What Is Concealer and What Does It Do?
Quick answer: Concealer is a complexion product with more pigment than foundation. It's used to hide under-eye circles, acne marks, redness, and spots locally; it isn't applied all over the face, only to the areas with imperfections, usually after foundation. For under-eye darkness, choose a concealer with a yellow or peach undertone.
Concealer is an amazing beauty product that hides imperfections and evens out your skin tone!
A makeup essential and a must-have in every makeup bag, concealer does so much to help your skin look its best. Concealers are products that help cover any imperfection, redness, or spot you see on your skin.
When your skin loses its fresh look after a hectic day, concealer is the first product to come to the rescue. By covering under-eye circles or any area of your skin you see as an imperfection, it keeps you from looking tired and makes you look energized at every hour of the day.
How Do You Use Concealer?
Now let's talk about how concealer should be used; some of us apply concealer like foundation, but that's not right. Rather than applying it all over the face, it should be used locally. We can almost hear you asking, "Why?" Because concealers have intense color pigments, applying them directly to the imperfections on your face creates a healthier, fresher look. For example, if dark circles under your eyes are starting to show, you can use it as an under-eye concealer, or if sunspots on your face bother you, you can use it to hide them.
For a step-by-step under-eye application, check out our under-eye concealer application guide.
How Do You Choose the Right Concealer Shade?
The best concealer for you is always the one that matches your skin tone. Although your skin tone may change from time to time as the seasons shift, if you know your own skin tone and choose the shade that suits it, you can get the look you want. So the first thing to do is find out your own skin tone!
First, make sure you test concealer in daylight. Stores that sell beauty products usually use lighting close to daylight, so you can rest easy. Still, if you say, "I don't trust store lighting," you can step outside after trying the product and check your skin in a pocket mirror, or try the mirrors placed in different spots around the store.
Where Do You Apply Concealer?
To find the right shade, apply the concealer to your jawline. You can tell the most accurate shade by applying it there, but if you want to be extra sure, you can also try the product on your hand and arm. Take a small amount on your fingertips and blend it out. Then wait a little while for the concealer to melt into your skin.
To choose the shade that suits your skin tone, you need to know your skin's undertone. So how do you find out? First, ask yourself these questions: What color does your skin look in daylight? Is it pinkish? Does it have a yellow tone? Or does your skin contain more than one color? If your answer is pink, you have a cool undertone; if it's yellow, a warm undertone; and if it contains more than one color, a neutral undertone. Even the beds of your nails can tell you which undertone you have. When you look at your nail beds, if you see pink, a warm color, or a color you can't quite define, you can interpret the colors the same way.
As we mentioned, once you know your skin tone, choose the shades closest to it. People with cool undertones can use concealers in pink and peach shades; people with warm undertones can use concealers in yellow, golden, and peach shades; and people with neutral undertones can use a mix of the concealer shades recommended for warm and cool undertones.
As we mentioned, you can use concealer for more than one purpose: evening out your skin tone, covering redness and pimples on your face, hiding sunspots, or instantly erasing dark circles under your eyes.
If your spots or under-eye dark circles are very noticeable and they bother you, choose a high-coverage product. If you want to give your face a brighter or more radiant look, you can use another product that adds glow after your high-coverage product. How you use it depends entirely on your personal needs and preferences.
A concealer with a yellow undertone in particular is better at covering dark spots on the face or under-eye circles.
Your skin tone can change somewhat from season to season: in winter, your skin gets lighter, and in summer, with the sun directly overhead, your skin gets darker and you tan; so when your skin tone changes, you need to change your concealer shade, too.
Should You Apply Concealer or Foundation First?
Everyone has a makeup routine. Before we get into the debate about whether to apply concealer or foundation first, we would like to share two things we're sure of with you. The first step in makeup application is primer, and the last step is setting spray. With that in mind, let's get to it: concealer or foundation?
- If you apply concealer first, you want to cover your skin's imperfections right away. As a prep step for foundation, once you have covered redness, spots, and pimples, you can get a natural-looking complexion when you apply foundation.
- If you apply foundation first, you create a base that evens out your skin tone, and then you can apply concealer to specific areas of your face and play with light. Many makeup experts also favor this order and say foundation should be applied first.
- When applying concealer or foundation to your face, use a makeup brush; that way you avoid using too much or too little product on certain areas of your face and prevent an uneven skin tone.
What Are the Differences Between Concealer and Foundation?
Many people also use their foundation as a concealer, because liquid concealers and liquid foundations are very similar in texture. But is that the right way to use them? No. There are some differences between concealers and foundations:
- Concealers are ideal for covering imperfections in specific areas of the face. They can be used as an under-eye concealer. Foundations, on the other hand, help even out the overall skin tone and give the skin a smooth look. They can be applied to the whole face.
- Because concealers are highly pigmented, they offer more intense coverage than foundations.
- Liquid foundations have a lighter, more fluid texture than liquid concealers, while liquid concealers have a matte finish.
- Concealers can come in shades close to your skin tone. For example, you can choose concealers with a yellow undertone to cover your under-eye circles; foundations, however, should match your skin tone exactly.
- Concealers stay on the skin longer than foundations. Because foundations are lighter, they need to be touched up at intervals throughout the day.
The best makeup is the makeup you keep experimenting with, find right for you, and get a great complexion from. Take good care of your skin, remove your makeup thoroughly before bed, and always choose products full of high-quality ingredients that are good for your skin to keep it looking fresh.
What Are the Key Differences Between Concealer and Foundation? Which Product Should You Apply Where?
Quick answer: Foundation gives your whole face overall smoothness and an even tone, while concealer has a more intense texture used only on areas that need heavy pigment, like acne marks or dark circles.
It's completely normal to sometimes mix up what each product does when you sit down at your vanity. Foundation is made to create an overall canvas on your skin, erase differences in tone, and give you that fresh look you want. Its texture is usually more fluid and lightweight, so your skin keeps breathing when you spread it all over your face. But there are spots on your face that foundation isn't enough to cover. For acne marks, visible veins, or those exhausted-looking under-eye circles, you need Alix Avien concealers with a much higher pigment load. Because concealers have a thicker consistency, they're ideal for pinpointing just the problem areas.
Should You Apply Concealer or Foundation First When Doing Your Makeup? Why Does the Order Matter?
Quick answer: Apply foundation first to even out your skin, then apply concealer over the imperfections that are still visible for a much more natural finish.
Let me tell you a secret: most people waste product by applying concealer under their foundation. The method experts recommend, and the one I always recommend too, is to apply your Alix Avien foundation all over your face first to bring balance to your skin. Foundation will cover many tiny imperfections before you even reach for concealer. When you then apply concealer locally over the areas that still bother you, you end up using much less product than usual. That way you avoid the artificial, layered look that smears onto your phone screen during a call or settles into your lines while you eat. Less product always makes your skin look younger and firmer.
What Concealer Shade Should You Choose to Hide Under-Eye Dark Circles?
Quick answer: To neutralize those tired purple and bluish circles under your eyes, choose Alix Avien concealers with a yellow or peach/salmon undertone to instantly refresh your look.
Sometimes, no matter how much sleep you get, seeing those dark circles in the mirror can be frustrating. Using a product much lighter than your skin tone to cover under-eye darkness doesn't hide it; on the contrary, it makes it look gray and muddy. According to color theory, yellow and peach tones, which sit opposite purple, break up the contrast of those dark circles and brighten the area. If your circles lean more blue, choose a salmon-toned product; if they're more purple, choose an Alix Avien product with a yellow undertone to make your under-eyes look much more energized. Under the light, these tones blend with your skin and give you back that well-rested expression.
You can find every step of under-eye application, from color corrector to setting, in our How to Cover Under-Eye Dark Circles guide.
How Do You Find the Right Concealer Shade for Your Undertone? Warm and Cool Reflections.
Quick answer: If your skin looks pinkish in daylight, you have a cool undertone; if it looks yellowish, you have a warm undertone. Always do the shade test on your jawline.
If you're wondering why your concealer stands out on your face, you may have misjudged your undertone. If you have a cool undertone, products with pink or peach reflections look great on you. If your skin looks more golden or yellowish, Alix Avien concealers with yellow reflections are the right choice for you. Neutral skin, which has both pink and yellow reflections, can work with either group. Don't make the mistake of testing the shade on your wrist; the skin there is different from your face. You'll always get the truest result from a test on your jawline in daylight.
How Do You Keep Concealer from Creasing and Looking Cakey During the Day? Secrets to Staying Power.
Quick answer: Moisturize your eye area well before applying, pat the product in with a tapping motion, and then go over it with a translucent setting powder using a damp sponge.
When under-eye concealer starts to crack like a map after a while, it's usually due to dehydration. When the skin dries out, it absorbs the moisture in the product and only the pigments are left behind, which makes it settle into lines. Before applying your Alix Avien concealer, always saturate your eye area with a suitable moisturizer. Don't drag the product across your skin; press it in with gentle taps using your fingertips or a brush. Finally, when you go over it with a translucent powder using a damp sponge, you'll see that your concealer stays put all day. This method helps you keep that fresh feeling, especially on busy days and at dinners.