6 Brilliant Concealer Hacks We Learned on TikTok This Year

Concealer is a tricky beast. If you don’t use it correctly—which is to say in the right spot, in the right order and in the right amount­—it can make the area you’re trying to camouflage even more apparent. This is where TikTok comes in. The platform is filled with beauty tutorials that show you exactly how and where to apply concealer to get the most from it. Of the hundreds of tutorials we’ve watched throughout the year, these six have made the most difference in our routines.

If you’re only using concealer under your eyes, you are missing out on its full potential. Applied strategically to specific points of your face, and you’ll get a more lifted, brighter-looking visage. As this video shows, you want to dab concealer in six areas for maximum effect: just under the inner corners of your eyes, along the outer corners of your eyes, along the nasolabial folds, just beyond the outer corners of your lips, along your cheekbones and a final dab directly underneath the center of your eyes. Tip: You’ll get best results with a liquid concealer and a dampened makeup sponge to blend everything in.

Get the look: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer ($30); Fenty Beauty Precision Makeup Sponge 100 ($16)

Eyeshadow primer is a bit of a misnomer since it can be used for more than extending the wear of your eyeshadow. In fact, using it before your concealer can have an extra brightening effect. Apply a white or cream-toned primer to the back of your hand before blending it onto your skin using a fluffy concealer brush and small, circular motions, concentrating it to the just underneath the inner corners of your eyes and up towards the outer corners. Finish by adding the scantest bit of concealer on top, which is all you’ll need thanks to the primer.

Get the look: NARS Pro-Prime™ Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base ($26); Sephora Collection PRO Concealer Brush #57 ($22)

If you find that your concealer often dries out and settles into fine lines or patches, this trick can help. For starters, make sure to use a hydrating eye cream before anything else. Next up: the concealer, which you’ll want to apply on the back of your hand first, before pressing it underneath your eyes to prevent overuse and creasing. (If you take nothing else from this story, remember this: Less is always more when it comes to concealer.) OK, now here’s the kicker. Mist your concealer brush with a setting spray and tap it over your concealer before setting with powder.

Get the look: Fenty Beauty Precision Makeup Sponge 100 ($16); Sephora Collection PRO Concealer Brush #57 ($22); Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray ($33)

When concealing acne or hyperpigmentation caused by old acne, you’ll want three things in your kit: a full-coverage, matte finish concealer in a shade that most closely matches your skin tone (a luminous formula draws more attention to a blemish, as does a shade that’s a touch too light or dark), a small flat brush and a fluffy one as well. Once you have your tools ready, coat both sides of the flat brush with concealer and tap it over any spots. Next, use the fluffy brush to lightly blend the edges of the concealer into the rest of your skin, taking extra care not to disturb any concealer that’s directly on the actual blemish itself. Repeat once more, if you need more coverage, and if you want your concealer to go the extra mile, you can set it with a powder (if you have oilier skin) or a spray (if you’re on the drier side).

Get the look: NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer ($30); Anastasia Beverly Hills Brush #18 ($18); tarte SEA Hydrocealer™ Concealer Brush ($22)

Color corrector, like concealer, can work wonders when used the right way. As this tutorial demonstrates to great effect, you’ll want to ease up on the amount of color corrector used. Again, like concealer, you need way less than you think. Instead of haphazardly putting it under your entire eye area, add just a dab under your inner and outer corners and blend it in with a sponge. Finish with a bit of setting powder on top, and voila. Dark circles are diminished.

Get the look: Charlotte Tilbury Magic Vanish Color Corrector ($32); Fenty Beauty Precision Makeup Sponge 100 ($16); Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder ($39)

In the second year of the pandemic, we've finally fine-tuned our makeup technique, so it stays on our skin (rather than the insides of our face masks). In a tip that this TikTok makeup artist describes confidently as “better than baking,” he advises that you apply and blend your concealer as usual and let it sit for a minute or two before blending in the rest. Then, rather than brushing setting powder over top, apply the smallest amount of it to a powder puff and gently press and roll it over the concealer. This will give you a smooth, filtered effect and longer lasting coverage.

Get the look: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder ($39); Laura Mercier Velour Puff ($16)