Soft Spoken

It’s time to put our best face forward! We all have certain things we’d like to keep under wraps—namely things like dark circles, blemishes and fine lines. So we’ve got the scoop on concealing those parts that are sometimes less than perfect.

Dark Circles

While the biggest contributor to dark circles is heredity, exposure to sun, dehydration and even allergies can also cause darkening of the delicate skin below the eye. Since the skin is so thin and sensitive, it more easily reflects the dark blue color of the blood circulating in the soft tissues below the surface. 

How to conceal dark circles:

To neutralize the bluish hue of under-eye circles, a peach tinted concealer is best. It’s also good to use a liquid concealer that doesn’t require a lot of tugging or rubbing to blend, as these motions can cause the fragile blood vessels to bruise or dilate, causing even more darkness.

Starting at the inner corner of the eye, use the tip of your ring finger or a small, flat makeup brush to dot the concealer along the under-eye area from the bridge of your nose to the outer edge. Gently “press” the concealer into the skin (don’t rub) until it starts to “melt”. Using a makeup sponge or brush, apply your normal foundation in a thin, even coat on top to even out the complexion and blend any lines around the edges of the concealer. Dust on a translucent powder to seal and prevent concealer from slipping or creasing. You can also help brighten the under-eye area with a liquid highlighter applied to the inside corners and brow-bone area.

Sue Devitt Bermuda Triangle Under-Eye Corrector

Try Sue Devitt’s Bermuda Triangle Undereye Corrector, a creamy, moisturizing stick concealer that corrects imperfections while hydrating and healing. It also contains Nylon-12, which ensures a soft, flexible coverage that won’t crease.

Special eye-brightening tip: Choose an eye cream with light-reflecting pigments to help brighten the eye area.

Blemishes

Between hormonal fluctuations, clogged pores and excess oil, keeping skin free of blemishes can be a battle. Your biggest defense is a little prevention (by using an antiseptic like Alpha Hydroxy Acids to clear oily buildup and Beta Hydroxy Acid to exfoliate and unclog pores), but every now and then a blemish rears its ugly head.

The toughest challenges when concealing pimples are minimizing redness, combating flaky skin around the blemish and reducing the appearance of large, inflamed bumps, requiring a little more care than concealing other skin imperfections. 

How to conceal blemishes:

The first step is to start with a clean canvas, so wash your face with a gentle facial cleanser, such as WEI’s Chinese Rose Foaming Cleanser, to remove excess dirt, makeup and oil. To prevent the dryness around the area, apply a light moisturizer, or a hydrating product like Osmotics Blue Copper 5 Firming Elasticity Repair, and wait a few minutes to let it sink in. The biggest mistake women make when concealing blemishes is using the wrong shade of concealer—you want to use the exact same shade as your foundation; using a lighter shade ends up highlighting the problem! If the area is very irritated and red, you can use a green tinted corrector to help neutralize the redness.  A great concealer to try is Paula Dorf’s Magic Stick.

Paula Dorf Magic Stick

Using your fingertip, repeatedly dab a dot of concealer right on top of the blemish creating a few thin layers of coverage. Then sweep a translucent powder, such as Sue Devitt’s Hydrating Marine Minerals Pressed Powder or Paula Dorf’s Loose Powder, over the area to help it stay put. When you apply your foundation, be sure to avoid the concealed area or you might rub off the concealer.

Special blemish-control tip: Look for concealers that have healing ingredients to help heal your blemish while you conceal.

Wrinkles

One of the toughest obstacles to hiding lines is that they are part of your skin’s infrastructure—they don’t sit on top of it like a pimple or discolor it like an age spot. It takes a very light hand to correctly conceal wrinkles, but with the right tools and products, it’s possible to look years younger.

How to conceal wrinkles:

The first step to minimizing the look of wrinkles is keeping skin hydrated—dry skin will just emphasize the appearance of fine lines. Before applying makeup, put on a light coat of moisturizer or a skin-primer, such as WEI Lady Berry Instant Line Repair, that will help “fill in” lines. The best tip for concealing wrinkles is to apply foundation with a light hand. Wearing too much makeup can actually enhance fine lines and creases. It’s also important to pick the right formula for your skin type—an oil-free tinted moisturizer or oil-free foundation is great for oily skin, a moisturizing liquid with peptides for drier skin and a dewy foundation, such as Perricone MD’s No Foundation Foundation, for dull complexions. Mineral foundation, like Sue Devitt’s Mineral Pressed Powder, is especially effective at hiding lines in that it doesn’t “sit” on wrinkles the way some heavier bases can.  

Special wrinkle correction tip: Try applying a line filler treatment with GABA or Matrixyl to plump up wrinkles from within.

Related posts:

1. Avoiding Concealer Mishaps
2. Younger Looking Eyes at Any Age
3. How To Look 10 Years Younger Without Surgery