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If you've only ever used your concealer one way, you're missing out on some pretty brilliant other uses. Concealer is extremely versatile, and can be used to spot treat, to conceal dark circles, as foundation, as contour, and even as a tinted moisturizer. Ahead, watch celebrity makeup artist Bob Scott explains exactly how to maximize your concealer, plus pro application tips for each concealer use.
Click Play to Watch MUA Bob Scott Use Concealer 5 Ways
As a Spot Treatment
Concealer is an obvious choice when it comes to concealing breakouts, discoloration, and acne scars, but it's Scott's specific application method that makes this concealer use such a game-changer. Scott notes that when concealing a spot, the most important thing to keep in mind is to use a blotting or dabbing motion. If you drag the concealer side to side or up and down, they say it's essentially the same as "erasing" the concealer you just applied. Instead, tap your concealer directly onto the spot without buffing or blending (at least at first).
If you have a raised pimple, Scott recommends concealing the spot with concealer like normal, then using a brown eyebrow pencil or eyeliner pen to shade in the surface of the pimple, making it look like a beauty mark rather than a breakout.
To Conceal Dark Circles
"Now to cover the under-eyes, I'm going to use a color corrector first," says Scott. "Because that kind of darkness won't immediately go away with just concealer. So I'm using a peach color corrector, and for under-eye concealer I like to use a dome fluffy brush. I apply lightly and sweep the product evenly over the skin. I try to find brushes that mimic the shape of fingers." Scott adds that you should apply the peach color corrector only to the area where you see darkness or shadow. Then conceal like normal and set with your favorite illuminating setting powder.
For Illuminating, Foundation-Rivaling Coverage
"And if you need a little bit more coverage across, let's say, the plane of your cheek or the center of your face," Scott begins. "If you have some pores that need to be covered, or if you want to emphasize or highlight, apply it to the top of your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, your chin, and the Cupid's bow area, and just softly blend that in to any foundation you've already applied or to clean skin."
As Contour
"You want two different [concealer] shades, one that is a little bit lighter than your skin tone and one that is a little bit darker," says Scott. "Be careful not to use a concealer that is too warm all over the edge of your face because it would look a little strange. But you can use a slightly warmer concealer in such a way that it almost mimics a bronzer on your cheeks." Scott notes that depending on your process, might still opt to layer contour powder over the concealer contour you create, or you can let the concealer live alone for a more natural look.
As a Tinted Moisturizer
"If you wanted to use your concealer one more way, what you could do is mix it with moisturizer and push it into your skin so that it acts almost like a tinted moisturizer or a medium-coverage foundation, depending on how much concealer you mix into the foundation," says Scott.
