Using Concealer Unconventionally

Concealer - you know the drill, or do you?

When you've suffered a restless night, or perhaps partied a little too hard (no such thing, is there?) and need to diffuse the purple rings that have settled under your eyes, the first product you will undoubtedly reach for is a concealer; ditto blemishes. Yes the texture and shade selections may vary dependant on the use: light and brightening for the eye area and a thicker cover-all option for breakouts but your trusty flesh-toned tube can be far more useful than you may have imagined. 

Unlike mascara or liquid lipstick, concealer has been formulated to be "face friendly" and as such can be used where and how you see fit - this means you can safely apply it to the eye area and lips should you wish free from worry or irritation, and that's exactly what I urge you to do...just not as a stand alone product. Concealer as lipstick is the one beauty trend no-one wants to see resurrected. 

Using Concealer Unconventionally

Have you ever wished that a lipstick would apply true to colour only for it to sheer out, or deepen due to the natural hue of your lips? To prevent this from happening, or simply to increase the colour pay off of any non-glossy lipstick (especially effective when teamed with matte lipstick), apply a little flesh-toned concealer to your lips, blot and then follow up with a slick of lipstick. Not only will you achieve a brighter and truer pop of colour, but you will find that your choosen lip colour wears a little longer too.

Forget purchasing multiple matte liquid lipsticks, concealer can also be used to par down nude and pink shades of such formulation - using a make-up mixing tray or a hygienic flat surface, combine a little liquid lipstick and liquid concealer until you create your desired shade. Yes it is a little messy but it is a cost effective method of creating custom lip shades, all without compromising the finish of said lipstick.

Concealer covers and perfects right? So why are you not using it on your eye lids to gently disguise any veins or general discolouration - a quick pat of concealer with a beauty blender or sponge and you will be converted, I promise. I have also found that liquid concealer works as well as most eyeshadow primers at increasing eyeshadow colour intensity, and as a preventative step against creasing and smudging to boot.

One of the best high coverage face bases has been lingering at the bottom of your make-up bag this entire time. The next time you suffer the mother of all breakouts and find yourself grabbing your car keys and a hat in the quest of the most heavy duty foundation money can buy, try this: as you would any liquid foundation, swipe concealer all over your face and then using a damp beauty blender, gently blend and buff the concealer into the skin; follow up with a little additional concealer over blemishes and set with powder. Will it be the most comfortable base product you'll ever wear? In a word no but it will save you money and as concealer is so concentrated, it will perfect the skin far better than any run-of-the-mill foundation can. 

I bet you'll forever look at your concealer in a different light now - one tube, so many secret uses.