How to Pick the Right Concealer for Your Skin Tone

Got concealer questions? We’ve got answers. Have you ever wondered why you even need a concealer in the first place, how to choose the best concealer for you and how to apply it once you’re in the bathroom staring at your face in the mirror?

The key is knowing what you want your concealer to do. Some formulas are better for dark circles and under-eye brightening, while others are better for blemishes, redness, scars, and full-coverage spot concealing.

Concealers tend to have a thicker consistency than foundations, which means they’re better for covering up discolouration such as acne spots, scarring, redness and dark under-eye circles.

You can use a light layer of foundation to even out your skin tone and then add an under-eye brightening concealer or a specific acne formula on the other areas that need extra coverage. And if your skin tone is generally even except for a few problem areas, you can probably get away with using only concealer and no foundation—especially on those days when you don’t feel like wearing a ton of make-up.

Just because you don’t have dark circles or acne to cover up doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from a little highlighter and contouring.

To brighten up, use a concealer that’s a shade lighter than your skin tone and highlight the high planes of your face such as your cheekbones, your brow bones, the centre of your forehead and the bridge of your nose. Then, use one shade darker to define your features by drawing along the sides of your nose, in the hollows of your cheeks or under your chin.

Just be sure to blend! You can also use concealer to perfect the shape of your lips and brows by tracing along your lip line or along the top and bottom of your arches.

When looking for a tone that perfectly matches your complexion, you’re going to need to actually try the product on your skin. Check out what shades are available at the store. You can probably find two or three that are a close match for you. Swipe each one on your face without blending, and then check out the swatches in natural light. If you aren’t near a window, you may have to step outside and look at the concealers with a compact mirror. There may be a clear winner, if not, try blending each swatch into your skin and see which one works best. If you can’t find a colour that perfectly suits your needs, you may have to mix two shades together for a custom blend.

It also helps to think about undertone as well as depth. If your skin leans cool, warm, or neutral, choosing a concealer with a similar undertone can make the finish look much more seamless.

Remember: Use a light concealer for highlighting, a couple of shades lighter than your natural skin tone. For contouring, go darker.

L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Glow Concealer

L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Glow Concealer which comes in eight creamy shades ranging from Classic Ivory to Cocoa—is one of the best concealers on the market for lightweight, blendable coverage. It’s easy to add as much coverage as necessary and offers a glowing finish for up to 16 hours.

Here are your Infallible concealer colours:
Classic Ivory – 01
Creamy Natural – 02
Nude Beige – 03
Natural Beige – 04
Sand Beige – 05
Sun Beige – 06
Crème Café – 07
Cocoa – 08

L’Oréal Paris True Match Concealer

L’Oréal Paris True Match Radiant Serum Concealer with hyaluronic acid and caffeine N1 comes in eleven shades ranging from light cool to deep cool—to precisely match your skin tone. It hides blemishes and imperfections and provides an overall even skin tone.

Here are your True Match Radient Serum concealer colours:
N1
C2
N2
N3
W3
C3
W5
N5
N6.5
N8
N10

L’Oréal Paris Infallible Full Wear Concealer

L’Oréal Paris Infallible Full Wear Concealer is a waterproof concealer that comes in a whopping 24 shades and offers to the most pigment and full coverage out of all L’Oréal concealers. It has an extra-large applicator and is waterproof and non-greasy.

Here are your Full Wear colours:
Porcelain – 320
Eggshell – 325
Ivory – 330
Fawn – 340
Oatmeal – 345
Bisque – 350
Vanilla – 355
Cashmere – 360
Cashew – 365
Biscuit – 370
Latte – 375
Pecan – 380
Amber – 385
Cedar – 390
Walnut – 395
Caramel – 400
Toffee – 405
Almond – 410
Honey – 415
Cocoa – 420
Chestnut – 425
Mocha – 430
Coffee – 435
Truffle – 440
Espresso – 445

Those blue or grey half-moons under your eyes could be due to lack of sleep, genetics, or age. Whatever the cause, you can easily hide them with just a touch of concealer applied after foundation. If they’re really pronounced, you may want to use an orange- or salmon-hued primer first to help counteract the tone. Then dab your concealer under your eyes and lightly press it into the darkened areas with your ring finger, a concealer brush, or a makeup sponge.

If you find that your makeup tends to crease or wear off, dust a touch of setting powder under your eyes.

For the best results, try the L’Oréal Paris True Match Radiant Serum Concealer. It is an under-eye concealer with 1.5% hyaluronic acid + caffeine and helps correct dark circles, visibly depuff the look of under-eye bags, and smooth fine lines.

After foundation, “spot conceal” by using a fine-tipped concealer brush to dab product onto each individual blemish—not the surrounding skin. If your concealer is a good match for your skin tone, you shouldn’t have to blend it much. Set with powder if you have an oily complexion or notice your makeup sliding off as the day progresses.

For blemishes, redness, and fuller coverage, apply the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Full Wear Concealer. It is a full-coverage, waterproof, longwear concealer with a highly pigmented formula and an extra-large applicator that is perfect to cover your acne.

The best concealer for your skin tone is not only about shade—it’s also about finish, coverage, and where you plan to apply it. If your main concern is under-eyes, hydration, and brightening, a serum-style concealer may make more sense. If you want stronger coverage for redness, acne, or imperfections, a fuller-coverage formula may be the better choice.

In other words: choose your shade carefully, but choose your formula strategically.