With a dizzying number of concealers on the market, it can seem impossible to choose the right one. After all, concealer comes in all types of containers and textures. There are lots of ingredients and shades to choose from too. What’s right for one person isn’t necessarily right for the next. Concealer isn’t a one-size-fits-all cosmetic by any stretch of the imagination.
To achieve flawless skin, you must choose the right concealer for you. A top-notch concealer can become your daily go-to cosmetic because it can:
- Cover acne and pimples
- Hide redness
- Obscure dark under-eye circles
- Even out skin tone
- Make large pores appear smaller
- Conceal fine lines & wrinkles
Do you have a collection of concealer you’ve purchased that just didn’t work? Then it’s time to learn how to choose a concealer that’s a good fit for you. It’s not difficult to find the right concealer if you arm yourself with some basic info. And we’re here to give that info to you today. So sit back, relax, and read on. Here are a few tips that will help you.
Know Your Skin Type
Because most concealers are made for specific types of skin, know what type you have. If your skin feels greasy and tends to break out, you have oily skin. Does your skin itch and flake? Then you have dry skin. If you have some areas on your face that are dry and others oily, then it’s combination skin for you! Normal skin falls in the middle somewhere. It’s neither overly-oily nor overly-dry.
Familiarize Yourself with the Different Concealer Types
Generally speaking, concealers come in three basic types or forms. We’ve listed the different types below so you can become familiar with each. This will help you choose the right concealer at shopping time.
- Solid Concealers: A solid concealer looks like lipstick or a pencil. This type is best at dabbing on pimples, spots, or blemishes. It’s not easy to blend a solid concealer. Therefore, this type isn’t recommended for covering large imperfections.
- Liquid Concealers: A liquid concealer spreads out easily. It can cover a large area of the face and blend in smoothly. It’s easy to apply liquid concealer. You can use this type alone without any foundation over the top.
- Powder Concealers: A powder concealer is designed to cover light blemishes or scars. It’s easy to blend a powder concealer in with your skin tone. However, this type provides limited coverage because it’s thin.
Read more: Main Differences Between Liquid & Powder Foundation
What Are You Going to Use the Concealer For?
Now it’s time to determine what you’re using concealer for. Some concealers are all-purpose and can cover any imperfections. Others are made for specific problems like acne, redness, or dark circles. There are even concealers formulated for specific concerns like those containing acne medicine.
Decide What Shade You Need
Choosing the right concealer shade can be tricky. Don’t believe that woman behind the makeup counter. She’ll tell you to choose a shade that’s one or two shades lighter than your skin. Here’s what will happen if you follow that advice: The area of your skin you apply it to will appear lighter than the rest of your face, which isn’t right.
Here’s the rule-of-thumb to follow when picking a concealer shade. If you’re using foundation, pick a concealer shade that’s half a shade lighter than your foundation shade. If you don’t plan on using foundation, then pick one that’s half a shade lighter than your skin color.
When you’re looking at concealer, pay attention to these words:
- Neutral
- Beige
- Warm
- Cool
Neutral shades are perfect for people who don’t have particularly light or dark skin. In other words, these shades match neutral skin tones. Beige shades are for concealing light shadows and for brightening up the skin. Warmer shades are made to cover dark areas well like undereye circles. The cool shades are for pinkish colored skin.
Helpful Hints for Picking the Right Concealer Shade
The most time-consuming part of shopping for concealer is picking the right shade. Tip: If you shop for concealer online at Amazon, it’s easy to choose a shade. There are concealer shade guides available in the product info sections. You can also read customer reviews. These reviews can tell you what people with different skin colors think about the various shades available.
In short, the key to choosing the right concealer is simple. You have to know your skin type and what problem you’re trying to conceal. The next step involves selecting a concealer that matches. For example, if you have oily skin with pimples, look for a non-oily variant like a stick concealer. The final thing you must do is choose the right shade so your concealer blends in with the rest of your skin.
Does Concealer Brand Matter?
There are many different concealer brands on the market today. Take a stroll down the beauty aisle of your favorite drugstore to see for yourself. Even sites like Amazon are flooded with concealer brands. So does it matter what concealer brand you choose? The answer is a resounding ‘No’.
It’s up to you what brand you choose. Sure, you’ll recognize some of the heavy-hitters. There’s L’Oreal, Maybelline, Revlon, and Covergirl. But there are lesser-known brands that work great too.
The lesser-known brands are often less costly than their big brand counterparts. So if money’s an issue, go with a brand you’re not familiar with. Just make sure the concealer matches your skin type, concern, and skin tone.
Conclusion
Picking the right concealer shouldn’t be hard to do. Yes, there are hundreds of concealers out there, that’s for sure. But once you know what it is you’re looking for, you can zero in on those concealers that meet your specific needs. Then all that’s left to do is find one that matches your budget and you’re good to go.
When you finally have your new concealer in hand, your troubles are over. Your skin will be flawlessly beautiful every day, to boost your self-confidence. Plus, there will be more room left in your makeup bag. You can dump that old stash of concealers that didn’t work for you.
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