A Guide to Choosing the Right Concealer

Hey Ladies! In the past I have done blogposts on How to choose the right foundation and also the Right Tools for Applying Foundation.This next post will deal with concealers and how to choose the right one for you and also how to apply them. Hope you enjoy and find it helpful!

A lot of people are under the illusion that foundation is the way to cover up imperfections and this is why we see many girls with caked on makeup which infact draws attention to the problem areas rather than masking them. It is true that foundation does help to even out skintone and reduce some redness but for really prominent blemishes and under eye circles concealer is our skin savior. Concealers are specifically designed to deal with problem areas and when used correctly they can transform your makeup look. They are also great as they give you full coverage without having to use too much makeup.

There are TWO Types of Concealers. One for under eye and one for covering blemishes on your face.

Credited to Bobbi Brown Cosmetics

UNDER EYE CONCEALERS: These are used to conceal discoloration and dark circles. It is designed to work with the very delicate skin around the eye area. They should be light and creamy in texture. It should also be subtle and hydrating as the skin under your eye tends to be drier and thinner than elsewhere on your face. There are two types of under eye concealers. The first one is a light reflecting one which instantly brightens the area while the other is for hiding discolouration. A lot of products on the market can do both and these are the products I would recommend.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT SHADE FOR YOU: The trick is to find a concealer that is light enough to brighten the eye area and conceal your under eye circles but not too light that it will not blend with your skin tone. I would suggest getting a concealer one or two shades lighter than your own skin. In normal circumstances choosing a yellow based under eye concealer will cover discolouration and brighten the under eye.

APPLICATION: Depending on the type of product I am using I would use different application techniques. For products that come in pumps or tubes I always put the concealer on the back of my hand, this not only warms the product before application to the skin but it also allows you to control the amount of concealer you apply to the under eye area. I would recommend using a concealer brush or even your finger (be very delicate) to apply the product. If I am using a concealer wand such as YSL Touche Eclat I would apply the product directly from the wand under my eye and dab in with my ring finger. You do not want too much product under the eye as it will sit in fine lines so I would recommend multiple light applications rather than one thick application. When applying concealer apply to the undereye areas, including the inner and outer corners of the eye. You should always set your concealer with a really light dusting of powder to set the eye.

QUICK TIP: If your under eye concealer has light reflecting particles in it do not use this to cover blemishes as it will only draw attention to the area rather than covering it.

                                                                                    

                                                       

MY FAVOURITE CONCEALERS FOR UNDER EYES: Both Makeup Forever and Mac do a great range of concealers light enough to use under the eye area. Liquid Lift by MUFE is excellent and I also love Mac’s Pro Long wear(this can be used for blemishes also but make sure the colour matches your skintone if you use it to cover blemishes). Bobbi Brown's Correctors are fantastic if you have discolouraton under thr eyes. Refer to my previous post on how to treat and hide dark circles for great little tips. A cheaper alternative would be Maybelline’s DreamLumi Touche concealer wand or Collection 2000’s Illuminating Touch concealer. I am also a big fan of Maybelline's Age Rewind Concealer.

 

CONCEALERS FOR BLEMISHES ETC: These are used to cover pimples, veins, redness, broken capillaries etc. and are thicker in consistency and can often be much drier. Its recommended to try find a concealer for problematic skin if you are suffering from ache etc as they will have antibacterial properties in them which will not only cover the area but will treat the underlying problem also.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT SHADE FOR YOU: Unlike the undereye concealer this type of concealer should match as close as possible to your natural skin tone. It’s a good idea to buy the same colour or as close as possible to your foundation. Often makeup brands have the same colours in foundations and concealers which makes it easier for you to choose the right shade. If not you can use the tip for choosing the right foundation in my previous post(Link at top) .

APPLICATION: This really depends on the size of the area you wish/need to cover. The application is very similar to before. Apply the product to the back of clean hands to warm the product. Take some product up on the brush and wipe off excess. Light multiple applications is a must as otherwise you will have a very clumpy area which makes the area more noticeable than before. For small areas like pimples, veins etc. use the tip of the brush and dot or draw on the area as delicately as possible. For medium sized areas use the side of the brush and for larger areas I would recommend using fingers. This is great to cover any areas of rosacea or pigementation. When using the fingers push the warmed product into your pores with your fingers.

QUICK NOTE: If your blemish concealer is thick in consistency do not attempt to use this under the eyes as this area is too delicate and thick consistency makeup will sit in the fine lines under the eye causing the makeup to crease. This is not a good look. 

                                                                                                            

                                                         

MY FAVOURITE CONCEALERS FOR BLEMISHES: I like Revlon’s Photoready concelealer (this product is ok for use under the eye also) , Rimmel Hide the Blemish Concealer,MUFE  or Ben Nye Concealer palettes or Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage Concealer.

So that’s all folks. I hope you found this helpful and please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have and be sure to let me know what you think of my post.
Thanks everyone and stay tuned for the next post which will be on how to choose the perfect powder.

Love Anita xxxx

July 2013 Beauty Favourites

So what have I being loving this month? Well because of my June trip to London I have used alot of new products this month and cannot wait to share them with y'all! Because the weather was so nice this month I tended to opt for a more natural look. Concentrating on flawless skin and leaving my eyes to speak for themselves I was all about the creamy, shimmering and summery products this July. Oh and there seems to be a little trend amongst some of my fav's....Inglot addict maybe?

So let me start with the skin,
I am literally obsessed with Laura Mercier's silk creme foundation since the day I used it. Its oil free so doesn't create a shiny mess on my T zone which is a massive plus. It is so pigmented that a tiny bit goes very far but even though its full coverage it doesn't look cakey, it leaves a fab natural radiance to the skin. If you haven't tried it please pick up a sample when you are next at a Laura Mercier counter....you will fall in love!

To apply this foundation I am loving my beauty blender (which is too full of makeup to photograph today). The girl at the counter where I bought my foundation said its best applied with a sponge and she is right, it glides on effortlessly with the beauty blender and never looks made up. I do have a love hate relationship with the beauty blender though because I feel its a germ fest but yet it applies foundation and concealer effortless and flawlessly.....I will just have to wash it daily to keep germs at bay.....well worth it!

I have pretty dark circles under my eyes and find it difficult to find a decent concealer but I recently rediscovered the Inglot Cream Concealer (shade 67) in my kit and decided to give it a whirl. I use the pointed end of the beauty blender to dab the product under my eyes and I have to say the results are super, good coverage, not cakey and doesn't crease...happy days!! I am also using this concealer to cover some blemishes although I don't need much now that I am using the LM Silk Creme Foundation!!

The non creasing could also be down to my new favourite brush and powder for my under-eyes. After applying the concealer with the beauty blender I then use the Blank Canvas Cosmetics F23  pointed tip face brush to apply my powder. This brush is fab, it really allows you to get the product right in the corners and it just fits so comfortably under the eye...its like it was made for it. I like to pair this brush with the Ben Nye Banana Powder. This is a cult favourite and used by makeup artists worldwide. Its basically a yellow powder than is light enough that it doesn't dry out the under-eye but because of its colour it will help counteract any darkness...the difference is subtle but I love it.

I bought alot of Inglot products in London and my fav blush from the ones I bought is Shade 68. This is a coral colour that is fab for this time of year and looks super with a tan (although mine is fake at the moment). I just feel this blush goes with every makeup look and just adds a beautiful burst of colour to the face. I love the texture of the Inglot blushes. They are not chalky and are really pigmented and very reasonably priced too.

I've been loving two Inglot eye products this month and the first one is AMC Pure Pigment Eyeshadow in shade No 14. This is a light neutral creamy peachy colour. I just love to apply this on my lid with some soft matte browns in the crease and its really simple but adds a little something to the eyes. I also use this as a cheek bown highlighter, it is very finely milled so it is not glittery or heavy on the skin in any way.

To blend out the matte browns in my crease I am loving the Mac 217 brush. It is the best blending brush I have used to date because it just makes blending out your crease colour effortless. Every makeup artist or makeup enthusiast should own one of these. I think I own three at this stage.

I also love Inglot gel liner in 82. This is a bright blue liner. I love to wear blue eyeliner in my waterline to give my eyes a little somethin somethin. It makes my eyes pop and this one in particular is a fab shade and lasts all day long. If you are in the market for a new blue liner you should check this out. In general the Inglot liners in my opinion are the best on the market. They are very reasonably priced at €15 and are definitely waterproof. Love them so much and have alot in my collection.

I opted for a neutral pink shade on the lips for most of the month and the lipstick I have used most often is MACs Creme Cup. Fab colour, fab consistency what more could you want. I top this with Boots No7 BB Lips in Blink Pink to give it that little bit extra and also to protect my lips from the sun as the BB lips has SPF 15....great little product

To take all my makeup off at night and refresh my skin I am obsessed with the Loreal 3 in 1 Micellar Solution. It's basically a cleansing water that removes makeup including mascara. It really is a marvel product. I love double cleansing so I will use this to remove most of my makeup then I will use a face wash and my clarisonic to remove the rest. I don't think this product is enough to remove all traces of makeup, or maybe it is but you would need a hell of alot of product!! I have definitely noticed I am not breaking out as much since using this and so this means that it really is thoroughly cleansing the skin while being uber sensitive and gentle on the skin. Definitely worth a go.

Well thats all my July favourites. I hope you found this interesting and hope you go away with some extra info on some great tried and tested products out there on the market...trip to Inglot anyone???

Be sure to let me know by commenting below what your favourites were for the month of July, I would love to know and maybe try some in August.

Have a great day whatever you do and be safe xxx