What Does Concealer Do?
Concealer evens out spots that stand apart from your skin tone with the surrounding shade: dark circles, redness on the sides of the nose, individual spots. Its difference from foundation isn't area but intensity; concealer is applied not all over the face but to 2-3 small spots, where it provides the coverage foundation can't.
This distinction matters even more in natural-looking makeup. Spreading concealer all over the face and using it like foundation makes it the first layer anyone notices, because its pigment density is high. If you'd like to compare coverage levels, the concealer collection brings the options together in one list.
Can You Use BB Cream Instead of Concealer?
BB cream doesn't fully replace concealer, but for most everyday use you don't need both. BB cream gives sheer-to-medium coverage, meaning it handles overall tone evenness in one step. For the 1-2 noticeable spots that remain, a small amount of concealer is added on top.
The two products have different textures too. Because BB cream has a high moisturizer content, it spreads across the skin and leaves a thin layer; concealer, on the other hand, is formulated not to spread but to stay where it's placed. That's why using BB cream for spot work and concealer all over the face is the opposite of what each was designed for.
How to Apply BB Cream
Take a pea-sized amount of BB cream on clean, moisturized skin and spread it from the center of the face outward. It settles in 20-30 seconds with your fingertips or a damp sponge. With richly hydrating products like Natlook BB Cream, too much product weighs down the texture, so start with a little.
The difference between a sponge and fingers is measurable: a sponge absorbs some of the product and leaves a thinner layer, while fingers soften the texture with the warmth of the skin for a fuller-coverage result. If you want a barely-there finish, go with a sponge. For other formats, see the BB & CC Cream collection.
Which Texture Is Least Noticeable on the Skin?
The least noticeable textures are creamy and liquid ones, because they leave a finish close to the skin's own surface. Powder textures reflect light differently, so they sit on top and reveal where the makeup begins. The rule is simple: the less powder a product contains, the less visible it is.
- Complexion: BB cream or a sheer-finish foundation, powder only on the T-zone
- Cheeks: creamy or stick texture, a single layer blended with your fingers
- Lips: a glossy, sheer finish, without a sharp lip line
- Eyes: one coat of mascara, just at the lash roots instead of intense color
How Low Can You Keep Coverage?
When you're aiming for a barely-noticeable result, coverage is kept sheer across the whole face and medium on just 2-3 spots. Your skin's own texture showing through isn't a flaw; it's the source of this look. Limiting the number of layers to three is enough: moisturizer, a tone evener and spot concealer.
There's a measurable sign of keeping coverage low: when your makeup is done, the skin's own texture should still be visible on at least half of your face. When the entire surface has been reduced to a single flat tone, the coverage is no longer low, and at that point you pull back on the amount, not the product, to reduce coverage.
How to Look Fresh with Fewer Products
Radiance is built not with the number of products but with color placement. A single creamy color on the cheeks, a sheer shade from the same family on the lips and one coat of mascara at the lash roots bring the face to life in 3 minutes total. Stick Blush is the creamy option for this step.
On the lips, a sheer-finish product like Beyond Care Sheer Lipstick leaves color without drawing a line. On the eyes, Ultra Definition Mascara applied in one coat intensifies lashes without creating a stiff, overdone look.
Who Is the No Makeup Makeup Set For?
The set is for anyone who wants to use just a few products so their makeup goes unnoticed: BB cream, stick blush, a sheer-finish lipstick and a mascara. If you'd like to build a base that needs higher coverage, the Perfect Base Set handles the same steps with fuller-coverage products.