Use two concealer shades: one two shades darker the skin tone and one two shades lighter. To contour apply the dark shade under cheekbones, to forehead and chin to create definition. To highlight apply to the areas of the face that naturally catch the light. Concealer is particularly tough because, like foundation, your color match can change with the seasons (and your skin tone). But there’s no denying that once you find a concealer that’s spot on (no pun intended), you’ll be hooked — adding concealer to even the simplest makeup routine can upgrade your look. We recommend always testing a few concealer shades and purchasing at least two since your skin tone will likely change with the seasons, and because you may need concealer to perform other tasks besides covering up blemishes.

Like foundation, finding the right concealer shade will depend on your skin tone and undertones. Your undertones are the colors that sit under the surface of your skin and unlike your skin tone, they don’t change as you tan. For redness, reach for a green concealer . If you think about the color wheel, you’ll recognize that green is across from red, making it the perfect shade to neutralize redness caused by blemishes and blotchiness. For blue and purple areas yellow concealer should be your go-to. It will hide blue and purple areas like broken capillaries and age spots. For dark spots, an orange-hued color is just what you need. Reach for a peach, bisque, or orange concealer to disguise dark circles and dark spots. If you plan to use concealer to cover any blemishes that are peeking out from under your foundation, the best way to choose a shade that will blend seamlessly is to use your foundation as a guide. In this case, your concealer should perfectly match your skin tone and not be either darker or lighter. Either bring the bottle of foundation with you to the store or find your shade on the shelf to compare. Oftentimes, you can find a coordinating concealer and foundation, like the L’Oréal Paris 24 Hour Fresh Wear Foundation in Espresso and L’Oréal Paris Infallible Full Wear Concealer up to 24H Full Coverage in Espresso .

Now that you know your skin tone family and undertones and you’re ready to use a virtual concealer shade finder or swipe some swatches in person, take these tips into account so that you get your concealer shade match every time. If you’re struggling with how to choose a concealer shade for your skin tone, you’ve come to the right place. Ahead, we share tips on how to find your concealer shade based on your unique needs. We rely on the L’Oréal Paris True Match Color-Correcting Crayon to get the job done. Use peach for fair to light skin tones, bisque for light to medium skin tones, and orange for medium to dark and deep skin tones.

url": "https://www.lorealparisusa.com/beauty-magazine/makeup/face-makeup/how-to-choose-a-concealer-shade" An easy way to determine your undertones is to look at the color of your veins at your wrist: If your veins appear bluish or purple, you have cool undertones, if your veins look green, you have warm undertones, and if your veins don’t appear to be any of these colors, you likely have neutral undertones. If you have warm undertones, you’ll want to use a concealer with coordinating undertones, and the same goes for skin with cool undertones. This applies whether you’re choosing an exact match or a color to contour. Once you’ve narrowed down your undertone, it’ll be easier to find concealer that will work for you. Many brands will list their concealer shades with letters N, W or C to denote that they're either a neutral, warm or cool shade, which makes it much easier to narrow down your options. The L’Oréal Paris True Match Eye Cream in a Concealer, 0.5% Hyaluronic Acid comes in 14 shades that each specify whether they have cool, neutral, or warm undertones so you don’t have to play the guessing game.

If you’re wondering should concealer be a shade darker or lighter then you likely know that concealer doesn’t have to be used solely for concealing — you’re likely planning on using your concealer for a plethora of tasks. If you’re on the hunt for a concealer for mature skin, try the L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Makeup Radiant Concealer with Hydrating Serum , which is formulated with hydrating ingredients and won’t settle into lines.