Colour Correcting: How It Works And The Best Products

Many people struggle with the fact that after applying their makeup there is still visible redness or dark undereye circles. No matter how much foundation, concealer and powder you cake on they never seem to disappear. This is why you should start colour correcting. It is a simple and effective way of cancelling out these problem areas while achieving a flawless base.

Where do I start?

Colour correcting requires asking yourself 3 questions.

- What areas do I need to correct?

- What am I trying to correct?

- What shades can I use to correct them?

The Shades

There are six main colours of concealer used to colour correct

- Pale Pink: brightens on pale skin

- Peach: neutralizes purple and blue spots on medium skin tones

- Orangey Pink: cancels dark spots on darker skin tones

- Yellow: cancels out purple and shadows on tan skin

- Green: neutralizes redness

- Lavender: cancels out yellow

If you haven't already noticed there is a pattern of which shades will cancel out different colours. This is because of the colour wheel where opposite colours will cancel each other out. For example, the yellow concealer cancels out purple shadows and the lavender concealer cancels out yellow.

The Application

It is recommended that you apply a base of foundation before colour correcting to avoid using the product on areas that the foundation covers. The concealer should be applied lightly and for a more natural look can be blended with the fingertips. This will melt the product into the skin rather than have it sit on top and look cakey.

The Products

Colour correctors aren't always in the form of concealer but can also be primers, pots, palettes or sticks. Here are a few products that I recommend for each kind of colour corrector. Click on the image to shop the products