Concealer: Do You Really Need It In Your Makeup Routine?
Doing your makeup can be a daunting task. Especially when you have to be up early and have limited time in the morning. I am always looking for a way to simplify my routine and where I can cut tasks so that I have less to do in the morning. This includes the dozens of sub-tasks involved in my makeup routine. One product that is top of mind when it comes to eliminating from your makeup routine is concealer.
Concealer is a color corrector typically used underneath the eyes and on blemishes. It is thicker than foundation and blends imperfections into your natural skin tone. Professional makeup artists tend to have a variety of concealers in their kits that all serve different purposes. I think it is safe to assume that everyone with a makeup routine should have concealer in their kit for spot treatments and zits that pop up here and there. The question is, is using concealer every day really necessary?
It seems as though concealer has been an essential for as long as it has been around and over time it has evolved into a versatile product that can be used for all sorts of things from total coverage, brightening up the skin, or correcting color. There are now many different types of concealers to choose from.
Using concealer for Permanent Blemishes and Discolorations
Those that have to deal with redness, scarring, dark circles, or other permanent features that you would like to cover up, then using concealer on a daily basis is probably necessary for you and you should probably look for a high pigmented product.
This is actually fairly dependent on the size of the area that you need corrected. Concealers won’t work well if you are using them to try and cover up a large area. For one, you will need to use a lot of product and given that concealers are much heavier than foundations, it will have an unnatural finish. There is also the issue of finding a shade that matches your overall skin tone. Concealers come in light shades and have a lot fewer options to choose from. If you have a larger surface area to cover, use a foundation with heavy coverage and touch up with concealer.
how to use concealer for Temporary Fixes
In the case that you only need to correct zits or blemishes that appear every now and then, wearing concealer daily will completely depend on the appearance that you are looking to obtain. Those that go for a more natural day to day look, could probably do without concealer. Buy a versatile concealer and it should last you quite a while.
On the other hand, if you like a lot of coverage or contouring in your everyday look, then concealer is going to be essential in your daily makeup routine. In this case, you will probably be going through a good amount of concealer, so it may be in your best interest to find different concealers for different purposes. One specifically for the under-eye area, one for color correction and one for contouring.
Why not use foundation instead?
It seems as though it would be more efficient and cost effective to just use foundation on the questionable areas and apply it heavier where you need to. The reason that this is not always a good idea is because foundation is not meant for your eye area. It is made with different ingredients that may not be good for that thin skin around your eyes. It’s also not as thick as concealers and therefore it is not heavy enough to cover dark circles. Moms that never get enough sleep would not be satisfied using foundation as a substitute for concealer.
Although, the right foundation could kill two birds with one stone. If you have a buildable foundation, you can probably get away with using it as a substitute for concealer. You would need a foundation that has a sheer application but with multiple layers provides more coverage.
The general answer to the question of using concealer every day comes down to your individual preference and skin type. If you have permanent features that you want covered up, then apply it daily. But if you can get away with it, limit your concealer use and save a little time, product, and money.
Resources— The Skin Edit, Huffington Post, Adore Beauty
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