Choosing and using concealer

A good concealer can hide a multitude of sins, a poor one can make draw attention to your lines and dark circles making them look worse.

When choosing one, it has to match your skin tone exactly, especially if you are only going to use concealer and skip foundation. Always apply sparingly. It also needs to work with your skin type. If you have dry skin you do not want a matt finish as it will show up more. Those with oily skins should avoid creamy ones as they will add shine which is not want you want.

If you want to disguise blue-purple circles under your eyes, try and find one that is a shade lighter than your skin tone and has a hint of pink.

Liquid concealers are probably the easiest to use as they are easy to apply and you can build up coverage and is the least likely to go cakey. Although it may work its way into lines or wrinkles especially if the weather is hot. A matt finish may last longer than a satin one.

Here are four that I like.

Chanel Long-Lasting Concealer in Beige Petal 30, £27
A lightweight gel-based peachy concealer that is long-lasting. Blends easily and has a soft matt almost satiny finish. Gives you a better version of you.

Clarins Instant Concealer, 01, £22
Great for hiding dark circles and not drawing attention to your fine lines, this fluid creamy concealer brightens the eye area and looks natural on the skin. You can wear it for hours without signs of creasing. 

Clinique Airbrush Concealer, in Iluminator, £19
Comes in a pen-styled applicator. This sheer concealer dries to a matt finish. Ideal for highlighting the inner and outer corners of your eyes. This is perfect if you do not want too much coverage.

Estée Lauder Genuine Glow Eyelighting Crème for Eyes and Face in Bare Blush, £16
Not technically a concealer but it does brighten the eye area and gives an iridescent colour to the lids. You can also use it on your cheekbones.

By Daralyn Danns