Color Correctors: The Number One Secret Makeup Tool You Might Not Be Using

Whatever the reason for makeup application (wedding makeup, everyday look, night out), color correctors can be a killer tool in your arsenal. Our 614 Beauty makeup artists love these! Color correctors are sneaky little devils that work to combat dark circles, blemishes, rosacea, dark veins, and hyperpigmentation. They can help brighten the skin even on those days when you just want to crawl back into bed.

Choosing the right color corrector is key and is tied to the color of the problem area and your skin tone. Clever name makeup creators (in case you can’t tell, we’re hardcore rolling our eyes here).  Let’s go through a little color theory here to help. The color wheel is our number one tool for determining what corrector should be used. As a general rule, the color you should use for your corrector will be opposite the shade of the imperfection on the color wheel. The exception being in the case of red. Instead of using its opposite (green), using yellow proves a better choice. Green tends to leave one looking like a greyish living dead and nobody wants that (er unless that's your thing, of course).

So what color works best for you?

Orange Corrector

Orange is best for people with darker skin tones that are trying to cover up dark under eye circles.. Because the undertone of eye circles is blue, the orange will cancel out the bruised look.

Pink Corrector

I say pink as a loose term because these correctors are usually more of a peach or salmon.  If you have a lighter skin tone with those same apparently-I-never-sleep under eye circles, a peach color would work best for you.

Yellow Corrector

This color corrector works best in covering up any sort of area that has a purple or red hue. Bruising, visible veins, and some under eye circles tend to need a yellow corrector.

Purple Corrector

Purple correctors are used to help brighten. These are best for those with yellow skin tones and those looking to brighten dull complections.

So I’ve put my new found color wheel knowledge to the test, now what?

For application, we have a few tips:

• Make sure you are using the right color corrector for your skin tone and type of area you’re trying to cover up (a little redundant, we know)

• When applying color correctors, apply these first, before your foundation. Gently apply the foundation OVER the color corrector and then set with powder

• Use a makeup sponge or beauty blender to pat into skin

• If you are in a pinch for an under eye color corrector, you can use a cream blush, or lipstick

• Apply in thin layers! The idea is for your foundation to cover it nicely. If you can see it through the foundation, you laid it on too thick

• Don’t try to cover the small things! Color correctors are for the more obvious. Regular concealer will work for everything else

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Need some brand recommendations? Our 614 Beauty makeup artists love these!

Bobbi Brown Color Corrector- A definite staple for makeup application

MAC Studio Fix Conceal and Correct Palette- It includes color correctors as well as concealers

Cinema Secrets- They make wonderful yellow color correctors to cancel out redness

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