How to Apply Concealer

If you’ve ever struggled to hide the dark circles under your eyes, or redness around your nose, you’ve probably applied concealer. The challenge, it seems, is to find the right formula and shade and to apply it properly so you can achieve a natural look. If used correctly, concealer can be your best defense against tired looking eyes. If overused, however, it can accentuate the areas you mean to conceal.

The secret to properly applying concealer is to find the right shade and the blend it in so it looks flawless, not obvious. For the best eye concealers and most comprehensive color and formula assortment of concealer makeup for your face and eyes, check out makeup artist Michael Todd’s collection. From moisturizing mixtures with vitamin E and shea butter, to award-winning Scintillent Mineral Concealer, to skin-clearing concealer or under-eye concealers designed to neutralize dark circles, you’ll find a concealer that’s perfect for you.

First, make sure your skin is moisturized properly to help fill in any small lines around your eyes. Choose the shade of your concealer carefully: For pale skin, use a light beige with yellow undertones. For olive skin, use a medium beige with pink undertones. And for darker skin, use a medium to medium-dark shade with peach undertones. A green shade can mask redness. Salmon colored concealer can work for all skin tones.

With your chin pointing down, look in the mirror to identify where the shadows fall. Apply several dots of concealer starting in the corner under the eyes, then use the pad of your middle finger to tap it in (always tap, never rub). Always start with less than you think you need. You can add more if needed, but the idea is to use as little as possible. Apply concealer on other uneven spots on the face — including the chin, and around the nose and mouth if need be — and tap in. As you fill in, blend out for consistency.

To set the concealer so that it lasts all day, dust fine, loose powder over your face, including under your eyes.