Strategically placed concealer works wonders at concealing dark circles, balancing redness, and brightening dull skin. To get that flawless finish, here are the most commonly asked concealer questions, our tips for finding the right formula and the best in brightening - even for the toughest of beauty duties, by editor Trudi Brewer.
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How to conceal dark circles?
First up, what is a brightening undereye concealer? This makeup product was designed to conceal dark circles while reflecting light to create a more radiant and refreshed appearance. It is ideal for the under-eye area, and the best makeup artist hack we follow is to apply concealer not directly under your eye, but to draw a triangle from the inner corner down to the top of your cheek and the outer corner of your eye. Then blend concealer in and upwards towards the eye. Apply brightening concealer to the eyelids too, blending up towards the brow. Brightening that entire eye area will give you the best results.
NEW Jane Iredale Skintuition Brightening Under-Eye Concealer, $83
This new clean beauty buy has brilliant brightening power thanks to skin-caring ingredients. First, an active peptide (palmitoyl tripeptide-7) helps improve the appearance of fine lines by firming the skin. Niacinamide, marine algae brighten dark circles, while vitamin E and cucumber extract smooth and hydrate. Another bonus is the built-in brush. The formula glides on the skin, blends effortlessly, and feels weightless, like a second skin. 16 shades work to flatter the skin's undertones, including neutral, pink, peach, gold, and red, and to correct darkness and uneven areas. Within the range, there is a colour-correcting shade for every skin brightening concern.
To use: Click the pen to dispense product; the built-in brush blends the colour. To finish, blend the excess with a foundation brush or your fingers.
Do you apply concealer before or after foundation?
We do both. But there really is no right or wrong way; it all depends on what you are trying to conceal and the coverage you’re going for. For a more natural, fresh-faced finish, apply concealer first.
Once you neutralise any darkness, you may not need as much foundation. For an evening look or full-coverage make-up, apply foundation first, then concealer afterwards to brighten and contour.
Revlon Illuminance Serum Concealer, $33
A makeup multitasker, the brand says it’s a four-in-one formula, and it is. Designed to blur, smooth and soften for a glow-y, filter-like finish. It is very sheer and lightweight on the skin, because it’s infused with skin-quenching ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane, as well as light-reflecting iron oxides, to offer a radiant sheen.
To use: The built-in sponge tip makes it so easy to dot on anywhere, so it can be worn alone or underneath foundation as an all-over primer. We have dabbled with using it as a glowy highlighter too, on the tops of your cheekbones, bridge of your nose, brow bone or in the centre of your cupid’s bow, and it’s fab. There are six shades, pictured here: Light-Medium.
How to choose a colour correcting concealer
For dark circles, a peach-toned concealer neutralises blue veins under the eyes and corrects a grey cast too. To brighten dullness and balance mild purple discolouration, go for a beige or yellow-toned concealer. A concealer with a pink or lilac undertone will brighten fair skin and reduce the look of sallowness. Anything with a green tinge corrects redness.
Morphe Wakeup Artist Under Eye Correcting Concealer, $24
The brand says this concealer will help you fake a full night’s sleep. A serum-infused formula that brightens, corrects, and smooths under the eyes. The ingredients include arnica, famous for healing bruising, sweet potato extract, tremella mushroom, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin.
To use: A little of this concealer goes a long way. Dot it under the eyes and blend with a brush or fingers. There are four shades, each colour-correcting for all skin tones. Pictured here is Blossom 01, a light pink for fair to medium skin tones. There are also Peach (for medium to dark skin tones), Papaya (for tan skin tones) and Cinnamon (for deep skin tones).
Fingers, a brush, or a sponge – which is better for applying concealer?
Again, there are no rules. This depends on your skin type and the texture of the concealer you use. You can’t beat fingers for that hint of coverage. Also, the warmth from your fingers helps blend the formula seamlessly. Also, warming the concealer on the back of your hand and gently tapping it into the skin with your finger is a great trick for seamless coverage. A sponge is good for those wanting fuller coverage. Make sure the sponge has a slanted tip so you can get it close to the under-eye area. Or mix concealer with foundation, then use the sponge or dab it onto your skin and blend with your fingers. Finally, brushes are great for precise blending. If you want to use concealer to lighten and lift in that triangle technique, as we’ve mentioned earlier, opt for a square blending brush.
Glossier Stretch Balm concealer, $44
With the consistency of a balm that glides on like a moisturiser, you can achieve a sheer-to-medium buildable coverage. The formula features beeswax and microcrystalline wax to create that elastic consistency, hence the name Stretch that moves with your skin and doesn’t cake. Avocado and jojoba oils nourish, while mineral pigments in the concealer reflect light for a brightening effect. There are 32 shades.
To use: Warm up the product with your fingertip. Then, pat the product onto the skin, dabbing outward to blend. If you need more coverage, add another layer.
Concealer is a multi-use product
One of our favourite tips is to use concealer as an eraser. It’s perfect for minimising eyeliner mishaps and sharpening precision for a smoky eye look. The same goes for around your lip line, as it can give a crisper finish and prevent a matte lip colour from bleeding.
Shiseido Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting Concealer, $61
You can’t beat a stick concealer for its swipe-and-quick-blend with fingers. This formula is weightless yet buildable, thanks to the brand’s light-adjusting technology, a blend of tinted mica powders that adapts to any light to brighten dark circles and blur fine lines. That tint is boosted by plant ingredients like yuzu, argan, and candelilla wax, as well as camellia leaf extract, vitamin E, and hyaluronic acid. We love that it’s transfer-resistant, too.
To use: Apply directly from the stick to the skin, to blend, tap it into the skin using your fingertips, a brush, or a sponge.
Less Is Always More
The reason most people don’t use concealer is that it creases under the eye area. This happens because you use too much product. Naturally, this area is where we have fine lines and dehydration, and expression movement accentuates this. So, naturally, concealer will eventually – if not immediately – sit there and cake up, accentuating imperfections. Less is more when applying concealer. First, apply a lightweight eye cream to hydrate the skin, and then apply a couple of dots and blend; this helps conceal the main areas of darkness while limiting build-up.
Like their famous foundation, this concealer is packed with a blurring, smoothing blend of ingredients the brand calls ‘Blur Airtech’. A blend of light-diffusing powders blurs the appearance of fine lines, pores, and texture. The ingredient phytoyouth essence, a blend of plant oils and algae, is a super hydrator, as are hyaluronic acid and squalene. This combination helps it stay crease-proof yet lightweight. There are 34 shades.
To use: A built-in wand makes it perfect for under the eyes or anywhere you need to conceal. It blends seamlessly, and we have used it alone over a tinted moisturiser, giving the perfect level of barely-there coverage.
Here’s the latest and some of our favourite formulas.