How to apply concealer

Have you ever wondered when to apply concealer?  Does it go on before or after your foundation?

Well, it’s really all about personal preference and what works best for you; there is no right or wrong way.  Concealer can be applied under or over foundation, although, whatever your preference, you do need to ensure that you do blend the edges well.  Personally, I apply it after my foundation, as I find it doesn’t get smudged with foundation application, and it’s easier to blend in.

If you have any dry areas of skin, moisturize these well before beginning your make-up application.  This will prevent these drier patches from being highlighted by make-up or looking cakey.  Moisturiser also helps the product spread and blend more evenly.

Ideally, your concealer should be one shade lighter than your foundation, and apply it sparingly to prevent it creasing or collecting in dry areas, or on any fine lines or wrinkles on your face.

I find the best way to apply concealer is to use my ring finger or a clean concealer brush.  I gently pat the product onto any blemishes, imperfections or other areas I wish to disguise (dark circles under the eyes, broken capillaries, etc.) and then gently blend the edges of the concealed area into my foundation by gently patting outwards in a circular motion with either my finger or the brush.  Avoid rubbing the product on, as this will only smear it around, leaving the blemished areas exposed.

If you’re using a clean finger to apply concealer to a pimple or blemish, and find that the product isn’t sticking, or you find that the brush is too large for the area you’re trying to cover, switch to using a small, thin eyeliner brush. This will allow you to apply product exactly where it’s needed and then just use the brush or your finger to blend out the edges.

Concealing before applying foundation will mean that you need to carefully apply your foundation with a foundation brush or cosmetic wedge so that you don’t smear or rub off all your hard work.  If you’ve applied your concealer after foundation, this won’t be a problem.  Finally, set your concealer and foundation with a light dusting of loose powder on a large, fluffy  powder brush.  This will give both products more ‘staying’ power and it will be less likely to come off if you accidentally touch your face during the day.

Lastly, if you’re still battling to disguise any blemishes or imperfections as well as you’d like, you may need to use a colour corrector underneath your concealer.  Not sure what colour corrector is, or which colour you need?  No problem, read “Colour Corrector vs Concealer” for more info.