The Beauty Counter: Color concealor 101

Being a makeup artist is comprised of more than just understanding how to apply an eyeliner without making someone look like they're growing wings and flying away. It is, in my opinion, one of the top five resources makeup artists should always have in their arsenal. I think that it is so important to understand how color theory works, especially when I meet with clients and the one thing they always ask for is to cover up something. Whether it be a dark circle under their eye, a not-so-friendly blemish that has reared its ugly red face square between their eyes the morning of their event or even a scar or scratch, they all want it to disappear from their face for the day. So instead of attempting to mask it by piling on the foundation or skin color concealer that only causes your face to look uneven or cakey, if you know how color theory works, then you can take the necessary steps to hide the color without putting on too much makeup. And that is exactly why I am so thankful that beauty companies are expanding their concealers to more color correcting than just skin-based concealers. This article will break down the types of color correctors that are out there and what color is best suited for the issue that might be facing you (pun intended).

Before I jump straight in to the colors, I wanted to take a moment to try to give you a concealer basics 101 lesson. I'm sure a lot of you had an art class at some point during your educational career and that teacher brought out this big wheel that looked like a pie diagram and each slice was a single color. The teacher would ask (depending on your grade level), basically, "What color is opposite of red?" And if you remember back that far, or like me, Google it and print out the wheel (make sure you print it out in color because if you're anything like me, you'll lose your mind for a moment and print it out in black and white and suddenly realize what you did and ask yourself how you even managed to dress yourself properly that day) and you'll notice green is the opposite of red. And because it is opposite, it is not only the best complimentary color, but it also is the color that will help neutralize red. So, for those of you who have red acne issues, by applying green concealer before your foundation routine, you can help neutralize the color of the blemish. I should also preface the next part of this by saying color correctors and concealers are not made to make the blemish itself disappear. All it is actually meant for is to neutralize color so that you have the appearance of a smoother complexion. I also want to say that with any concealer or corrector, you do not want to rub it into the skin until it disappears. You just want to apply it directly in a tapping motion until the undesirable color is neutralized.

Now that I have the art lesson over, let's jump right into the color correctors and what each one is used for. Since we have started with green, let's go ahead and get slightly more detailed with it.

Green correctors/concealers: These are really great for covering acne and blemishes. If you have an all-over redness like rosacea or sunburn, you may want to go in with using a green-based primer so that it may reduce the redness and give you a more even-toned complexion.

Salmon correctors/concealers: This color is the most popular for brightening underneath the eye. It helps mask the appearance of fatigue. This color is the best option for dark circles because a salmon color corrector is a mixture of red, orange and yellow hues, which are also across from the blue, green and purple colors on the color wheel.

Yellow correctors/concealers: This is a more general concealer. It's great at neutralizing more purple and blue color issues, such as bruises or dark veins. I love using this color specifically if I want to even out a skin tone as well as brighten it up prior to the foundation routine. Also, one of my favorite uses for this is using it as an eye primer. It will help eliminate the color of any veins that one might see on the eyelid.

Purple correctors/concealers: These are best used for reducing any unwanted yellow undertones. Yellow and dull complexions benefit the most with this type of primer. It will help people achieve a complexion that looks more awake. If you have yellow spots rather than an all-over complexion, consider using a concealer and spot treating it.

Orange correctors/concealers: The only time I use this color is if I am working on a client who has a deep or dark skin complexion. It is not really suitable for anyone above an olive complexion simply because it is just too dark. For those who have a darker skin complexion and have darkness underneath the eye or discoloration, this would be a perfect color concealer for you.