should concealer be darker or lighter than your actual foundation?

[bezza257]

i am thinking lighter, but i'm just making sure...

[eccentricpuzzle]

Concealer should always be one or two shades lighter then your foundation. This helps cover redness and dark spots (like acne and under your eyes).

[dly1012]

I think it depends on where you are putting it, because it's good to go a shade lighter for undereye circles because it conceals and brightens the eye up as well. But if you are covering blemishes, a lighter concealer is actually going to highlight and emphasize that area... For using concealer on your skin, it's best to use something as close to your skin color/tone as you can. If redness from acne/blemishes make you extremely self-conscious, the best thing would be a concealer in color correcting green under your foundation.

[Tilly]

i always thought both your concealer and foundation should be the exact same shade as your actual skin??
but if you do have really dark under eyes it does sound like a good idea to have one thats a bit lighter, i wouldnt use that everywhere though
XxXxX

[eccentricpuzzle]

Green concealer is good for neutralizing skin prone to redness, such as acne.
One to two shades lighter concealer is good for covering under eye circles, and a bit of a shimmer to the concealer is never a bad thing.
And for all other purposes, one or two shades lighter works perfectly- the key is blending it in well with a finger, or with a concealer brush.

[dly1012]

Ah, it depends, I just know firsthand that ethnic skin tones (golden/tan/olive/deep etc) need concealer that is closer to the skin shade and not lighter because that will make the area look sallow/ashy and it won't compliment your foundation. If anything, just don't use concealer that is too light for you lol.