I suggested mixing some oils to her concealer to avoid caking or drying out, but then her concern stuck in my head cos she is just 23-ish - dry under-eyes & concealers shouldn't be an issue for her. So here are my thoughts and suggestions on the subject; feel free to ridicule & pooh-pooh.. :)
Correctors - What the heck?
During my make-up artist course, I got introduced to the world of correctors. I am not here to teach you about what it is and which corrector to use - there are so many better websites & makeup gurus for that. Here is one from Beautylish . My purpose is to try and make sense on when to use what - based on age, skin condition etc.
When to use a concealer?
This is a very personal decision, but let me try to help you. Concealing is something you do for your imperfections like a scar or that unsightly pimple. This usually implies hiding a particular spot or a small area on your face, by covering with a foundation or concealer, to blend in with the skin.
The strength and type of concealer you use depends on how different in color is the problem spot from your skin color - the more different it is, the stronger the coverage of the concealer. Note that the concealer should match not your entire face, but the color of the skin next to the problem spot - especially if your face has an un-even skin tone.
Another aspect you have to consider is that if you are using a full-coverage concealer and you have many problem spots, then you have to use a medium-full coverage long stay foundation.One of my co-workers had a bad day when her foundation faded off by noontime but her concealer stayed - a funny sight, but not pretty!
Liquid Concealer - Usually low-to-medium coverage. Use this if you have dry skin, if you have low-to-medium dark spots and if you are using a liquid or cream foundation
Cream concealer - Most common type of concealer [stick form]. Depending on coverage, you can use it to cover spots. If you have very dry skin or if you have lot of wrinkles or lines, you may want to stay away from this. Use with any type of foundation, preferably liquid or cream.
Powder concealer -Usually provides light -medium coverage and is best suited for low-to-medium dark spots. Can easily look cakey so if you have lines or wrinkles or too dry skin, use with care.
One great thing about concealer is that if your skin is pretty nice, then you can usually get away with some concealer and very light makeup. Also sometimes, concealer can be your foundation - especially if you need a stronger coverage - just mix with your moisturizer for easy blending.
When to use a corrector?
If you understood from my notes on concealer that it is best suited for spot-treatment - Great! Now here is what I suggest for problem areas of your face - like under eye darkness, redness etc - use a corrector.
Correctors work by neutralizing the underlying color when you apply your foundation over the area - which means:
1. You need to apply foundation or else, it doesn't really work & will look weird
2. No coverage - so if you are trying to hide spots, it wont work
Once you identified your problem area and the corrector that best helps it [note that correctors are vary from very fair to darker skin tones] use it as follows:
1. If your corrector has strong pigmentation, use it after priming your skin. Make sure, your foundation covers the corrector.
2. If your corrector has medium-low pigmentation, use it after applying either foundation or concealer and then apply another coat of foundation.
To understand how to best correct your 'problems' you need to play around with the various shades. I suggest getting a color palette like Lise Watier's Portfolio Professional Corrector Wheel or Ben Nye's Color wheels.
Long term.. solution is to address the problem areas through skin care - after all makeup can only do so much.
Mixing 1-2 drops of a good skin care oil like Carrot seed oil with your concealer or foundation can help address the underlying skin concern. Also, no concealer and corrector can replace a well-hydrated healthy skin -so load upon on H2O, vitamins and other skin healthy minerals.
If dullness or under-eye darkness is a problem - use this super mask at least an hour before sleep:
Grind some carrots, pumpkin [including the peel], oats, 2-3 slices of beets & pomegranate. Mix 3-4 drops of yoghurt, honey and lime juice into the mess.
If you have very dry skin, add 2-3 drops of any good skin care oil. Leave on your face for at least 15 mins.
Don't use soap on your face for 2-3 hours after applying this mask.
Finally the best skin care tip of all - a good night's sleep - don't skip on it, no concealer can completely remove that tiredness from your face.
All Images in this post are Courtesy of www.pixabay.com .
