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Even the most minimalistic makeup routine likely counts concealer as one of its staple products. If you don’t want to do a whole face of makeup and merely want to hide under eye circles and blemishes, concealer can get the job done without appearing cakey or heavy handed, overwhelming your face. However, as with most makeup products, there are missteps you could make along the way with your concealer which may actually have the opposite effect, highlighting your age and drawing attention to the features you wish to hide. As you grow older, this is the biggest concealer mistake makeup artists warn you should be avoiding in order to effortlessly look your best without accidentally aging yourself.
It’s often said that a lighter shade of concealer is ideal for the under eye area in order to brighten your features while minimizing the appearance of dark circles. However, choosing a shade that’s too light is one of the worst concealer faux pas you can make. “One of the biggest mistakes made with concealer is using a shade that is more than two shades lighter than your skin tone. This only highlights fine lines and dark circles rather than concealing them,” explains Shola Akintobi, makeup artist and the owner of Best Face Forward Makeup Studio in Brooklyn, NY.
Although using a shade slightly lighter than the rest of your face can in fact brighten and illuminate your complexion, going too light can make your under eye shadows appear gray, aging you considerably. If the rest of your face does not match, it will only draw further attention to the areas you’re aiming to hide, failing to conceal under your eyes or help you to appear younger. Self explains, “Concealers that are more than one shade lighter than your skin tone can leave you with a ghostly shadow.” Instead, they suggest mixing your concealer with a slightly darker foundation if you find yourself with a product that doesn’t match your shade. This will even out the tone and compliment your complexion more effectively.
In order to choose the right shade of concealer, Akintobi has one simple trick. “Ideally you want to use a creamy blendable concealer that is just one shade lighter than your jaw line. Prep skin with a great moisturizer and eye cream and apply a small amount of concealer to the skin and blend well using your ring finger, brush or blender.” It’s important to color match as best as you can to avoid washing out your face, but creating a well moisturized base for your concealer is almost as important as the shade itself for providing anti aging benefits without creasing into the fine lines under your eyes.
Regardless of your makeup preferences, concealer is likely a staple in your makeup bag and therefore should compliment your skin tone rather than draw attention to eye bags and fine lines. If you still aren’t sure which shade you should be opting for, test the product based on the skin color of your face rather than the back of your hand, and Sephora professionals are always available to help you color match more effectively. Regardless of your age, picking the right shade of concealer is one of the best ways to ensure a flawless complexion everyday, evening out your skin tone and highlighting your best features in order to capture a timeless glow.
