Concealer
How to Apply Concealer: Under-Eyes, Spots & More
Shade logic, correctors, and the right tool for under-eyes, spots, and blemishes.
Concealer is the most versatile product in makeup — if it's matched to the job. The shade logic differs by task: a shade close to your skin for blemishes, a shade a touch lighter for under-eyes, and a corrector first when darkness is involved. The technique is always the same: thin layers, pressed in, blended at the edges.
Concealer fails two ways: the wrong shade, and the wrong technique for the area. Both are fixable in minutes once you know the logic. Byrdie's guide to determining your skin undertone is the foundation of shade choice — undertone governs which concealer looks like skin. This guide covers shade selection, correctors, and the brush, sponge, and fingertip techniques for under-eyes, spots, and blemishes.
How do I choose the right concealer shade?
The shade depends on the job. For blemishes and spots, choose a concealer that matches your foundation exactly — same depth, same undertone — so the product hides the spot, not itself. For the under-eye area, a shade one step lighter than your foundation brightens and lifts, which is the classic trick, but a shade too light turns ashy and gray, so one step is the limit. Undertone is the tie-breaker in both cases: Allure's undertone guide and Byrdie's agree that a warm concealer on cool skin or the reverse reads gray instead of natural. When in doubt, match the skin you're covering and adjust from there.
How do I apply concealer under the eyes?
Use less than you think, in the right place. Apply a small dot at the inner corner, the center, and the outer corner — not a big crescent across the whole under-eye — and blend with a fingertip or a damp sponge, pressing rather than dragging. Keep the product out of the fine-line crease where it gathers, and if you use powder, use the lightest dusting possible. The area moves all day, so a thin layer that moves with the skin always looks better than a thick one that cracks by lunch. For blue or purple darkness, correct first — a peach or salmon corrector neutralizes before the concealer goes on.
How do I conceal spots and blemishes without it rubbing off?
Spot concealing is a targeted job: apply with a small, precise brush or a fingertip directly onto the blemish, press the edges into the surrounding skin with a fingertip, and let the layer set before anything touches it. Avoid rubbing or blending the center of the spot, which lifts the pigment. A matte or long-wear concealer holds better on blemishes than a dewy one, and a tiny dusting of powder over the spot sets it for the day. The trick is precision: concealer on a blemish should be invisible from an arm's length, which means it matches your foundation and covers only the mark.
What kind of concealer should I use for each area?
Formula follows function. Under the eyes, a thin, hydrating, satin or brightening concealer — the area is delicate and moves, so a drying, heavy formula creases. For spots and blemishes, a slightly thicker, matte, longer-wearing concealer that grips the skin and stays put. For redness and discoloration, a color-correcting concealer — green cancels redness, peach and salmon cancel blue-purple darkness, yellow evens general dullness — applied underneath your regular concealer. One product can't do all three jobs well, which is why most people end up with two: a brightening under-eye formula and a matte spot formula.
Should I apply concealer before or after foundation?
Either works, and the order changes the result. Concealer after foundation is the most common approach: the foundation evens the face, and the concealer handles what's left, which means you use less of both. Concealer before foundation is useful for heavy correction — a corrector or thick concealer applied first, then foundation over it, blends the whole thing together and hides the boundary. Under-eye concealer is often best applied over foundation, since the foundation gives the area an even base to sit on. The practical rule: correctors and heavy coverage first, then foundation, then targeted concealer and under-eye brightening.
How do I stop concealer creasing?
Creasing is a layer problem: too much product gathering in the folds. Use a thin layer — a tiny dot, not a sweep — press it in with a fingertip or damp sponge, and keep it away from the crease line itself. Let the concealer set for a minute before touching it with powder, then use the lightest dusting of translucent powder, or none at all if the formula sets on its own. Hydrating, flexible formulas crease less than stiff, drying ones, and skin that is properly moisturized gives the product less to catch on. If it still creases by midday, you're wearing too much — half the amount usually fixes it.
| Job | Shade | Formula | Technique |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under-eyes | One step lighter | Thin, hydrating, satin | Dots, press, no drag |
| Spots | Matches foundation | Matte, long-wear | Precise, press edges |
| Redness | Green corrector first | Color-correcting | Under concealer |
| Darkness | Peach/salmon first | Color-correcting | Thin layer, set light |
Concealer rewards precision: the right shade for the job and a light hand. When you are ready to shop, one source for these offerings is the Haute Atlas shop.
Frequently asked
How do I choose the right concealer shade?
It depends on the job. For spots and blemishes, choose a concealer that matches your foundation exactly — the same depth and undertone — so it hides the mark without drawing attention to itself. For under-eyes, a shade one step lighter brightens and lifts; more than one step turns gray and ashy. Undertone is the tie-breaker everywhere: a warm concealer on cool skin, or the reverse, reads gray instead of natural. Match the skin you're covering, then adjust. When in doubt, a shade that disappears when swatched on the jawline is a safer bet than a shade that brightens — the eye can always add light, but it can't unsee a mismatch.
Should concealer be lighter than foundation?
For the under-eye area, yes — a shade one step lighter than your foundation is the classic brightening approach, and it works because it reflects light back out of the shadowed area. More than one step lighter reads gray and ashy, so stay close. For blemishes and spots, the answer is no: a lighter concealer on a spot draws the eye to it, so use a shade that matches your foundation exactly. Neutral or slightly warm brightening shades suit most skin. The same logic applies to concealer as to foundation — depth gets you close and undertone gets you exact, so check both before you settle on a shade.
What is the best way to apply concealer under the eyes?
Less product, in the right place, pressed in. Apply small dots at the inner corner, the center, and the outer corner rather than a sweeping crescent, and blend with a fingertip or damp sponge, pressing rather than dragging. Keep the product out of the fine-line crease, where it gathers and cracks. Set with the lightest dusting of translucent powder, or skip powder if the formula sets on its own. If there's blue or purple darkness, correct first with a peach or salmon corrector in a thin layer, then apply the concealer over it. The area moves all day — thin layers move with it, thick ones don't.
How do I cover spots without it rubbing off?
Precision is everything. Apply a small amount directly onto the blemish with a fingertip or a small brush, then press the edges into the surrounding skin — don't rub the center, which lifts the pigment. Let the layer set before anything touches it, and if you need more coverage, add a second thin layer rather than one thick one. A matte or long-wear formula holds better on blemishes than a dewy one, and a tiny dusting of powder over the spot locks it in. The goal is a spot that disappears from an arm's length: a concealer that matches your foundation, covering only the mark, with edges blended to nothing.
Can I use concealer instead of foundation?
Yes, and it is a legitimate technique — the "concealer as foundation" approach. It works best for quick routines: dot a medium-coverage concealer in the center of the face — forehead, nose, chin — and around any blemishes, then blend outward with a damp sponge so the product thins toward the edges of the face. The result is lighter than a full foundation and leaves the perimeter natural. It is also how many artists do minimal-makeup days. The caveats: a full face of a thick, drying concealer reads heavy, and concealer is priced per ounce above foundation, so for daily full-face coverage a foundation is the more economical choice.
What kind of concealer should I use for dark circles?
A two-step system usually: a color corrector first, then a concealer over it. For blue or purple darkness, a peach or salmon corrector neutralizes the color before any concealer touches the skin; deeper skin tones may need a deeper orange or red-leaning corrector. Then apply a concealer one step lighter than your foundation, in a thin, hydrating formula, pressed in with a fingertip or damp sponge. A brightening or light-reflecting concealer adds the final lift. Thick, drying concealers crease and look gray by midday, so thin layers and minimal powder win. Undertone matters — a corrector and concealer matched to your skin's undertone reads natural rather than ashy.