"Always go a shade lighter than your foundation." The lighter tone will cancel out dark discoloration, but be careful not to go too fair.
The general rule of thumb is that you should always opt for a shade lighter than foundation when choosing your concealer colour. Doing so helps to mask darker discolouration, but be careful not to over-correct! Knowing how to pick the right concealer is essential to ensuring that your look does not appear ghostly.
While concealer for the general areas of your face should match your skin tone, under-eye concealer should be one or two shades lighter than your natural coloring. Using a lighter concealer for your eye area helps cover up under-eye circles and creates a brightening effect.
“You can't have a concealer that's too light,” she said, adding that women should choose concealer that's one to two shades lighter than the color of their foundation. “One to two shades … the right color blends itself. It makes a big difference."
The experts have spoken, and the answer is, foundation should be one or two shades lighter than your skin tone. This is because when you use bronzer or contour then the foundation should be able to blend and give the perfect look to your face.
Do I apply concealer before or after foundation? Always apply your foundation first, unless you are using a powder foundation. Applying foundation first creates an even base to reduce overall redness, discoloration and minor blemishes.
Blend The Foundation Lighter Than You
When in doubt, always pick a shade that is slightly lighter than your complexion rather than darker. This can prevent your complexion from looking darker than the rest of your body. It is the safest way to go when unsure about two shades that may look too light or too dark.
For the undereye area, be sure to select a shade of concealer that's no more than one or two shades lighter than your natural skin tone to avoid an obvious white circle around the eye area. For your face, select a concealer that matches the color of your foundation exactly.
If you're specifically looking to cover dark circles, you should instead choose color correctors in shades of red, pink, orange, or yellow, as these will help balance out the blue hue of under-eye circles. “Yellow is a super versatile concealer color that brightens sallowness.
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.
MYTH: You should always use a concealer one shade lighter than your foundation. Truth: If your goal is to brighten dark circles, then yes, choose a lighter concealer. But for blemishes or scars, you need a yellow-based shade as close as possible to that of your foundation.
Remember, when covering under-eye areas, opt for a concealer colour that is one or two shades lighter. But be careful that you don't get too light! If you are torn when it comes time to pick a concealer shade, always go with the darker of the two concealers, just in case.
You will need a concealer two shades lighter and one three shades darker than your foundation color. The lighter shade is used to highlight your face. You'll want to apply it to the top of your cheekbones, middle of your forehead, bridge of your nose, chin, and under your eyes.
If your dark circles look bluish or purple, you want to tap on a yellow pigment, like Colour Corrector Stick: The Brightener. Meanwhile, green-tinted under-eyes will appear transformed with a swipe of a violet colour corrector. We love Colour Corrector Stick: The Revitaliser.
So, do you use concealer before or after foundation? The proper way to apply the two products is to first smooth on a foundation and then apply your concealer. Foundation will create that even canvas we talked about earlier, and then concealer can be used to spot correct any outstanding areas that need extra coverage.
Using a concealer is NOT necessary for everyone, but it can be a great way to brighten up your face and hide blemishes. What is this? If you have good skin with no dark circles under your eyes, you can skip using it. However, if you have minor blemishes that you want to hide, using a concealer is the best idea.
If you don't already apply your undereye concealer in a triangle, you could be aging your face. Using this simple method for applying concealer and covering under eye bags can make you instantly look 10 years younger. It's magical!
If your makeup is too light, you will look ashy or as if you have a gray cast on your skin. If the formula is too dark, it can make your complexion look muddy. Look for the shade that disappears into your skin most is your right match.
Mix it with moisturizer
If you find that your foundation is a little too dark, all you need to do is take a little of it on the back of your hand, and then add a dab of moisturizer to it. Then, mix it up, check if the shade is all right, and apply it to your face.
Foundations are meant to make skin even and either luminous or matte, depending on skin type, and both of these formulas will do nothing to help you under your eyes. While it doesn't hurt to put foundation under your eyes, it certainly doesn't help. Skip this move and only add concealer and/or corrector under the eyes.