Color correction: the lowdown on one of the hottest trends on social media that artists have been doing for years!
I know you are hearing all about this hot new trend that people are using color correctors, but it seems to be a common question that I get that people don’t generally know which ones to use for their problem areas and complexion.
Let’s start by breaking it down. A lot of what you need to know about color correctors comes from that lesson we learned in primary school about the color wheel. Just a simple example: if you look at the color wheel for red, you will see that green is its opposite and complementary color. Isn’t it reasonable to suppose that green would balance out red? The answer is yes, so if you want to cover a pimple, rash, or just general redness, green is the color you need to correct this.
Despite the crazy clown-like appearance, you really can blend these colors very “flawlessly” into the skin. Also, we will be putting our foundation and concealers on top, so don’t stress; I’m not going to have you walking around looking like an alien or anything. Now, even once you have understood the concept of the colors, you still have creams, liquids, et cetera. Personally, I use creams for small target areas, such as pimples or the undereye area, and liquids for larger areas, such as covering rosacea.
Below is a list of some common color correctors and their uses:
1 Green:
Redness from rosacea, acne, and skin irritations This shade really works well for those darker red tones that seem to show up in just about everything else. This shade also works best with fair to medium skin tones; warmer skin tones will have the maximum benefit here. Make sure the green you buy is sheer to make this color subtle and not cakey.
2: Orange or red:
This is best for really dark circles, and the best skin tones for this one are medium to dark skin tones. The darker your skin color and dark circles, the more into the red you should go. This really helps with bluish and purple tones.
Yellow: This is a favorite color to many because of its versatility, but I find it good for subtle redness and in the nose area. This is best on fair to medium skin tones; it also works great on lighter skin to even out the skin tone and helps cover the purplish dark spots. It also works for dark circles.
4: Purple or lilac:
works similarly to pink but works best on light to tan complexions. Really helps revive sallowness. Purple is more heavy-duty than pink, so try starting with the t-zone.
Pink: This really helps tired skin come back to life! Ideal for fair-to-medium skin tones with yellow undertones I love using pink in the winter to give my skin a healthy-looking glow. Fake it till you make it!
6 Peach:
Another great one for dark circles that are grey or blueish (cool toned), this shade is great for adding glow in my experience as well.
If you are having trouble seeing where the darkest parts of your undereye area are (it’s best to start there and blend upwards), try looking in the mirror, then tilt your chin to your chest and look up at the mirror, keeping your head in that position. This will help you see where your trouble spots are!
I hope this helps you decode the wonder that is color correction. These can be your best friends or worst enemies if you use the wrong one.
I hope you are all enjoying this photo-ready holiday season!