Enter color correctors, where makeup meets color theory. These helpful hues enhance your complexion products (like foundation and concealer) and nix discoloration in a mere swipe. Each type of discoloration portrays slightly different undertones (redness, purple shadows, etc.), so you’d choose a hue based on which type you’d like to target. “Color corrector can be especially transformative for dark circles. I’m personally a huge fan,” adds makeup artist Alexandra Compton, product development manager at clean beauty retailer Credo. That said, you should only use a color corrector on areas that need evening out. If you’re simply looking to cover up under-eye bags, fine lines, or blemishes, your regular flesh-toned concealer will do. A little product also goes a long way: Compton suggests mixing the corrector with primer to start with less intensity, building it up if need be. If you have heavy discoloration, you can apply the corrector directly to the skin, but start slow. See, you’re not trying to conceal the discoloration completely—you’re trying to neutralize it. “Foundation or concealer on top of the corrector will conceal,” says Compton. “You want to ensure that you don’t have heavy layers of product that run the risk of creasing or separating with wear.” For application, Compton recommends using your fingertips as opposed to a brush—the warmth from your skin melts the pigment for a more seamless finish. Some people even use multiple correctors for different areas of their face—a green hue wherever they notice redness, a spot of lavender for sallow areas, and a peachy number for dark shadows. Feel free to play around with the color wheel. Tap to blend (gently, especially if you’re color correcting the delicate eye area), and apply a concealer on top for extra brightness. “It’s important to tap to blend, and not rub, so that you don’t disturb the color-correcting concealer you applied underneath,” says Patinkin. Finally, you can top with a setting powder to increase the wear time or simply move on with the rest of your makeup routine.
