What to look for in a concealer:
1. Texture: Concealers come in various forms- stick form, in a tube with a doe foot application, or as a cream in a pot or compact. All these forms are great and serve a purpose in ease of application, but what's important is that it feels creamy on the skin and can be easily blended into the applied area without tugging on the skin. The last thing you want to do is wear an under eye concealer that is so drying that every fine line and wrinkle is not only put on display, but seem to multiply as the day progresses!
2. Color: Concealer is used to cover blemishes, highlight areas of the face when contouring, and to cancel out uneven skin tone, such as redness or dark under eye circles. For blemishes, choose a color that matches your natural skin tone. Since concealers are meant to be thicker than foundation, the added coverage will help in the cover up. For highlighting, choose a color 2 shades lighter than your natural skin tone to accentuate areas of your face that you want to bring out (under eyes, bridge of nose, cupids bow, forehead).
For covering dark under eye circles, you want to cancel out the tone of the skin with a complimentary color. For example, dark circles can have a purple or green hue to them, so a color that could correct that would be a salmon or peach toned concealer. This color will neutralize the dark areas and bring balance to the face. For redness, a yellow tone concealer works great to neutralize the red undertones that want to come through your natural skin tone.
3. How to apply: Concealer can be applied with a beauty sponge, makeup brush, or your very own fingers. Brushes are great when used to spot correct. Sponges work well when you are covering a larger area, such as under the eyes. One tip I have when using sponges is to completely immerse the sponge in water, squeeze all excess water out, and then apply concealer. The dampness of the sponge helps the product move into the skin easier than a dry sponge would. I tend to lean on using my fingers because the warmth of our hands help the product warm up and really blend into the skin. Whichever way you choose, remember that you want the product to blend into your skin and not into your applicator.
So let's all give concealer a chance and remember- makeup is to enhance the beauty thats already there. But when life throws you a zit, or in my case, a newborn that likes to party in her crib at night, concealer is there to save the day!