How to Use Color Correcting-Concealers Like a Pro

November 12, 2019

By: Skincare.com by L'Oréal | skincare.com by L'Oréal

We all deal with blemishes, discoloration, under-eye circles and redness. But a breakout or bad night’s sleep doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doomed for a blotchy and uneven complexion all day. Color correction, a process of canceling out unwanted tones with color-wheel-opposite colors, can help balance your overall skin tone in seconds — as long as you know how to do it correctly. Ahead, we share a color-correction roadmap to guide you through how to use — and where to use — your color-correcting concealers, primers and more.

What Is Color Correction?

Color correction is a makeup technique that helps to neutralize unwanted colors. Areas of redness, sallowness or darkness on your complexion can be concealed easily with a few swipes and dots. Color correctors are most effective when used after a primer and prior to the application of concealer or foundation. The best part about this popular makeup technique — aside from covering up unwanted blemishes and skin imperfections — is that it’s so easy to incorporate into any beauty routine. Ahead, find out what colors are effective at canceling each other out and our favorite products to get the job done.

Color Correct Dullness With Pink

Brighten up a dull complexion with a light pink color correcting concealer or makeup primer like Maybelline New York Facestudio Master Prime in Blur + Illuminate or Erborian CC Dull Correct. Pink can create the illusion of brighter-looking skin, so we recommend focusing application under the eyes, center of the forehead, in the middle of the chin and anywhere else where you want a little extra radiance. If you want to glow all over, mix in a bit of pink color corrector with your foundation.

Color Correct Yellow Undertones With Lavender or Blue

Neutralize the look of yellow undertones and sallowness on light to medium skin tones with a purple, blue or lavender-colored concealer. When blended underneath a skin-colored concealer, these cool-toned pastel shades can help to create a more radiant-looking complexion. They can also address areas of heightened hyperpigmentation, melasma or sun spots. We like NYX Professional Makeup HD Concealer in Lavender to spot correct areas and NYX Professional Makeup Color Correcting Liquid Primer in Blue to address an overall sallow tone.

Color Correct Redness With Green

Covering up breakouts can prove to be quite the challenge. Luckily, with a green-colored color-correcting concealer, it is not an impossible task. Camouflage red-hued breakouts, blemishes, broken blood vessels and rosy tones with Laura Geller Beauty Filter Corrector or NYX Professional Makeup HD Concealer in Green. These are great to cover up a breakout or to mix in with foundation for everyday use. That being said, if your pimple is popped or open, we don’t recommend using makeup until the it’s healed.

Color Correct Dark Circles and Discoloration With Peach or Yellow

Mask the appearance of under-eye circles and dark spots on deeper skin tones with a peach or yellow color-correcting concealer. Urban Decay Naked Skin Color Correcting Fluid in peach or yellow is one of our favorites. To get maximum coverage, create an upside-down triangle and blend outward with a beauty blending sponge to neutralization your tone. Follow up with a concealer that’s slightly lighter than your skin tone in that same upside-down triangle and voilá, no more darkness.