Concealers vs Colour correctors: What’s the difference?

Blemishes, sunspots, and age spots are all harsh skincare realities that we try to avoid like no other. While perfect skin is sometimes a full-time job to maintain, concealing, and colour correcting make the job a little easier. That being said, the two coverage methods are different and address different issues. To help you better understand the distinction between the two, here's the basics of what you should know about concealers and colour correctors.

Concealers are typically used to hide small breakouts or blemishes, to correct dark circles, and to highlight areas on the face according to your liking. When using a concealer, you want to make sure that you use a concealer brush or beauty blender to make sure the colour blends in well with your skin tone and looks completely natural. Avoid using concealers that have a shimmery finish to it, as this can tend to make you look greasy.

If you're dealing with a more serious skin issue like melasma, rosacea or acne scars, colour correctors are for you. Colour correctors come in various shades that address specific issues. Now mastering this art form has a lot to do with understanding the basics of colour correction.

For instance, red is directly across from green on the colour wheel. The colour green will neutralize the colour red, which is why green concealers work best to cover red acne blemishes. By simply referring to the colour wheel, you will better understand how to make those annoying problem areas vanish.

Purple, lavender, or lilac concealers are best suited for eliminating any unwanted yellow undertones on your skin. People with a pasty, dull, yellow complexion will love how a purple concealer or primer adds a beautiful glow to their face

Okay, so maybe pink isn't the best colour to describe this group. It's more like salmon or peach. These are ideal for brightening around the eye area and masking signs of fatigue. This particular concealer colour is a mixture of red, orange, and yellow hues, which are across from the blue, purple, and green hues on the colour wheel. That's why this colour is best to combat dark under eye circles. Since it's a great brightening agent, these concealers also work well to cover raccoon eyes

Yellow concealers are perfect for hiding purple or blue bruises, veins, and under eye circles, so it's no surprise yellow is right across from purple on the colour wheel. Yellow concealers are typically the most general, and are great for evening out skin tone to give a bright base for your foundation.

For all of you with lighter skin tones, you will want to stay away from orange concealers for the most part. The exception? If you're doing facial contouring and need something that can work as a liquid bronzer. Other than that, this colour is perfect for people with darker skin tones looking to hide dark circles or other spots with deep discoloration.

If you're one of the lucky ones that doesn't have too many problem areas to hide, this will work fine for you. Any regular concealer should work to veil little imperfections or the occasional pimple. Just choose a shade similar to your skin tone, or one shade lighter, and you're all set.