What’s the Deal With Green Concealer?

April 18, 2010 in Beauty Tips and Tricks, Face, How-To's: 3 Comments

Have you ever been makeup shopping when you run into a green concealer or face primer?? Were you confused?? The first time I discovered green concealer was in high school. I snatched it up right away because I was desperate to conceal the redness in my cheeks. Unfortunately, after I applied it for the first time, I was pissed! It did what it promised by concealing the red, but I was left with green cheeks!! haha.

If the mere thought of rubbing green all over your face freaks you out,  keep reading It actually makes a lot of sense and works great when properly applied…

How to Conceal and Correct Redness with Green Primers and Concealers:

Why Green Concealer Corrects Redness:

The concept behind concealing certain colors (ie: redness, blue under eye circles, brown sun spots etc) with other colors, goes way back to art class and color theory!! Whichever color you want to conceal or counteract, choose the color directly across from it on the color wheel to get the job done!

In our case, we want to conceal red (rosacea, pimples, rosy cheeks, injuries). Directly across from red on the color wheel is green, so as a rule, we should use a green concealer. It will effectively neutralize the redness.

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Now that the underlying concept makes more sense, you’re probably wondering how to wear green concealer/primer without looking crazy..

When To Use Green Primer vs. Concealer:

My favorite method to use green as a way of counteracting redness is in primer form.  If you have minor ruddiness, or just wish to cover up slight inflammation, primer will probably be your best bet. I feel that since a primer is much more sheer, it takes way less effort than using a heavy concealer, which is harder to layer on top of. On myself, I use Makeup Forever’s Green HD Microperfecting Primer. It doesn’t completely erase the red, but I notice a huge difference, as it takes the color down a few notches. By the time I am ready to apply my foundation, my redness is much easier to cover, and as a bonus my skin is already perfectly primed!

How to Use Green Concealer:

If you have sensitivities to primers, need more coverage, or wish to spot-cover redness from a pimple or a cut, opt for a green concealer instead. Using an appropriate sized brush, apply the concealer to the area you wish to neutralize. Blend the edges so that they feather out seamlessly into your skin. Once you apply enough product, go over the concealer with your regular foundation. Finally, set the area with powder to increase longevity and to ensure that the makeup doesn’t move.

**Important Tip: Remember, when using unnatural color correctors, the less product the better!  The last thing you want is a green overcast to your skin. You’ll wind up looking ill and people probably won’t want to hang out with you for fear of catching your germ

Primers I Recommend:

Left to Right: Smashbox Photofinish Primer in Green, Makeup Forever’s HD Microperfecting Primer in Green

Concealors I Recommend:

Physician’s Formula Gentle Cover Concealer Stick in Green

Green Vs. Yellow!!!

While green concealer’s do work, I actually prefer to use a yellow-y concealer to counter-act redness!! The extra hassle of having to cover up green is a little too much for me when I’m working on set, where time is of the essence. Yellow (not primary yellow, but more of a golden undertone) works like a charm and looks a lot more natural if you mess up :)  But, I’ll talk about that a different day…

green concealer, redness, rosacea