Concealer Hacks: How To Apply Concealer Correctly

Concealer is one of those makeup products that can make or break your look. Wear it correctly and you will look dazzling, and wear it wrong and it can be the downfall of your beautifully made-up face.

Applying concealer correctly is actually easy- it’s simply about knowing the right tips and tricks. You don’t need to be a makeup professional, nor do you need to spend a lot of money to achieve flawless concealer.

I’ve put together some simple, yet awesome hacks on how to properly apply concealer every time!

1. How to choose the correct concealer

Hourglass-Vanish-Airbrush-Concealer-Review

This is where most people make their biggest concealer mistake- they choose the wrong shade. It’s an easy mistake to make, the reason being that for different concealer tasks, different shades are needed.

A common mistake is to use the same shade of concealer under the eyes and for spots and pimples. This is a mistake because the under-eye area needs brightening, whereas, your pimples and pigmentation definitely do not!

If you regularly need concealer for under the eyes and for pimples and pigmentation, you need to invest in 2 concealers. Your under-eye one will be a shade or two lighter than the one for pimples and pigmentation.

To cover up blemishes and pigmentation, choose a concealer as close as possible to your skin shade or foundation. Don’t use a lighter shade or it will draw more attention to your blemishes, which is not what anyone wants!

I know it’s a pain to have to invest in 2 concealers, however, there are loads of affordable drugstore concealers that are just as good as high-end ones. You do not need to break the bank!

2. Apply concealer under the eyes in small triangle shapes

Applying concealer in a round circle shape under the eye is the automatic way of applying it. Why? Because you are following the shape of your eye which makes a lot of sense. It may make sense logically, but it doesn’t cover the dark circles. The reason for that is that dark circles aren’t the same shape as your eyes.

@deborahruizglam
Viral concealer hack! I used less concealer than I usually do and it looked flawless 😱 Ib: @makeup_foundation #makeuphacks #concealer #concealerhacks @hudabeautyshopofficial Faux Filter concealer shade: Coconut Flakes
♬ original sound – kardashianshulu

Apply your concealer in small triangle shapes. As you can see from the TikTok viral concealer hack, the under-eye area doesn’t have one big dark circle but rather has a few small ones.

By making a few small triangles you end up covering much more than one big triangle or circle.

3. Dab the concealer, don’t rub it

Rubbing is so much quicker and easier, and trust me, I know what it’s like being in a rush in the morning. The quicker, the better, especially with a 2-year-old hovering around!

However, rubbing your concealer simply will not cover anything. All it does is irritate your skin and remove any foundation that has already been applied. The usual result is that the concealer ends up looking patchy. So dab with a brush, beauty blender or even your fingers.

4. Mix your concealer with moisturiser

For years, my concealer creased under my eyes- I tried many different brands, but my under-eye area still creased.

One of the best concealer hacks that’s worked for me is to mix concealer with moisturizer. Tried and tested it, and I can verify it really works! The way to do it is to dab a bit of concealer on your hand and mix some moisturiser into it. Then simply apply as you would normally apply concealer. Alternatively, apply moisturizer under your eyes a couple of minutes before applying your concealer.

The moisturiser stops the concealer from settling into the lines, which stops it from creasing and to be honest, I haven’t looked back!

5. Use a color-corrector

If you have greyness in your under-eye area, use a color corrector to balance it. For fair to normal skin tones, use an orange shade and for deeper skin tones, use a red shade.

6. Apply concealer after applying foundation

Always apply your concealer after your foundation. Think of it as the finishing touch to a painting. Once you’ve applied the foundation, you can see what still needs fixing.

7. Use a concealer brush

For best results apply with a concealer brush. Why? Because a concealer brush is made for the eye area and can fit into the tiny spaces that your fingers or bigger brushes can’t otherwise get to.

Even if you usually use a beauty blender I recommend touching up the hard-to-reach areas with a concealer brush.

8. Use a setting powder

Laura-Mercier-Translucent-Loose-Setting-Powder

A setting powder does exactly as it sounds- it sets the makeup. This is an extremely important step because it helps the makeup stay on better and longer. Using a setting powder also gives the concealer a real matte finish without any reflective shine.

For mature and dry skin, apply setting powder with caution, because setting powder tends to dry out the skin.

9. Use an eye-brightener

Concealer covers dark circles and pigmentation, and some have brightening properties. However, to get a proper brightening effect, use a brightening product like the Rare Beauty Positive Light Under Eye Brightener after applying your concealer.

My Thoughts

Getting into a rut is normal! We all get into a routine with makeup especially, those less creative and less into makeup.

Changing up your routine is a good practice, it gives you an opportunity to update your makeup look. Something everyone should do every so often! I hope these concealer hacks have inspired you to update your routine!

Hollie xx

About Hollie

Hi, I’m Hollie, and I’m passionate about everything beauty. Over the last decade and a half, I’ve tested thousands of products to bring you the best of the best! I also love bringing you fun and creative beauty looks. Learn more.

Beauty profile – 35, dry, aging skin, focused on aging well with a healthy glow and natural makeup look ✨