How to Apply Liquid Concealer
Determine your skin tone., Know your shade level., Think about the coverage you need., Decide on the tools., Cleanse your face before your makeup application., Start with your foundation., Use only in discolored places., Apply the concealer in...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine your skin tone.
Many makeup lines carry both warm and cool toned colors at the same shade level.
That means even if you know how dark or light you are, but don’t know your natural underlying pigments, you can still buy the wrong color.
Think about whether your skin matches warm colors like red, yellow and orange, or cool colors like blue, green and purple.
Drape gold and silver fabric around your shoulders one at a time.
This helps determine if you look better in warm or cool colors.
Your veins can be used for quick reference.
If they look blue or purple, you have a cool skin tone.
If your veins look green, you are warm.
Sometimes, you cannot tell what color they are and may have a neutral tone.
If you burn easily in the sun, you may be cool toned.
If you do not burn easily in the sun, you may be warm or neutral. -
Step 2: Know your shade level.
Not only do makeup lines have different tones, but they also have many different shade levels to choose from.
Think about if you’re fair, light, medium or dark-skinned, then narrow your choices down.
Look at the shade of your foundation for reference, if you’re happy with how it matches. , Depending on what you’re covering, concealer should be the same as your foundation or one to two shades lighter.
Covering under-eye circles and highlighting should use a concealer one to two shades lighter.
Concealer for blemishes should be the same shade as your foundation.
Use pink tinted concealer to neutralize blue under-eye circles.
Use green tinted concealer to better cover blemishes or red areas.
Use yellow tinted concealer to even out skin tone overall., Liquid concealer comes in a squeeze tube or in a stick-like container that already has a wand applicator tool.
If your concealer doesn’t come with an applicator, decide on whether you want to use your finger, a small brush or a Q-tip.
A small brush or Q-tip is best for covering acne.
You can use your ring finger or a brush to cover under-eye circles.
A makeup sponge can be used to blend. , Before you apply liquid concealer, it’s important to wash your face with a gentle cleanser.
Exfoliate your skin, if you haven’t in a while.
Using cleanser on a clean, soft cloth in circular motions works great, but you can also purchase products especially designed for exfoliation.
Apply a light moisturizer, after you pat your skin dry. , Because of liquid concealer's lightweight consistency, it’s best to apply foundation first.
This will prevent all your hard work from being wiped away by a foundation sponge.Sometimes you may not want to wear foundation.
In this case, concealer can be applied to trouble areas for a more natural look. , Do not put concealer on everywhere.
It is meant only for small areas that need extra coverage.
It’s great for red areas around the nose, the inside corners of the eyes, and pimples.
You can use a little more to highlight your brows or line the perfect lip, but don’t go overboard. , Applying too much can look like you have a mask around your eyes or it can cake up.
You can use the same tool to apply your concealer as you will to blend.
If you're covering a large area, work in sections to prevent the liquid concealer from drying.
Apply and blend to under-eyes, then move on to other areas. , When brightening under-eye circles, apply the concealer from the corners that are closest to the nose and fan around the circles with your finger or applicator.
It’s important to use your ring finger, if you forego a formal tool, because it will be gentle on this delicate area.
You can also draw an upside down triangle under your eyes and blend for an extra lifted look. , Take a small amount of your concealer and dot each blemish with it.
Use your applicator or a sponge to gently dab and blend the liquid into the rest of your face.
Set this with a loose, translucent powder.
If you need more coverage, you can repeat this step until you get a flawless finish. , After you apply your concealer in little dots, it’s important to blend it into the rest of your skin, no matter what you’re covering.
Use your applicator tool to gently dab and rub the concealer in.
You can pat with your ring finger to blend around your eyes.
The warmth of your finger melts the concealer into your skin for an imperceptible blend.
A sponge or brush will blend blemishes best. , To prevent your concealer from slipping out of place throughout the day, it's important to top it off with powder.
Use a loose, translucent powder for a natural look.
If you need to even out your skin a bit more, you can apply solid, cake powder with a large brush or sponge.
Make sure non-translucent powder is one shade lighter than your foundation.
Applying powder to wet concealer makes it look darker.Use blotting paper or rice paper for extra setting power, after you apply and blend concealer., If you have a concealer one to two shades lighter than your skin, you can use it to highlight.
This works great under the eyes, because it lightens up the shadow there.
Enhance your cheekbones, nose and brow bone like this as well.
Apply a dot to your brow bone and blend to make your eyes and any eye shadow pop.
Highlight the tops of your cheekbones.
Make your nose look more narrow by applying and blending concealer from right below the eyes to the tip of your nose. , Just because it’s an off-label use, doesn’t mean concealer won’t work great on your lips.
Regardless of the rebellious use, concealer can enhance and even change your lip shape.
Use it to prevent lipstick from bleeding or fake a Kylie Jenner pout.
Apply liquid concealer around the outside of your lips to make a crisp line between your skin and a colorful pop of lipstick.
Apply over the entire lip area and set with powder to reline lips outside their natural edges.
Use it in the middle of lips for a highlight that will make them look plumper.
Finish with a nude gloss. -
Step 3: Think about the coverage you need.
-
Step 4: Decide on the tools.
-
Step 5: Cleanse your face before your makeup application.
-
Step 6: Start with your foundation.
-
Step 7: Use only in discolored places.
-
Step 8: Apply the concealer in little dots.Concealer is concentrated!
-
Step 9: Banish dark circles.
-
Step 10: Cover up your zits.
-
Step 11: Blend to perfection.
-
Step 12: Set your concealer.
-
Step 13: Highlight to your fancy.
-
Step 14: Use it on lips.
Detailed Guide
Many makeup lines carry both warm and cool toned colors at the same shade level.
That means even if you know how dark or light you are, but don’t know your natural underlying pigments, you can still buy the wrong color.
Think about whether your skin matches warm colors like red, yellow and orange, or cool colors like blue, green and purple.
Drape gold and silver fabric around your shoulders one at a time.
This helps determine if you look better in warm or cool colors.
Your veins can be used for quick reference.
If they look blue or purple, you have a cool skin tone.
If your veins look green, you are warm.
Sometimes, you cannot tell what color they are and may have a neutral tone.
If you burn easily in the sun, you may be cool toned.
If you do not burn easily in the sun, you may be warm or neutral.
Not only do makeup lines have different tones, but they also have many different shade levels to choose from.
Think about if you’re fair, light, medium or dark-skinned, then narrow your choices down.
Look at the shade of your foundation for reference, if you’re happy with how it matches. , Depending on what you’re covering, concealer should be the same as your foundation or one to two shades lighter.
Covering under-eye circles and highlighting should use a concealer one to two shades lighter.
Concealer for blemishes should be the same shade as your foundation.
Use pink tinted concealer to neutralize blue under-eye circles.
Use green tinted concealer to better cover blemishes or red areas.
Use yellow tinted concealer to even out skin tone overall., Liquid concealer comes in a squeeze tube or in a stick-like container that already has a wand applicator tool.
If your concealer doesn’t come with an applicator, decide on whether you want to use your finger, a small brush or a Q-tip.
A small brush or Q-tip is best for covering acne.
You can use your ring finger or a brush to cover under-eye circles.
A makeup sponge can be used to blend. , Before you apply liquid concealer, it’s important to wash your face with a gentle cleanser.
Exfoliate your skin, if you haven’t in a while.
Using cleanser on a clean, soft cloth in circular motions works great, but you can also purchase products especially designed for exfoliation.
Apply a light moisturizer, after you pat your skin dry. , Because of liquid concealer's lightweight consistency, it’s best to apply foundation first.
This will prevent all your hard work from being wiped away by a foundation sponge.Sometimes you may not want to wear foundation.
In this case, concealer can be applied to trouble areas for a more natural look. , Do not put concealer on everywhere.
It is meant only for small areas that need extra coverage.
It’s great for red areas around the nose, the inside corners of the eyes, and pimples.
You can use a little more to highlight your brows or line the perfect lip, but don’t go overboard. , Applying too much can look like you have a mask around your eyes or it can cake up.
You can use the same tool to apply your concealer as you will to blend.
If you're covering a large area, work in sections to prevent the liquid concealer from drying.
Apply and blend to under-eyes, then move on to other areas. , When brightening under-eye circles, apply the concealer from the corners that are closest to the nose and fan around the circles with your finger or applicator.
It’s important to use your ring finger, if you forego a formal tool, because it will be gentle on this delicate area.
You can also draw an upside down triangle under your eyes and blend for an extra lifted look. , Take a small amount of your concealer and dot each blemish with it.
Use your applicator or a sponge to gently dab and blend the liquid into the rest of your face.
Set this with a loose, translucent powder.
If you need more coverage, you can repeat this step until you get a flawless finish. , After you apply your concealer in little dots, it’s important to blend it into the rest of your skin, no matter what you’re covering.
Use your applicator tool to gently dab and rub the concealer in.
You can pat with your ring finger to blend around your eyes.
The warmth of your finger melts the concealer into your skin for an imperceptible blend.
A sponge or brush will blend blemishes best. , To prevent your concealer from slipping out of place throughout the day, it's important to top it off with powder.
Use a loose, translucent powder for a natural look.
If you need to even out your skin a bit more, you can apply solid, cake powder with a large brush or sponge.
Make sure non-translucent powder is one shade lighter than your foundation.
Applying powder to wet concealer makes it look darker.Use blotting paper or rice paper for extra setting power, after you apply and blend concealer., If you have a concealer one to two shades lighter than your skin, you can use it to highlight.
This works great under the eyes, because it lightens up the shadow there.
Enhance your cheekbones, nose and brow bone like this as well.
Apply a dot to your brow bone and blend to make your eyes and any eye shadow pop.
Highlight the tops of your cheekbones.
Make your nose look more narrow by applying and blending concealer from right below the eyes to the tip of your nose. , Just because it’s an off-label use, doesn’t mean concealer won’t work great on your lips.
Regardless of the rebellious use, concealer can enhance and even change your lip shape.
Use it to prevent lipstick from bleeding or fake a Kylie Jenner pout.
Apply liquid concealer around the outside of your lips to make a crisp line between your skin and a colorful pop of lipstick.
Apply over the entire lip area and set with powder to reline lips outside their natural edges.
Use it in the middle of lips for a highlight that will make them look plumper.
Finish with a nude gloss.
About the Author
Denise Harris
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow DIY projects tutorials.
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