Concealers: More than meets the eye

We love when our makeup products pull double duty and can be used for more than one thing. Concealer is one of those versatile multi-taskers, making it an absolute must-have in our makeup bags. You’ve probably used it to hide zits and cover up under-eye circles, but have you tried it as a highlighter, brow accent or lip definer? No? Here’s how to apply concealer and get the most out of it:

• Cover Dark Circles: For light-to-medium skin tones, use a peach-toned concealer to counter dark circles. For darker skin tones, look for an orange-pigment concealer to neutralize under the eyes. Make sure your skin is moisturised before applying concealer. Dot it into the inner corner of the eye using your fingers or a flat concealer brush, and blend outward. Using one shade lighter than your skin tone can help brighten the under-eye area for a more wide-awake look.
  
  

• Hide a Breakout: They happen to everyone and can be a pain to cover. Before applying any concealer to your blemish, make sure you treat it with something soothing like tea tree oil or an aloe-infused toner. Wait 15 minutes for the treatment to absorb, then apply your foundation as usual around the problem area. Use a fine-tip concealer brush to tap concealer that’s an exact skin tone match directly onto the blemish or acne scar as well as the immediate area around it. Then use your fingertips to tap and blend into the foundation for a seamless finish. Make sure to follow up with a translucent setting powder.
  
  

• Highlight: Skip the contour kit and try a concealer in place of highlighter to get that same sculpted look. Use a concealer that’s two shades lighter than your skin tone. Pat it onto the high points of your face where the sun would normally catch the light—tops of the cheeks, below the eyes and bridge of the nose. Then blend with your fingertips or a concealer brush.
  
  

• Accent Brows: Use concealer to pump up your brows, making them appearing fuller and more lifted. First fill in your brows, then sweep a small amount of concealer below each brow starting from the inner corner of your eyes to the outside tip. Then blend.
  
  

• Define Lips: Contouring isn’t just for your cheeks and nose. You can contour your lips, too! And with concealer, it’s simple. Dab concealer in the corners of your lips, at the Cupid’s Bow and in the center of the dimple under your lip. Blend them all together to reveal fuller lips and finish with your favorite lipstick colour.
  
  

We hope that gave you some fun and effective tips to try with your concealer. If you find that the concealer that you normally use isn’t the right shade for covering acne or accenting brows, try a concealer palette to get the full range of shades. Take the first step to a flawless complexion and find the best concealers for you here at Sephora!