5 Common Concealer Mistakes You Need To Stop Making

Say goodbye to creasing, caking, and cracking—we’re tackling all the no-nos that come with the pursuit of the perfect base.

Though it can feel that way sometimes, the secret to a great base is no big mystery. Rather, it’s an amalgamation of good products, great technique, and years of trial-and-error to get the right combination for you. 

That said, there are some mistakes everyone makes right off the bat (and sometimes well into their makeup-wearing adult years, too). From incompatible formulations to growing pains, we’ve covered the biggest mistakes most people make with their concealers to stop you from suffering the same fate. Find the full no-no list below:

Mistake #1: Using the wrong formulation

So much can go wrong when you’re shopping for a concealer. For starters, the shade might look right in the store, but once it oxidises, it’ll leave you looking orange. Texture matters, too: a rich, creamy concealer may work well for dry skin types, but will leave oily and combination skin looking greasy—and vice versa. 

The best thing to do when shopping for a concealer is to trial run any potential contenders before you commit. Swatch your options on your skin (and take note of which is which), live in it for a few hours, and see which fares the best throughout the day.

SHOP BURO’S FAVOURITE CONCEALERS:

Mistake #2: Using too much concealer

If you find that your undereyes generally look cakey, you’re probably using too much concealer. “But I need this much to cover up my dark circles!”, you cry. Here’s our official intervention—no, you do not need that much.

The solution here is simple: Colour corrector. Whether it’s excess redness (green colour corrector) or dark spots (peach/pink colour corrector), there is a formulation out there for you, and it’s going to help you get a flawless finish without the cakiness.

The routine is simple: For the areas that need it, apply a thin layer of colour corrector and set it with a little translucent powder. Then, follow up with a thin layer of your concealer of choice, building up coverage little by little until you’ve got the desired result. Then, set with setting powder and a setting spray to keep it from budging throughout the day!

SHOP BURO’S FAVOURITE COLOUR CORRECTORS:

Mistake #3: Skipping skin prep

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A post shared by Estée Lauder Malaysia Market (@esteelaudermy)

The biggest mistake people make with concealer is missing out on a good prep step. If you want your concealer to go on smooth and stay that way throughout the day—especially on the undereyes—you need to make sure your skin is thoroughly hydrated, but not greasy.

The bare minimum routine here is using a toner or essence, followed by a moisturiser. Ideally, you’ll leave it to work its magic for at least 15 minutes before tapping or blotting off the excess and applying your concealer. However, if you are in need of more intensive hydration, you can always use a face and eye mask before the skincare routine to make sure your complexion is texture-free.

Mistake #4: Forgetting your anatomy

No one likes to think about getting older, but the fact of life is that we all inevitably age. Part of ageing is changes within our skin, and that’s why it’s important to keep adapting your makeup routine. If you’ve found that your concealer won’t stop creasing and cracking, it might be time to take a closer look at your anatomy.

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Makeup Artist Vincent Ford explains it best in his video above. Essentially, if you’ve become particularly wrinkly around the eye area (or anywhere else on your face), you’ll want to keep coverage light over said wrinkles. Ford’s technique is simple; he maps out crease-prone areas by applying concealer to squinted eyes. This highlights the wrinkled areas, so you know where to remove excess concealer. From there, you can blend and set as normal and enjoy your crease-free complexion!

Mistake #5: Using the wrong tools

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Unfortunately, not every tool is created equal, and the ideal tool for you entirely depends on the coverage you’re after. For full coverage, you’ll want to find a brush that is compact and dense and work in small, stippling motions—this will give you the most precise and fullest coverage possible. 

Your fingers do fabulously for medium coverage application as they warm up the concealer and make it easier to blend. If you want better coverage with this technique (hey, we’ve all been too lazy to wash our brushes at some point or another), our best tip is to let the concealer set for around five minutes before blending so it has time to thicken up.

Finally, if you’re only in need of light to medium coverage, a beauty blender is your best friend. The porous sponge helps to absorb extra product and give you the most even, diffused blend possible.

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