What Is a Concealer for Men
A Concealer for men refers to a cosmetic product, which they can use in masking specific imperfections or blemishes on their faces. It is designed so that you can conceal common skin issues experienced by men, like dark circles, adult acne, large pores, age spots, and under-eye.
Most of these men’s Concealers play the role of making your skin color look more even. When using this cosmetic product, be aware that you do not have to put it on your entire face. What you have to do is to apply it only to the blemished area. With that in mind, you also have to consider your skin tone when buying this product.
Benefits of Using a Concealer for Men
Makes You Look Younger
Concealers can hide the fine lines and dark spots that result from aging. You will not be able to get rid of these without expensive treatment options, so the next best thing is to use a concealer. You can also bolster the effects of this product by choosing the right anti-aging cream.
Makes You Look More Presentable
If you are going on an important job interview, having a bit of a well-placed concealer to hide the blemishes on your face might be the key to success. Even though it might not have anything to do with the job, people warm up to someone who looks like they took the time to clean themselves up.
Hides Acne
If a zit pops up on your skin, especially during special occasions, then there really is nothing else that you can do other than use a concealer to hide it. For instance, if you are on a date, you can put on the right concealer on the acne, so your date will not notice it.
Evens Your Skin Tone
Men with an even skin tone look healthier. This means that you might want to apply a bit of foundation and concealer if you are trying to impress someone. Keep in mind that you are only trying to even out your skin color, so go light on the foundation.
Helps in Hiding Scars
If you had severe acne when you hit the adolescent part of your life, then you probably still bear the scars until now. If you want them to disappear, at least temporarily, wise advice is to use both foundation and a good quality concealer.
Hides Tattoos
Concealers are not just for the face. You can also use the product on any exposed skin if you want to keep certain things hidden. For instance, if you have a scheduled job interview and you want to hide a tattoo on your hand, the one that you foolishly thought was cool when you were a lot younger, then you can apply a concealer on it. Placing a bit of it on top of your ink and blending it properly will make it disappear, or at the very least, make it unnoticeable.
How Does a Concealer for Men Work
A concealer is a cosmetic that you use sparingly to hide skin imperfections. It is just like how dark spot correctors work by brightening your dark spots. There is a misconception that concealers are miraculous products that can make any blemish seem to go away, but that is not always the case. Although concealers can hide many things, they can only do so much.
The way concealers work is they provide an opaque layer of cosmetics that closely mimics the person’s natural skin tone. Think of it like using a bit of spray paint to hide a rather deep scratch on your car. It is not permanent nor perfect. However, a good concealer can make your blemishes invisible from a certain distance.
When it comes to an understanding of how the concealers work, you have to remember that they are not meant for use on your entire face. Remember that these are heavy products, so applying one on your entire face will make it look like it has a singular shade, which is unnatural.
You only need to use a concealer on the areas you want to hide, and you use it very sparingly if you want it to look natural. Too much concealer and it would look like you painted over the blemish spots, thus making them more noticeable.
Pros and Cons of Using a Concealer for Men
Pros
- Can conceal almost all blemishes on the skin.
- Makes your skin look smooth.
- Quick and easy to use.
- Looks almost invisible if you choose the right shade and apply it properly.
- Some products contain skin-friendly nutrients.
Cons
- Causes acne and other skin conditions if not removed properly.
Types of Concealers
Cream
The cream-based version of the concealer is the most common type that you will find in the market. It is also one of the most versatile cosmetic products as it can work on virtually any skin type. The good thing about it is that it comes in a wide variety of shades. It is quite thick, so you do not need that much product to hide blemishes.
However, if you are prone to acne breakouts, you need to look for a cream concealer that is non-comedogenic so that it will not clog up the skin’s pores. Also, you need to use it sparingly if you have somewhat wrinkly skin as this would cake over the lines and make them look worse.
Cream-to-Powder
This type is as easy to apply as cream concealers. However, when dried, it can provide a matte and almost satin-like finish. Although they are true concealers, cream-to-powder varieties are rarely used for hiding blemishes. It would be best to use them when blending in the other types of concealers for more natural-looking results.
Liquid
A liquid concealer is often better than creams because you can use it even if you are prone to acne. Also, it comes in almost all skin types and shades, so you will always have something that will work perfectly. This one is truly the most versatile of the bunch.
Liquid concealers are great for hiding acne and even its scars. You do not even have to worry about them triggering breakouts since they do not clog the pores. Even if you have wrinkly skin, you can use a liquid concealer mainly because it does not gather inside the skin’s creases.
However, you should not use a liquid concealer when you have very rough and dry skin. The reason is that it can trigger dryness as it tends to evaporate after some time has passed.
Powder
Unfortunately, there are not that many men’s powder concealers in the market, so that is already one disadvantage. Also, applying and blending powder concealer is quite difficult. Even professional makeup artists do not use them too often.
Powder concealers are often only used with other types of concealers and usually for adding the finishing touches. This product is used very sparingly so as not to make it stand out too much.
Ingredients to Look for in a Concealer for Men
Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid is one of the most popular primary ingredients in many concealers (usually cream concealers) because it makes the product non-comedogenic. You can also see salicylic acid in many other cosmetic products because it can help remove excess skin oil, dirt, and debris from the pores.
Although it is an acid, salicylic acid is not harmful to the skin, especially when used in concealers. The reason is that only a tiny amount of it is present. However, if you have overly sensitive skin, you may need to find other non-comedogenic concealers that do not contain salicylic acid just to be sure.
Oils
Many concealers use oils as a base ingredient to make sure that the product spreads easily and evenly over the skin. Cosmetic companies use many different oils in their products, and unless you have excessively oily skin, you do not need to worry about them. However, oily concealers (or comedogenic) might be too heavy and clog your skin pores, resulting in acne breakouts and other skin conditions.
Soothers
Some brands of this product contain soothing ingredients, like chamomile, which can help soften your skin to apply the product without any discomfort. Concealers are not meant to be uncomfortable to use, but having these ingredients will help make the product easy to use, even for sensitive skin people.
Soothing ingredients are always a good sign. If you are looking for a good concealer, make it a point to get one with soothing ingredients in them. Moreover, the best skin exfoliator brands use the same ingredients.
How to Choose the Best Concealer for Men
Non-Comedogenic
This is especially important if your skin is susceptible and/or prone to acne breakouts. Non-comedogenic simply means that it will not clog the skin pores, which is the main reason for acne breakouts.
Aside from reading the label, you can tell if a concealer, and coincidentally, the best all-natural body lotion, is non-comedogenic if it does not feel greasy or heavy when you use it. You will still feel like your skin when you use the product.
Ingredients
You also need to take note of the ingredients contained in the concealer. The most important thing that you need to look for are ingredients that you might be allergic to. For instance, if you are allergic to a certain food-grade dye, then make it a point to check the labels for it.
Skin Type
You also have to choose a concealer that goes well with your skin type. Here are the most common skin types and the specific type of concealer that works well with it.
Dry Skin
Men tend to have drier skin than women, which means most liquid concealers are out of the question. It is best to use stick or cream concealers if you cannot find any liquid products that do not dry your skin even more. Also, just to be sure, you should always apply moisturizer on your face before applying any kind of concealer. This is the same reason why most aftershaves don’t contain alcohol. To avoid drying your skin, you need to use a product that will not aggravate it even more.
Oily Skin
If you have oily skin, then you have to be extra careful when choosing concealers and any cosmetic products in general. Oily skin results from having over-productive sebum glands in your skin and having larger pores than the average. Make it a point to choose only concealers that are non-comedogenic, as they have a far less chance of clogging your pores. With that said, you should avoid stick concealers as they are too heavy and will likely cover up your skin pores, resulting in acne and other skin blemishes.
Sensitive Skin
If you have sensitive skin, then use a concealer that comes with a soothing ingredient or two. You also need to choose a non-comedogenic, meaning a product that will not clog your pores, something not as greasy or heavy. It is always best to test a bit of the concealer on your arm first to check if it causes any negative reactions. It is also the same reason why you need to avoid the excessive use of skin toner.
Wrinkly Skin
Although it is not possible to hide skin wrinkles, you can still use a concealer to hide age spots and skin discoloration. However, take care not to get any concealer inside the wrinkles as it would dry and cake, making the wrinkles even more noticeable.
Normal Skin
If you are blessed by having skin neither oily nor dry, you can supposedly use any concealer product you want. The only things you need to worry about are getting the right shade and knowing which one is more convenient to use.
However, if your skin shows any adverse reactions to the product, then cease using it immediately and look for something that actually agrees with your immune system. Also, even though a stubble beard can look great, you should not concealer it as it would stick onto the hairs.
Color
Of course, because you are trying to hide blemishes from your face and skin, it is only natural to choose a concealer with the same shade as your skin tone. If you choose the wrong color, then it will not only be ineffective in hiding your blemishes, but there is also a great chance that it will highlight them.
Picking a color of concealer is not as simple as you think it is. Aside from picking the right shade of color, you also need to pick the right undertone. The undertones are the colors that lie underneath the shade. You can expect them to be warm, cool, or neutral. Picking the right shade AND undertone will make the concealer work much better than you expected it would.
Ease of Use
Some concealers require a bit of skill to apply properly, like the powder ones. If it is the first time you will be buying cosmetics, I suggest that you use the easiest to use. In my experience, the concealers in pencil form are the most convenient ones to use, and they are also easier to blend.
How to Apply a Concealer
Step 1 – Pick the right color
Aside from picking a concealer color that matches your skin tone, you also need to use the right tone depending on what you want to cover up. Choose from these colors:
- Peach shades – These will cancel out the bluish hues of dark circles under your eyes and dark spots.
- Green shades – These are for hiding red blemishes. Follow this with a concealer that matches your natural skin tone.
- Yellow shades – These will correct uneven skin color.
Aside from the color, you also need to pick the right undertone. However, to do so, you need to know your undertone so that the concealer can do its job more effectively. You will be learning later how to figure out what your skin’s undertone is.
Step 2 – Choose the right type of concealer
You have to choose from the different types of concealer. As mentioned earlier, you also need to consider the type of blemish you want to cover up and your skin type. The latter is more important as using the wrong concealer can cause acne breakouts.
Step 3 – Wash your face thoroughly
Use a good facial cleanser to get all of the dirt and grime off of your face. Washing will also remove most of the oils on your face and unclog your pores. Cosmetics will generally adhere better to clean and non-oily skin.
Step 4 – Apply base products and foundation
Using a foundation will help blur out the blemishes, allowing you to use less concealer or none at all. If you are not using any foundation, remember to moisturize your skin before applying the concealer, as it will dry up quite a bit.
Step 5 – Apply the concealer
For the dark circles, place a couple of dots of concealer underneath your eyes. Blend the product on your skin by tapping it gently using your ring finger. Do not use too much pressure. For pimples and other blemishes, place a small bit of concealer on top and then gently blend it in using your ring finger or a makeup sponge.
Step 6 – Set it in place
To prevent the concealer from caking up, you should set it in place. Use a piece of tissue paper to press down on the concealer. Doing so will remove any excess product, blot out oils, and make the concealer adhere to the skin better.
How to Wash Off the Concealer
Option 1 – Using a facial cleanser/wash
The most thorough way to remove concealer, and any makeup in general, is to thoroughly wash your face using your choice of facial cleanser or wash. Make sure that you scrub your face well to remove every last bit of the concealer.
Option 2 – Using a warm washcloth
If you do not have time to wash your face, you can just use a washcloth dipped in warm water. Just use the washcloth to wipe away the concealer. It might take a couple of passes to remove all the concealer.
Option 3 – Use baby oil
Put a bit of baby oil onto a cotton pad and proceed to wipe away the concealer. The oil breaks down the concealer, making it easier to lift off the skin.
If you want a more thorough process, here are the steps:
Step 1 – Remove as much of the product off using baby oil. Place an ample amount of baby oil on a cotton sheet and then gently wipe off as much of the cosmetics on your face as you can. Use multiple cotton pads and stop only when you cannot see any trace of the cotton pad’s concealer.
Step 2 – Wash your face using a gentle facial cleanser or cleansing face masks. You do not need to scrub your face too much as most of the concealers are already removed. It is just to make sure that you get every last bit.
Step 3 – Gently dry your face using a soft, microfiber towel. Do not put too much pressure on your skin. Just dab the towel on lightly to pick up as much of the moisture from your skin.
Step 4 – Apply moisturizer. Even if you use a non-comedogenic concealer, it still has the potential of drying up your skin. Prevent this by applying a bit of moisturizer on your face to replenish the skin’s moisture.
Does More Spending Mean More Quality
If you want the best concealer for men, then you will need to cough up the money for it. The best concealers work like magic, as if they almost make your blemishes vanish into thin air. Also, since you will be applying the concealer mostly on acne, why exacerbate the condition using a cheap one? If it means that your acne problem will not get worse, then it is best to spend a bit more money on a good quality concealer.
Do’s and Don’ts With a Concealer
Do’s
- Use a concealer with almost the exact shade of your skin. You do not just pick up a concealer off the shelf and hope that it would work as well as you hope it would. It would be best to pick one that is close to your natural skin color.
- Moisturize your skin before applying concealer. Even non-comedogenic concealers can damage your skin if misused. Liquid concealers are especially notorious for drying up the skin underneath. To prevent that from happening, you need to use a good moisturizer before using your concealer choice. Also, facial hair moisturizers prevent face rashes.
- Apply foundation first before the concealer. A light foundation will initially fade the blemishes, making the concealer’s job a lot easier. Even a thin layer of foundation can do wonders.
Don’ts
- Do not use a heavy concealer if you have acne-prone skin. Heavy, comedogenic concealers can block your pores, thus causing acne breakouts. Even if you do not have acne-prone skin, you should still use heavy concealers sparingly.
- Do not leave your concealer on all day. Remove all the cosmetics you have on your face the moment you come home. Even if you do not have acne-prone skin, leaving the concealer on for an extended period will cause breakouts as the pores are clogged up with the product. Also, use natural beard oil after washing off the concealer to bring moisture back to your facial hair.
FAQ About Concealer for Men
How do I know my undertone?
The undertone is the subtle color that is beneath the skin surface. Skin tone refers to color, while the undertone is the shade within the said color. Undertones can either be warm, cool, or neutral and yes, it is possible for people who have the same skin tone to have different undertones.
One way to determine a person’s undertone is to use a piece of printer paper and a mirror. In a brightly lit area, hold a piece of printer paper beside your face and see how you look. If your face seems pinkish against the paper, then you have a cool undertone. If you look yellowish, then you have a warm undertone. However, if you cannot find any hues at all, then you have a neutral undertone.
Can I use a concealer daily?
Although most concealers are generally safe to use on the skin, you should use one only when you have a noticeable blemish that you want to cover up. On the other hand, if you have a scar that you want to keep hidden, then yes, you can use a concealer in your daily skincare routine.
However, if you notice that acne breakouts have become more frequent, then you should stop using concealer, or at the very least, look for another one that will not trigger acne.
Can I use a concealer with other skin products?
Yes, and it is usually better if you do. For instance, you should use a moisturizer first before applying any cosmetics, including concealers, to prevent your skin from drying. Also, it is better to apply foundation first before using a concealer; it just makes hiding blemishes much easier.
Can I use a concealer without foundation?
Yes, there are many concealer brands that you can use effectively, even without applying foundation first. Even though it will require quite a bit of skill to hide blemishes using concealer only, it will look more natural as you will not be lightening your face by one or two shades. On the other hand, some brands out there can be used without foundation, but you will need quite a bit of skill to apply it properly.
Do you use a concealer before or after the foundation?
You apply concealer after the foundation. As the name suggests, the foundation will be based on which you will be applying other cosmetics, so apply it first before putting on other cosmetics, including concealers. However, if the blemish is not that visible, or you just want to even out your skin tone, then using just a concealer with the right tone will be more than enough.
When should I wash my concealer off?
Ideally, you should remove your concealer every evening once you come home. Although many manufacturers claim that their products are not harmful to the skin, it is still good to remove makeup at the end of the day to lower their risk of clogging your pores. There are also affordable face creams for men that you can use to moisturize the skin afterward.
Conclusion
It might seem weird at first to use cosmetics to cover up blemishes on your face, but you should at least try it once, so you can see just how it can help you look your very best.
Even men need to apply essential makeup from time-to-time, especially when attending an event that requires them to look perfect. Some examples would be when going on a first date or having a job interview. Don’t worry; a concealer is meant not to be seen, so you will not look like you have any makeup on.
So, the next time that you have an unexpected zit appear on your face just in time for your next hot date grab a tube of concealer and make that darn blemish disappear.
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