Concealer recommendations for skin with pink/cool undertones?

November 20, 2015 7:49 AM

I can’t find a concealer that matches my skin. I’ve tried multiple brands/products and they all seem too yellow/warm-toned.

I don’t usually have this problem with foundation, only concealer. Often when I try a concealer in the same brand and/or color designation as a foundation that works for me, the concealer looks too yellow.

Sometimes it looks like the right color in its container but then seems to change when I actually wear it.

Brands I’ve tried that don’t work include Neutrogena, Tarte, Loreal True Match, Revlon. I’m currently using MAC Studio Finish concealer in NW15, which is too yellow and also somewhat too light for me. (MAC foundations in NW15 or NW20 do match my skin pretty well though.) I haven't tried this concealer in NW20 yet but I probably will next unless I find something else better.

My questions are - (1) Is there actually some reaction with my skin that’s happening that’s causing the color to change? And if so, why does this only happen for concealer and not (liquid or powder) foundation?

(2) Any recommendations for other products I should try?

Thank you!

posted by car s to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (30 answers total)

Best answer: To clarify, are you looking for an under-eye concealer, a face concealer, or a hybrid thing? Under-eye concealers will often lean yellow in order to counteract blue/purple dark circles. But you could try an "eye brightener" or "highlighter" or "corrector" in a specific pink shade--Benefit Eye Bright perhaps.

When makeup changes color on your face it's called oxidization. It can vary between brands and formulations. Does the color look okay in the tube but wrong the moment you put it on? That might be more obvious with concealers than powders/foundations because concealers have a higher pigment load. If it changes color after wearing it a while that's oxidization; you could try a primer or you might just want to keep trying brands.
posted by Hypatia at 8:00 AM on November 20, 2015 [2 favorites]

I'd try NARS.
posted by Hermione Granger at 8:11 AM on November 20, 2015 [3 favorites]

Maybe this one?
posted by amtho at 8:14 AM on November 20, 2015

Response by poster: Oh, sorry, I use concealer both for under-eye circles and to cover up some acne scars/redness in a couple spots on my lower face. So both I guess. I don't mind using multiple products though. But I do think that the concealer looks too yellow under my eyes as well as other places.

Thanks for the info about oxidation. I think that there is some of that going on. I think it's both really. The concealer looks somewhat too yellow/not pink enough when I first put it on, and then it gets even worse after wearing it for a while.
posted by car s at 8:16 AM on November 20, 2015

If you have a Sephora near you, they can scan your face and match the tone exactly! I ended up with NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla - I too have pink tones.
posted by beyond_pink at 8:23 AM on November 20, 2015 [5 favorites]

Specifically for redness, I like a product with a green cast. I think I have some sort of Physician's Formula thing like this concealer. Not sure how it oxidizes/yellows but I found it better for toning down red.
posted by hydrobatidae at 8:29 AM on November 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

I have similar skin and love the Rimmel Match Perfection in Fair Light. I use it both under my eyes and to cover blemishes and it does a pretty good job.
posted by youcancallmeal at 8:30 AM on November 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

3rding NARS, I also use Vanilla :) I have similar skin and that's the best concealer I've ever found. It isn't cheap, but it lasts me 6-7 months (like you, using it under my eyes and a bit around my chin and mouth).
posted by goodbyewaffles at 8:38 AM on November 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

The lightest NYX concealer wand is pink on me. Since you'd probably have to use a darker shade, I can't say anything for sure, but maybe it's worth a swatch?

Have you tried asking this on a make-up forum?
posted by LoonyLovegood at 8:43 AM on November 20, 2015

Cover Girl was always too pink/cool for me, so you can try that. Bonus- you can return it to the drugstore if the color is wrong.
posted by rmless at 8:49 AM on November 20, 2015

I'm so glad you asked this question, because I have the same exact issue. I just purchased the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla that was recommended. Hope it works!
posted by lock sock and barrel at 8:53 AM on November 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

Nthing NARS, and the Vanilla shade in particular.
posted by schroedingersgirl at 8:56 AM on November 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

Seconding green tones to counteract redness.
posted by janey47 at 8:56 AM on November 20, 2015

Best answer: The Prescriptives range is smaller than it used to be, but it does have three shades of concealer in Cool.

IIRC they used to split Cool down further and mine was Blue/Red. However, Prescriptives is the first company I'd try. I can definitively tell you that it does not oxidize on me.

If you think it changes colour on your skin, you're probably right. My mother had this problem documented by Max Factor when she was sent there to get stage makeup in the 1960s, and I inherited it - along with very light skin with blue undertones, plus angry red acne. In other words - desperate need to conceal, desperate difficulty in concealing. Nobody manufactured a concealer that worked for me until Prescriptives became available in the UK.

Try this first. If you still have a problem with oxidization, it could be your foundation or powder that's changing. There are only two powders that don't give me this problem: Rimmel translucent powder, which is extremely expensive and always out of stock; and Leichner blending powder sifted with cornflour to lighten the shade. I spent £8 on a silo of Leichner Blending Powder several years ago and I still haven't reached the bottom.
posted by tel3path at 9:05 AM on November 20, 2015

Sephora can do skin-matching for you. I did it recently and I highly recommend.

I am also fair with pink undertones - I use this concealer and it is great. I use the Vanilla shade.
posted by sutel at 9:28 AM on November 20, 2015

The "W" in MAC colours stands for Warm. Have you tried any of the "C" colours? Estee Lauder also do colours by warm/cool which might be worth trying. Get it applied at the counters so you can see it outside in natural daylight. Also we tend to try things on the back of our hands but the inside of the wrist is a truer reflection of your skin tone.
posted by billiebee at 9:46 AM on November 20, 2015

Nars is good; also in the pricey range is Armani's Maestro Eraser. You might also try the MAC Color Correcting Primer in the lavender tone (Illuminate) underneath your concealer.
posted by matildaben at 9:48 AM on November 20, 2015

I'm super pale and cool toned. You want this for your undereyes: Bobbi Brown Corrector. I usually layer it under my regular powder foundation. No yellow tones!
posted by almostmanda at 9:50 AM on November 20, 2015

Lose the concealer and, instead, buy a foundation that can build upon itself. I've had the yellow problem as well. One shade off and I look like a Simpson's character. I went to Sephora and had them do a color match, and she adjusted it for the yellow issue. She recommended (and I bought) Make Up For Ever, Utra HD, because I usually only wear makeup when I'm going to be on camera. It is build-able, so I do use it as a concealer for under my eyes and on one sunspot, even on days when I'm not wearing full foundation.
posted by myselfasme at 9:50 AM on November 20, 2015

Response by poster: Thanks for all the answers so far! Just to clarify since I realize I didn't say this in my question, I just mentioned MAC NW 15-20 - for most brands I wear the the second lightest or between the lightest and second lightest foundation color on the pink shade spectrum.
posted by car s at 9:59 AM on November 20, 2015

I adore this concealer by Clinique which I buy the color neutral fair in, and I have very similar undertones.
posted by Nimmie Amee at 10:48 AM on November 20, 2015

I also want to suggest Bobbi Brown, but I prefer the Touch Up Palette. It's a little more, but you can blend or layer the colors for a better match when you need it, and it lasts forever.
posted by Room 641-A at 11:20 AM on November 20, 2015

I use the Make Up For Ever full coverage concealer in the lightest shade and it comes out pretty pink on me. YSL has one that's even more pink, it's practically too pink for me and I thought that was impossible!
posted by joan_holloway at 11:21 AM on November 20, 2015

You might like Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Concealer in the "Brightener" shade.
posted by oiseau at 1:37 PM on November 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

I use the graftobian palette in cool. Originally just because I switched to airbrush(allergies), and it came bundled with their trial kit.

I like that I can go a shade lighter under my eyes. So I use Aurora around my nose, and make a V with sunrise flush. They blend in pretty seamlessly. Then a coat of airbrush over.
posted by politikitty at 2:16 PM on November 20, 2015

I'm currently using the lightest shade of Benefit's Boi-ing [Light 01] and it works well, but it's only lasted me a few months with very sparse under-eye only use. After I use it up, I'm probably going back to my old standby, CoverGirl Smoothers Concealer in Fair. I find CoverGirl to run pinker than other drugstore brands, so it always works well on me, and I think the coverage is as good as what I'm getting from Benefit for half the price.
posted by jabes at 2:33 PM on November 20, 2015

You might try Laura Mercier - they have a concealer which comes in a square compact and has two shades and you're supposed to mix to get the right combination to match - Secret Camouflage. Good stuff, if it's for hiding blemishes.

If it's for under eye, maybe YSL Touche Eclat for brightening?
posted by citron at 3:01 PM on November 20, 2015

I use the NYX HD concealer wand mentioned above in the lightest shade, porcelain, for under eye and spot concealing. I also sometimes use a foundation that matches my skin tone as a base for concealer, which seems to help it match better. If you have dark under eye circles, Benefit erase paste plus something a little lighter is a good mix.
posted by Red Desk at 8:28 PM on November 20, 2015

Another vote for the NARS concealer in vanilla - I have similar pink undertones and it's a perfect match. There is a really good variety of colours on that concealer range and if you can try them in person, I'd highly recommend it. I also use the Laura Mercier SC-1 - the texture is completely different so I use it for different things, but it's also a great match for me.
posted by ukdanae at 2:50 AM on November 21, 2015

Response by poster: Thanks for all the suggestions everyone!

After trying a lot more products and paying closer attention I’ve concluded that for me the problem really is that most of them oxidize and change color once I’m wearing them.

The Prescriptives Camouflage Cream doesn’t seem to change though so that is what I’m using now and it is definitely better. It’s not perfect because it’s not quite an exact match to my skin to start with, there’s not a very big color range to choose from, but it is significantly better I think. I’m also eventually going to try the Prescriptives Flawless Skin Concealer, which has three cool shades rather than two, but it’s hard to find in stores and currently sold out and/or overpriced on ebay.

The other thing I realized is that the MAC concealer I was using doesn’t change color much on me, compared to many of the others, which is probably why it was the best of the ones I had previously tried. It is just a bit too neutral/yellow-leaning to start with. So if you are someone else who has this oxidation problem, MAC might be worth a try as well, if you can find a shade that is a good match.
posted by car s at 7:47 AM on December 9, 2015