Coupons for designer fashion, jewelry, cosmetics, gifts, home decorating, electronics are at Styleforfree.com

Concealer Tips & Tricks

Top 10 QuickClicks Steals & Deals BeautyDex Fashion Dex Shoe Dex

Before you conceal - start with a freshly cleansed face and apply moisturizer which, depending on your skin type, absorbs into your skin within a minute and leaves it feeling soft but without any residue or your makeup will slide. This is the critical first step. We love:

Olay Total Effects
philosophy hope in a jar

The second most important step are your tools. A makeup artist recently explained,
"You can apply dirt to your face and make it look like the best make-up in the world,
providing you use the right brushes." And she's right. Here are the essentials:

NARS #8 Point Concealer Brush
The one you'll need for spots that may "bump up" in the night. The best brushes are synthetics because they don't absorb the concealer and maintain the right texture. Paula Dorf Camouflage Brush
For under eye and around the nose
where a smoother, flatter applicator is
key to keeping things from creasing.

Vincent Longo Deluxe Velour Puff
What you want to set your look with. Applying powder with a brush places powder on the surface only. Apply with puff for a smoother, more polished look and brush away excess with --> Jane's Super Brush
Skimp on this one, don't skimp on the others.
You'll need a large brush like this to lightly dust
away excess powder.

The next part, and the funnest, is choosing your concealer. We've tried 'em all and the ones that really work, for their own individual reasons, are:

Shu Uemura Mark Cealer
Best Concealer in the World!!! Don't be intimidated
by the "beige" names -- the lower the # beige,
the better for paler skin tones.
Alchemy's Medic
911 for those"monthly"emergencies.
Treats with herbal extracts and covers without caking. Go with the lighter shade though, runs a bit darker than you might anticipate.

Max Factor Pan-stick
Have a spot with dry edges? This is
~the~ ultimate concealer. Dab a bit onto your finger and pat onto area. You'll be amazed and one of these
as a concealer lasts forever!
L'Oreal Hydra Perfecte Concealer
Great for mixing with a concealer that may be too dark, light or dry. To mix, dab a bit of each into the palm of hand, swirl w/NARS brush & apply once the exact shade is achieved.

Now that you're all geared up, here are some tricks of the trade:
Use the lightest amount of foundation, and only when necessary. Foundation is used to "even out" your skin-tone, not cover it. As we all automatically know, the less we wear it, the better our skin behaves, thus cutting makeup application time in 1/2. But, for those times when foundation is necessary, dab your concealer on with your brushes ~after~ foundation. Set with powder puff after and brush away excess.
Don't use color correctors...they're unnatural. Look for brands with high-pigment, a satin consistency and yellow-undertones.
3 small dabs under the eye should be sufficient to cover up even the darkest of circles. Place the 4th dot at the inner part of your eye, it really helps open the whole eye up. Don't forget to blend, blend, blend.
No one else will have you under a microscope, so don't put yourself through the terror.
Cover only the stand-out red spots.
Blend edges of concealed spots with your finger, your natural heat really helps blend better than any sponge applicator. Another great blending tool? The good old-fashioned Q-tip!
What do the artists do with those really tricky spots? Put a small amount of concealer onto palm of hand, then dab with brush and apply around the area in circles. Blend edges outward with your finger and, if needed, apply a touch more on top. If things start getting too cakey, it's best to remove and <sigh> try, try again.
The things we go through ;)

**Get The Look Archives**
Get Angie Harmon's Look	Spring/Summer 2001 Picks
Get Charlize Theron's Look	Brow Tips & Tricks

Advertise

Forums

NARS #8 Point Concealer Brush The one you'll need for spots that may "bump up" in the night. The best brushes are synthetics because they don't absorb the concealer and maintain the right texture.	Paula Dorf Camouflage Brush For under eye and around the nose where a smoother, flatter applicator is key to keeping things from creasing.
Vincent Longo Deluxe Velour Puff What you want to set your look with. Applying powder with a brush places powder on the surface only. Apply with puff for a smoother, more polished look and brush away excess with -->	Jane's Super Brush Skimp on this one, don't skimp on the others. You'll need a large brush like this to lightly dust away excess powder.

Shu Uemura Mark Cealer Best Concealer in the World!!! Don't be intimidated by the "beige" names -- the lower the # beige, the better for paler skin tones.	Alchemy's Medic 911 for those"monthly"emergencies. Treats with herbal extracts and covers without caking. Go with the lighter shade though, runs a bit darker than you might anticipate.
Max Factor Pan-stick Have a spot with dry edges? This is ~the~ ultimate concealer. Dab a bit onto your finger and pat onto area. You'll be amazed and one of these as a concealer lasts forever!	L'Oreal Hydra Perfecte Concealer Great for mixing with a concealer that may be too dark, light or dry. To mix, dab a bit of each into the palm of hand, swirl w/NARS brush & apply once the exact shade is achieved.