LBB’s Guide to Choosing The Perfect Concealer

Whether you’re a beginner or a makeup savant, a concealer is the one of the most important products of your vanity. Concealer is the modern woman’s proverbial armour, the ultimate hype-man/woman, the knight in a shiny, sleek bottle. No matter the commitment or time constraint, your concealer is the one-step solution to feeling put together. A little dab here, some coverage there, and you’re ready for the day.

That’s why it’s important to get it just right–if you don’t, the rest of your look isn’t going to work. Now, now, wait a minute before you back away in fear. Yes, choosing a concealer is somewhat a science, but let us break it down for you with what we call the ultimate guide to choosing the perfect concealer.

The first step to tackling a problem is knowing what it is. Depending on your skin, you could need a skin-tone concealer or a colour-correcting concealer, or even both! If you’re trying to cover up redness or acne, opt for a green concealer. Orange and pink concealers cover up dark circles, and yellow concealers are best for under eye circles or purpling bruises. However, if you need full coverage or spot treatment, skin-tone concealers are best.

As a general rule, you shouldn’t be putting more than three kinds of concealers on your face–in that case, it’s better to consider multi-purpose concealers like the Lakmé Absolute Instant Airbrush Concealer, that conceals, corrects, and helps in contouring and comes in a nifty, travel-friendly pack so you don’t have to carry your entire vanity with you. 

Concealers depend a lot on the natural undertones of your skin to get the job done and using one that clashes with your undertones can be counterproductive. You’ll either have cool, warm, or neutral undertones, the better you know them, the sleeker your overall look will be. A simple way to know your undertones is to check what kind of jewellery looks better against your skin. If silver suits you more, you have cool undertones, warm if gold-tints look better,and neutral if you look good in both. 

For all the talk about finding the ‘perfect’ concealer, the truth is that there is none (at least when it comes to finding your perfect shade). Instead of trying to find a colour that matches your skin exactly, you’d be better off mixing and matching lighter and darker shades. As a general principle, your standard concealer should be one or two shades lighter than your skin. When mixing and matching, pick a shade lighter and one darker than the above. You’ll have a much easier time getting something that sits on your face like a second skin.

Depending on your concerns, you’ll either go for full or medium coverage concealers, but the texture is not to be dismissed. Your concealer should always be creamy and smooth and never greasy or dry. Dewy and radiant finish concealers work better for a natural look, but if you’re going for a flawless and even-toned look, full coverage or buildable ones are your friends. We recommend the Lakmé Absolute Instant Airbrush Concealer Pen here. Available in six shades perfect for the Indian skin-tone, the Lakmé Absolute Instant Airbrush Concealer Pen provides sheer to medium buildable coverage, perfect for concealing dark circles and signs of exhaustion, and enhancing complexion. 

By that, we mean the tiny things that take your look from good to great. Top off your look with loose powder, since pressed powder tends to crease and enhance lines. And while we appreciate the utility and convenience of our fingers, we’d recommend using a targeted concealer brush for a more flawless finish. The Lakmé Absolute Instant Airbrush Concealer Pen, for example, comes with a smooth brush tip which targets precise areas for coverage and ensures consistent application.

Looking for the perfect concealer for your on-the-go lifestyle, but don’t want something bulky weighing you down? The Lakmé Absolute Instant Airbrush Concealer Pen has you covered (quite literally!). Available in six shades perfect for the Indian skin, it comes in travel-friendly packaging so you can conceal, correct, and contour on the move! Interested? You can buy it exclusively on Nykaa!

And just because we love LBB readers, we’ve decided to throw in a little surprise! For a limited-time, we’re running a special contest for all the makeup mavericks who will not be stopped by distance, time, or even a public place. Head over to the link below to participate – tell us about the most odd or unexpected public place you’ve ever done your makeup in, and you can be one of three lucky winners to get a special, one-time-only discount applicable on purchase of the Lakmé Absolute Instant Airbrush Concealer Pen on Nykaa.

Get to it!