It’s easy to think a concealer is a perfect match when holding it up to your complexion in the store — only to walk outside and realize it’s totally off. To find a shade that’s true to your skin tone, use natural lighting as your guide. Back in the day we used to swatch the shade on the back of our hands and pop outside, holding it up to our faces to make sure it’s a match. These days, stores have testers and tools that allow you to swatch a concealer directly onto your face and neck so that you can test and compare your options. Try it near a window if possible or go outside to check out the result.
We recommend always testing a few concealer shades and purchasing at least two since your skin tone will likely change with the seasons, and because you may need concealer to perform other tasks besides covering up blemishes.
Concealer can be used to brighten the under-eye area and create the illusion of well-rested eyes. When picking a concealer shade for this, look for a color that’s one to two shades lighter than your skin tone. To make your life easier, stick with a concealer from the same range as your blemish concealer. This way, you can start at your exact match, and move two shades away to find your brightening concealer.
If you want to contour with concealer, you’ll need a shade that’s slightly darker than your skin tone — specifically, one to two shades darker. This will help create those natural-looking shadows you’re after. Again, it’s a good idea to choose a concealer from the same collection as your blemish concealer.
If you’re on the hunt for a concealer for mature skin, try the L'Oréal True Match Radiant Serum Concealer, which is formulated with hydrating ingredients and won’t settle into lines. Think of it as an eye cream and eye concealer in one.
Aside from disguising blemishes and contouring, the right concealer can also be used to correct discolorations such as dark circles and redness. How to pick the right one goes back to the color wheel you may have learned about in elementary school.
For redness, reach for a green concealer. If you think about the color wheel, you’ll recognize that green is across from red, making it the perfect shade to neutralize redness caused by blemishes and blotchiness. For blue and purple areas, yellow concealer should be your go-to. It will hide blue and purple skin that comes from broken capillaries and age spots. to disguise dark circles and dark spots, an orange-hued color is just what you need. Reach for a peach, bisque, or orange concealer.
We rely on the L’Oréal Paris True Match Color-Correcting Crayon to get the job done. Use peach for fair to light skin tones, bisque for light to medium skin tones, and orange for medium to dark and deep skin tones.
As we mentioned, the shade you choose for your concealer should be based on what you’re using it for. Generally speaking, it’s better to go one shade lighter than one shade darker if you’re looking to conceal blemishes and the area under your eyes. Anything darker than your foundation will only make those areas more noticeable.
Next: HOW TO FIND YOUR FOUNDATION SHADE MATCH IN 4 EASY STEPS
Photo Credit: Chaunte Vaughn
Concealer is an essential step in any makeup routine, covering up imperfections, spots, blemishes, and dark circles to create smooth, even-looking skin – but concealer can only work its magic if the color matches your skin tone and undertone. Keep reading to discover how to choose a concealer shade that complements your skin, as we explain how to find your undertone and match it to the right concealer color.
Skin tone refers to the amount of melanin (the pigment that gives skin its color) in the top layer of your skin. While your natural skin tone is genetic, exposure to the sun can increase melanin production and alter your skin tone temporarily.
When choosing a concealer shade, first determine whether your skin tone is fair, light, medium, or dark. Cleanse your skin of all products, find a room with natural light, then use a mirror to examine your jawline and determine your surface skin color.
Your undertone refers to the subtler hue that comes through your skin tone. Unlike skin tone, though, the undertone isn’t affected by sun exposure or skin conditions. It can be warm, neutral or cool.
To determine your undertone, try one of the below tests.
In natural light, look at the appearance of your veins beneath the skin. Green or greenish-blue veins suggest a warm undertone, whereas blue or purple veins suggest a cool undertone. If you can’t tell whether your veins are green or blue, you likely have a neutral undertone.
Alternatively, determine whether silver or gold jewelry best complements your skin. Silver jewelry better complements cool undertones and gold jewelry better complements warm undertones.
If you’re still unsure about your undertone and want some reassurance before purchasing concealer, visit a beauty counter and request a skin tone test.
It’s important to avoid concealer that clashes with your natural skin or undertone. A cool concealer on a warm undertone can make skin look pale and chalky, while a warm concealer on a cool undertone can make skin look orange.
To hide imperfections and blemishes, concealer should match your skin tone and undertone, seamlessly blending into the skin. To reduce the appearance of dark circles, though, apply a concealer that is 1 shade lighter than your skin tone.
If using concealer to highlight your facial features, apply a concealer that is 2 shades lighter than your natural skin tone. To contour, sculpt and add definition, apply a concealer that is 1 shade darker than your natural skin tone.
Available in 12 shades, the No7 HydraLuminous Dark Circle Concealer is designed to complement a wide range of skin tones. Formulated to revitalize the appearance of tired-looking eyes, it reduces the appearance of dark circles, and imperfections. The hydrating formula won’t migrate into fine lines and wrinkles, ensuring that your skin stays looking flawless and radiant all day long.