How to Pick the Right Shade of Concealer

Choosing the right shade of concealer can be daunting. Do you go lighter or darker? What about those undereye circles or rosacea on the cheeks. Here, we show you how to pick the right shades of concealer for your skin tone.
When choosing a concealer, you should consider both consistency and color. If you are covering major undereye circles, you're going to want a concealer that provides major coverage. The editors of Allure's "Confessions of a Beauty Editor" suggest testing consistency by dabbing concealer on the blue veins on the inside of your wrist.



Yellow-toned products are your best bet for covering up undereye circles, according to makeup artist Bobbie Brown. Orange-based tones blend best into dark or black skin. You want a shade or two lighter than your foundation (remember, your foundation should match your skin almost exactly). In the March, 2007 issue of InStyle Magazine, Brown suggests avoiding "greasy or chalky formulas that are too pink or white."
Test color on the area of your neck below your ear. Again, the color should be a slight lighter than your foundation. If you go too light, you risk looking like a raccoon. Just like you will foundation, you may need a lighter concealer shade in winter than you would in summer.
Concealer is a definite "try before you buy" product. I don't recommend purchasing any product that's non-returnable. Instead, try out different concealers at department store counters or Sephora.