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10 Essential Concealer Hacks for Dark and Olive Skin

Hyperpigmentation, meet your doom. These genius concealer tricks guarantee an airbrushed, even complexion
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More than full lips or rosy cheeks, smooth skin tone is the key to a youthful beauty look. "Even skin color makes someone look years younger," says New York City dermatologist and author of "Skin Rules" Dr. Debra Jaliman, MD.

Women with dark and olive complexions may not struggle so much with fine lines and wrinkles -- but the struggle to combat discoloration and acne is real. Jaliman says hyperpigmentation is one of the biggest problems for women with darker complexions.

Hyperpigmentation refers to those pesky dark spots that tend to crop up on the cheekbones or forehead. It's often caused by hormones -- from birth control or pregnancy. But sun damage can also cause (and worsen) hyperpigmentation.

So what can we do about it? New York City dermatologist and creator of BeautyRx Dr. Neal Schultz, MD, says skin care treatments can help. These include daily sun protection and exfoliation (try SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50, $34, and Mario Badescu Glycolic Grapefruit Cleansing Lotion, $18).

But we're fans of instant results, and nothing gives you airbrushed skin like the right concealer. We solicited pro makeup artists to dish the inside secrets. Here, their top concealer tricks for how to get rid of hyperpigmentation, redness, under-eye circles and more.

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Use Orange to Disguise Dark Circles
The key to concealing uneven skin tone is to fight dark spots with vibrant color. "I always use an orange cream to brighten the under-eye area on women with darker skin tones," says celebrity makeup artist Fiona Stiles. "The orange counteracts any ashiness and lightens the area without looking fake."

Before foundation, apply M.A.C. Studio Finish Skin Corrector in Pure Orange, $14, to the under-eye area with a dampened BeautyBlender sponge, $20. Use light stippling motions to blend.

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The Old Red Lipstick Trick Works in a Pinch
Using red lipstick in place of concealer is an age-old under-eye concealer hack. But does it really work? According to celebrity makeup artist Stephanie Flor, the logic behind it is sound.

"Using red lipstick under the eyes is one of the oldest tricks in the book -- I learned it when I was in my teens," she says. "The whole idea is that a tiny bit of red placed on a certain area will cancel out the blue." Neutralizing the blue or purple color allows you to apply your concealer on top without the dark circle coming through.

"Does it work? Yes," says Flor. "But with so many great products out there, why take a chance trying to find the right red lipstick to correct your under-eye circles?"

If all you've got with you is some red lipstick, go for it. But for best results, try Make Up For Ever 5 Camouflage Cream Palette for Dark Complexions, $40.

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Use Green to Reduce Redness
In the same way orange counteracts blues and purples, green balances out redness.

To minimize acne spots and red tones, Flor recommends using a green skin corrector, such as NYX Cosmetics Concealer Jar in Green, $4.99, applied with a sponge or angled foundation brush.

Follow up with foundation and a heavier coverage concealer (try Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Concealer, $25) to finish camouflaging any blemishes.

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Use Brown Eyeliner on White Spots
Hypopigmentation got you down? We're talking about those little white spots that appear on the skin due to loss of pigment from too much sun.

Though there's no cure for hypopigmentation, the pros say you can conceal them by repurposing products you already have.

"Using a taupe or brown eyeliner, or a brown brow pencil, is a good trick for hiding white spots," says Stiles. "The pencil will stick to the skin more precisely than using a concealer and will allow you to really paint within the lines."

Try using Mineral Fusion Eye Pencil in Rough, $15, or Anastasia Brow Wiz, $21, before blending with concealer and setting with powder.

BY AMANDA MONTELL | SEP 3, 2015 | SHARES
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