The Beauty Insider: Finding The Perfect Concealer

The Beauty Insider: Finding The Perfect Concealer

Make-up artist Lisa Potter-Dixon is sharing her tips and tricks of the trade on what’s new, what’s cult and what you really need to know in the world of beauty. This week, she’s taking on concealer and colour-correcting…

I love concealer nearly as much as I love my husband. So, first and foremost, on behalf of all the women out there, I would like to thank the marvellous person who invented concealer. You, my friend, have saved us from many a late night, uncountable blemishes and tons of other beauty dilemmas that we didn’t want the world to see.
 
Seriously though, concealer is an everyday essential for most. but I regularly see it applied incorrectly. So below are my beauty insider top tips on how to conceal and correct those bloody beauty dilemmas that we all get at some point in our lives.
 
First things first: which concealer is right for where? Well it’s pretty straightforward, actually. The products below come in different coverages, but if in doubt go for a lighter coverage, as these still work wonders.
 
Liquid-based concealer: Best for under the eyes as they tend to be hydrating, brightening and don’t sit in creases.
 
Cream based concealer: Best for the rest of the face. They tend to blend well into the skin, as well as giving good coverage.
 
Before we talk application techniques, let’s talk colour-correcting because, if you need to use these magic products, they should be applied under your concealer.
 
I’m a big fan of colour correctors – it’s amazing how they can even out and balance your complexion in seconds. There are two big mistakes people make with colour correctors: the first is picking the wrong shade and the second is applying too much product. Trust me, I’ve seen many a ‘Shrek shade’ face!
 
Below I’ve put a basic chart of what colours work for what dilemma:

Yellow: Redness or rosiness

Lavender: Sallowness or yellowness

Salmon: Dark circles, scars and pigmentation. (Fair to light complexion)

Peach: Dark circles, scars and pigmentation. (Light to medium complexion)

Orange: Dark circles, scars and pigmentation. (Medium to dark complexion)

Red: Dark circles, scars and pigmentation. (Dark to deep complexion)
 

My fave colour-correcting palettes

Now you know what type of concealer and colour corrector to go for, here’s how to apply them for the different dilemmas.

 
Dark circles
 
These pesky things can be caused by many different factors. Dehydration, lack of sleep, stress – or they can just be hereditary. The skin around the eyes is 40% thinner than anywhere else on the face. This is why darkness around the eyes tends to be most obvious. Even if you don’t have dark circles, brightening under your eyes makes such a huge difference to your look.
 
Rather than applying directly under your eye, draw a triangle from the inner corner down to the top of your cheek, and back up to the outer corner of the eye. Blend this in, upwards towards the eye. Then use a touch of your concealer on the eyelids too, blending up towards the brow. Dark circles are called that because they can appear all the way from your eyebrows down to the cheeks, so brightening that entire area will give you the best results.
 
My faves

Rosacea and redness
 
This is a very common dilemma. If you suffer from high colour, yellow colour corrector will become your best friend. Apply the corrector on the areas where you get the redness, apply foundation over the top, and finish with a cream concealer to match your complexion. Avoid using your fingers as they are warm and can bring the redness out. Instead, use a sponge dampened with cold water. Avoid red-based blushers and stick with coral/orange tones.
 
Fave products

Pigmentation
 
This dilemma comes in many shapes and forms – it can get worse during the warmer months and can randomly appear during pregnancy. SPF is key to avoiding pigmentation. Wearing a high SPF every day, whatever the weather, is essential. From a make-up point of view, a colour-corrector with an orange undertone, (see above for using orange for your skin tone), will help to knock back the darkness. Apply this under your foundation and use your fingers to press and layer it in place. After your foundation, press a concealer to match your skin tone, over the pigmentation. And just an FYI from me: if you have freckles, embrace them. I think they are absolutely beautiful.
 
My fave products

Blemishes
 
Ugggh spots! Potentially the most annoying skin problem. They can appear at any time and come in many shapes and sizes. The best thing to do is to leave them alone; try not to put make-up over them as this can make them worse. Skincare-wise, you want products that contain nice acids, such as Salicylic, Lactic and Glycolic. Whatever you do, DO NOT pick your spots! If you absolutely must cover them, then use a yellow-based colour-corrector to take back any redness, followed by foundation and a cream concealer. I like to buff this in with a clean, fluffy eyeshadow brush as they are super gentle and will help give an airbrushed finish to your skin. However, don’t be tempted to use this brush anywhere else on your face until it has been properly washed – the last thing you want to do is spread the spot.
 
My Fave products

Hopefully, this has answered all of your concealer and colour correcting questions. As always, feel free to comment below or DM me to ask any beauty questions you may have. 
 
Love & Lipstick,
 
Lisa xx
 
Make sure you tag us in your pics: @Lisapotterdixon and @Sheerluxe on Instagram  #LearnwithLisa

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