There are several reasons that a person may want to use concealer. Perhaps you have a few pimples, dark spots, or dark under-eye circles you would prefer covered up, or maybe there are sections of your face that you are looking to illuminate. Regardless of your reason for using concealer, WOW Skin Science is here to help make sure you do it right.

How you apply your concealer can affect how you look throughout the day. Your complexion can look clear, bright, and refreshed when done correctly. When done improperly, however, your skin can look creased, cakey, and harsh.

Let's walk you through the concealer application in great detail with a step-by-step tutorial. We intend to leave no question unanswered so that you have all the tools necessary so that even beginners can use concealer and get it right the first time.

Table of Contents:

• Prep Your Skin
• Apply Toner
• Add a Primer and Moisturizer
• Use a Color Corrector
• Concealer and Foundation
• Focus on the Eyes
• Set the Concealer

Prep Your Skin

Before applying any beauty products, the first step should be prep. Prepping your skin first can help set the foundation. Start with your usual skincare routine. You want to be working with a clean palette, so it’s important to wash your face. You must cleanse your skin with a face wash that is gentle but still provides you with a deep cleanse. 

We suggest using one of our several premium face washes. WOW Skin Science has 13 plant-powered face washes for you to choose from. There is something for everyone and every skin type, from oily skin to dry skin. 

For something even gentler, we offer Coconut Clarifying Micellar Water.

Apply Toner

Once you have finished washing your face and your skin is dry, consider using a toner. Liquid toner helps to tighten pores and prevents impurities from entering your skin. Think of toner as a continuation of the cleansing. 

Add a Primer and Moisturizer

After applying a cleanser and toner, you can move on to priming your skin. Primer is a product intended to improve makeup application by providing you with a more even surface of the skin to work with. Some individuals choose to skip the primer and use a moisturizer instead. Whether you opt to wear primer or not, note that moisturizer is a must.

Your skin must be hydrated before applying any makeup product, especially concealer. 

If you skip this step, your makeup may look dry and cakey, and your liquid concealer could settle into fine lines. If you plan to target your under-eyes specifically and your dark circles with your concealer application, you may also want to consider using a different eye cream for extra hydration on the eye area.

We suggest using a WOW Skin Science face moisturizer. We have six different products for you to choose from, all specifically designed to be safe for the gentle skin on your face. 

One of our most popular products is the Hyaluronic Acid Water Gel. This moisturizing face gel is ideal for prepping your skin for makeup. It is designed to restore lost moisture to dehydrated skin by soothing dryness and delivering nourishment to the epidermis.

Use a Color Corrector

Everyone's skin is different. There may be sections of your skin that you feel require more concealing than others, whether you have a little scarring or areas of discoloration. If you believe concealer is not enough to provide you with enough coverage, try using a color corrector first. 

Color correcting is a technique that uses complementary colors to neutralize your complexion. 

For example, if your under-eyes appear purple, use a yellow color corrector. If you have red spots on your skin from acne scars, use a green color corrector. 

Tap in your color corrector gently. 

After applying a color corrector, you can move on to using your concealer. The intention when concealing should always be to brighten. When selecting your shade of concealer, try finding a product that is one to two shades lighter than your skin tone.

Concealer and Foundation

What comes next — concealer or foundation — is a matter of preference and a point of contention within the beauty community. For a full coverage look, some makeup artists apply foundation twice — once before their concealer.

You are welcome to use your concealer first, but note that the argument for applying a layer of foundation beforehand is to reduce the appearance of blemishes and discoloration and create a more even base for you to work with.

Start with a thin layer of foundation and dab it on with your ring finger to keep it from pulling at your skin. Once your color correcting is finished, move on to concealer. You can return to your foundation once your concealer has been appropriately applied to help blend and pull the entire look together.

You are more than welcome to use a full coverage concealer rather than a light to medium, but you may still want to restrict the amount of product you use.

If you're applying a layer of foundation, consider skipping the area below your eyes. To avoid creasing below the eyes, consider making it the only product applied below your eyes. Again, less can be more, even on mature skin. Using fewer products in this area can result in a thinner layer of makeup that is less likely to cake up.

Focus on the Eyes

The number one thing people get wrong with concealer is the placement. For under eyes, people often place their concealer as a line or semi-circle exclusively on the skin area below their eyes. Instead, start your application at the inner corner of your eye, sometimes the most visibly discolored.

Then, refrain from keeping your concealer just below your eyes. Instead, try drawing out your concealer on your skin in the shape of an upside-down triangle that goes down onto your cheek and is parallel to your nose.

While this may look a little questionable before being blended, this method may help avoid the creasing of the under-eye by creating an illusion of the skin being drawn down. Additionally, this upside-down triangle shape extending onto the cheeks helps to highlight this area of your face.

Use a concealer brush or beauty blender to blend out your concealer. Make sure to take the concealer as close to your waterline as possible. Use your finger to tap it in more precisely for the area below your eyes or your outer eyes that may have some harsh lines. 

Aside from the under-eyes and any areas of discoloration or scarring you want to conceal, you may be wondering where else to apply your concealer. 

To brighten dull areas with your concealer, try placing the product on the center of your forehead, down the bridge of your nose, above your cheekbones, and in the middle of your chin. This adds more dimension to your face.

Set the Concealer

Then, you are going to want to set everything. The setting is a method used to keep your makeup in place. Nothing's worse than working hard to achieve a makeup look that you are proud of, only for it to disappear because you forgot to set it.

Set your makeup using a setting spray or translucent setting powder.

Translucent powder is any powder that is loose and lacking in color. These features are essential because we do not want to change the color below your eyes beyond what we already have.

Dip your brush into the product and tap any excess powder off. Then, place the powder everywhere that you have brightened your skin. Apply the powder using a tapping motion rather than a swiping motion. For setting spray, apply a few spritzes evenly over your skin.

Applying even just one makeup product can be more complex than you may have initially thought, but only if you care enough to do it correctly. With patience and practice, you may apply your concealer faster than ever before and even with tremendous success.

It took time to figure out what worked best, much like the rest of the beauty products in your arsenal, your mascara, eyeshadow, and the rest of your eye makeup.

When it comes to cosmetics and your skin, there is no one-size-fits-all. Try out our concealer makeup tips and make any adjustments that you see fit. The goal is for you to feel your most confident. If you discover a method that works better for you, we encourage you to use it.