11 replies to this topic

[Addie]

I prefer just lip gloss, but when I do wear some other makeup, concealer looks so fake. It makes me not want to try at all. I use a dab-and-blend technique to put it on. I like Estee Lauder's Smoothing Creme Concealer, but the color match isn't exact, so I might try using a heavier hand when applying my Everyday Minerals Intensive Base over "areas of concern." (This is what a makeup salesperson called my broken out areas.) What do you think I might be doing wrong? The concealer looks fine around my eyes, but looks awful over my acne.

[gemmyjunebug]

Are you using a concealer as a corrector? They are different. Concealing under your eyes is different than correcting an "area of concern". Yellow/Green base work well for correcting while using a concealer over the corrector. It works! I was a bit skeptical at first. I thought they are were the same. If I use just a concealer which is generally a pink-nude-shade it is very obvious against the rest of my skin. Not to mention most concealers are heavier for under eye treatments. The skin is very delicate and thin and needs more moisture thus the heavy product. Some also contain SA which is a big no,no, for under eye concealing! Because concealer is designed to be one shade lighter than the skin on the rest of your face, a bright, light spot of concealer on a blemish will look awkward and out of place against your complexion.

Edited by gemmyjunebug, 28 September 2011 - 06:54 PM.

[Addie]

Thank you! The main problem I've had with correctors is that the color shows up on my skin. I'm very fair. That's the only explanation I've got.

Edit: My concealers do not contain SA.

Edited by Addie, 02 October 2011 - 04:55 AM.

[gemmyjunebug]

If your lucky enough to have only a few active blemishes you could go ahead and use your foundation with a heavier hand. Even out the spot with a concealer brush and dust a fine amount of powder over the concealed spot to help blend and set the concealer/foundation. I've also found that some suggest using a foundation stick that is close to your shade for concealing. When it comes to concealing acne matching your shade is key for even shade concealing and blending. Generally a concealer for the eyes is always a shade lighter to make the eyes pop and look rested. I only use a green/yellow corrector over a blemish or dark eyes when they really look desperate for some help. I finish with a concealer-and then my mineral powder. Looks amazing. No one knows but me.

[Addie]

I'm not that lucky. I have to cover greater than half my face with concealer. Might that be the problem?

[gemmyjunebug]

So, just so I get this right...your concealing most of your face with a concealer stick-then adding a base. Is your base powder or is it a solid? Also is your concealer stick lighter than your skin tone? Is it an under eye concealer?

[Addie]

They're the ones I listed. The Estee Lauder is a thick liquid. It's slightly darker than my skin tone, but it was the lightest I could find. I use it both under my eyes and on pimples. The base I'm using, Everyday Minerals Intensive Base, is powder. It matches my skin tone better.

Edit: I do like the consistency of the concealer. It has a tad of moisturization, which helps both with my undereyes and the flakes around healing acne.

Edited by Addie, 02 October 2011 - 01:25 PM.

[gemmyjunebug]

How does your base look without the concealer? If it's a powder it must be somewhat quick to apply?

[Addie]

It looks fine. It's a good color match and has a nice texture as long as I don't use too much. I'm not sure if it's quick to apply.

Edited by Addie, 02 October 2011 - 04:51 PM.

[gemmyjunebug]

Is it faster than applying concealer all over your face? If you get good coverage from this maybe you can go without the concealer? Before I started using a powder concealer my concealed spots would stick out-not because I was using the wrong shade they didn't blend with the rest of my makeup. I know you mentioned in an earlier post that you prefer not to use a lot of makeup-but I could no matter what go out just with a concealer. My skin tone is so uneven I need a powder just to balance that shade to match my concealer. But I use mineral concealers and powders and it takes like 5 minutes tops for my whole face. Looks really, really,good.

[Eina]

The reason why it looks fake is that it most probably doesn't suit your skin. You mentioned that the colour doesn't match - if the colour is off or the formula is wrong (too light, too dry, etc) it won't look good. It's really worth to spend time finding the perfect concealer or base because a good looking base is the key to good looking make-up. I don't use a foundation (just Mac studio finish concealer and powder) but if you do, apply the concealer after the foundation. This way you don't apply too much concealer and cake-up your skin. Covering zits is easier if you use a tiny brush so you can dab concealer on the zit and then blend. I find that when I apply concealer with a larger brush or with fingers, the concealer just tend to go on the surrounding skin and not cover the zit. Concealer can sometimes slide off a zit when you're applying it but if you put a tiny bit of powder on the zit first, the concealer will stay in place.

[melissa6980]

I've struggled with blending makeup over acne. If the shade is too dark it needs to be blended more and then I can end up blending it off the pimples so it doesn't cover as well. I found my closest color match with make up for ever. They make makeup that is pretty fair and I'm super fair skinned.