To Conceal, or Not Conceal....

One of the most popular questions I get are about concealers. Some women think they are useless, and personally if you have great skin and can get a flawless look with just foundation, that's amazing. Most of us, at least part of the time need a little more coverage. Personally I like a stick or cream pot concealer vs a liquid tube although there are a couple of exceptions.

My first advice to women is to always be aware of the shade of their concealer. Most women I speak to who are just getting into a fuller coverage look will try to match their concealer to their skin tone. Now if you are ONLY using concealer and don't plan to use a foundation on top then you're on the right track. If you plan to use a foundation and are trying to cover redness, under eye darkness etc, then you should always use a concealer one shade lighter than you would normally need to match your skin. In order to counteract the darkness, you need to add extra lightness so when your foundation goes on top it evens out the two.

Another mistake a lot of women will do is put concealer on and rub it in like it's a moisturizer. The proper way to apply whether it be with your fingers, a sponge or a concealer brush is to dab it into the skin lightly blending but not rubbing. If you rub it in, you're going to just use up half the tube in no time without the full coverage results you were looking for.

A couple of my favorite brands are Amazing Cosmetics and Smashbox. Amazing Cosmetics is my only exception to the tube form concealer because it is sooo thick you only need a dab of it to cover an entire under eye. When used well it will make even the biggest bags and blemishes dissapear. The small tube runs about $28 however it will last you 6 mos to a year depending on how often you use it. Smashbox has both liquid in a tube and stick concealer. Personally the liquid is a little lose for me, especially in an under eye area, however if you are just looking for some light blemish coverage it's easy to use. The stick concealer however gives a fuller coverage and blends real nicely. Both the full coverage stick and the liquid cost apx. $18 dollars and will last probably 6 months or so depending on use.

As someone with a visible scar, I would rather invest a little more on a quality concealer however every company makes them. Revlon, Loreal, Maybelline...there are plenty of them to choose from. I just feel more comfortable using something I don't think will easily wipe away, as well as something that is professional quality. It's also nice to be able to test a color out on your skin before purchase, which you can't do with mass cosmetics brands. However, if you know your foundation shade and can pick one that is a shade lighter, then it's absolutely a good starting point.

Either way concealer can be a great step to even out the skin and make your foundation look effortlessly flawless!

Happy Chanukkah all :D

~Irena