4 Areas on Your Face to Apply Color Correcting Concealer

Who says you’re obligated to show your true colors? With makeup, there’s certainly no such commitment. We all have skin imperfections that we’d like to hide, from angry red breakouts to purplish dark circles. The key to keeping these unwanted hues hidden is to add color correcting concealers into your beauty regimen. These creamy color correctors help counteract or neutralize the appearance of a variety of imperfections, leaving you with a complexion that looks even and brightened. Sound too good to be true? It isn’t—as long as you know where to apply these concealers. Keep reading to find the four best places to color correct—and all the details on how to get started.

1. Dark Circles

Whether you didn’t catch enough sleep last night or are just predisposed to dark circles, sometimes you just want to hide the appearance of tired-looking eyes. The trick to accomplishing such a task is to pick the right color correcting concealer shade. Look for a concealer with peachy pigment to help counteract the appearance of under-eye circles with a bluish tint. Because who has to know you didn’t snooze as much as you should have?

2. Discolorations

Unless your complexion truly is perfect (in which case, no fair), you probably have at least a bit of discoloration, such as dark spots, here and there. Your quick fix: yellow concealer. The sunny shade is able to neutralize the appearance of blue and purple tones that typically mark discolorations.

3. Blemishes

Breakouts are a total pain, and it doesn’t help that sometimes they seem nearly impossible to keep under wraps. If you struggle to cover your blemishes, it’s time to set your sights on green concealer. Think back to that beginner’s art class you took. Red and green sit on opposite sides of the color wheel, making them the perfect picks to disguise one another. (Here are more tips for hiding redness with makeup.)

4. Dull Spots

You may associate purple with royalty, but did you know you should be linking violet and lavender hues with fighting the appearance of dullness? If your skin seems like it’s a little lackluster, pastel purple concealer could be the answer. Purple helps balance out the look of yellow and uneven tones, making it just right for fixing the appearance of sallow spots. Besides applying concealer directly to dull spots and any areas where you could use additional radiance, try blending a lavender concealer around the edges of your face for an overall brightening effect.

How to Color Correct the Right Way

You know where to apply color correctors, but do you know how to use them? No worries: we’re breaking it down for you—one step at a time.

Step #1: Prime your face. Before you tackle color correcting, you need to prep your skin. Smooth a primer like the L’Oréal Paris Studio Secrets™ Professional Magic Perfecting Base onto a clean complexion. Or, if you’re readying yourself to camouflage redness, try the L’Oréal Paris Studio Secrets™ Professional Color Correcting Anti-Redness Primer for double the neutralizing product power.

Step #2: Apply color correcting concealer. It’s time for the main event. Apply color correcting concealers to the specific spots on your face where you need them. Use the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Total Cover Color Correcting Kit, which contains all the colors you’ll need: peach for dark circles, yellow for discolorations, green for redness, and lavender for dullness. As you’re applying, remember less is more—you never want to end up with caked on concealer, especially not in an unnatural hue.

Step #3: Blend out. Bounce the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Concealer Blender in circular motions over the areas you applied color correcting concealer, working the product onto your skin.

Step #4: Follow with foundation. You aren’t done just yet! Buff on a foundation, like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Total Cover Foundation to finish perfecting the look of your complexion. (Find more details on applying liquid foundation here.)

Bonus step: Reach for mascara. What makeup look isn’t complete without a set of flirty lashes? Mascara can help tie a look together, so apply a coat of the L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Washable Mascara before heading out for the day.