The Beauty Step That’ll Even Out Your Skintone

The Beauty Step That’ll Even Out Your Skintone

Colour correcting has gained quite the dedicated beauty following over the past few years, as we’ve all come to realise that those colour wheel principles we were taught in primary school have some real-world application after all–who would’ve thought to pay attention in Grade 4 art? All throwbacks aside, the colour wheel as we know it always features two colours opposite one another. Not only are these two shades complementary, but they’re also pretty excellent at cancelling one another out.

This is where the colour wheel plays into the beauty trend of colour correcting–by dabbing a little coloured concealer on the dark, red or dull spots of the face, we’re able to create some balance and eradicate unwanted tones, leaving a flawless base behind. See offending colour wheel below and you’ll know what we’re talking about.

via Olive and Ivy Blog

So, how do you colour correct as a beginner? Although the idea of putting shades of purple, green, blue and yellow under your foundation may be a little intimidating, we promise it’s a lot simpler than it looks (and if all else fails, blending is bound to come through and save you). Let’s break it down by your problem areas.

Redness

If you’ve got red spots, rosacea, flushing or active breakouts, neutralise these areas by using a green-toned concealer such as the BECCA Backlight Targeted Colour Corrector in Pistachio ($44.20). Dab a little onto your finger or brush, making sure that if you apply to active breakouts, you don’t dip a used brush directly into the pot. The high coverage of this concealer means you only need to apply a little to the area and then blend out as desired. We suggest dotting a small amount of this corrector all over red spots, which commonly occur around the nose and lips as well as surrounding breakouts. Say bye bye to pesky redness that just won’t go away and a warm welcome to a more balanced complexion!

Dullness

Dull or yellow areas are best cancelled out using a purple-toned corrector, whether that be violet, lavender or somewhere in between. The Backlight Targeted Colour Corrector in Violet is ideal for accomplishing this! This dullness is usually present right in the centre of the face, especially on the cheeks and surrounding. You may also suffer from a little yellowness under the eyes depending on your skin tone. These areas are generally a little larger than the average pimple, so take a brush and dip it into your correcting cream before applying to the face. This will help give you back your sparkle by counteracting that dull, sallow look.

Dark Circles

Ugh–raise your hand if you didn’t get enough sleep. We’re all over here with our hands in the air, but there’s something that can be done about the pesky dark circles that usually follow! Peachy tones help to counteract blues and greens, so dab a little on those problem areas and watch as they fade away. Along with the dark areas under our eyes, we’re also prone to discolouration on the high points of the face such as the forehead and temples. The BECCA Backlight Targeted Colour Corrector in Peach is ideal for covering these up.

Blue Areas + Tattoos

Finally, if you’ve got ultra-stubborn blue tones present in your complexion, such as bruising or tattoos, these can be easily eradicated using a red-toned corrector. Once again, these are often larger areas, so depending on the size, don’t be shy. Grab your Backlight Targeted Colour Corrector in Papaya and dab or brush onto the offending regions of the face or body (if you’re covering tattoos). The blue tones will disappear for a more even skintone.

How-To

Now that you’re looking like a patchwork of colour, it’s time to blend away! Grab your favourite sponge or brush (we love using the BECCA The One Perfecting Brush for this task) and start buffing the correctors into the skin. Be careful not to over-blend, though, as that’ll completely take away the effect of the colour correction. Once you’ve got a thin layer of colour covering those problem areas, it’s time to continue with your everyday makeup application.

via Diana Saldana

Depending on the level of coverage you’re looking for, we suggest either going straight in with foundation for a lighter look, or adding a little concealer over the top should you want to really create a full base. We love the BECCA Ultimate Coverage Concealing Creme ($45.90) for this job–there’s a massive range of shades, so you can find the perfect match depending on your skin tone and desired effect. Dab a little of this on over the top of your colour-corrected areas and blend out using your favourite sponge or brush.

Then, you can go in with all of the remaining steps in your makeup routine, from foundation all the way through to powder, highlight and everything else you’d do on a daily basis. The result should be a more even, balanced complexion that lasts all day. The coverage of the BECCA correctors is pretty crazy–it should last all day underneath your makeup, helping to give the illusion of a totally flawless skintone. We also love the L’Oreal Paris Total Coverage Longwear Concealer Palette ($29.95) and the Ofra Tri-Pots ($22) as easy-to-use colour correcting products.