12 Different Ways To Use Concealer

Different Ways To Use Concealer

A concealer was perhaps the first makeup product we saved up for way back when we were in high school, or middle school if you were an early bloomer. Even then, we knew how versatile it was and how helpful it was for covering those sometimes agonizing imperfections on the face and the eye area. Even though we tend to grow out of our early makeup habits (hello, metallic blue eyeshadow), concealer is a major exception.

It’s one of those things you keep discovering. Sometimes, it’s the one that makes your makeup. And other times, it’s the helper product that enhances your makeup. The thing is everyone has a trial-and-error period until that ride-or-die concealer shows up.

And in that time, you keep piling up concealers from different brands in different colors and textures. Don’t throw them away just yet though. In case you didn’t know, there are other ways to use a concealer.

Even if you don’t have a pile of concealers waiting to expire (good for you!), there’s a chance you’re missing out on ways to make better use of them! Even a very basic concealer does more than just brighten your under-eyes.

Keep reading to learn about different ways to use a concealer.

How to Use Concealer

1. Use It To Conceal Under-Eyes

Obviously, this is the best way to use concealer. The under-eye area is where your concealer thrives! A simple concealer freshens up the eyes and reduces the visibility of minor discolorations, under-eye bags, and fine lines.

The best thing about a concealer is that it doesn’t require additional products. For example, if you use a full-coverage foundation for the entire face, it’s going to look flat. So you’ll have to wear bronzer or blush to make it look more natural.

A concealer, on the other hand, can be used alone when you’re going for foundation-free makeup. For the under-eye area, make sure your concealer is one shade lighter than your skin tone. And when applying it, avoid bringing it too close to the lower lash line. It looks unnatural and can make you look pale.

2. Use It To Cover Up Dark Circles

If you’re dealing with prominent dark circles, you’re going to need a little more help. First, moisturize the eye area and make sure you give it all the love it needs. Here’s where we get resourceful depending on what you have in your bag.

If you have a color corrector, apply it on the under-eye area, covering the dark circles. Peach tones will cancel out minor dark circles whereas orange tones will be more helpful for darker circles. After applying your color corrector, give it a few seconds until it settles. Then apply your concealer on top.

If you have a concealer with a darker shade, you can make use of it too. A dark brown concealer will work as a color corrector. Think of it as a deeper orange. Spread it out on the under-eye area.

Once it dries completely, apply a generous amount of lighter concealer on top of it without thinning it out too much. Otherwise, it’ll mix with the darker color and that will defeat the purpose.

Another way to cover up dark circles is to apply a tinted eye cream before applying your concealer. Tinted eye creams are usually made for dark circles. So they moisturize the eye area and cancel out discolorations, making way for your concealer.

3. Use It As a Foundation

A concealer, no matter the shade, can very well replace your foundation. Yes, even if it’s your under-eye concealer. Using it all over the face might not sound so appealing. However, application is key. You’ll apply tiny amounts and build very slowly.

To use your under-eye concealer for this purpose, you need to cover the under-eye area first. The shade there is going to guide you. Once that’s done, apply tiny amounts starting from the cheeks and really spread the concealer out.

It won’t look like a foundation, but it’ll be just enough to give you an even base. Build the coverage very slowly. And depending on the desired look, you can apply tiny amounts on the chin and the forehead as well.

Remember to use it to cancel any redness around the nose too. And to complete your look, warm up the face with a bronzer. If you have a concealer that’s already your skin tone, you can use it as a foundation too. Simply follow the exact steps and you’re done!

If using a concealer sounds like something you’d like or if you simply don’t want to wear foundation anymore, the next time you’re at Sephora, buy a face concealer and make sure it’s your own skin tone. And go for creamy formulas. They are amazing for coverage!

Related: Best Non-Comedogenic Drugstore Concealers

4. Use It To Spot-Cover Blemishes

Another way to use a concealer is by covering spots with it. You can use a concealer just like a spot treatment. Apply tiny dots on acne, blemishes, dark spots, or any other localized imperfections. Then press the concealer in without spreading it too much.

This is a great way to put together a look without needing a foundation. Your concealer does all the work. Plus, this type of makeup looks incredibly natural because your skin is still visible.

5. Use It To Amplify Coverage

You can try the above method for full glam looks too. After you spot cover acne or scars or spots with a concealer, give it a few minutes until the concealer is dry. Then move on to your foundation and apply evenly on the entire face.

Even if your foundation is light coverage, you’ve just made it full coverage! This is a great way to use your concealer to increase the coverage of your foundation.

6. Use It To Highlight

Highlighting isn’t all about glitter. It’s also about accentuating your features. Highlighting draws attention to certain areas, creates a lifted appearance, makes things look bigger, and brightens! And a concealer does all of that!

Though things may get confusing with contour and highlight palettes, you just need a lighter shade concealer for this. Use your concealer between your brows and a little above that area to open your face.

Different Ways To Use Concealer - Use it to cover highlight

Use it on your chin to make your face look longer and your chin more prominent. You can also highlight your cheekbones by applying concealer to the highest point of your cheeks.

To accentuate the cheekbones remember to apply a darker shade of concealer or a bronzer right below the highlighted area. That will give you a definition. If you don’t apply something darker there, you’ll be making your face look wider. If that’s what you’re going for, go easy on the contour.

7. Use It To Define Your Brows

You can use concealer to shape your eyebrows and give them a more defined appearance. This age-old trick takes your eyebrow game to a whole new level. By drawing a thin line with the concealer right above and right below the eyebrow, you’re emphasizing the shape of your brows.

This is great for opening up the eyes, defining the brow shape, and giving the eye area a subtle lift. You can blend the concealer using your fingers or a brush.

8. Use It To Prime The Lids

A concealer can also be used to prime the eyelids for eyeshadow application. Apply your concealer all over the eyelids using a brush or sponge to get an even-looking base. This will help the color of your eyeshadow to really pop.

Your concealer can cover up redness and veins on the lids. So far so good. But avoid overdoing this if you won’t be using an eyeshadow. Too much concealer on the lids makes you look unnatural and really lifeless. Other than that, a concealer works great as an eyeshadow base.

9. Use It To Hide Eyeliner Mistakes

Eyeliner, especially winged eyeliner, is difficult to draw. Things can get really messy really fast. One side can look streaky or can even be completely different than the one on the other side. Happens to the best of us! That’s where your concealer comes in.

After you draw your wing, use your concealer wand or an angled brush to define the wing. Apply the concealer by drawing a thin line right below the wing of your liner. This will even out the wing, clean up the streaks, and help shape it too.

10. Use It To Define The Lips

You can use your concealer to define the lips, make them look bigger, and even correct lipstick mistakes. To define the shape of your lips, apply your concealer after you apply your lipstick. Use a small brush following the edges of your lips to highlight and define the lips.

To plump up the lips, apply your concealer above the upper lip and below the lower lip. Use a sponge to blur out the shape of your lips and spread it out as much as you like.

The concealer works to give you a blank canvas here so that you can redefine the shape of your lips. Overline them and then apply your lipstick.

To clean up your lipstick, and this is especially helpful for red lips, apply a tiny amount of concealer around your mouth. With the help of a brush, clear up any pigments or smudges coming from the lipstick without getting too close to the lips.

11. Use It For Body Makeup

A concealer can also be used on the body to spot-cover chest acne and highlight collar bones. Even though body makeup isn’t something regular people do on a day-to-day basis, it can help a lot on special occasions when you don’t feel comfortable with a decolletage.

Just like you spot cover blemishes on the face, apply tiny dots of concealer on the chest and the neck area. To highlight collar bones, use a light shade concealer right on the collar bones. Then use a dark shade concealer, foundation, bronzer, or cream contour right above and below the collar bone to create contrast.

12. Use It As a Tinted Moisturizer

Last but not least, another creative way to use concealer is by mixing it with a moisturizer. The moisturizer will dilute concealer so that it becomes lighter in texture and in coverage. As a result, you get something like a skin tint.

This comes in handy in the summer. Additionally, you can mix your concealer with an illuminating moisturizer to get a dewy base. The added highlighter will give you a glowy complexion without a heavy base.

Keep in mind that this may not work for every concealer. It usually requires something liquid enough to actually mix with a moisturizer. Pot concealers won’t be the best option.

To give you an example, MAC Pro Long Wear Concealer mixes super well with CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion. I get light coverage, a healthy dose of tint, and a good amount of moisture.

Bring out your old products and see what you’ve got. It may require a little bit of testing at first, but it’s a good way to repurpose your products waiting to expire.

So these are some different ways to use your concealer. In case you need one, check out these concealer alternatives and substitutes.

Read Next: How To Lift Eyes with Makeup

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