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It’s one of the great debates of the beauty industry – should you apply foundation or concealer first when starting out with your beauty routine? According to experts, there’s one clear winner – and here’s why.
Although many amateur makeup fans and beauty editors have long speculated over the answer, the pros have always known that in nearly every case it’s the foundation that should go before the concealer. Because foundation works to even out the skin tone and create a base layer for the rest of your makeup, it makes sense to apply it first. After all, if you don’t, how will you know how much concealer you actually need?
There’s also a practical reason why you shouldn’t add concealer until after you’ve applied a layer of foundation. If you do it the other way round, experts point out, you will end up smudging the concealer away from the very areas that you are trying to cover up. In fact, if you use the right foundation for your skin, you may find that it does most of the work covering up your problem areas on its own. But if you do decide you need a little helping hand, choose a concealer with a similar formula and texture to daub over any remaining blemishes or discolouration.
By choosing this routine, you will also have better control over the final effect, ideal if you want to avoid looking too heavily made-up. With just foundation, your skin’s natural beauty will shine through, allowing you to add a minimal slick of concealer to your problem areas and keep things looking light, fresh and natural.
But it’s worth noting that there is, according to some at least, an exception to this golden rule – dark circles. If you suffer badly from discolouration or puffiness under your eyes, it can be a good idea to apply a layer of colour-correcting concealer first. Because this is applied to a larger area, it won’t end up displaced in the same way as blemish coverage, and you can always add another layer of concealer on top of your foundation if your dark circles are still showing through.
In other words, makeup is an art not a science, and there’s always room for experimentation. But generally speaking, experts agree that it’s a good idea to apply your foundation before you start tackling your problem areas.
