Between pink, golden or neutral undertones and liquid or powder formulations, it can be challenging to identify the concealer that best suits our needs. Nevertheless, concealer is an indispensable product that corrects, illuminates and smooths the under-eye area. What are the different criteria to consider when selecting your concealer? Continue reading to find out.
How to select a concealer and determine the appropriate shade?
Summary
Published on June 23, 2022, updated on October 15, 2025, by Sandrine, Scientific Editor — 7 min of reading
Themes:
Which concealer texture should be chosen according to one’s age and needs?
The choice of concealer texture primarily depends on skin type, the severity of dark circles and the desired finish.
Each format has its advantages and disadvantages, particularly in terms of coverage and wear. Liquid concealers are the most popular and also the most versatile. Their fluid texture spreads easily and allows for a natural correction, provided of course that you them apply sparingly. They are suitable for all skin types, including the eye contours marked by fine lines, as they do not crease the skin. However, some liquid concealers have limited wear on oily skin. For greater coverage and long-lasting wear, you may opt for a stick concealer, which is more compact. This type of product, however, tends to accentuate skin dryness and is therefore not necessarily relevant for mature skin, drier.
Powder-based formulas, which are less common, are chiefly intended for oily skin or for make-up requiring extended wear. Their matte finish helps to absorb excess sebum, but they can emphasise dry or dehydrated areas around the eye contour. This is why powder concealers are more frequently used to mask facial imperfections rather than dark circles under the eyes. They also have the drawback of offering less coverage, and are therefore most often applied after a liquid or stick concealer.
Recommendation : For mature skin, it is preferable to opt for a lightweight concealer to prevent product migration into wrinkles.
| Form | Coverage | Finished skin | Typology | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liquid | Adjustable average | Natural, luminous | All skin types, particularly normal-to-dry and mature skin | Easy application, subtle effect | May lack adequate staying power on oily skin |
| Stick | Strong | Matt to satin finish | Normal to oily, youthful skin | Targeted correction, long-lasting wear | May accentuate fine lines and areas of dryness |
| Powder | Light to moderate | Matt | Combination to oily skin | Absorbs sebum, leaving a velvety finish | May indicate drought zones |
Comparison of different concealer textures.
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How to choose the right concealer shade to correct dark circles?
Choosing the correct concealer shade requires taking into account both your skin’s overall tone and its undertone. Contrary to popular belief, you should not test the shade on your wrist or the back of your hand: the skin in those areas is thicker, often more tanned and does not precisely reflect the colour of the face. For a reliable match, it is preferable to test the product along the jawline, a region that provides a natural transition between the face and the neck and more faithfully represents the complexion.
When it comes to colour, there are several nuances depending on how concealer is applied. If you wish to position it solely around your eye contour, it is recommended to choose a shade slightly lighter than your skin tone – roughly half a shade – to brighten the eye area and produce a light-catching effect beneath the eye. Conversely, when using it as a corrector on the face in order to conceal imperfections or redness, it is preferable to choose a shade matching your complexion exactly, as the goal here is to conceal without creating contrast. Another point to consider when trying out a concealer is to allow the product to dry for a few minutes before judging its colour: certain pigments stabilise or oxidise slightly on exposure to air, altering the shade perceived immediately after application.
Finally, the choice of concealer shade depends on the skin undertone, that is to say the base hue which influences how colours blend with the complexion. There are three main types of undertones:
Warm undertone : if the veins appear greenish, the skin tends towards golden or yellow hues.
Cool undertone : if the veins appear blue, the skin has pinkish hues.
Neutral undertone : if the veins appear both blue and green, the undertone is balanced, neither warm nor cool.
Identifying your undertone enables you to choose a concealer shade that naturally blends with your complexion: a golden beige for warm skin, a rosy beige for cool skin and a neutral beige for balanced skin.
At Typology, to help you choose the shade of tinted serum and concealer that matches your skin, we have developed a colour chart.
Discover the various formulations of Typology’s tinted concealer.
At Typology, we offer a tinted concealer hybrid, straddling the line between skincare and makeup. It instantly evens out the under-eye area thanks to its high coverage, while also nurturing it over time and gradually reducing dark circles. Indeed, as well as delivering a healthy-looking glow, it is formulated with three key active ingredients: caffeine, a molecule known for its ability to stimulate microcirculation and thus diminish vascular dark circles, the niacinamide, which helps to restore the skin’s barrier function, and the cornflower hydrosol, providing a decongesting action to the eye contour.
Discover here the complete Typology range of tinted skincare, comprising complexion, lip, lash and eyebrow products.
