If you’ve ever checked out the cosmetics section of the drugstore, you would probably be overwhelmed by the number of concealers that are available. After All, the drugstore tailors to a larger market and they want to make sure that they can satisfy everyone’s needs. However, the truth is that there are probably only a few concealers that will match your skin tone.
Here are a few tips for matching drugstore concealers to your skin tone:
#1 – Know your Undertone
Do you know your undertone? Knowing your undertone simply makes it a lot easier to find the shade that you need. There are 3 different classifications of undertones: Warm, Neutral, and Cool.
You can’t just look at your skin to determine your undertone. The best way to find your undertone is to look at your veins. Find the wrist on your arm and determine the color of your veins. If they look blue or purple, then you are cool-toned. If they look green, you are warm-toned.
#2 – Check Your Lighting
This is one of those things that is easily missed by most people. The lighting inside most drugstores are usually too white which washes out the true color of the concealer. The general rule of thumb is to test your concealer in natural light.
To do this, simply dab a few shades that you believe is close to your actual skin tone. Do this in areas that you would like to conceal. A good area would be under the eyes (dark circles). You want to apply in such a way that you can easily compare the shades. I usually apply the shades next to each other so that it’s easy to see.
After you have done this step, walk towards a window or go outdoors. Your goal is to find a shade that matches closely to your natural skin tone. Don’t worry if it’s not a 100% match. However, you do want to be within the ballpark in which the differences in the shade are not very noticeable.
#3- Tap, Don’t Rub
Here’s another mistake that many people tend to make. When they are testing out concealers at the drugstore, they tend to rub the product on. If you rub concealer on, you’re simply moving the product around. This means that you aren’t getting the coverage that the concealer can provide. Simply tapping the product onto your skin is the best way to test its coverage.
#4 – Know Your Coverage
What exactly are you trying to cover? You must have this question answered before heading down to the drugstore. Why? Because different colors cover different things. For example, if you are trying to cover up light redness and blemishes, choose a color that will match your skin tone exactly. If you’re trying to cover red pimples, try using a green concealer to neutralize the red. You don’t need to be a genius in color theory in order to figure it out. However, it does help if you study the color wheel a bit before heading out to shop.
#5 – Consider Texture and Consistency of Product
Many people think that drugstore concealers are poor in quality and texture. However, this is simply not true. In many cases, I have found that drugstore concealers do a better job than some major brand department store makeup.
However, not all drugstore concealers are created equal and you do need to pay attention to what you are buying. Think about what you are trying to cover and select a concealer for that purpose. For example, you should select a creamy and hydrating foundation for your dark circles. This is because this area tends to be drier and more delicate than other areas of your face.
#6 – Know Your Ingredients
Even if you are a complete newbie in the makeup world, you would still probably agree with me that the best ingredients for concealers are those that are natural. Here is a list of ingredients that you should look out for:
- Aloe
- Pomegranate Seed Oil
- Green Tea Extract
- Ginseng Root Extract
- Sunflower Seed Oil
- Tomato Extract
- Lotus Leaf Extract
- Castor Seed Oil
- Organic Beeswax (Cera Alba)
- Coconut Oil
- Cocoa Seed Butter
You probably won’t find all these ingredients in a single product. Keep in mind that products with natural ingredients are more expensive.