Is lighter or darker concealer better for dark spots?

Author: Jeanette Durgan  |  Last update: Saturday, June 28, 2025

To hide imperfections and blemishes, concealer should match your skin tone and undertone, seamlessly blending into the skin. To reduce the appearance of dark circles, though, apply a concealer that is 1 shade lighter than your skin tone.

Should concealer for dark spots be lighter or darker?

``Always go a shade lighter than your foundation.'' The lighter tone will cancel out dark discoloration, but be careful not to go too fair. Concealers that are more than one shade lighter than your skin tone can leave you with a ghostly shadow.

What concealer cancels out dark spots?

Best higher-end concealers for dark spots
  • IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Anti-Aging Concealer
  • Magic Away Concealer by Charlotte Tilbury
  • Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer
  • NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
  • BOI-ING Industrial Strength Full Coverage Cream Concealer by Benefit Cosmetics

Which concealer is used to hide dark spots?

Best higher-end concealers for dark spots
  • IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Anti-Aging Concealer
  • Magic Away Concealer by Charlotte Tilbury
  • Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer
  • NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
  • BOI-ING Industrial Strength Full Coverage Cream Concealer by Benefit Cosmetics

What shade of concealer is best for dark circles?

For dark circles, yellow color corrector or a yellowish concealer is best.

Secrets To Concealing Dark Circles And Hollows with NO CREASING! | OVER 40

What is the best concealer to hide dark circles?

Our Top Undereye Concealers
  • Best Overall: Nars Soft Matte Concealer, $32.
  • Best for Sensitive Skin: Tower 28 Swipe Serum Concealer, $22.
  • Best for Redness: Kosas Revealer Concealer, $32.
  • Best for Dark Circles: Tarte Shape Tape Radiant Concealer, $32.
  • Best Blurring: Benefit Cosmetics Bright On Boi-ing Concealer, $28.

Should you put concealer or foundation first for dark circles?

Applying foundation first offers several advantages to help streamline your routine and achieve a flawless finish. For example: Creating an even base – in addition to providing all-over coverage, foundation can also highlight areas where targeted concealer application can be beneficial (e.g. to lighten dark circles)

How to apply concealer to hide dark spots?

If you can still see imperfections peaking through your foundation, grab a concealer for dark spots. Swipe it under your eyes in an upward motion out towards your temples, between your brows, down the bridge of your nose and on the middle of your chin.

What is the best concealer to cover spots?

Our top picks for concealers for acne in 2024:
  • Best Concealer for Acne Overall. NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer. Read more.
  • Best Award-Winning Concealer for Acne. Wyn Beauty Nothing To See Soft Matte Creamy Concealer. Read more.
  • Best Concealer for Acne and Dark Spots. Ciele Conceal & Protect SPF 50+ Spot Concealer. Read more.

What goes first foundation or concealer for dark spots?

Which is exactly why some makeup artists always apply foundation before concealer. “If you have blemishes or pigmentation on the skin, you're going to want to put your base on first,” explains Lenny. “If you do your concealer first, you'll just end up covering or disrupting the work you did.

Is concealer or foundation better for dark spots?

Concealer vs Foundation

Concealer is designed to color-correct dark circles, pigmentation, and blemishes while foundation works to enhance the overall skin tone. They are great on their own but together they complete each other.

Is pink or yellow concealer better for dark circles?

Both look good, but the pink looks brighter and more natural. The yellow covers dark circles better but doesn't do anything dimensionally because it's too close to your foundation shade. Yellow, pink is too pale. The pink gives you a chance to add more warmth to the face with bronzer and blush.

How do I know if my concealer is too light?

Bringing light to areas only draws more attention to that area. Meaning, if you're trying to conceal darkness and go too light with your concealer, it's going to bring more attention to that area. It could also have a graying effect, which is definitely not what we want to cover any sort of darkness or discoloration.

Which drugstore concealer is the best?

Our top picks for drugstore concealers in 2024:
  • Best Drugstore Concealer Overall. Maybelline New York Maybelline Fit Me Liquid Concealer. ...
  • Best Long-Wear Drugstore Concealer. L'Oréal Paris Infallible Full Wear Waterproof Matte Concealer. ...
  • Best Drugstore Concealer for Acne.

How to find the correct concealer shade?

The rule of thumb for picking your concealer shade is based on your foundation shade. Beauty experts advise that everyone should have two shades of concealer in their arsenal, one lighter and one darker since daily sun exposure means your skin tone shifts slightly all the time.

Is it OK to put concealer on spots?

Spots will make themselves scarce quicker if they're left alone. Touching them will only serve to annoy them, driving inflammation and redness. By all means, apply concealer, but avoid any unnecessary prodding or poking.

Should concealer be lighter or darker to cover dark spots?

To hide imperfections and blemishes, concealer should match your skin tone and undertone, seamlessly blending into the skin. To reduce the appearance of dark circles, though, apply a concealer that is 1 shade lighter than your skin tone.

What color concealer for dark circles?

Dark circles tend to have a bluish undertone, so shades of peach and orange are ideal for canceling them out. Those with lighter skin tones should reach for a peach color corrector.

What makeup cancels out dark spots?

Deeper peach and orange color correctors help counteract bluish hues, which makes them great for neutralizing dark spots and dark circles on those with medium to deep skin tones. If you're unsure which to choose, consider your skin tone and your undertones.

Do you put concealer or foundation first?

The final takeaway? Apply foundation before concealer when you only want to cover up any minor skin imperfections. The concealer aka colour corrector goes before the foundation if you want to hide stubborn marks or dark circles. Then a layer of your foundation followed by a concealer that is true to your skin tone.

Which color corrector for dark spots?

Purple Corrector: Purple correctors are great for covering up hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and yellow undertones in the skin. It's perfect for brightening up dull-looking skin. Yellow Corrector: Yellow corrector neutralizes purple/blue undertones in the skin.

Do you put concealer on first or tinted moisturizer?

Foundation or tinted moisturizer is meant to even out your skin tone and reduce the need for concealer. Concealer is that extra step to perfect, brighten or add extra polish to your skin. Dab, dab, dab and pat, pat, pat but don't rub, rub, rub. Rubbing will remove your coverage and waste your product.

What is the best concealer for dark circles?

Concealers for Dark Circles
  • CLINIQUEBeyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer26 Colors. ...
  • Bobbi BrownSkin Concealer Stick18 Colors. ...
  • ISAMAYA5 Point Lift Color Correcting Concealer with Caffeine5 Colors. ...
  • Estée LauderDouble Wear Stay-in-Place 24-Hour Longwear Concealer30 Colors. ...
  • Fashion FairCrème Concealer10 Colors.

Do you color correct before or after concealer?

“Color correction should always be applied after skincare and before foundation and concealer,” she notes. “Using a small brush to pat on, and a damp beauty sponge to stipple is the easiest way to apply color corrector.”

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