The sad reality of makeup is that no matter how skilled you are in makeup application, once in a while you make mistakes.
Luckily, this mistakes are fixable unless you are doing permanent makeup.
Concealer being the most detailed part of makeup application can become disastrous if not done well.
Luckily, I have made common concealer mistakes and I want you to learn from my mistakes.
This guide will go through all the mistakes you are likely to make when applying concealer and what you should do to fix these mistakes.
Keep reading and add the mistakes you have ever done when applying concealer.
Most common concealer problems & fixes
Concealer application is the determinant of how your makeup will appear.
If you do not use enough concealer to hide skin blemishes, the blemishes will appear when you are done with makeup.
If you apply the wrong shade of concealer, the difference in skin undertones and the concealer will show no matter how much effort you put into blending.
As a beginner, you might find your makeup looking cakey and unnatural. In such cases, the issue is in concealer application.
Luckily, my master guide of concealer will give you the basics of when you are applying concealer.
If you follow my guide and your concealer still appears cakey and unnatural, you might be doing some of the mistakes discussed below.
11 common mistakes you do when applying concealers and their fixes
Concealer application might not be that complicated, however, once in a while, you might find yourself doing some mistakes when applying concealer.
Most of the issues are fixable within minutes.
Below are some of the most common issues you might have done when applying concealer;
Not prepping your face
If you are applying concealer with an aim of hiding imperfections, you need to scrub, cleanse, tone and moisturize your skin before applying concealer.
Prepping your face will reduce the visibility of the blemishes and give your face a smooth surface for concealer application.
If you prep your face, you will have the most perfect concealer routine and you are likely to use small amount of concealer than when you are working with a rough face.
Not using a primer
Another worse mistake you can do when applying concealer is skipping the primer.
A primer creates a smooth surface for makeup application.
Some concealers contain ingredients that can dry up your skin.
A primer therefore creates a protective layer between your skin and the makeup.
The type of concealer you are using will determine the type of primer you will be using.
Normally, water-based primers are ideal if you are applying liquid concealer and cream concealer.
Do not use silicone-based primer since it has some alcohol content that can dry up your skin.
Applying concealer before the foundation
Not unless you are using concealer only, concealer should be applied after the foundation.
This will reduce the chances of your makeup looking cakey.
- Prep your face
- Apply a foundation
- Check areas where some imperfections are still showing and apply some concealer.
If you are doing spot concealer, then there is no need to apply foundation.
Using too much products
The worse mistake you can ever do is using too much concealer to hide your skin imperfections.
Using too much concealer might make it hard to blend.
Your makeup will end up looking cakey too. Here is an article about How to fix cakey concealer from Onviw to fix your cakey concealer easily.
Estimate the amount of concealer you need depending on the blemishes on your skin.
You cannot use the same amount of concealer to hide tattoos and acne.
Using the same type of concealer for every part of your face
From my master guide of concealer, you will learn that concealer achieves different purposes on your face.
For example, the concealer intended for under the eyes, cannot be used for contouring.
And, the concealer intended for contouring cannot be used for acne.
Read the guide to understand what type of concealer you should use where.
- Use a stick concealer one or two shades darker than your skin undertones for contouring.
- A shade lighter than your foundation for under the eyes.
- A concealer the same color as your undertones for the rest of the face.
- Using the wrong shade of concealer
One huge and visible mistake you can ever do when applying concealer is using the wrong shade of concealer.
Most people have a hard time deciding which concealer will suit best their skin.
How to choose a concealer? Find out our complete guide to support you to find best concealer for your skin.
Since skin tone is bound to change due to various factors, always choose a concealer that perfectly fit your undertones.
- If you are a queen with fair skin, choose a concealer with pink, pitch undertones.
- For the dark skin queens, a concealer with pitch, orange or red undertones will work wonders.
- For the light brown skinned queens, a concealer with pitch, and nude undertones will work perfectly.
- Use a conceals one or two shades darker that your foundation for contouring.
- If you cant find a concealer that matches your undertones, you can mix a concealer one shade darker and one shade light to bring harmony.
- Do not use ordinary concealer when using an Airbrush.
If you are having an issue telling what color of concealer you should buy, consult with your beautician.
They will tell you what concealer to use.
Alternatively, you can use the concealer shade finder tools available online.
Using cheap concealer
Most of the time, cheap concealers are made of very low quality ingredients.
A concealer should have ingredients that will help your skin with nourishments and clearing your skin if you have some blemishes.
Using cheap concealers only achieves the opposite by damaging your skin more.
Before buying a concealer, check the ingredients used and what their purposes are.
If you are buying online, you can check the credibility of the concealer brand on the reviews provided on the bottom of the respective websites.
Sometimes it is hard to know if you are buying a legitimate product.
That is where the reviews helps too.
The wrong concealer formula
The type of formula used to make the concealer will determine how perfect your makeup will appear.
And, your skin type will determine what type of concealer you will use.
- If you have oily skin, liquid concealer will work wonders for you. This is because, liquid concealer dries up faster than cream concealer. You can also create multiple layers of concealer with liquid concealer until you achieve the coverage you are looking for.
- For those who battle with very serious skin blemishes, you should use a concealer that offers full coverage. Some waterproof cream concealer will offer full coverage and 24 hours of perfect makeup look.
- If you have dry skin, you can use a moisturizer and apply cream concealer. Cream concealer does not dry up very fast therefore, you can blend perfectly without fear of the concealer drying up leaving some harsh lines.
Using the wrong tools
Concealer application is very straightforward once you have the right kind of knowledge.
Choosing the right tool for the application is where an issue will arise.
I have seen people apply concealer using their fingers.
This is dangerous since your hands touch a lot of surfaces and are bound to collect bacteria which can be transferred to your face leading to skin infections.
To avoid this kind of damages that are easy to avoid, use a dampened beauty blender.
A dampened beauty blender will aid the concealer to spread without creating harsh lines.
It will also blend the concealer blend perfectly and give it the water-proof effect.
Alternatively, you can use a concealer brush to apply and blend your concealer.
- For under the eyes use a concealer brush that has firm and sift bristles and the same size as your finger tips.
- If you are applying concealer for hiding acne, use a thick brush with soft and dense bristles.
- A concealer brush for contouring should be flat.
When buying concealer brushes, ensure you read reviews from other buyers.
Some brushes tend to shed.
Dragging and not blending the concealer
Some people will rub the concealer on the face like when you are applying oil.
This is very wrong since you might end up using too much concealer or your makeup looking cakey.
The consistency of the concealer will determine how you will apply and perfect it.
- Put some concealer on the respective concealer brush.
- Part the concealer brush on the part of the face you want to conceal.
- If it is under the eyes, use a concealer brush the same size as your finger tips.
- Slowly move the brush in circles from the inner corners of the eyes going outwards.
- Start dapping the brush on the concealer until you can see it drying up.
- For other parts of the face, use the same techniques starting from the inner parts of the face going outwards.
- If you do not have a concealer brush, you can use a damp beauty blender to blend in the concealer.
Forgetting to set your concealer
Setting your concealer is a step that you should never skip if want your concealer to last the whole day without too much touch ups.
Some concealer results in your makeup either looking too ashy or sometimes too glossy.
- Apply a loose finish powder on your face after applying concealer.
- Let it bake for 5 minutes then use a fluffy brush to get rid of the excess powder.
- You can finish the makeup routine with a setting spray to lock in the makeup further.
Conclusion
No matter how skilled you are, at some point in your makeup journey you will make some of the most minor mistakes that will cost you big time.
Perfect concealer application is a combination of expertise, knowledge and some will to work through the various mistakes you are bound to make on your journey.
One big mistake almost everyone has made on their makeup journey is when it comes to buying a concealer for the first time.
Not everyone can tell what concealer will perfectly blend with your skin. Luckily, there are several concealer shade finders online.
On the sites, you are asked a few simple questions with the aid of images.
The finder the uses the data you have provided to estimate the right concealer for you.
The other possible mistakes you might make on the process of learning makeup are highlighted in the guide.
Read it through together with the solutions given to perfect your makeup journey.
You should also subscribe to this page for more information on concealer and other makeup products.
