Knowing how to apply make up that helps you to look more awake than you feel is a skill worth mastering.
And while it’s long been known concealer does the trick, how to apply the product correctly has remained a mystery for many – until now.
Melbourne make up artist Chantelle Baker has worked with some of Australia’s most famous faces including Rebecca Judd, Jesinta Campbell and Nadia Bartel.
The professional, who is famed for a natural look, recently revealed her secret to banishing dark under eye circles.
Chantelle Baker has created make up looks for some of Australia’s most well-known models and celebrities
Jesinta Franklin (nee Campbell) is among those who’ve been transformed at the hands of the very talented Ms Baker
In a recent interview with Mamamia, the professional shared that using concealer wasn’t difficult and that women just needed to know how to use it correctly.
The make up artist’s signature make up style is a perfect combination of dewy skin, undetectable contouring and a strong smokey eye.
Her advice for those considering using the product was to take a ‘less is more’ approach for best results.
Ms Baker said though it was tempting to apply concealer before using foundation, she recommended applying concealer after, and to dispense with brushes and beauty blenders.
‘I’ve found the warmth of the skin really helps melt the product in, creating a seamless finish,’ she said.
Chantelle Baker (pictured left) is renown for her signature look: perfectly dewy skin, undetectable contouring and a sultry smokey eye. Here she shown with model Rebecca Judd
Her recommendation is to look for a product that has a creamy consistency, as those that are thicker tended to settle into fine lines around the eyes.
When it came to colour-matching, Ms Baker said to choose a product that was up to two shades lighter than skin tone.
To find the optimal colour, the pro said to first try concealer on blue veins on the back of your wrist, if the product was effective at hiding these it was likely to cover dark under eye circles.
The make up artist has created some stunning looks. Australian model Bec Judd (pictured) is a fan of the artist’s work
While there are myriad products on the market, choosing the right concealer can be hard, especially if you’re on a budget.
Australian make up outlet Mecca Cosmetica is home to some of the best beauty brands in the world.
Among its extensive concealer range, comes one by US-brand Too Faced. The mini product is priced at a very friendly $17, and is perfect as a sampler size.
Ms Baker recommends applying concealer after foundation, and to use a colour that’s one to two shades lighter than your skin tone (stock image)
Another, Mecca Max, created by the brand itself, is priced at a very affordable $22 and promises to banish any signs of darkness while remaining completely ‘undetectable’.
Ms Baker also said M.A.C cosmetics concealer range was one she recommended.
Priced at around $30, the make up artist said ‘they go the distance and there are a huge variety of shades to choose from’.
Other affordable options: A skin correcting crayon by Jucy Punk for $22 (pictured left) and a Bare Minerals Stroke of Light Eye Brightener $33 (pictured left)
Other brands that also made for budget-friendly buys included Bare Minerals Stroke of Light Eye Brightener at $33, and skin correcting crayon by Jucy Punk for $22.
If creating a natural, barely-there look feels right for your make up style, starting with dewy skin is a must.
According to make up artist Rae Morris, there are some simple ways to create a flawless base, perfect for a ‘no make up’ look.
For the teen look, a BB cream was used as a foundation and concealer was applied with a beauty blender
Ms Morris shared a series of tutorials for women of all ages.
For teenagers, the professional began by prepping her model’s skin by lightly cleansing with a micellar water, which she followed with a moisturiser and an illuminating primer.
Next she used a BB cream as a foundation and applied this lightly over her face before taking her hands and massaging it into the skin.
She then used BB cream as a foundation and applied it lightly over the face before taking her hands and massaging it into the skin
Though Ms Morris used a beauty blender to conceal eyes and blemishes she too, like Ms Baker, said the colour must be properly matched.
‘If you are going to conceal a blemish, make sure it matches the skin tone.’
Working with those in their 20s, Ms Morris started the tutorial by rejuventaing the skin, which she said that despite the fact that skin was youthful, it can become dehyrated.
Ms Morris used a beauty blender to apply concealer under Whitney’s eyes and used a colour that was as close to the model’s skin tone as possible
‘In your 20s you can still have very youthful skin, but sometimes you can notice slight unevenness in your skin tone and you can get more dehydrated,’ Ms Morris said
She began by applying moisturising to the skin first, which she allowed to soak in first.
‘If you have beautiful skin you can use a BB cream still but if you have redness or unevenness step it up a notch and use a sheer light foundation,’ she said.
In a bid to conceal any under-eye darkness, a concealer was used. But rather than choosing a product from an alternative range, Ms Morris used one matched by the brand.
‘If you have beautiful skin you can use a BB cream still but if you have redness or unevenness step it up a notch and use a sheer light foundation,’ Ms Morris said
Women in the 30s and 40s, who were showing slight signs of ageing, benefited from a combination of foundation and light concealing, according to the expert.
‘In your 20s you can still have very youthful skin, but sometimes you can notice slight unevenness in your skin tone and you can get more dehydrated.
To begin with, Ms Morris prepared skin using a mattifying primer, followed by a light coat of liquid foundation.
‘Once you have massaged the foundation in, lightly conceal where necessary,’ she said.
The make up director said women in their 30s and 40s showing slight signs of ageing benefited from a combination of foundation and light concealing
A light concealer was then used under the eyes to knock out any blue/red undertone around the eye line and was focused on the inner eye corner and inner under corner of the eye.
For those in their 50s, and above, creating the appearance of more luminous skin was the make up artist’s goal.
To begin with, Ms Morris again used micellar water to make sure there wasn’t too much oil on the skin, especially on the eyelids.
For women in their fifties and beyond Ms Morris said a good look is dewy and hydrated rather than too matte
This was followed by a nourishing primer to the skin instead of moisturiser before applying foundation to the whole face
‘Depending on how uneven your skin is depends on the amount of foundation you use,’ she said.
‘My golden rule is to choose the coverage you want first and the reflection (luminous, matter or velvety) after.’
After the foundation had settled into the skin, a light creamy concealer was applied under the eye, focused on an ‘undetectable look’.