Color Correcting 101

If you have been anywhere on the internet lately you will have seen a lot of talk about color correction. Color correcting concealers have been around forever but for one reason or another, they are quickly becoming the next go to trend in the beauty world, much like strobing and contouring before it. I’ve been using color correction in my routine since high school but more recently I’ve been getting a ton of questions about it so I wanted to share a post with you all that explained which color you need to correct certain issues, this is not a one size fits all type of situation. There are different color correcting concealers for each concern, and brands are making note, creating custom color correction palettes for this demand.

Choosing the right concealer may seem like a daunting task, so here is a crash course, you can reference this chart to know exactly what color you need to cover your skin concerns. In order to pick the right concealer you have to first understand color works a bit, so for each shade above, I’m letting you know what it cancels out, For instance, green cancels out red. That’s probably one of the most common color correcting concealers but as you’ll see below, there is a sea of others to address your every concern! So now that we’ve got a pretty good idea of what color we need for each concern, we need to know the best color correcting concealers, yeah? Here we go!

1  ||  Sephora + PANTONE UNIVERSE Correct + Conceal Palette – Each of these palettes is targeted toward a main areas of concern for color correcting: dark circles, redness, hyperpigmentation, dullness, and brightening. The shades also conceal for true color correction. Each palette is organized for three different skintones and includes a handy booklet with application instructions, tips, and tricks from the Sephora Pro team.

2  ||  Stila Correct & Perfect All-In-One Color Correcting Palette – Correct & Perfect Palette addresses every skintone imperfection and delivers professional-quality results, leaving your skin looking even, natural, and perfected. It features five sheer-to-medium, buildable color-correcting creams that let you achieve flexible coverage while neutralizing imperfections, including dark circles/spots, redness, and hyperpigmentation. The two finishing powders even out the skintone, brighten, and set the correcting creams. Infused with an advanced Arclay Youth Revival Bio-Available Mineral Complex™, it minimizes the appearance of pores and fine lines while hydrating and providing oil control. 

3  ||  Lancome Miracle CC Cushion – Color Correcting Primer – Miracle CC Cushion – Color Correcting Primer features a perfectly pigmented formula that allows for buildable coverage to spot correct imperfections or all over correction. Available in four shades, these innovative cushions are designed to meet the main skin coloration concerns: redness, discoloration, dullness, and dark circles: Purple cancels dullness and sallowness and neutralizes yellow skintones; Pinky Peach neutralizes overall darkness and conceals dark under eye circles; Green neutralizes redness from acne, blotchy skin, or irritation. Yellow, the most universal color corrector, matches any skintone, neutralizing mild redness, dullness, and signs of fatigue. It’s formulated with pine extract to correct uneven skintone, glycerin for hydration and glow, and it leaves a fresh, cooling sensation on skin. Just layer it under your foundation for a non-cakey, transfer-free, skin-perfecting result.

4 ||  Benefit Cosmetics Life’s Little Correctors – Cover it up with Benefit’s Life’s Little Correctors kit. This convenient kit of complexion correctors will leave skin looking beautifully flawless. Use the award-winning, boi-ing industrial strength concealer to even out dark spots and discoloration. Awaken your eyelids with miracle-working Lemon aid color correcting eyelid primer—the soft-yellow primer hides redness and neutralizes tired eyes in an instant. For an extra perk-me-up bonus, dab and dot erase paste concealer under the eyes. This innovative, brightening formula with melon undertones camouflages dark circles and reduces the signs of stress and fatigue. Minimize the look of dull, tired eyes with the Eye bright instant eye brightener. This pink perk-me-up brightening pencil creates a pop of pink and instantaneously disguises dullness in a single stroke.

5  ||  Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Wipeout Color Correcting Palette – Balance, correct, and perfect your complexion as you wipe out skin discolorations with these powerful cream complexion correctors. This easy-to-use palette features numbered shades and includes a coordinating visual guide to make the professional technique of color-correction accessible to everyone. It features six color-correcting shades: Orange counteracts darkness; Green neutralizes redness; Warmth sculpts, contours, and defines; Peach 1 camouflages light to medium skintones; Peach 2 camouflages medium to deep skintones; and Yellow highlights and brightens. These universal shades work across skintones to offset the appearance of dark circles, redness, and acne, while contouring and highlighting, with a creamy texture that helps minimize the look of imperfections, including pores and fine lines. 

6 ||  Make Up For Ever 5 Camouflage Cream Palette Color Correct & Concealer – This multi-use cream palette is ideal for color correcting discoloration, concealing dark undereye circles and spot imperfections, or, just use it to highlight and sculpt your features.Camouflage cream provides full coverage with an easy to blend, lightweight and creamy texture. Each palette contains 5 shade combinations with an assortment of color correctors and concealers. This creamy formula is buildable so you can layer multiple shades to customize your make up result. Available in 5 shade harmonies to target every skin tone, choose your perfect palette for a flawless, even complexion.

7  ||  Nyx Color Correcting Concealer – Wake up your face with the ultimate NYX Cosmetics Color Correcting Concealer palette in six color correcting shades. This lightweight, non-creasing formula glides on for an ultra-smooth finish and leaves skin feeling soft and supple.

8  ||  Urban Decay Naked Skin Color Correcting Fluid – Correct imperfections and play up your best features, all without having to lug around a whole contour kit. With five color-neutralizing shades to target every skin concern, Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Color Correcting Fluid features an innovative, lightweight formula that instantly color-corrects and blurs flaws, leaving skin illuminated and bright. Subtle pearlescent pigments diffuse light to perfect skin, while antioxidant-rich vitamins C and E condition and protect. Unlike a lot of cream-based color correctors, this liquid formula is easy to use and always blends flawlessly for a smooth, even application.

BONUS  ||  Beauty Blender Micro.Mini Correct.Four – The micro.mini correct.four allows for precise application of corrective concealers. These limited-edition micro.minis are perfect for all corrective concealers and are ideal for highlighting and contouring. They’re perfect for applying formulas to smaller areas such as the undereye, around the nose, above and below the browbone, chin area, and for covering acne and dark spots.