It’s nearly impossible to stroll past Sephora or browse their website without being smacked in the face with the new colour correcting trend. Is it just me or has EVERY brand launched products to support this craze? From drugstore brands to high end lines, it seems like everybody and their mother are putting out green, yellow, lavender, and peach correctors. There is a lot to know before you dive into the colour correcting trend, but since I’ve been doing this tedious task since the awkward acne stage of high school, I’m here to educate you, young grasshopper.
First thing’s first: colour correcting is NOT for everyone. So don’t go out and splurge on products unless you know you 100% need them. The colours are for, you guessed it, correcting! Green is for redness (acne, acne scarring, rosacea, sunburn, or windburn). Yellow is for blue and purple tones (veins, under eye circles). If you have a darker complexion, use an orange for this. Peach is also a great colour depending on your skin tone. Purple is for brighening dull yellow tones. If you ever get confused on which colour goes where, use the handy dandy colour wheel below. Whichever colour of concealer you are using on the wheel, the colour across from it is the colour you are concealing. Example: green covers red.
Now let’s get into the products to accomplish this. It is important to know that colour correcting is a tool that professional makeup artists use, so it takes some practice. No, this is not replacing your neutral concealers; it is actually adding to them. That is why I’m going to suggest that if colour correcting is not a necessity in your life, then just don’t even bother. There are colour-correcting liquids, powders, pots, primers, and palettes, and with that being said they all work quite differently. The best tip I can give you is all colours go underneath your neutral makeup. You have to build upon the colours, so try to think of them as a base rather than a top product like bronzer or blush. When just starting out, NYX cosmetics will give you the best bang for your buck, so I’ll feature a few products below and how to use them (BONUS: NYX cosmetics does not test on animals). Further down you can find some links to YouTube videos so you can see these products in action!
NYX Concealer Jar ($8.00)
Colour correcting pots are a thick paste and should be used for spot treatment under neutrals. It is important to blend these out because their consistency is much thicker than a liquid. I don’t generally recommend these for under eyes because blending out such a thick product on the delicate skin under your eyes can be damaging.
NYX HD Concealer Wand ($8.00)
You can be much more freehanded with a liquid product because the consistency is much more blend-able. Yet again, these colours go under neutrals. Liquids are great for covering larger surfaces like your cheeks, chin, or forehead (not your full face, though). Liquids are also great for under eyes, so go nuts!
NYX Correcting Powder ($12.00)
Colour correcting powders are not a personal favourite of mine, simply because they aren’t as durable as a liquid and don’t seem to last the day. If you are into trying new things, here are some tips. Correcting powders generally only come in neutrals, green, and purple. This is because those other pesky colours are for spot concealing. So green will only be needed if you have severe acne or rosacea, while purple will be used to brighten dull skin. Lightly dust the coloured powder all over your face, but don’t forget the golden rule: colour goes under neutrals.
NYX Cosmetics Colour Correcting Palette ($14.00)
A colour pallet is great when you’re just starting out and learning to colour correct. It’s great for experimentation! The consistency of pallets will be somewhere between a pot and a liquid, so they are very versatile.
NYX Studio Perfect Primer ($15.00)
This particular green primer was my ride or die for years! Not only did it prime my skin for perfect foundation application, it also toned down the redness I experienced with my teenage acne. If you are looking to correct a colour across your entire face, a primer will do the trick.
Check out Carli Bybel putting the NYX colour-correcting palette to use in comparison with high end products here!
What do you think of the colour correcting trend? Let us know at @HCWLUCA or show us your colour correcting by tagging us in your insta photos @hercampuslaurier!