The Most Common Concealer Mistake, According to Rihanna's Makeup Artist
Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Many of us have probably been using concealer every single day for years — and yet, it turns out, we might be doing it wrong. According to Priscilla Ono, global makeup artist for Fenty Beauty and Rihanna's go-to face painter, most people tend to make the same mistake when it comes to using color-correcting products on the undereye area, specifically.
To cover up dark circles, it seems intuitive to choose a shade of concealer that's a few hues lighter than one's natural skin tone. After all, most people's goal is to brighten the area and prevent a shadow-y effect. But, cautions Ono, using a lighter shade can actually work against that goal, turning skin ashy.
"If you want to correct your dark circles, go with a cooler shade that has peachy undertones, or a warmer shade if you want to cover redness," Ono tells Fashionista. And what might come as a real surprise is that the artist actually favors darker concealer shades for the undereye area in some cases. "Sometimes you can even go a little darker. Darker peach, orange or apricot colors are some of my favorites to use to conceal. It helps to neutralize a dark undereye so that you don't get that grey flashback."
Photo: Mark Ganzon/Getty Images for Fenty Beauty
Of course, this advice doesn't apply if the concealer color isn't right in the first place. Ono notes that when picking any complexion product, including concealer, it's important to choose a shade based on your skin's undertone, which describes the skin's subtle, natural color between warm, cool and neutral. Plenty of folks skip past this and just reach for a shade that looks like their skin, she says. Others don't know how to discover their undertone. Ono has a trick for this:
"To figure out your undertone, simply ask yourself this question: How does your skin react with sun exposure? Do you burn? Do you burn and then tan? Or, do you just straight tan? If you tend to burn, you're a cool tone. If you burn then tan, you're a neutral tone. If you just straight tan, then you're a warm tone," she explains.
In addition to getting the shade just right, application can also make a huge difference. Ono recommends dotting concealer under the eye, particularly if it's a liquid or lightweight cream.
"A common application mistake people make is applying too much concealer," Ono says. "When you swipe right away, you often put too much product on that undereye area, which is really delicate and doesn't need too much to be impactful." Using her dot technique is an effective method for preventing this common issue.
The last key concealer step, according to Ono, is proper blending. There are several methods for this that get the Ono seal of approval, depending on whether the desired outcome is a skin-like finish or something with more coverage. "When it comes to tools, I love concealer brushes to buff out concealer when I want a softer look. If I want fuller coverage and want to apply more layers, I use sponges. Or, you can be like Rihanna and use your fingers," she says. (When in doubt, always be like Rihanna.)
Ahead, scroll through some Fashionista- and Ono-approved products with which to try out these tips.
Fenty Beauty We're Even Hydrating Longwear Concealer, $30, available here
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Medium to Full Coverage Radiant Concealer, $33, available here
Beautyblender Little Wonders Blend & Bake Set, $30, available here
Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer, $22, available here
Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Concealer Brush, $39, available here
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer, $11, available here
Merit Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Foundation and Concealer Stick, $38, available here
Mented Cosmetics Full Time Brightening Concealer, $18, available here
Patrick Ta Precision Dual Ended Nose Brush, $26, available here
YSL Beauty All Hours Precise Angles Full Coverage Concealer, $38, available here
Ilia True Skin Serum Concealer with Vitamin C, $32, available here
Chanel Les Pinceaux de Chanel Retractable dual-ended brush, $42, available here
Fenty Beauty Invisimatte Instant Setting + Blotting Powder, $36, available here
Benefit Cosmetics Boi-ing Cakeless Full Coverage Waterproof Liquid Concealer, $27, available here
Milk Makeup Future Fluid All Over Medium Coverage Hydrating Concealer, $29, available here
Uoma Beauty Stay Woke Luminous Brightening Concealer, $25, available here
Ami Cole Skin-Enhancing Concealer, $24, available here
Jones Road Face Pencil, $25, available here
Dior Forever Skin Correct Concealer, $40, available here
Tower 28 Beauty Swipe All-Over Hydrating Serum Concealer, $22, available here
Bobbi Brown Skin Concealer Stick, $33, available here
Kosas Revealer Super Creamy + Brightening Concealer, $30, available here
Please note: Occasionally, we use affiliate links on our site. In no way does this affect our editorial decision-making.
Want the latest fashion industry news first? Sign up for our daily newsletter.
