Recently someone asked me if it was OK to use the same concealer for all of their skin issues, and it got me thinking. The short answer is: Yes, IF that one concealer works for all of your issues. The longer answer is that concealer is a many splendored thing. I definitely have certain types that I like to use in particular places to achieve a specific goal, and for most people you might need to have a few on standby if you really want to get that flawless finish. If your skin is next to perfect and you don’t have and under eye circles one might get the job done. If not, then let’s talk about where to put concealer and which kind to choose.

First things first, drawing on pictures of faces is fun. I feel really in touch with my inner Hattie Stewart right now. Most people have three main uses for concealer. Covering Dark Circles, covering blemishes, and highlighting the skin. This is what I use, in order from start to finish:

Under Eye Circles: First thing first, under eye circles. For this I like to use something creamy, and pink-peach toned. The pinkish tones help to cancel out the blue-grey that makes up the under eye circle. My weapon of choice for this task is Benefit Erase Paste , but I also really like the Bobbi Brown Peach Correctors. I dab some of it under the eyes with a concealer brush in a half moon shape (you can check out the map above for clarification) and then blend it in with my fingers or a damp beauty blender.

Highlight, Brighten & Add Coverage: This part is my favorite because it does a few things all at once and I really feel like I’m actually doing something. If you look at the map above you will see that I put my highlighting concealer under my eyes in the “pie piece” area or “inverted triangle” or however you like to call it, as well as right in the center of my forehead, under my eyebrows and on my chin. For the under eye area, you are going to apply it right on top of the correcting concealer. The peach color canceled out the blue tones, but this will help further conceal them and brighten the area at the same time. Under the brows it serves as a highlight but will also help cover up and veins that are showing or stray eyebrow hairs. The Chine and the forehead are mostly for highlight, BUT in my case, I have a scar on my chin so the extra bit of coverage is helpful there as well!

As far as what type to use for this, I like to choose something liquid and easy to blend but also sets for a longer wear time, and to make sure it has a highlighting effect I choose a shade or half a shade lighter than my skin. My favorite is the MAC Pro Longwear Concealer (right now i’m using NW20) but for a more budget friendly option I also like the NYX HD Concealer, although I don’t feel that it lasts as long throughout the day.

Blemishes: Right now I don’t have any active acne blemishes, but I do have some discoloration from past pimples and I treat them the same way. For this I prefer a concealer that is highly pigmented and a little on the dry side. The only one that ever 100% satisfied my needs for pimple coverage is the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage. the texture is perfect and the two colors are great for mixing to get the perfect shade. I like the apply it with a precise flat brush like this art brush and then pat it with my ring finger to blend.

Once all three are on I set it all with a translucent powder and . . .

Hopefully that helps if you were sitting around wonder where to put concealer and which kind to use. If you have any other concealer question, or your own tips and favorite, leave me a comment and let me know!