You use different shades of concealer primarily for concealing imperfections, highlighting, and contouring to sculpt and define your face. The specific shade relative to your skin tone determines its purpose.
Concealer Shades for Highlighting and Contouring
Using concealers lighter or darker than your natural skin tone is a popular technique to add dimension to your face.
- Highlighting: To brighten areas and bring them forward, you use a concealer shade that is lighter than your skin tone. According to the reference, when using concealer to highlight your facial features, you should apply a concealer that is 2 shades lighter than your natural skin tone. Common areas to highlight include under the eyes, the bridge of the nose, the center of the forehead, and the Cupid's bow.
- Contouring: To create shadows and define features like cheekbones, jawline, and the sides of the nose, you use a concealer shade that is darker than your skin tone. Based on the reference, to contour, sculpt, and add definition, apply a concealer that is 1 shade darker than your natural skin tone.
Summary of Shade Uses
Here's a quick overview of how different concealer shades are typically used:
| Purpose | Recommended Shade | Effect | Common Application Areas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concealing | Matches your skin tone | Covers blemishes, dark spots, redness | Any area with imperfections |
| Highlighting | 2 shades lighter than skin tone | Brightens and brings features forward | Under eyes, bridge of nose, forehead center, chin, brow bone |
| Contouring | 1 shade darker than skin tone | Sculpts and adds depth/shadows | Below cheekbones, jawline, sides of nose, temples |
Using shades that perfectly match the job is key to achieving a natural, blended look.
