Color correction basics

Foundation, primer and concealer can correct imperfections of the skin but if they don’t neutralize discoloration to even out your skin tone you might need a color correcting palette.

Article by makeup artist Viktoria Vlasenko

In these palettes you can find colors like lavender and mint green that might seem weird to put on your skin at first but once you understand how to use these colors and how to apply them, color correcting concealer might become your best friend when it comes to hiding pimples, scars, under-eye circles, vascular problems or if you simply want to brighten up your skin.

Here is a simple guide to which color can correct which problem:

Yellow: corrects under-eye bags, brightens dullness on tan skin

Green: corrects redness, can be applied to pimples and vascular areas such as around the nostrils on fair skin. Note: concealer is usually used only on smaller areas. If your whole face needs a fix (like sunburn or rosacea) use a green-tinted primer instead. 

Purple/lavender: corrects yellow undertone. It helps to make your skin looking more fresh. It can be applied across the cheeks, forehead and chin.

Red/peach: corrects under-eye bags, brightens dark areas on fair skin. It also neutralizes blue tones, so it is perfect for hiding bruises and visible veins.

Orange: corrects blue-toned under-eye circles on dark skin.

Play around with your palette to see what works on your skin and don’t use colors you don’t need. You might not need color correction at all. If your imperfections can be covered with primer, foundation and/or normal concealer, just be happy you don’t need more! But if you feel that color correction is necessary, use it carefully, use only a thin layer of it and cover it up with foundation.

If you would like to check out how to choose the right foundation click here & if you would like to learn about foundation application click here.