Undereye Circles
To brighten sleep-starved eyes, choose a concealer two or three shades lighter than your skin but in the same color family (either yellow- or red-based) as your natural tone, advises Reiss-Andersen. Creamy formulas work best, adds Brown. Using a brush, "start at the inner corner, then go under the eye close to the lashes," she says. "Use your finger to pat it in." For severe, baby-was-teething-all-night bags, pat on a peach or orange corrector (anything with an orange undertone will cancel out veiny blueness) before applying concealer.
TRY
1. The cap has a flip top with orange correcting pigment inside. Circle Block, $28, DuWop, Sephora.com.
2. It adds "a little zhuzh in the middle of the day," says Reiss-Andersen. Instant Light Perfecting Touch, $32, Clarins.
3. It offers full coverage without looking cakey. Studio Sculpt concealer, $17, MAC.
Blemishes
To avoid flaking and crusting, moisturize blemished skin with an oil-free lotion, advises makeup artist Nick Barose. If you use foundation, apply it before concealer, then choose a cover-up that truly matches your skin. Most important, look for a dense, "toothpasty kind of formula," Brown says. Use a small brush to apply it directly to the spot, then pat around the edges with your finger to blend. For zits so bad you're tempted to call in sick, Barose suggests a two-punch approach: "When pimples are really, really big and really, really red, first use a green neutralizer to tone down the redness, then put skin-colored concealer on top."
TRY
4. Dab it right on pimples for on-the-go touch-ups. Face touch-up stick, $22, Bobbi Brown.
5. The green cancels out redness. Master Corrector in #4, $35, GiorgioArmaniBeauty.com.
6. "Invest in a good concealer brush," says Barose. "It's more precise than fingers." Secret Camouflage brush, $26, Laura Mercier.
Dark Spots
When dealing with hyper-pigmentation (caused mainly by sun damage or hormonal changes), "you need industrial-strength concealer," says Reiss-Andersen. Pros agree that thick, highly pigmented versions are best. Find a shade the exact color of your skin, recommends Barose: "If you use something lighter, the dark spots turn gray and are more noticeable." For perfect coverage, he suggests tapping concealer precisely onto the dark area with a brush, then blending around the edges. Resist the urge to pile it on, he warns: "A little goes a long way and really clings to the skin."
TRY
7. A minuscule amount eclipses any spot. The Real Deal concealer, $20, Laura Geller, QVC.com.
8. It'll even cover scars. Smooth Indulgence concealer, $20, DermaBlend.com.
9. "It always works wonders," says Barose. Sensual Skin Enhancer, $45, Kevyn Aucoin.
TIP
When testing concealer colors, advises Reiss-Andersen, step outside into natural sunlight with a mirror to ensure that the shade blends seamlessly into your skin. Fluorescent store lights can be deceiving.
