How to Choose the Best Concealer for You

By: Marie Lorraine

Concealer can work magic for covering up unwanted bags, blotches, and blemishes on your face. Not all concealers are created equal, however, and you need to figure out which type is right for you before you see the best results. Keep these simple tips in mind for picking out concealer, and you should find your perfect match in no time.

Color and shade

The color and shade of your concealer can mean the difference between bright eyes and raccoon eyes. Pick out a concealer no more than one shade lighter than your natural skin tone, and definitely not any darker. A yellow-toned concealer does the best job blending with most skin tones, and it also helps fix blue discoloration such as under-eye circles. Green color-correcting concealers do a great job neutralizing red tones from blemishes or rosacea, but make sure they are well-blended underneath a skin tone concealer or foundation to avoid looking sickly.

Choose the right form of concealer

With all the choices out there, how do you know whether to choose a pencil, powder, wand, or stick? Well it mostly has to do with your skin type and the type of coverage you need.

A creamy wand is ideal for under-eye circles, because it is easy to blend into the delicate skin there. Pencil concealers can be used on the tiniest blemishes to make them disappear, and sticks can provide thick coverage to large areas with a lot of discoloration, like rosacea. For acne, try using a concealer made with salicylic acid to help keep blemishes at bay while getting some coverage.

Powder mineral concealers are gaining popularity for those with oily skin and can be used in conjunction more flawlessly with mineral foundations and veils. If your skin is dry, use a creamy formula to avoid looking chalky, and if you have oily skin you should choose an oil-free formula to keep the shine away.

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