If you want to offset dark circles, redness, or dark spots with makeup, you have to understand how using orange, green, yellow, and a few other colors can even out your skin tone—called color-correcting. The technique is popular, but really easy to mess up. This video helps clear up the confusion.
The whole thing is based on the color wheel. If we remember our primary colors—blue, yellow, red—and their blending properties, we can “cancel out” certain hues in our skin by using the color that’s opposite on the color wheel. These are the basics:
- Peach/Orange: For dark blue-ish circles under eyes, pigmentation, and acne scarring. Use peach for lighter skin tones and orange/red for darker skin tones.
- Green: Can be used for redness (like sun burns or rosacea) around the mouth or cheeks.
- Purple: Adds a bit of brightness to grey-ish, dull skin.
- Yellow: Generally brightens your skin tone.
The main idea is that you’re correcting, not concealing. YouTuber Kaushal Beauty shares a couple of other tips to keep in mind:
- Make sure your skin is clean and primed before you apply any makeup.
- It’s always better to start with less product and build up.
- It’s easy to overdo it with the brush. For under eyes, you’ll have better success using your ring finger to gently dab a thin layer of makeup and work it into your skin for a more natural look.
- Once you’ve corrected your skin tone, Kaushal Beauty recommends using a makeup sponge and patting your foundation, rather than using broad strokes.
It’s a long video, but those are the general takeaways. Hit the play button for more details.
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