How to apply concealer

Does concealer go on before or after your foundation?

It’s 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, and ensure that the edges are blended well. Personally, I apply it after my foundation, as I find it doesn’t get smudged with foundation application, and is easier to blend in.

Moisturise any dry areas of skin well before beginning your make-up application. It’ll prevent these patches from being highlighted by make-up or looking cakey. Moisturiser also helps the product spread and blend more evenly.

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

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, a colour corrector may need to be used underneath your concealer.  Not sure what colour corrector is, or which colour you need?  Read “Colour Corrector vs Concealer” for more info.