Concealer: The Beauty Essential I could never live without. It would be my Desert Island must have. For me, concealer is a magic wand. An essential tool, capable of camouflaging imperfections and revitalizing tired eyes. As a Makeup Artist, and from a very young age, I discovered the multifaceted uses of concealer and it delivered way more than merely masking flaws.

Coming in many different forms, such as pots, palettes, wheels, wands, sticks, pencils and tubes, it doesn't just correct the bits we don't like, but can also illuminate and sculpt out the bits we do like, and much, much more. Don't you just love it?

Read on to Discover #14 Unique Expert Makeup Tips &Techniques To Utilise Your Essential And Beloved Concealer

1. It defines our brows: Define and refine your brows by sketching your concealer with a flat, firm rounded brush just under your brows (as you would a powder highlighter) and then gently blend out for a clean polished look.

2. Gives the illusion of fuller lips: Craft plumper lips by applying a darker concealer onto the center of your lower lip and blend outward. Instant fuller looking lips.

3. Eye Brightening: Revitalize weary eyes by dabbing a small dot of concealer (ring finger or lip brush) onto the inner corners and under-eye area. With your ring finger (your weakest digit) gently press and blend. For lighting up the deeper shadows the legendary Touche Eclat will help lift out those dark troughs.

4. Facial Contouring: Sculpt a darker shade of concealer under the cheekbone, along the jaw line and along the hair line to help minimise a large forehead. Then blend and press with a kabuki brush, beauty blender or latex sponge. This technique will accentuate features for a defined look.

5. Corrects Mistakes: Rectify makeup mishaps and refine edges, such as cleaning away mascara spots (on a cotton bud and rolled over the smudge) or neatening an over lined lip colour application with a brush or cotton bud.

6. It's Lip Primer: Prepping your lips with a little concealer and then powdering will intensify lipstick colour and give it some kick-ass long lasting staying power..

7. It's an Eye Makeup Primer: Run out of Eye primer? Brush over some concealer right up to the brows for a seamless base for eye shadow that will prevent creasing and anchor your eyeshadow in place for longer. (This used to be my only way of priming the eyes as a makeup artist in the 90s You may find this Blog post useful 5 Makeup Trends That Have Been Around for Longer Than You Think (paulapacemakeupartist.co.uk)

8. Lightens Up a Dark Lip Colour: Apply a tiny amount of concealer (and I mean a tiny amount on a clean lip brush) to dark lipstick hues to create a more subtle wearable shade. Or just a little to the corners of the lip can give a more 3d effect that will create the illusion of plumper lips.

9. Highlighting: Illuminate high points of the face, such as just above the cheekbone to the corner of the outer eyes, the middle of the nose, the middle of the chin and the center of the brows (if you want to that is!)

10. Can help Lift Brows: As above, just a little to the highest point of the cheekbone under the outer eyes can help achieve a lifted brow effect for a youthful appearance.

11. Fine Line Minimization: With considerate application (with a fine brush) it can subtly camouflage fine lines and wrinkles.

12. Disguising that Spot(s). Some concealers have more magic powers with purifying and medicated ingredients to treat spots as well as disguising them. (these are only to be used on spots and not other areas of the skin).

13. Upping the coverage - Mixing just a little bit of concealer with your foundation can give some extra added coverage should you need it.

14. Mixing it up Blending your concealer with wrinkle reducing products can give a better finish and help the product blend into the skin better. I've mixed it with Revolution Pro's Blur Fine line filler and Peter Thomas Roth Instant firm eye serum and been pretty impressed how they worked.

But wait there's more...

Time waits for no one.

In this constant battle against the ravages of time, the concealer can be victorious in helping disguise those unwanted age lines. Just a small amount on a fine brush, painted in the lines can really lift out that divot. Press with a clean warm ring finger to set it in place.

However, you may need to choose a concealer that is right for your particular skin type.

For mature or dry skins, the concealer needs to be creamy and light. Look for hydrating concealers that won't bond to dry patches or fine lines.

Oily or Combination skin types, may need a dryer formulation, or 2 different types of concealer for where the product is to be applied. Mineral powder concealers are fantastic for this type of skin that oil up through the day.

Problematic skins types - as above, this kind of skin will need two different concealers. One for concealing dark circles or contouring, the other, mildly medicated to treat acne spots. Ones with Tea tree oil will help dry that spot up and give its ass a good kicking.

So those are my #14 Expert Makeup Concealer tips. and my little love letter to the wonder that is concealer. I hope this has given you more ideas to it this in many different ways. You may find this Blog interesting 5 Makeup Tips Brides over 40: Achieving Ageless Elegance (paulapacemakeupartist.co.uk)

Thanks for reading. And happy to answer any questions.

Paula