If you're specifically looking to cover dark circles, you should instead choose color correctors in shades of red, pink, orange, or yellow, as these will help balance out the blue hue of under-eye circles. “Yellow is a super versatile concealer color that brightens sallowness.
Since dark circles are primarily blue, reach for shades in the orange family. If you have light or fair skin, use a more peachy color. If you are more in the light to medium skin tone range, look for a bisque color corrector. If you have a dark skin tone, reach for an orange-based concealer.
While under-eye concealer should be lighter than your natural skin tone (or red-orange if you're colour-correcting), you want your all-over concealer to match your skin colour as closely as possible.
Yellow color correcting concealer can be used to cover up any blemish that's purple in tone. Bruises, veins, and under eye circles can be hidden with a yellow spot concealer.
Yellow: Probably the most versatile concealer color, yellow concealers cancel purple tons and neutralizes mild to moderate redness. Bye bye, dark circles or scars.
Do I apply concealer before or after foundation? Always apply your foundation first, unless you are using a powder foundation. Applying foundation first creates an even base to reduce overall redness, discoloration and minor blemishes.
The vein test
In natural light, look at the appearance of your veins beneath the skin. Green or greenish-blue veins suggest a warm undertone, whereas blue or purple veins suggest a cool undertone. If you can't tell whether your veins are green or blue, you likely have a neutral undertone.
Remember, when covering under-eye areas, opt for a concealer colour that is one or two shades lighter. But be careful that you don't get too light! If you are torn when it comes time to pick a concealer shade, always go with the darker of the two concealers, just in case.
Select the right shade.
“You can't have a concealer that's too light,” she said, adding that women should choose concealer that's one to two shades lighter than the color of their foundation. “One to two shades … the right color blends itself. It makes a big difference."
Orange and yellow are opposite blue and purple on the color wheel, so concealers in these shades help brighten and cover dark circles under your eyes; for darker skin tones, try orange concealer and opt for yellow concealer to cover under-eye circles in lighter skin tones.
The proper way to apply the two products is to first smooth on a foundation and then apply your concealer. Foundation will create that even canvas we talked about earlier, and then concealer can be used to spot correct any outstanding areas that need extra coverage.
Flip over your arm and take a look at the inside of your wrist. If your veins appear to have a blue or deep purple tint, you likely have cool skin undertones. If they look more greenish, you likely have warm or olive undertones. If you can't tell one way or the other, you may have neutral undertones.
If you're looking for a lighter-weight alternative to foundation but don't want to rely on a tinted moisturizer or CC cream, we recommend using concealer alone. It's true, with the right long-wearing or hydrating concealer formula, you'll be able to cover imperfections, even out and keep your complexion looking fresh.
If your foundations are too yellow on you, you need to add pink to make it cooler. Add a small amount of your foundation on the back of your hand.
MYTH: You should always use a concealer one shade lighter than your foundation. Truth: If your goal is to brighten dark circles, then yes, choose a lighter concealer. But for blemishes or scars, you need a yellow-based shade as close as possible to that of your foundation.
According to Emily Cheng, a celebrity makeup artist who works with Yara Shahidi, your concealer should be pretty similar to your foundation shade but with a slightly different undertone, depending on whether you're covering up dark circles, redness, or blemishes.
Concealer is generally used before liquid foundation, which can cover dark circles and various facial blemishes. So BB cream can simply be considered as a primer, while concealer has a concealing effect, which can make your facial blemishes "invisible". And the concealer's coverage BB cream is stronger.
White Cloth Test: Put a white cloth next to your bare face and observe what cast your skin takes on. Skin with warm undertones will appear yellowish, while skin with cool undertones will seem blueish or pinkish.
Finding your undertone: The colour of your veins
Take a look at the veins on the inside of your wrist. Do they appear more blue or green? If your veins appear more blue, you're cool-toned but if you see more green, you're warm-toned. If you see a fair amount of both both green and blue, you have a neutral undertone.