The Big Reason We Should Use Distinct Concealers On Different Parts Of The Face

Concealer is a formidable makeup product to master. Applying a few dots of concealer feels intuitive at first, but long-term makeup users can confirm that it takes a light touch and precise placement to achieve your desired look. If you've tried various concealer hacks and tutorials only to get the same patchy, unflattering results, your problem might be the product itself.

Many of us stick to one concealer, but the truth is that concealer is not a one-size-fits-all product for your face. To truly elevate your concealer game, you need to have several concealers on hand to use on different parts of your face.

This might sound excessive at first, but using multiple concealers is not a ploy from the makeup industry to get you to spend more money. Makeup products work best when they align with the natural texture of your skin, especially products that have a thicker consistency, such as concealer. 

Contrary to what highly edited photos online may have you believe, the human face is not a smooth, perfectly uniform blob of flesh. Your skin texture varies in different areas on your face, with some parts being quite dry and other sections producing more oil. For this reason, you can't use the same concealer on your entire face.

Theoretically, you could buy a large collection of concealers that match the texture and color of every subsection of your face. But for most people, two concealers should be enough. The first concealer you need is for the skin around your eyes. The skin around your eyes is extremely delicate and produces significantly less oil and collagen than the rest of your face (via Advanced Biomedical Research). With this in mind, you should use a hydrating, liquid concealer around your eyes. Even better, look for a concealer with extra nourishing ingredients, like hyaluronic acid.

If you use concealer on other parts of your face, such as your nose or chin, you'll want a drier formula. The T-zone area of skin on your forehead, nose, and chin tends to produce the most oil on your face. Adding a liquid concealer to the mix will most likely cause breakouts or a greasy appearance. Instead, use a powder concealer that will provide coverage while also soaking up some of the excess moisture.

But what if buying new makeup isn't in the cards? If getting multiple concealer products doesn't fit your budget, you can still incorporate this tip into your makeup routine. When in doubt, opt for the liquid concealer. While you can get away with a small amount of liquid makeup on an oily section of skin, powder on dry skin can have a horrible cakey effect.

If you have to use a liquid concealer on an oilier area of your face, try to use as little product as possible, getting the coverage you need without adding more moisture than necessary. Folks with less oily skin can get away with leaving the liquid concealer as it is, but if you have particularly oily skin, you should follow up with a face powder. Use a makeup brush to apply a light coating of translucent setting powder over the concealer. The powder will absorb excess oil and keep the concealer in place.

Whether you have a massive makeup collection or only a few products, you can make your concealer work for you by paying attention to the texture of your skin. By thinking of your face as having distinct sections, you can use the best products possible and have a beautiful makeup look every time.