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If you are new to makeup and want to start applying makeup but don't quite know where to start, this article is for you. The world of makeup can seem overwhelming, especially when you're starting out. There is always something new in cosmetics. In addition, there are many products that serve different purposes. Here we start right from the base. What is the real difference between primer, foundation and concealer?
- What is a primer
- What is foundation
- Why do you need concealer?
- Concealer vs foundation and primer
What is a primer
When applying makeup, what happens first? Want your makeup to last longer and look 3 times better? Use a primer. It creates a smooth base for your foundation and other facial makeup. This often-neglected product can blur pores, smooth out fine lines, correct discoloration, and magically set your makeup in place within hours. You should always apply primer after moisturizer or your last skin care step and before your makeup.
We recommend Maybelline New York Master Prime. It's a silky, lightweight, oil-free formula that's translucent and complements all skin tones.
What is foundation
You might be wondering if you should apply concealer or foundation first? Applying foundation is the second step in your regular makeup routine. The right foundation formula can help cover imperfections, even those of skin tone, and give your skin the desired result, like dewy, matte, satin or natural. It can also help other makeup products like blush and concealer look much smoother.
To avoid the dreaded “sticky” look, apply your foundation using a damp sponge. It absorbs products, allowing you to gradually add the perfect amount of foundation into your skin.
There is a wide variety of foundations available in different shades, finishes and formulations. The three main categories include liquid, cream and powder foundations. If you're a beginner, we recommend trying Maybelline's Fit Me Foundation. It comes in both matte and dewy finishes in 45 tones for a diverse range of skin tones.
Why do you need concealer?
Once you have your primer and foundation, your skin can look pretty amazing. However, no one is perfect, and we all have days when our skin refuses to cooperate with us. From angry pimples to redness and dark circles to blemishes, the concealer is very handy to instantly solve all your skin problems.
Use brushes or fingertips to apply concealer. If you want it to look natural and undetectable, make sure you blend it thoroughly.
No matter what your skin type is, it's a good idea to have two concealers on hand—one to cover blemishes and the other to cover dark circles.
What are shimmer and highlighter, concealer and primer, bronzer and luminizer?
The inscriptions on the jars, as well as the announcement of beauty products in magazines, sometimes make us perplexed. New and completely incomprehensible terms increase the risk of buying something that is absolutely unnecessary. Our cheat sheet will help you make the right choice and figure out what is what in the world of cosmetics.
WHAT ARE SHIMMER AND HIGHLIGHTER?
Shimmer is a product for giving the skin a mysterious shimmering effect. The composition contains fairly large glitter, which provides a bright and noticeable shine. For daytime makeup, the shimmer should be used only on one area of the face, in the evening - on two. It is usually applied to the cheekbones, center of the forehead, chin, under the eyebrows, above and below the lip - to visually enlarge the lips. Most often produced in the form of powder, used on top of foundation or instead of it.
Highlighter is a means for highlighting and highlighting individual parts of the face. Helps correct the relief, hide wrinkles, give the skin a fresher and more well-groomed look, and add sophistication to the appearance as a whole. For example, a highlighter applied under the eyebrow optically enlarges the eyes and makes the look more open. The product can be of different colors and shades, in the form of a stick, dry or liquid powder, or creamy gloss.
WHAT ARE BRONZER AND LUMINISER?
Bronzer is a cosmetic for giving the skin a tanned look and creating the effect of an internal glow. Matte bronzers can be used all over the face. Shiny ones should be applied to certain areas - cheeks, nose, center of the chin, as well as on the shoulders and décolleté. It is produced in the form of powder, liquid, creamy and in sticks.
Luminizer is a product with a brightening effect to give radiance to the skin. Delicate shine is achieved due to the smallest reflective particles, so the luminizer is quite suitable for placing light accents in daytime makeup - cheekbones, the center of the forehead and chin, under the eyebrow. It is produced in different forms: fluids, loose and compact powders, sticks.
WHAT IS LIP PLUMPER AND PIGMENTS IN COSMETICS?
Plumper is a product that creates a short-term (up to three hours) effect of visually increasing lip volume. Plumpers contain special substances - extracts of cinnamon, ginger, red pepper, etc., which cause a burning sensation and blood flow to the lips. After application, lips become plumper and more appetizing. They are produced in the form of colored lipsticks, glosses, balms and colorless lip creams.
Pigments are products that are maximally saturated with color particles to create unusual effects in makeup. They resemble loose powder in very bright shades. Can be used independently, for example as eye shadow. Or mix with any other dry products - regular powder or blush.
WHAT ARE CONCEALER AND PRIMER IN MAKEUP?
Concealer or corrector is a product for masking problem areas of the face: dilated blood vessels, age spots, acne, bruises and burns. A good camouflage effect is ensured by a high content of special pigments. Because of this, concealers are used only locally and not on the entire face. Most often they have the form of sticks.
Primer is a base for giving an even matte tone, masking minor imperfections and increasing the durability of makeup. Thanks to it, foundation, powder and blush stick better, eye shadow and lipstick do not crease. Primers are applied to day cream or simply to cleansed skin. Available separately for face, eyelids, lips. They have the form of a fluid or stick. There are also mascara bases that nourish eyelashes and give them additional volume.
WHAT IS ANTISERN AND COLOR BASE FOR MAKEUP?
Anticerne is a corrector for the area around the eyes. It has a delicate, translucent texture and contains few pigments. Ideal for concealing fine lines and dark circles. It can take the form of a pencil with a brush or a fluid with a sponge. Tinted/color make up base is a means to even out skin tone, especially problem skin. Bases act as neutralizers: green masks redness and dilated blood vessels, yellow and orange - blue and earthy complexions, lilac eliminates yellowness, blue - unnaturally orange tan, white lightens the tone. Most often used for special occasions, podium makeup. Usually available in the form of fluids.
WHAT IS A FIXATIVE AND TINTING GEL FOR LIPS AND CHEEKS?
Toning gel for lips and cheeks (lip & cheek stain) is a water or gel based product. Gives a completely natural yet vibrant color - like you just bit your lips or pinched your cheeks. Such cosmetics are ideal for creating natural makeup and the effect of an unpainted face. The peculiarity of such gels is that they dry instantly, so they should be applied and distributed very quickly. Available in the form of glosses or balms. In shape it can be either a felt-tip pen or a bottle with a ball. Fixer - a fixative for make-up, which is applied as a finishing touch. Its task is to provide special durability to makeup and give a feeling of freshness to the skin. Available in spray form.
SCULPTURE MAKEUP: HOW TO APPLY HIGHLIGHTER?
Sculptural makeup is the main trend of recent seasons, as it allows you to hide imperfections and highlight advantages. And at the same time look absolutely natural! The main assistant in sculpting is highlighter. With its help, it is easy to highlight the necessary areas of the face and thus solve the main problems of makeup.
- Highlighter in the cheekbone area gives the face a fresh look and “opens” the eyes.
- The product applied to the inner corners of the eyes visually enlarges them.
- A thin strip of highlighter under the eyebrows emphasizes their line.
- A thin line drawn along the back of the nose visually reduces its size.
- A light highlight of the highlighter in the dimple above the upper lip gives volume and expressiveness to the lips.
Concealer vs foundation and primer
| PRIMER | THE BASIS | CONCEALER | |
| WHAT IS THIS? | A foundation that allows other products to glide on smoothly, creating an extra layer between your skin and your makeup. | Closely resembles your skin color and applies over primer | A kind of color corrector that helps brighten your skin and hide imperfections. |
| USAGE | This helps makeup last longer, keeping oil and shine at bay. | It evens out your complexion while hiding blemishes and redness. | Conceals dark circles, large pores, age spots and blemishes on the skin |
| AVAILABLE TYPES | Cream, gel and powder | Liquid, stick, cream and mousse | Liquid, balm, cream and pen |
| MAKEUP STEP | Step 1 | Step #2 | Step #3 |
We hope we've helped you understand the fundamental differences between primer, foundation, and concealer. What is your makeup routine? Let us know in the comments section below.
How do foundations, concealers, correctors, primers, veils, and illuminizers differ from each other?
So far I’ve settled on all this, the foundation clogged my pores and it was worse, mineral water certainly doesn’t improve my skin (as manufacturers sometimes write), but it doesn’t make it any worse for me. Although I noticed that under the foundation the inflammation grew, and under the powder it dries out a little or something.
The application scheme is as follows
— Primer (different functions: oil-control, for dry skin...)
— corrector , if necessary (colored powders: green hides inflammation, pinkish or yellowish under the eyes, purple neutralizes soreness and sallow complexion..)
- base (also different in function, more/less dense)
— concealer (flesh-colored, slightly lighter than the base, usually more pigmented than the base, applied precisely to pimples and other imperfections)
- veil ( completes makeup, softens lines, there are oil-control veils, etc.
-illuminizer/glow/all over face (help to model the face, highlight the upper part of the cheekbone, under the eyebrow, on the bridge of the nose; in the evening version, you can lightly shade it over the entire face, then there will be a soft glow)
—blush/bronzer
But I must say that everything here is conditional, since for example I can cover a pimple equally well with foundation and concealer (for this it is enough to have a flat brush, synthetic, like for foundations, only smaller)
Secondly, some primers and veils have similar compositions, i.e. I use one product both as a primer and as a veil. Even on many sites it is written that you need to make a sandwich: veil-base-veil, by the way, the layer obtained is less than from one foundation.
Glow and illuminator can be safely used as light shadows, for example, I am a fan of nude makeup, and for me this is a godsend.
I have problem skin, especially at times and prone to oily skin, but I don’t recommend buying mattifying powders, they are the most noticeable on the face IMHO. I took a veil, also not oil-control, but one that refreshes the face well, there are particles of cat in there. They break the light and visually even out the relief; by the way, it’s white, but it doesn’t whiten the face. It’s more difficult with blush; you can’t guess the shade, although they all look quite natural. I took a beige-pink porthole, it gives almost no color, only a shimmer. There are no obvious glitters in it (very small ones), I even applied it just a little bit to the whole face in the evening, it doesn’t add any oiliness. I also want to buy a pinkish one, it’s very refreshing, they say.
The most important thing is good brushes, and a little skill, it may not work right away. And thermal water also helps me, with it the minerals sit on the skin faster.
