Your concealer has the power to make or break your base complexion, so finding the right match is essential. Here’s how to find a shade that perfectly suits your skin tone.
How are Concealers Used?
Compared to foundations, concealers are more concentrated with pigment. This makes them the perfect tool for spot-correcting areas of the complexion that need more coverage. Think: discoloration, blemishes, dark circles, or any other imperfections.
Get to Know Your Skin Tone & Undertone
When choosing a concealer, make sure you know your skin tone.
Skin tones are organized into four different categories: fair, light, medium, and dark. These same categories are used to identify different concealer shades.
To determine your skin tone, you can take a look at your complexion in natural light (as artificial light may make your skin look lighter or darker than it actually is). Your jawline is typically where your skin tone is most even.
You can also consider how your skin reacts to the sun. Those with fair skin typically don’t tan (but can burn very easily), while light skin may develop a hint of a tan (but can also be prone to burning). Medium skin typically tans easily and doesn’t often burn, while dark skin tans quickly and rarely gets burnt.
Skin tone is just a part of the equation—you also need to consider your undertone, the more subtle color beneath the surface of your skin into three categories: cool, warm, and neutral.
Compared to your skin tone, your undertone may be less obvious to the naked eye. Even so, a concealer that doesn’t go with your undertone can look unnatural on your complexion. A formula that matches both your skin tone and undertone is going to seamlessly blend into your natural skin, making the formula undetectable on your face.
Steps to Finding Your Concealer Shade
Once you know your skin tone and your undertone, it’s time to pick out a concealer that matches.
Test in Natural Light
Swatch a few potential shades along your jaw, then take a look in natural lighting for the most accurate results.
Match Your Foundation
It’s essential that your concealer blends seamlessly with your foundation. When your concealer isn’t a close match to your foundation, it will stand out and draw attention to the areas that you’re trying to diffuse. – Make sure the shades and finishes are similar for the most natural-looking results.
Have More Than One
If you’re trying to cover up blemishes or dark spots, opt for a concealer shade that disappears into your foundation. When it comes to hiding dark circles, you’ll actually want to go for a shade or two lighter—perfect for a brightening effect.
Keep It Natural
Blend, blend, blend. For the most natural results, use a concealer brush or sponge to work in the concealer, melting the formula into your skin.
Because concealer is typically rich in pigment, you don’t need to go in with a heavy hand. Start by blending a small amount into the skin, then layer until you reach your desired coverage.
Color-Correcting
To finish, here are a few tips to get the most from your concealer:
Tackle Redness: When covering any inflamed blemishes, neutralize the redness with a green color corrector, followed by your skin-matching concealer on top.
Conceal Dark Circles: Color correctors can also be used to help minimize the appearance of dark circles. Most people have dark circles that have a blue hue. If this sounds like you, try a peach color corrector for lighter skin tones or an orange color corrector for medium and dark skin tones to help neutralize the darkness. Apply your normal concealer on top. If your circles have more of a purple tint, reach for a yellow color corrector.
Set With a Translucent Powder: As a finishing touch, lightly dust your concealer with a translucent powder. This is helpful for locking in your concealer anywhere on the face, especially to prevent creasing under the eyes.
Finding the right concealer shade for your complexion is a must for your everyday makeup routine. With the perfect match, you can flawlessly build your base complexion for stunning, natural-looking results.
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