Makeup 101: Concealers

I usually don't like to wear foundation because it makes me feel like I'm wearing a mask.  Even though I love the look of flawless skin, I prefer to let my real skin show. One thing I feel like I can't live without..or would not want to live without..is my concealer.  

I like to use concealer under my eyes to hide dark circles, around my nose to neutralize redness, and over the occasional blemish/zit.  I prefer drugstore concealers because I think you can find affordable ones that work just as well as any overpriced one at Sephora or Ulta.  

When looking for a concealer, you'll find that they come in many different forms.  You might see them in stick form, within a palette, in a pot/jar, in a squeeze tube, etc. One thing you should know is different concealer consistencies perform best for different things.  

Thick, creamy concealers are good for covering up blemishes, zits, or scars.  My Coastal Scents concealer palette is perfect for covering imperfections on my face--however, it's way too thick to use under my eyes.  If I use it under my eyes, I find that my bags are even more obvious because the thickness causes my skin to dry out, flake, and look cakey...ew. Definitely not a pretty look.

This palette includes 4 non-typical concealer shades. The top left shade is shimmery because it is actually a cream highlight color.  Below the shimmery white is a green concealer to counteract redness in your skin.  Below the green, is a lavender, which counteracts yellow tones in your skin, and the top shade in the second column is a yellow that helps counteract purple/blue tones in your skin. Color correctors can be useful if a regular concealer shade alone doesn't do the trick! If you decide to purchase this concealer palette, it retails for 14. 95 on coastalscents.com. The reason my concealers appear to be scratched up is because I felt like my concealers were drying out, so I scraped the top layer off of each concealer pan. I find that it's convenient to use on my clients because it caters to all different skin tones.

Next is my Revlon Age Defying concealer.  I think this retails around $10.00 at drugstores like Rite-Aid, CVS, and Walgreens...but I'm pretty sure you can find it for cheaper at Target or Wal-Mart. I really like this one for under-eye circles because it's a more liquidy consistency AND it's moisturizing!  Because your under-eyes don't contain oil glands, your skin tends to be very dry there..so any extra moisture is good! Also, there is an SPF 25--even more protection! :) 

My Revlon PhotoReady concealer is currently my favorite.  Most concealers that come in stick form are drying and can look caked up on your skin if you add too many layers onto it.  However, this one performs wonders for my dark bags and the redness around my nose.  The texture is smooth, creamy, and blends very naturally into the skin.  It retails for $9.99 in drugstores, but you can save yourself a couple of bucks by purchasing at Target for $8.00.  My shade is in Medium which is perfect for my current tanned complexion. 

Concealer Using TIP: 

To keep your concealer lasting on your face all day, set the concealer using a face powder: pressed or loose.  You can find face powder for really cheap.  Just take a brush/sponge you have or the applicator it comes with and pat a thin layer of powder over the areas you applied concealer.  This is a necessary step in keeping your makeup lasting longer and fresher throughout the whole day..especially in this hot, humid weather!