You don’t need to be a professional makeup artist to know which concealer shade works with your foundation. But if you’re always confused on whether you should pick the same shade as your foundation or something that looks close enough, you’re definitely not alone.

Concealer is one of those makeup products that have multiple uses. It does a lot more than covers a spot. It brightens the under-eye area, cover dark spots and blemishes, evens out areas of discoloration. The key is knowing that you don’t just need one concealer shade for everything, as it depends on what you’re trying to do with it.

For Brightening Your Under-Eyes

Photo: Pinterest/@ Dressing Your Truth

When your main goal is to brighten your under-eye area, your concealer should be lighter than your foundation. Choose a concealer that is one to two shades lighter, especially if you want a brighter look without creating a noticeable difference between your face and under-eyes.

If you prefer a very bright under-eye, you can go lighter. Some makeup artists use two or three shades lighter for a more pronounced highlight, but you have to blend it properly to achieve a clean look without harsh lines.

For Dark Spots and Blemishes

Photo: Pinterest/@ Rouge Bunny Rouge

When you’re covering a dark spot, acne mark or blemish, use a concealer that is close to your skin tone or foundation shade. A concealer that is too light will draw more attention to the area you’re trying to hide.

This is also why having two concealer shades can be useful. Keep one that matches your complexion for covering spots and another that is lighter for brightening.

How to Know Your Undertone

Your concealer can be the right shade and still look wrong if the undertone doesn’t match your skin. If your skin has warm undertones, look for concealers with warm or yellow tones. Cool skin usually work better with pink or rosy tones, while neutral skin sit somewhere in between.

So, Which Shade Should You Buy?

Photo: Pinterest/@ Yourartsyhub product and food photography

If you only want one concealer to use with your foundation, start with a shade that closely matches your skin tone and undertone. You can use it to cover blemishes and it will also give you a good base if you don’t want a very bright under-eye. But if you love a brighter under-eye, choose a concealer that is one to two shades lighter than your foundation.

And before buying, don’t forget to test the shade in natural light, as store lighting can change how a color looks.