Color-correcting. It’s a buzz-phrase permeating the beauty-sphere these days. Makeup palettes, complete with pastel blue, green, pink, and yellow hues are suddenly overcrowding your go-to spots for beauty purchases, from the drugstore to the makeup counter. And since hyperpigmentation is a common concern for darker skin tones, we can all likely benefit from this artful trend.
However, going on a hunt through Easter egg-like shades can be intimidating. Will they look ashy against a darker complexion? Will they blend in well? Heck—will they even work? All questions that need answers.
Here, celeb makeup artists Carola Gonzalez and Mylah Morales show you exactly how it’s done.
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Conceal and Even with Orange
If your instinct told you to stay away from those pasty pastels, as the saying goes—trust your gut! “Brown skin tones should stay away from pinks, greens, and blues,” says Gonzalez who is Scandal star Kerry Washington’s trusted makeup artist. “Orange is really the color for darker skin tones because it’s the highest in pigment.” If you struggle with covering up pesky dark marks, Gonzalez recommends keeping creamy orange color-correctors on hand to spot-treat those areas. We like Amazing Cosmetics AmazingConcealer Corrector in Medium/Deep, $29, at sephora.com. Before applying foundation, use your fingers to dab the product onto the area that you’re trying to conceal and blend until the orange color is muted but opaque enough to cover the dark spot.
Looking for a bit more coverage? Gonzalez suggests investing in an orange primer. “Most women with darker complexions will notice that their skin is not even. There are naturally lighter and darker tones on different parts of the face like around the lips, under the cheekbones, on the chin, and on the forehead. Apply an orange primer on these areas to even out your skin tone before applying foundation.” Try Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primer in Radiant Primer Peach, $37, at sephora.com.
Warm Up with Peach
Peach, a neighbor to orange on the color wheel, is another shade to pick up when shopping for color-correcting products. “Peach-y tones tend to warm up darker skin,” says Morales who is Rihanna’s go-to glam gal. “It also cuts dark, gray tones and brightens up the skin especially under the eyes.” Morales uses a concealer brush to cover up dark circles that appear in the under-eye area with a peach concealer. She then blots the product with a dampened BeautyBlender. Try Bobbi Brown Corrector in Dark Peach Bisque, $25, at bobbibrowncosmetics.com with the new color-correcting BeautyBlender Micro.Mini Correct.Four, $30, at beautyblender.com.
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Brighten with Purple
With the sun in hiding for most of winter and early spring, you may notice that your skin is looking a tad dull—yellow even. Instead of piling on the bronzer or turning to a darker foundation shade to get your chocolate-y glow back, Gonzalez recommends opting for a purple primer. “Purple helps counteract yellow tones and takes the dullness away,” she says. Go for a cushion compact like Lancôme Miracle CC Cushion Color Correcting Primer in Purple, $39.50, at lancome.com.
Lose the Blues with Yellow
If you’re planning an upcoming vacation and intend to bare a bit more skin than the weather has allowed over the past few months, color-correcting products can be used on your body too! Bruise easily? Or perhaps you have some veins that you’d prefer to hide? Gonzalez says there’s a color for that. “Yellow is perfect for concealing bruises, veins, or anything with a blue tint to it.” Dab a sunny-colored concealer like Cover FX Correct Click in Yellow, $18, at sephora.com onto those areas to take cover.
And as with any beauty tip, color-correcting products are meant to be used in moderation. Use just enough to conceal your blemish and apply foundation as usual. Once you master the technique, you may never look back.
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