I repeatedly pressed the snooze button on my alarm clock a few weeks ago. By the time I finally decided to get off my bed, you wouldn’t believe what had happened. You guessed right. I was late!! I jumped out of bed, headed straight to the bathroom, and then rushed through my dressing session.
Despite being late, a girl cannot leave her house without looking good. So I reached for my makeup kit to glam up my face. The thought came to me immediately; there’s no major function. I was only going to the office; I could use concealer without applying a foundation.
Did I look good? Did I regret it?
Does this sound familiar? I’m sure every girl has a story that relates to this. If this resonates with you, keep reading till the end to find out more.
Can you Use concealer without foundation?
Absolutely!! You can use concealer without foundation.
Although many believe the foundation is important to make their faces smooth and flawless, it is not entirely correct. You can still achieve a flawless look by applying just concealers instead of foundation. Using a concealer is great if you want to even out your skin tone and cover blemishes on your face. If you want to achieve a more natural no-makeup look, then this is your best option.
If you’re not a fan of heavy makeup, then just a dab of concealer on the necessary parts of your face would be a great option for you.
What is a Concealer?
Concealers are usually not given as many accolades as they truly deserve. Although small, they make a huge difference in every look. Once applied, it amplifies skin complexion while smoothing uninvited pimples, covering blemishes and dark under the eyes. Concealers are helpful additions to any makeup routine.
Concealers are very versatile and can be used for the following;
- Contouring
- Highlighting cheekbones
- Primer for eyelids and lips
- Covering blemishes, spots, and fine lines.
Concealers vs. Foundation
Concealers and foundations are similar in that they both fall under the category of face coverage products. Despite this similarity, they are different in the following respect:
Essentially, a foundation helps create an even skin tone and provides a smooth base for applying other makeup products. Concealers, on the other hand, are used to cover blemishes and brighten out dark areas.
Since foundations serve as a base, it is applied to every face area. Concealers, on the other hand, are targeted for coverage or highlighting specific areas of the face. Typically, concealers have more concentrated pigmentation compared to foundations.
What are the benefits of applying concealer without foundation?
There are many reasons why you can decide to use concealer without applying foundation. In my case, I was running late, so I needed a quick fix. For you, the case may be quite different. Maybe you want to give your face a chance without the heavy foundation feeling. You might start to wonder at this point if there are any benefits.
There are loads of benefits!! Concealer will cover your blemishes and spots without giving you a heavy makeup feeling. If you’re looking for a more minimalist look, you should consider applying just Concealers. Let me put it this way; concealers have superpowers. They hide those spots, blemishes, and dark circles from staying up late in nanoseconds.
If you’re in a hurry and want that natural look, concealers would help greatly achieve this. Concealers would prevent clogged pores and breakouts.
Most women have super sensitive skin, with their faces reacting with ugly breaks out after applying foundation or heavy makeup. Well, I’m here to tell you that Concealers are your one shot at looking flawless and minimizing breakouts.
Concealers are less heavy than foundation and are, as a result, minimal in clogging pores. So if you have super sensitive skin, concealers should be your BFF. Concealers would allow your face to breathe.
Tips for using concealer without foundation?
Since you’ve read this far, it wouldn’t be fair on my part not to drop some tips that can help you achieve that flawless like this look by just applying concealers. So, here we go!
Prep your face.
It is generally said that the first step in painting a masterpiece is properly preparing the canvas. Therefore, to achieve a flawless look, it is essential that you prep your face properly. You can clean your face with a mild face cleanser and apply a moisturizer before you eventually use your concealer.
According to celebrity makeup Artist Aliana Lopez, prepping and moisturizing your face will help the concealer glide on and blend effortlessly.
Choose the right formula.
Although different makeup artists opt for different formulas, in the end, it all depends on individual skin needs. Concealers vary in type with suitability for different skin types.
Before choosing a concealer, it is important to determine your skin type. Doing this helps you choose the concealer that suits your skin type.
There are different types of Concealers, such as cream, liquid, sticks, and color correctors. Each of them serves different purposes and suits different skin types.
1. Liquid Concealers-
Liquid Concealers are very versatile. It works for all skin types. It is generally available in tubes or bottles. Liquid Concealers offer buildable to full coverage and work for most skin concerns.
Despite their versatility, liquid Concealers with matte finishing are one to avoid if you have dry skin. It would leave your face looking dry and flaky.
FV Liquid Foundation Makeup
| Brand | FV |
| Colour | 01 Porcelain |
| Skin Type | Oily, Combination, Sensitive, Dry, Normal |
| Finish Type | Matte, Natural |
| Item Form | Cream |
2. Cream Concealers-
Cream Concealers have a thick consistency and are usually available in pots or palette form. They provide more of a full to medium coverage. However, it has the potential to shift on the face and settle in your crease. To avoid this, I advise that you have a translucent powder handy to lock it in.
3. Stick Concealers-
Stick Concealers are the best if you want quick and on-the-go coverage. They have a semi-solid consistency and offer between sheer to medium coverage.
Trestique Concealer Crayon
| Brand | TRE’STIQUE |
| Colour | Porcelain |
| Skin Type | Acne Prone |
| Coverage | Full |
| Item Form | Crayon |
4. Color Correctors-
When you want to cover dark under the eyes or spots, it’s essential to use something different from what you used to cover your blemishes. Color-correcting Concealers come in handy here. Knowing what color cancels out each other is essential to enjoy the full effect.
- Dark circles/pigmentation: Peach or orange pink will be perfect for correcting this.
- Redness: Green is useful here, especially with skin irritations and acne.
- Sallow/yellow skin: Lavender cancels out yellowish tones.
- Scars: Orange tint Concealers can help neutralize the appearance of scars.
- Choose your Concealer shade and have more than one shade ready.
Generally, we are often told to pick a concealer that is lighter than our foundation. But Jeanie Vincent has something to say about this. According to her, this can lead to a dreaded blotched effect. She advises that you get one closest to your skin color. The closer the color is to your skin, the easier it disappears on the skin.
Since concealers are applied to cover blemishes and brighten dark areas, you must use one closest to your skin tone. Otherwise, the difference would be obvious.
There are instances where our faces have multiple tones. Uneven skin tone would require a careful selection of concealers. To address this, celebrity makeup Artist Tommy advises using two different concealer shades when spot-concealing.
Select Appropriate Application Tools:
Even though you have all the makeup products, how you apply them determines the outcome.
In essence, depending on the area of your face you want to work on, you must use the appropriate application tools.
Vincent suggests that you “Use your ring fingers to tap concealer under the eye.” He further stated that you could use a brush; however, to better melt the product into your skin, the warmth of your finger will help create a more invisible coverage.
Apply to Problematic areas.
The way to achieve a flawless look with just concealers is by applying it where it is necessary. Just applying concealers in your t-zone, under your eyes and eyelids, under your nose, and anywhere that needs covering is sufficient.
The goal here is to conceal spots on the affected areas. Therefore, avoid applying concealer in areas that do not need it.
Set it, and you are good to go.
Finishing off with some translucent powder is essential to lock the concealer in place. Using a powder brush, dab a little setting powder over where you applied concealers to set your concealers and give additional coverage.
Celebrity Makeup Artist Vincent advises applying concealers in a patting or pressing motion rather than brush stroking. It helps to avoid dragging the concealer away from the spot that needs the coverage. Also, try not to rub the concealer around the eyes as the skin can easily get damaged.
FAQ:
Can I apply concealer directly on my face?
Generally, Concealers cover spots and blemishes and brighten dark under-eye circles. They are usually applied after the foundation. However, we can apply concealers directly to the face. Most people use Concealers to simply even out their skin tone. So if you want to get a more natural look or skip the foundation part, concealers are the best. Using the tips explained above, you can apply concealers directly to give you that flawless natural look.
Should concealer be lighter than my skin color?
Usually, when applying concealer after foundation, it is advised that you use a shade lighter for your under-eyes area and your normal shade for other areas.
However, with this concealer-only look, you must get a concealer closest to your skin color. If perhaps, your skin is multi-tonal, you should have more than one shade of concealer handy to balance it out.
I’m sure there are days when you don’t feel like applying foundation but still want to look good. Trust me; achieving that flawless natural look without foundation is possible. Regardless, be sure to wash off your makeup before bedtime. That way, you reduce the chances of breakouts and skin irritations.
If you follow the tips I’ve given you in this article, you’d be able to achieve a flawless makeup look with just concealers. I hope you try it and let us know when you do.
