Staff Picks: One 349-peso concealer, ten hacks
When we think about "multi-tasking makeup", what usually comes to mind are full face palettes and lip & cheek tints. These are definitely great space savers that give more bang for your buck, but I think the true workhorse of any kit is the concealer. To demonstrate just how flexible this one product is, I asked my fellow PV girls to share their favorite concealer hack using Pink Sugar's Our Lil' Secret Concealer. At just P349, this pocket-friendly tube can do more than just brighten the undereye area and cover light blemishes! Here it is in action.
Left photo shows my now too-light foundation on half of my face / Right photo shows the corrected shade
Hack #1: Foundation shade adjuster
Den: I recently went on trip that had me exposed to the sun for four days straight. Even with religious application of sunscreen, it was only normal for my skin to tan. This left me unable to use my foundations, which all look lighter than my current tone and contrast sharply against my neck. I don't expect to be tan for very long so instead of buying new foundation shades, I used the Beige concealer shade to "adjust" the color! I simply dispense my liquid foundation and some of the concealer onto a palette, mix the two together until I get the correct color match, then apply my face base as normal. I really like warm glow that it gives my skin, and think I can use this hack for days when I want to look sun-kissed instead of my usual pale self!
Hack #2: Using a darker concealer shade to better conceal hyperpigmentation
Tellie: The shade match for my NC20 skin is more along Light Warm or Light Medium, but for this hack, I'm going way darker with Medium Deep.
Sometimes, even our best concealers can't cover up all our crimes. A great trick I developed for birthmarks, dark circles, and other hyperpigmentation is to use a darker/tan concealer first, and then top that with something that matches your skin tone. Think of tan concealer as a primer: in the same way that white primer can make eyeshadows appear brighter, tan concealer can make shade-matched concealer look more lifted or appear to have better coverage. Putting the shade-matched concealer alone doesn't always work, because the color difference between your skin-tone and the discoloration is too much. This is when your coverage doesn't seem like it's enough. When one color doesn't work, try two!
Hack #3: Achieving neater eyebrows
Angela: I can't live without a concealer! I use it all over my face, in different ways. One of my favorite ways to use it is by defining my eyebrows. I apply concealer all around, and blend with a brush or sponge blender. Doing this makes my eyebrows look clean and polished, and definition makes them stand out more.
Hack #4: Concealer as a matte bronzer or contour
Marielle: On my NC15 skin, the shade Beige looks warm-yellowish enough to pass off as a subtle matte bronzer. I dotted the concealer on the tops of my cheeks, going across bridge of my nose, and stopping before I get to the temples. I also applied some on the sides of my forehead, near the hairline. The consistency blends well, even with just the use of my fingers. Then I set everything with a transparent powder. If it's a little too much, a translucent powder is able to tone some of that warmth down.
Hack #5: Concealer as a matte highlighter
Katsy: When out and about, I try to pack as lightly as possible. A definite go-to is a good concealer. The Pink Sugar Our Lil Secret Concealer not only does its job covering my eyebags, it can also function as a matte highlighter. It brings back the light on my tired face with a quick swipe down the nose and on the cheekbones for a fresher, more polished look. Just be sure to blend the edges well to make it look as natural as possible. I find a small buffing brush makes it easy to apply but using fingers can also work in a pinch.
Hack #6: Primer for eyeshadows
Stacie: The Pink Sugar Our Li'l Secret Concealer made my eyeshadow go on smoother and it also brought out more pigmentation from them, making the colors stand out! After concealing my under eye area as normal, I just put an extra dot on my upper lids and blend. This quick, extra step before applying my eyeshadows means as I don't need to pack as much pigment for a good color payoff.
Hack #7: Primer for lips
Crystal: When you have pigmented lips and you want to wear nude or other light-colored lipsticks (especially when they are not very opaque), it helps to put concealer on your lips first. I apply it with my fingers and wait for it to dry, before proceeding to apply lipstick. I find that this way, the lipstick's true color comes out more, and the color applies more evenly as well!
Hack #8: Concealer as a 2-minute foundation
Kim: When I wake up late and find myself in a rush to get ready, my favorite hack is using a creamy concealer as a quick 2-minute face base! This gives me enough coverage to look presentable even without my usual primer-foundation-concealer-setting powder combo, and I just add an extra dab on problem spots. The Pink Sugar concealer works great for this hack because it's easy to blend, doesn't feel heavy or thick, and actually has a hydrating feel. The shade Medium is also a good match for my NC25 skin tone!
Hack #9: The best way to achieve gradient lips
Khae: On exfoliated, moisturized lips, take your lippie of choice and line the inner part of your lips. A darker, full-bodied color works best. Simply dot your concealer on the fullest point of your lower lip and on the dip of your cupid's bow. Then, blend the lippie and concealer towards each other. Take care care to diffuse the color into the concealer so that you get that gradient effect. For the maximum K-Beauty look, carefully top your lips off with clear gloss.
Hack #10: Lighten your eyebrows to change the color more easily
Sam: Just tap the product over your brow area, brush forwards and backwards to coat the hair evenly, and do your brows with a different colored powder (like eyeshadow) or hair chalk using a flat angled brush. Use a spoolie to bring back the hair texture and clean the perimeter of the brow with the concealer again. The hair chalk easily washes away with water, so if you're particularly sweaty, maybe coat them with clear eyebrow gel for safety.
And that's it! What are your favorite concealer hacks? Any lil' secret we don't know about yet?