As a beginner in the makeup world, you are likely to face a lot of issues when deciding which makeup product to settle for.
Despite of there being a lot of brands in the market, there are some basics that do not change no matter what brand your are buying.
In this guide, we will go through the basics you need to know when buying a concealer. This guide will narrow down your search for a perfect concealer depending on your skin. Stay tuned.
How to buy concealer for the first time: beginner's guide
As a beginner, you are likely to face a lot of a hard time searching for a perfect concealer. For starters, there are a lot of concealer brands in the market with most of them having some counterfeited versions.
Therefore if you don’t know how to check for the credibility of these brands you might end up damaging your skin.
Since I have been in the beginner stage in the makeup world, I will use the mistakes I made to educate you on the things you should look for in a concealer before making a purchase.
Things to consider when buying a concealer
There are things that are constant and should be consider when making a purchase. Some of this things will change depending on your skin tone, type of skin and your budget. The things discussed below are a must when choosing a concealer.
The concealer formulation
From my guide on how to apply concealer you can tell that there are different ways of applying concealer.
The type of concealer you buy will be determined by your skin type and the purpose you want the concealer to achieve.
1. Liquid concealer
Liquid concealer dries up faster than other type of concealers. This type of concealer is ideal for people with oily skin.
Liquid concealer is perfect when it comes to creating multiple layers of thin layers. It is for this reason people with oily skin are recommended to use liquid concealer.
2. Cream concealer
If you have a dry skin, cream concealer will be the perfect concealer for you. Most cream concealers are mixed with some moisturizer. It will therefore provide your skin with the required moisture, while also nourishing your skin with other ingredients.
Cream concealer has some consistency that allows you to blend the concealer perfectly.
3. Stick concealer
A stick concealer is a type of concealer you should buy no matter the type of skin of you have.
Stick concealer are perfect when it comes to contouring. When buying a stick concealer, ensure it is 2 shades darker than your skin tone. This will highlight the parts where it is applied.
Shade of concealer
Choosing the shade of concealer is the hardest part every person go through when starting their makeup journey.
If you buy a concealer that does not match your skin undertones, your makeup will look unreal
The table below shows the different shades of concealers for different skin tones.
| Skin tone | Concealer shade |
| Fair skin | Pink and white undertones |
| Light brown skin | Pitch, pink and nude undertones |
| Dark skin | Pitch, red, and orange undertones. |
If you don’t know your skin tone, you can consult with your beautician on the type of shade and the concealer brand you should buy.
Alternatively, you can find a shade that matches your skin tone from concealer shade finders tools online.
It is really happy to announce that we have a super-super guide about choosing the right shade of concealer for you through the Onviw.
Coverage
Before buying a concealer, ensure you check the type of consistency it provides.
If you have a skin that has so many skin imperfections, you will need a concealer that will cover all the imperfections without using too much products.
Below are some coverage provided by concealers.
1. Light coverage
If you have a skin that does not have a lot of imperfections and also enjoy minimal makeup, you should go for concealers that provide light coverage
Most of liquid concealers in the market offer a light coverage.
You can keep adding layers of this type of concealer until you achieve the coverage you desire.
2. Medium coverage
Some concealers are designed to offer a medium coverage. This is especially for the queens that sweat a lot
If you have this type of skin, check on the concealer bottle, or the website where you are buying to know the coverage offered by the concealer you are going for.
3. Heavy coverage
If you have a skin with too much blemishes, you will need a concealer that offers this type of coverage
When shopping for heavy coverage type of concealer, check the pigmentation, and the type of ingredients found in the concealer.
Ensure the concealer is light weight to prevent you from sweating.
The brand credibility
With the large number concealers brands available in the market, it is hard to settle for one brand.
Most of this concealer also come with counterfeited.
When choosing a brand, check the coverage it offers, price, how long it last, the ingredients used, and the credibility of the brand
You can check the credibility of the concealer brand from the reviews offered at the bottom of the concealer.
Since we know it is very easy to fake the reviews, you should buy the brand you are settling for from the recommended store.
For example, you can buy Rihanna’s Fenty beauty concealer from Sephora.
How long the concealer last
It would not make any sense to buy a concealer that will to rub off after a few minutes.
So, before deciding which concealer you are buying, check how long it lasts, if the concealer is sweat proof and scratch proof.
1. Waterproof Concealer
As more makeup products are being embraced, companies are becoming creative with how they are formulating their concealers.
There are some concealers that are waterproof.
Once you apply the concealer, it will last up to 24 hours without sweating or rubbing off
2. Airbrush concealer
Most professionals do not rely on ordinary concealer if they want their client’s makeup to last longer.
They therefore use the latest innovations in the makeup industry known as Airbrush.
This type of concealer uses a type of airbrush machine that sprays the concealer from the nozzle.
Airbrush only uses a concealer and other types of makeup products that are formulated to be used by airbrush only.
Your budget
Your budget will determine the type of concealer you will settle for.
If you want a concealer that will last you longer and will nourish your skin, save more money.
Low quality concealer are cheap and do not have any important nutrients.
In fact, cheap concealer contains ingredients that might end up damaging your skin
High quality concealer contains nutrients that nourishes your skin. They also highly pigmented meaning you will only use a small amount to achieve a full coverage.
The expiry date of the concealer
The most important thing you should check when buying a concealer is the expiry date of the concealer.
Most concealers have an expiry date of two years after manufacturing
This however changes the longer it stays in the stores or the shelves.
When choosing a concealer check if it has lasted for more than 6 months in the shelves.
A concealer will only last one year after being opened.
Although a concealer might not affect you 2 days or a week after it expires, using expired concealer for long might lead to serious skin infections.
Aside from the factors explained above, the purpose of the concealer will determine which concealer you will settle for.
Some concealers are concealers that are used for dark circles, under the eyes, and for hiding acne.
Conclusion
Every makeup enthusiast has had to deal with one or two issues when buying a concealer for the first time.
Some of us had to buy 10 concealers till we found a perfect concealer for our skin type.
We also had to deal with fake products a thing you can avoid by reading the reviews provided at the bottom of all the makeup products websites.
Luckily, the guide above will give you a perfect head start as a beginner.
Ensure you counter check the buyers guide when buying your first concealer and give your comment below this article.
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