How to Prevent Concealer From Creasing

Always start with a clean face when applying makeup.

When concealer seeps into fine lines and wrinkles on your face, you can end up with creases. Instead of camouflaging your flaws, your concealer ends up highlighting and drawing attention to them. To prevent his from happening, hydrate your face and create a smooth base into which your concealer can blend. Properly apply your concealer and avoid using too much product, which can result in a caked-on effect that is sure to crease as the day progresses.

Things You'll Need

• Moisturizer
• Eye cream
• Primer
• Foundation
• Makeup sponge
• Makeup brush
• Powder

Instructions

1. Hydrate your face with moisturizer. Apply a face moisturizer that's made for your type of skin. Hydrate the area under your eyes with an eye cream. Keeping your skin moisturized avoids dry skin and dry, caked-on makeup throughout the day. Wait at least one minute to allow the moisturizer to absorb into your skin.

2. Use primer to give your face a flawless appearance. Primer plumps up fine lines and wrinkles, so your concealer can't seep into them and crease. It also camouflages flaws, such as acne scars and large pores. Give primer one minute to settle into your skin.

3. Apply foundation to your face in a shade similar to your skin color. Distribute the foundation with clean fingertips or with a makeup sponge. Wait one minute so the foundation can set.

4. Dot concealer on areas your want to camouflage. Use a concealer that's one shade lighter than your skin color. Pat the concealer lightly with your ring finger or a tapered makeup brush, to distribute it and to blend it into your base. Apply only a little concealer to start, and blend it in with the tip of your ring finger. Add more concealer only if needed. Avoid applying too much concealer at once because removing the excess can smudge your makeup.

5. Dust loose powder over your face with a powder brush to set your makeup and to keep it from running. Dab the powder lightly over the areas where you used concealer. Avoid swiping your brush over these areas, because this can wipe away the concealer.

Tips & Warnings

• Apply your concealer first if you don't want to fully cover your face with foundation. Cover only the areas that need it with foundation, or skip the foundation completely.

References

• Bella Sugar; How to Stop Concealer From Creasing and Caking; May 2010
• Woman Junction: How To Apply A Concealer
• MedicineNet: Oscar Winner Beauty Tricks That Really Work; Colette Bouchez
• "O" Magazine; Concealer Before or After Foundation; March 2010