Quick Tips: Color Theory/Concealing

Who’s up for some quick tips?! Today I’m sharing my tricks for disguising common pesky problems using the color wheel. I’ve mentioned this technique several times recently, so I figured I should explain it for those of you who aren’t familiar with the concept!

Just think of makeup as an art form using cosmetics as the medium. Makeup artists follow the same principles as painters, using the color wheel to determine what shades to apply in order to enhance the facial features. Complementary colors on the color wheel will conceal and neutralize. (Same idea as color correction in hair using toners and colored shampoos.) Here are some of the most common issues and quick fixes for them:

• Red spots (think pimples, broken capillaries, ruddy cheeks) are best concealed with a green based corrector product. The product can be any pigmented foundation, concealer, colored powder, primer, etc. Several cosmetic companies (Maybelline and Smashbox for example) sell colored products like these. We all remember how much I like green, right?

• Blue (under eye circles, veins, etc.) is corrected with orange based product. Most generically labeled “concealers” have an orange tone. Eve Pearl’s Salmon Concealer is great for neutralizing blue.

• Purple (under eye circles, veins, bruises) can be best corrected with yellow based product. I really like Joe Blasco Special Yellow or Benefit Lemon Aid. Most yellow based products can double as a highlighter depending on the shade and your skin tone.

After the flaw has been corrected, you can apply a regular foundation shade over it, kind of like putting down a coat of primer before painting a car. This isn’t always necessary, just depends on your preference.

Since not everyone has the color wheel memorized, there are a few tricks to remember the most commonly used colors. Think Christmas and Gators! Red complements green (Christmas colors) while blue complements orange (Gator colors).

In related news, MAC Cosmetics just released a killer color correcting collection. Stay tuned for full details in the next post!