The One Concealer Trick You Need To Know

Skillful makeup application is an art that often seems daunting in the abstract, and applying concealer perfectly remains one of the most mysterious tasks. With a myriad of conflicting tricks and hacks, achieving the look you desire without appearing clown-like or underdone occasionally feels like more effort than the end result is worth. However, perfecting a handful of basic makeup techniques is all the expertise you truly require to create a streamlined cosmetic aesthetic — and no skill is more utilitarian than successful concealer application.

Whether you're a full-coverage foundation devotee or a makeup minimalist who sports only a swipe of tinted moisturizer, every cosmetics enthusiast should learn to master the art of concealer technique in case of the errant blemish or dark under eye circle. Finding your perfect shade by matching your preferred formula to the skin tone of your neck and selecting color correcting hues of green, pink, and purple to address particular shade imbalances are fundamental first steps in securing a flawlessly airbrushed complexion, but the true danger lies in smoothing concealer into the skin.

Improperly layering on your concealer often results in one of two extremes; either the concealer becomes displaced from over-blending and minimal use of product, thus exposing whatever flaw the concealer should have hidden, or the concealer hasn't been properly blended, resulting in a small but blatant mountain of product that attracts attention instead of deflecting it.

Therefore, it stands to reason that perfect concealer application stems from the ability to adequately blend the product, resulting in natural coverage that creates a thin veil over any unsightly bruise or blemish. And the key to proper blending technique is stippling.

You may wonder how a painting technique could possibly lend itself to the creation of a pristine complexion, but as far as metaphors go, your face is your canvas when applying makeup. Stippling as it pertains to painting refers to the process in which an artist creates a scene by utilizing hundreds of paint or ink spots, and the same principle can be directly applied to obscuring a skin imperfection. Instead of rubbing or swiping concealer across a spot, actions that often displace other makeup and create unappealing streaks across the face, use your finger or a makeup brush to stipple concealer over the top of and around the area you're attempting to disguise. The repeated motion of dotting on coverage with a concealer will simultaneously maintain the placement of the concealer and help the product melt into the skin for a seamless appearance.

There's no need to take a master class to ace your stippling technique; in fact, YouTube cosmetics gurus Wayne Goss and Lisa Eldridge offer quick stippling tutorials that offer viewers the opportunity to obtain exemplary skin in ten minutes or less. Click play to refine your stippling skills, and don't be surprised if you immediately receive compliments on your radiant, unblemished complexion.

Images: Eugenio Marongiu/Fotolia; YouTube (3)