You know that feeling when you’ve spent FOREVER nailing your makeup look, only to realize something’s just…off? The foundation’s flawless, the brows are snatched, but somehow there’s like this weird “something” under your eyes? Yep, that’s most likely a concealer fail. Picking the wrong concealer shade is REAL, sis, and it can completely mess up your vibe 🍂.
So how do you pick the right one? Girl, I got you. Let’s break it all down, step-by-step, and by the end of this, you’ll be out here slaying that concealer game like no one’s business!
Step 1: Know Your Skin Tone and Undertone
Here’s a little secret: not all skin is the same! (Like, duh). But no seriously, you need to know the difference between your skin tone and your undertone before you even think about buying a concealer.
- Skin Tone is your surface color. Are you fair, light, medium, or deep? Easy peasy.
- Undertone is the tricky part. It’s the color under the surface that gives your skin its unique vibe.
There are three main kinds of undertones:
– Warm (yellow/golden/peachy)
– Cool (pink, red, or blue-ish)
– Neutral (a mix of both warm and cool)
Want an easy way to find your undertone? Look at your veins!
| Vein Color | Undertone |
|---|---|
| Greenish | Warm |
| Bluish/Purplish | Cool |
| Both (can’t tell) | Neutral |
Step 2: Decide What You’re Actually Concealing
Not all concealer is for the same thing, you guys. Like, are you covering dark circles, blemishes, redness, or just highlighting? The purpose matters because different makeup probs call for different shades of concealer. 🤷♀️
Here’s the tea:
- Dark circles (those late-night Netflix sessions aren’t helping, let’s be real) need a concealer that’s a shade or two lighter than your foundation. You’re brightening that under-eye area, girlll!
- Blemishes, redness, or discoloration? You want a concealer that matches your skin tone exactly. Basically, you want it to look like you just re-did your skin without makeup.
Step 3: Color Corrector vs. Regular Concealer: Do I Need Both?
So here’s the deal. Color correctors are like these super powerful concealers but they come in different shades (green, peachy, lavender, etc.). Should you get one? Depends.
- Green concealer helps balance out redness.
- Peach/orange concealer combats blue-ish dark circles (so perf for my deep-skin girls!).
- Lavender concealer balances out yellow tones.
Bottom line: if you feel like your regular concealer *isn’t cutting it*, try a color corrector first!
Step 4: Test Your Shades in Natural Light
Do not — I repeat — DO NOT trust the lighting in the makeup store! You KNOW it’s always too warm or too cool, and you end up thinking your concealer is a perfect match… only to see yourself in the car mirror later like “WTF?” 😩
Grab a couple of shades, and step outside into natural light. That’s the real test. Also, you know it’s important to have an IRL friend on FaceTime (or like, Snapchat) because friends never let friends pick the wrong concealer shade.
Step 5: Swatch Before You Buy (Even Online!)
I know buying makeup online is tempting because it’s just so easy. I get it. But before throwing something in your cart, SWATCH IT in real life if you can. Go to a store, like Sephora, test it out on a patch of clean skin near your jawline or under-eye area. If it blends in seamlessly, girl, that’s the one!
Pro Tip: Don’t swatch on your hand…unless that’s where you wear your concealer (LOL).
Quick Tea: Colors online and colors on your actual face are like two totally different universes sometimes. Trust me! Test first, buy after. 😉
Step 6: Know Your Formula: Liquid, Cream, or Stick?
Okay, so now that you’re feeling confident about your shade, let’s talk about formulas. Concealers come in so many different textures, so it’s important to know what’ll work on your skin type.
- Liquid Concealers: These are the most versatile TBH. They’re good for every skin type and are particularly easy to work with. They work for light to medium coverage for your day-to-day looks. If you have oily or combination skin, THIS is usually where you’ll want to start.
- Cream Concealers: These give you FULL coverage, typically good for photoshoots or when you want to look extra snatched for the gram. If your skin’s a little on the dry side, cream concealers will keep you looking smooth without cracking.
- Stick Concealers: Super handy for touch-ups and targeted coverage for pimples or small areas. They’re usually creamy but thicker, so use sparingly, babes! Too much stick concealer can get cakey fast. 😬
Glossy Finish? Matte? Depending on your skin, you might want to choose between a matte finish that controls shine for oily skin, or something dewier for that glass skin glow we all die for (hey glowy queens 👑).
Step 7: Setting It All In Place
You’ve picked the right shade and formula, now how do you make sure it stays put? Setting powder is your bestie. Once you’ve blended out your concealer, grab a damp beauty blender or a fluffy brush, and gently press some translucent setting powder under your eyes to avoid creasing. In fact:
A flawless look is all about that staying power, sis! So don’t skip setting your concealer, especially for long days.
Also, setting sprays have entered the chat. Lock everything in at the very end, and you’ll look fresh all. day. long. ✨
But if your skin is suuuuuper dry, salty sprays or some matte powders might be too much — so be smart about hydration.
Step 8: Common Mistakes: Don’t Be That Girl!
You know what happens when you don’t blend concealer right? You get people staring at your unblended half-moon under your eyes like they’re trying to figure out what went wrong.
Here’s some quick tea to avoid the drama:
1. Too Much Product in One Spot? Don’t! Instead of slathering a ton of concealer right under your eye in one swipe, dot a little bit and blend outwards with a beauty blender or your finger like a pro.
2. Skipping Moisturizer or Eye Cream = disaster. If you’re not prepping, your concealer will dry out or crease more (bye-bye smooth finish). Just saying.
3. Using the wrong undertone is like wearing snow boots to the beach— doesn’t matter what the occasion is, it’s just not cute!! So don’t force it.
Step 9: Tips for Specific Skin Tones
Wanna hack it? Here’s some quick info:
– Fair/Light: Look for concealers with pink or peach-y tones to cancel out dark circles under the eyes.
– Medium/Tan: You’re probs gonna lean more golden/warm-toned. Go for yellow-y undertones.
– Deep: Get something with a dark orange or red undertone to help lift the under-eye area — and skip anything that looks ashy.
You’re Ready to Slay!
Picking a concealer shade isn’t science class, but it’s not totally random either. Find your skin tone, know your undertone, figure out what you want to fix or brighten, choose a formula that works… and baby, you’re good to go!
So next time someone’s like, “Your skin looks flawless 🥰!” You can be all like, “Oh, this ol’ thing?“.
