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Home » Face » Concealer » Tip: Apply concealer after foundation and cut makeup time by half

Tip: Apply concealer after foundation and cut makeup time by half

September 14, 2010 Paris B 60 Comments

We all know the mantra:-

  1. Prep Skin
  2. Concealer
  3. Foundation

I’m going to turn it on its head and tell you to try applying your concealer AFTER your foundation. Weird tip?

concealer over foundation?

I used to do the whole concealer before foundation thing and have been doing it for years. But recently, I found that when I apply my concealer and then my foundation, I sometimes have to touch up my concealer because in applying my foundation, whether with brush, sponge or hands, some concealer may get rubbed off.

So, I got irritated and the next time I did my makeup, I put on my foundation first and then touched up with concealer.

Voila!

There was no need for additional touch ups, and I found I was using less concealer because some problem areas may already be sufficiently covered by the foundation!

These days, I apply my concealer after foundation – its faster and more efficient use of my time in the mornings – cuts time by half actually 🙂

The concealers I use regularly for now are:-

  • Undereye: Revlon, L’Oreal or Dior Skinlight concealer pen <- love!
  • Blemishes, pigmentation: Make Up For Ever Full Cover

One caveat: This tip might work better if you use liquid concealers. You can blend it over powder or liquid and it doesn’t get cakey. I love Full Cover for this purpose. It works over and under foundation, covers beautifully and I seriously need to replace mine!

Have you tried this tip? Do you already practice it and am I the last to know? 😉

Paris B

60 Insightful comments ... Read or JOIN THE DISCUSSION

About Paris B

Paris B is a 40-something beauty and skincare enthusiast with a practical and very critical view of beauty products and the world of beauty. Her mission on My Women Stuff is to deliver clear, honest reviews and facilitate discussions about beauty trends and life, tempered with a healthy dose of humour. When not blogging about beauty or life beyond 40 find her talking about feeding dogs real, wholesome food. Connect with us on social media at Instagram.

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60 comments ... Read or JOIN THE DISCUSSION

  1. domncroxd says

    September 14, 2010 at 9:11 am

    Have definitely gone for that route and it’s pretty good : ) Lately though I’ve not been using liquid foundation so doing concealer first and then powder works okay for me.

    Reply
    • ParisB says

      September 22, 2010 at 3:15 pm

      I do it even over powder which is great! 😀 But for powder it does work just as well with concealer under.

      Reply
  2. Nikki says

    September 14, 2010 at 9:38 am

    I do this and it works! It makes the dark areas appear lighter too! You’re right on saving up on concealer 🙂 Great tip!

    Reply
    • ParisB says

      September 22, 2010 at 3:16 pm

      Yep! I don’t know what took me so long to work this out 😛

      Reply
  3. Jol says

    September 14, 2010 at 9:47 am

    I recently got know that too 🙂
    Was trying to cover a blemish but the blusher after the usual concealer and foundation made it more obvious. As a desperate attempt, a tiny dot of concealer did the trick hehe!

    Reply
    • ParisB says

      September 22, 2010 at 3:16 pm

      Yay for working it out! 😀 I am loving this method so much now.

      Reply
  4. slowbrogal says

    September 14, 2010 at 9:54 am

    I think this is a good tip. But I wonder can I use this while I’m using powder foundation because it seems cakey.

    Reply
    • ParisB says

      September 22, 2010 at 3:17 pm

      I do it with powder too. I only use liquid concealers and the ones I use (MUFE Full Cover for blemishes) works excellently over powder foundation too without looking cakey or thick. In fact, it helps make it look so much better 🙂

      Reply
  5. AnT says

    September 14, 2010 at 9:59 am

    LOL Honestly, I thought I was a weirdo applying concealer after foundation 😀

    Now I know, am not the only one and can’t define it as a weird tip anymore 😛

    xoxo

    Reply
    • ParisB says

      September 22, 2010 at 3:17 pm

      Yay for not being weird! 😉 I think I’m probably the last in the world to realize this, based on the comments 😛

      Reply
  6. Hanny says

    September 14, 2010 at 10:08 am

    Hmmm… I basically alternate between the concealer first or foundation first routine and found nothing different. Perhaps I’m too blur to notice?

    Reply
    • ParisB says

      September 22, 2010 at 3:17 pm

      Or maybe there isn’t much to conceal 😉

      Reply
  7. Liliana says

    September 14, 2010 at 10:09 am

    I do this for a long time, learned it from a MA a while ago. It works well for me with both liquid and creamy concealers (like Bobbi Brown’s one by ex), I like it a lot this way because sometimes I skip it (foundation is enough) and when I don’t it looks much better applied over foundation, brightens my under eye are and the inner corner of the eye.

    Reply
    • ParisB says

      September 22, 2010 at 3:18 pm

      Yeah! I love it for brightening the under eye area too. Applied this way it seems to make the under eye area look brighter some how

      Reply
  8. Stacey says

    September 14, 2010 at 10:34 am

    Yes I have just changed to this method recently after i realized i’ve wasted quite alot of product and time by applying concealer first!

    now its base make up, 2 way powder, concealer and light dusting of loose powder over to even it out. 🙂

    Reply
    • ParisB says

      September 22, 2010 at 3:18 pm

      Yay! I do this too 😀

      Reply
  9. shusheshe says

    September 14, 2010 at 10:41 am

    I’ve been doing this from the get go; concealer after foundation. I find that I don’t have to use as much concealer since foundation does half the work for me already!

    Reply
    • ParisB says

      September 22, 2010 at 3:18 pm

      You’re absolutely right! less concealer = more savings!

      Reply
  10. Sugar says

    September 14, 2010 at 10:44 am

    i want the full cover! my stupid MAC concealer does nothing, either it doesnt conceal, or if u put more then it becomes a reverse conceal, like white panda eyes. zzz

    Reply
    • ParisB says

      September 22, 2010 at 3:19 pm

      I’ve never tried MAC concealers but I’ve been round the block and the MUFE Full Cover is the best ever! I so need a new tube. Mine is very nearly finished!

      Reply
  11. shuaddict says

    September 14, 2010 at 12:10 pm

    Good tip. I have always done it with concealer on top as my dark circles can get quite bad, so can layer on and gauge how much concealer is needed.

    Sugar – If after using concealer it looks white-cakey then just take a smidge of the foundation and pat it on the area, but don’t wipe or rub in.

    Reply
    • Sugar says

      September 14, 2010 at 1:52 pm

      ooo. ok thank you, wil try it!=)

      Reply
    • ParisB says

      September 22, 2010 at 3:20 pm

      Thanks for sharing your tip for Sugar! 😉

      Reply
  12. Jacqui says

    September 14, 2010 at 1:23 pm

    Been doing it this way all the time……but thanks for the tip PB!

    Reply
    • ParisB says

      September 22, 2010 at 3:21 pm

      Hehe… I knew I was the last to know 😛

      Reply
  13. Hasegawa Ayane says

    September 14, 2010 at 1:59 pm

    Ehhhh? This is the normal practice? I’ve always applied concealer after foundation because somehow it just made sense to XD Funny how I’ve been oblivious to how the rest of the world has been putting on their concealer.

    Reply
    • ParisB says

      September 22, 2010 at 3:21 pm

      Well it was “normal” when I used to have makeovers done. They’d always do concealer first then foundation. Maybe the techniques have changed with the times 😀

      Reply
  14. Synaesthesia says

    September 14, 2010 at 2:03 pm

    i do so if i’m using liquid foundation but if powder / compact foundation I’ll do my concealing first… I use concealer after liquid foundation because sometimes I do find my liquid foundation coverage is enough to conceal my undereye dark circles hence I don’t need additional step to use concealer. As for my powder foundations, they tends to be more on light coverage, doesn’t hide any dark circles at all and cakey if I apply the concealer before powder… Normally, I don’t conceal scars or blemishes because of laziness… hahahaha…

    Reply
    • ParisB says

      September 22, 2010 at 3:22 pm

      With this method of foundation then concealer, I find I use less undereye concealer and I can make do with just brightening to hide some shadows. Its great! 😉 And I have to hide my freckles 😛

      Reply
  15. Stella says

    September 14, 2010 at 3:23 pm

    Your “known mantra” actually came as quite of a shock to me! For as long as I’ve been wearing makeup (not very long actually), I’ve always done foundation first and then only concealed. I think I read it on either a beauty blog or magazine, but I just accepted it as the norm. I do use liquid foundation though, and I thought it just made sense or else I’d end up rubbing my concealer right off with my foundation brush! 😛

    Reply
    • ParisB says

      September 22, 2010 at 3:23 pm

      I was taught the concealer then foundation trick. Maybe times have changed 😛 Or maybe it was because I was usually into powder foundation and not liquid foundation. I’ve only just found liquid foundations I can use comfortably, and so this is a new trick to me 😉

      Reply
  16. Amanda says

    September 14, 2010 at 4:29 pm

    That’s what I do all the time, concealer after foundation 🙂

    Reply
    • ParisB says

      September 22, 2010 at 3:25 pm

      teehee i knew it! i’m the last to know!

      Reply
  17. Aretha says

    September 14, 2010 at 5:16 pm

    Oh I always apply foundation first and then concealer. But most of the time i skip concealer because i will end up with ‘piggie eyes’ and i dont like that look :p

    Reply
    • ParisB says

      September 22, 2010 at 3:25 pm

      Why do you end up with “piggie eyes”? I find a dab of concealer or highlighter around the eyes help me look more awake

      Reply
  18. Aretha says

    September 14, 2010 at 5:17 pm

    just curious though, how do you like the Anna sui concealer? =) will you do a review on it?

    Reply
    • ParisB says

      September 22, 2010 at 3:25 pm

      Yes I will review it soon 🙂

      Reply
  19. Jessica says

    September 14, 2010 at 6:31 pm

    Hmmm….I’ve been practicing this foundie-then-concealer regime since few years ago after seeing it in a magazine (was trying to learn how to put on makeup). Works a treat for me and definitely made the skin go as near-perfect as I want to 🙂 Glad you found your way here too…:)

    Reply
    • ParisB says

      September 22, 2010 at 3:26 pm

      hehe… do you use it with liquid foundation? On reflection it might be that I was doing it the other way round coz I was into powder foundation before not liquid. But using liquid, this method makes sense.

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        September 22, 2010 at 6:15 pm

        Well, when you put it that way, yes, many use concealer b4 foundie. For me, I found that putting concealer before foundie (liquid or powder) helps me to even it out and I used the patting motion for powder ones as not to mess up the concealed area.

        I found that patting motion also helps to control oillies, as dragging it on skin sorta ‘activates’ the glands (someone told me this and I gotta say, they were right)

        Reply
  20. yuki says

    September 14, 2010 at 10:01 pm

    haha… I always do this… Well, I don’t actually use a concealer… I use BB cream as my foundation… Then on any part that needs concealing, I just dab a little bit more on it…

    Reply
    • ParisB says

      September 22, 2010 at 3:27 pm

      For those for whom BB creams work, I’m told this is a good way of using it too! Glad to know you’re saving on products 😉

      Reply
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Welcome to My Women Stuff, a beauty blog based in Malaysia, written by veteran blogger, Paris B. We now write for women of 40 and above because that's how old I am! What you can expect is honesty, critical views & a healthy dose of shared life lessons sprinkled amongst beauty product reviews. Settle in for a read. Read More about us

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