We left colour correcting back in the 90s, where it was a maligned, forlorn practice that nobody had the time to partake in. But it’s a natural next step in an Instagram beauty revolution that has recently given us overlined pouts, mega-contouring and strobing. If you enjoy makeup and experimenting, colour correcting is fun; if you’re trying to correct a perceived flaw then it’s less fun, and actually pretty arduous. Either way, knowing what to apply and how is the major battle.
First, you need to know that correctors are your underlayer. So apply your chosen corrector over your moisturiser (wait for it to sink in or your corrector will be patchy), and finish with your usual foundation or concealer. That’s the crucial step – because even if you think your face looks ace in the mirror, those corrector pigments will show up in the form or purple and green streaks in daylight and on camera. (Been there, tried that, lesson learned.) Less is definitely more with correctors, too – you’re not parodying The Mask here – go easy and build up gradually.
You also need to learn to pick the right colours. Correctors are based on the principle of colour theory and the colour wheel. So if you’re concealing redness, you need a pale-green corrector. Blue-tinged areas are helped by a peachy orange, or if the shadows are more green-tinged, an orange-red corrector is your new BF.
The truth is, nobody needs to use a corrector unless they actively wish to. There has always been a leaning towards “brightening” darker skin tones or neutralising ones with yellow undertones. That’s absolutely not what these correctors are for or what I’d ever endorse.
Surprisingly, correctors work for all skin tones. Darker and lighter skins can have redness, but the corrector will still be green. So, for any skin tone and any target area, here’s your lowdown on colour correctors.
The issue: redness
The solution: Green concealer.
If the area you wish to correct is red, a green corrector will neutralise this. A very pale green works best on recent irritations that tend to be a brighter red (such as spots or a rosacea flare up) while slightly older and darker red issues (such as hyperpigmentation after an acne flare up) tend to work better with mossy green shades because there is a hint of yellow, which helps to brighten the darkness in the red.
Best buys: Cover FX Correct Click in green (£15) is an ideal paler-green shade for bright-red irritations. It’s also handy as you can buy an adapter for £8 that lets you pop the correct shade of concealer on the other end of it. Genius stuff. And try Smashbox Colour Corrector Primer (£25.50) for those deeper shades of red.
The issue: under-eye circles
The solution: Peach, orange, lilac correctors.
The idea of correcting with anything bright orange or red seems counterintuitive, I know. But if your circles have a bluer tint to them (most common), then you need a peach corrector. If they’re more greenish, go for an orangey-red corrector to balance the shade. If they have a yellowish tinge, you may wish to layer the peach with a little lilac concealer.
Best buys: Bobbi Brown Corrector (£19), which comes in varying shades of peach for blue-toned circles. Target green-toned circles with Becca Backlight Targeted Colour Corrector in Papaya (£21 ) and yellowish circles with NYX Concealer Wand in Lavender (£5.50).
The issue: dullness or yellowing
The solution: Lavender.
This is the one that needs the most clarification. Lavender – the opposite of yellow in colour theory – can brighten areas that have a yellowish tint. The bottom line is, if your skin is warm or yellow-toned, you can use lavender to brighten or neutralise any area. You don’t need to, but you can if you want.
Best buys: A lilac primer works for all-over brightening, such as Barry M Flawless Brightening Primer (£5.99). For smaller areas, YSL Touch Éclat Neutralizer (£25) is ideal because the formula isn’t too thick or opaque, so it works well for under the eyes.
