How To Choose The Right Concealer – Tips On Shades And Formulas
The main purpose of using a concealer is to camouflage your dark circles and blemishes and help you achieve flawless coverage. So, a general rule of thumb is always to go for a concealer based on your foundation shade. According to beauty experts, one should get two different shades of concealer — one lighter and one deeper than the foundation. Ahead, we will share some tips on how to pick the right concealer shade based on your skin tone. Keep reading!
How To Choose A Concealer Formula
Let’s begin with sheer basics. Choosing your concealer mainly depends on what works for your skin type and concerns. So, before you head out to buy a concealer, make sure you know what exactly you’re looking for.
Liquid Concealer
A liquid concealer is the most versatile of the lot. It’s perfect for normal, oily or combination skin type. It’s easy to apply, and its coverage is buildable, which ranges from light to full. Also, liquid concealers come in various finishes such as matte, dewy, and satin. This kind of concealer is also least likely to clog pores, so if you are someone with sensitive and acne-prone skin, I recommend you try one.
Cream Concealer
If you have dry or combination skin type, cream concealer will work well for you. Its coverage is buildable, ranging from medium to full. You can choose one with either a creamy finish or a satin finish. Their formula and consistency are great to conceal discolorations. Sometimes, cream concealers tend to crease when worn for long hours – you can prevent this by setting your concealer with some pressed powder.
If you are looking for a cream concealer, make sure you take a look at these amazing options: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, Bobbi Brown New Concealer Kit, and MAC Studio Finish Concealer SPF 35.
Stick Concealer
Stick concealers are a blessing for dry and sensitive skin. These set into either a satin or powdery matte finish, depending on the product you choose. I found that this kind of concealer has buildable coverage ranging from medium to full.
The most popular stick concealers include Tarte’s Amazonian Clay Waterproof 12-Hour Concealer, Amazing Cosmetics Perfection Stick, and Hourglass Hidden Corrective Concealer.
Color Theory And Choosing The Right Concealer Shade For Every Skin Issue
What nobody tells you about concealer is that different skin concerns call for different colors and textures. To match your skin tone, choose a concealer shade that is half a shade lighter than your foundation shade. It’s essential to pay attention to words like “neutral,” “cool,” “warm”, and “beige.”
You can take full advantage of the color theory when it comes to concealers. On the color wheel, the colors across from each other on the spectrum are opposites. Hence they cancel each other out when used for color correction.
· Green is the opposite of red
· Orange is the opposite of blue
· Yellow is the opposite of purple
Let me simplify it further with a little more explanation.
Banish Your Dark Circles With Concealer

If your concern is dark circles, lean towards “warmer” shades to avoid obvious white circles around your eyes. Blue-tinged and purplish dark circles are best concealed using an orange to yellow based concealer that is one shade lighter than your skin tone. It will help mask the discoloration and brighten the skin under your eyes. On the other hand, if you have brownish dark circles, then use a peach, salmon or an orange based concealer. Read More…