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Wondering how to choose a concealer? Learn everything you need to know - from ingredient selection to shade matching and more.
Concealer has become as important and perhaps even more popular than foundation. It is the ultimate spot treatment that can cover dark under eyes, pimples, scars, and even last night’s regrets. Concealer is the go-to for natural glam without caking on makeup and is a critical element in refining any look.
To achieve the desired coverage many of us want from our concealers, you don’t have to go for conventional, mainstream products filled with irritating chemicals. And since you’re reading this post, we know you’ve got better taste than that anyway. So, here’s what you need to know about how to choose a concealer. From ingredients, to shade matching, and application--these tips have you covered.
Natural Full-Coverage
Natural full-coverage? Is that a thing!? When you hear about natural, organic makeup, there’s this idea that the coverage is light, like a “my skin but better” approach to every formula. Yes, that is a thing, but natural beauty isn’t limited to light coverage. And on the mornings when your under eyes are bluer than your actual eyes, I know you won’t be reaching for a lightweight, au natural concealer.
Fortunately, there are several products and application techniques that create full-coverage without having to expose your skin or eyes to the heavy toxins found in conventional concealer.
Checking the Ingredients
The transition from conventional, toxic makeup to natural options is fairly easy. But I’ve noticed it’s harder for people to let go of their most trusted concealers as if to say“anything but that!”. But holding onto conventional concealer couldn’t be any more counterintuitive.
Often placed in the most sensitive areas of the face--your eyes, concealer should be the first place you start when cleaning up your makeup routine. Begin by looking at the ingredients to see if your product is in the danger zone. The following ingredients are a sure-fire way to put your eyes and health at risk.
- Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) According to the National Toxicology Program, it's anticipated to be a human carcinogen. BHA is a preservative found in most conventional make-up products and processed food.
- DMDM Hydantoin, yes, it’s as scary as it sounds. This intimidating ingredient doesn’t directly pose a serious threat beyond being an irritant. Unfortunately, DMDM is often contaminated and contains traces of formaldehyde which is a certified carcinogen--and we all know what formaldehyde is used for. Yikes! Certainly not the thing to make your skin look alive!
- Parabens or more commonly labeled methylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben, and butylparaben are used as a preservative in standard lotion recipes. But what they can actually do is alter hormones, specifically estrogen. The thyroid gland is located near the neck and is dangerously close to anything toxic that is applied to the face.
A few others include:
- Sodium lauryl sulfate
- BHT
- Phthalates
- Triclosan
- Retinyl
- Petroleum distillates
These chemical byproducts are not something you want to be consistently pasting around your eyes and leaving it to absorb for hours on end, especially when there are very simple, natural, clean ingredients that will replicate the function and purpose of the aforementioned nasty ones.
Discover The Best Organic and Natural Concealers that will transform dark and tired under eyes, erase blemishes, and clean up your contour. These favored concealers contain luscious ingredients like:
- Avocado oil
- Jojoba oil
- Shea butter
- Cocoa butter
- Coconut oil
Ahh….doesn’t that feel so much better. And no, you don’t sacrifice coverage, wear length, or shelf-life when you make the switch to natural concealers.
Everything you could want from a clean, natural, organic concealer is found in this definitive list. Here’s how to choose a concealer that’s right for you.
How to Choose a Concealer
When it comes to deciding which natural concealer is right for you, you’ll want to identify what you’re using it for. You may find you need more than a single concealer to achieve your desired look. Or if you’re a flexible diva, finding the right one means having that perfect product that will do it all. A few things you’ll want to use your natural concealer for is:
- Providing light to full under eye coverage including color-correcting hues of purple, blue, or green
- Brighten under eyes and T-zone
- Contour/highlight
- Sculpt eyebrows
- Replace foundation for all-over light coverage or spot coverage
As you can see, concealer has a big job. Below I breakdown what to look for depending on the purpose you want your concealer to serve.
Shade-Matching
As with all face makeup, shade-matching is the first place to start, beginning with your skin tone then addressing your undertones. Then, you can determine how many shades below your perfect foundation shade, you want to go.
Every brand will have its own labeling method, so as you search the product shade name or description, look for keywords like neutral, warm, cool yellow, or pink to describe the concealer’s undertones. For the finish, look for matter, demi-matte, natural, or satin.
Concealing
For simple concealing, including spot coverage and under-eye coverage, you’ll want to drop just a single shade lighter than your foundation color. This creates a seamless blend into your foundation or natural skin tone.
You can count on the right amount of color-correcting without the dramatic brightening effect. A standard concealer shade can also be used to clean up eyeshadow fall out, making your eye makeup look sharp and not muddy or over-extended.
Brightening
Brightening is achieved by going 2 sometimes even 3 shades lighter than your foundation. Apply these lighter concealers in the innermost part of the under eyes, down the bridge of the nose, in the center of the forehead, and point of the chin.
Highlighting the T-zone is the opposite of what your cool-toned, brown contour does. It brings the center of the face forward, can elongate or narrow the face, and makes your eyes stand out.
Contouring
To emphasize a deep contour, use concealer to contrast and clean up the space between the face contour including the neck and center of the cheeks. Similar to eyeshade, contour or blush application can sometimes be overdrawn. A light application of concealer can sharpen and clean up the contour so the shape you’re going for is more precise.
Liquid, Stick, Cream, or Powder
How to choose a concealer includes deciphering which consistency you’d like between a liquid, stick, cream, or powder. Remember, these varieties don’t determine how full or light coverage the product will be (that comes from the formula), but it will determine how it’s applied and how it will react to your skin type.
- Oily skin types may lean toward powder, stick, or a cream application as a liquid may be too slippery. Though a little setting powder could fix that.
- Dry skin would lean toward the opposite and may stick with a cream or liquid concealer and just the tiniest dusting of setting powder.
- If you have a normal or mixed skin type, you may want to do a bit of experimenting as different areas of your face may require a different application technique.
For skin-like coverage, start with small amounts of concealer and blend the product liberally until it’s seamlessly absorbed. Wait a few minutes before setting and spritz with a Non-toxic Setting Spray.
For fuller coverage, apply small amounts but in separate coats. Don’t go in with more product initially, instead, build the product up. To avoid creasing, apply setting powder immediately.
Conclusion
There you have it! You can confidently choose, apply, and WERRRK all-natural concealers. Paint and powder your mug to your heart’s content and never worry about toxic ingredients again.
What is your favorite concealer?
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