, large pores and oily skin then avoid use of stick concealers. The ingredients which keep it in stick form poses the high risk of pores clogging. Stick concealers are available in satin and matte finishes. Readily available is satin finish. Both matte and satin have long staying power.
- Best for sensitive, normal and dry skin
- Coverage is from medium to high
- Available in satin and matte finish
How to apply Concealers
Even if you are using different types of concealers generally way of applying them is almost same. But you need to follow some protocols while using concealers on your skin. We will discuss the few ways of applying them and get best from it.
Foundation first concealer later:
If you use concealer first it will get removed when you apply foundation later. Use the foundation first and then apply concealer where ever required in small quantity. Always remember concealers cannot take place of foundation.
Make a triangle shape under your eyes:
The best way to apply concealers under your eyes is to make a triangle shape with base under your eyes. It not only hides the dark circles but also creates the illusion that your face is lifted.
When concealing a pimple:
Use the green concealer first to reduce the redness of a pimple. Apply it only on the pimple not in surroundings. Then apply the skin colour concealer and finally settle it with powder.
When applying on eyelids:
Always use concealer one or two tones lighter than your skin colour if you are applying it on eyelids. Divide the whole area into three sections the inner part, the middle part and just below your brow bone.
Know what colour fix what problem:
Different colours have different purposes and you should have an idea of what colour is to use for which problem.
- Use pink or peach toned concealers for blue under eye circle.
- For uneven skin tone use yellow colour concealer
- Use green colour for red spots and blemishes
Under eye bags:
Bags under eyes can be cured by using eye cream, highlighter and concealer. Mix a bit of all three together and blend it under your eyes to get rid of eye bags.
Blot the area:
After applying concealers blot the area with tissue paper to prevent formation of creases around your eyes. Use tissue paper to soak down extra oil if there.
Reshape your brows:
By applying concealer at the end of brow on both upper side and lower side can help you to change t he size and shape of your brow. Use the concealer tone which matches exactly to your skin colour.
Use more than one concealer:
Unless you have flawless and beautiful skin you have to use different type of concealers to get rid of different skin problems. Always keep different type of concealers for different areas of your face in your bag.
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By now you have an idea of concealers that why we use them, what are the different types of concealers and what are the ways and precautions you have to take before buying and using them.
Makeup Concelears are best only when we have knowledge of how to use them and which concealer suits the best to the type of skin you have.