Illuminate While You Conceal

How do you get the look of healthy skin while covering up a blemish or dark circle or two? You can start by combining your traditional concealer with luminizing ingredients – powders designed to give skin a seamless, youthful glow.

By combining these two products, you’ll end up with less makeup on your face (good for your skin) and an irresistible glow without having to pile on the bronzer (great for you!). Perfect, natural-looking skin with a hint of gorgeous glow is now easily within reach, thanks to products that prime and nourish skin while covering it with sheer, light-reflecting color. 

Priming the skin is an important first step. It leaves the skin smooth for easy application, and helps concealer stay in place for all-day wear. Primer can serve many purposes. Some are meant to enhance the skin’s supple and dewy appearance and some work to cut down on oil throughout the day. One of the lightest we’ve found is LORAC aquaPRIME, Oil Free Makeup Primer. This is perfect for very weightless coverage that imparts an organic radiance to the skin. For those who want a more finished, matte appearance, we recommend CARGO Blu_Ray High Definition Mattifier, a high-definition matte formula that becomes a sheer powder upon application and cuts down on shine.

Your concealer needs depend on how much coverage you want. We’ll start with illuminating concealer that offers more coverage first, and finish with the option that’s most sheer. 

If you’re looking for a traditional foundation with a little something extra, we recommend Stila Liquid Foundation, Illuminating. This sheer to medium liquid coverage dries semi-matte and powder-light, but has an extra ingredient: finely milled mica, a natural mineral that adds warmth and depth to the face. This imparts a fresh glow to skin, leaving it looking fresh and clear. It’s also available in a wide range of shades to match every skin tone.

While a liquid foundation is ideal for dry skin types, something lightweight is helpful for skin that tends to be oily throughout the day. For those skin types, we suggest Per-fekt Beauty Skin Perfection Gel. A unique gel formula that dries matte, this foundation minimizes pores, evens out skin tone, and leaves a flawless, luminous finish. This is also a great product for neutralizing redness in the skin, and a good fit for people who want to wear as little makeup as possible. It’s also an easy answer for those seeking sheer color and long-lasting coverage.

A few words on under eye concealers: Whether they’re the result of too little sleep, too much stress, or a less-than-welcome genetic inheritance – dark under eye circles are something we’ve all had to deal with at one time or another. If plain concealer leaves you feeling flat, you’re not alone. There are many luminizing concealers for under the eye area that will give you the must-have dewy, organic glow of perfect skin. 

Begin banishing tired eyes with a concealer that will highlight the area as it covers dark circles. NARS Eyebrightener comes in a great double-ended package with weightless, hydrating primer on one side and a creamy brightening concealer on the other.  For more complete under eye coverage, a must-have illuminator is LORAC Undercover Lover Under Eye Concealer. A rich, botanically-enhanced formula with subtle light-reflecting pigments, this concealer hides fine lines and dark circles for a refreshed appearance. For even application, it’s better to use a sponge or brush than your fingertips.  One of our favorites is the Stila Perfecting Concealer Brush #26. It has tiny, super soft bristles for flawless application in corners of eyes and other areas that require precision.

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