Spots seem to have a knack for popping up at the most important times in our social calendars – and in the most obvious of places on our faces. There are a number of possible causes for these blemishes but one thing's for sure – we want to cover them as best as possible.
We all have a good concealer in our makeup arsenal, but did you know that different kind of spots require different kinds of concealer and concealer application? We break down the rules with some help from celebrity make-up artist Francesca Neill…
Angry and red
Potentially the worst kind! You need to cancel out the redness by using a green colour corrector. It’s easy to go overboard with colour corrector so apply a small amount directly to the blemish, and build up slowly if you need more coverage. Next, apply yellow-based concealer and blend out the edges into the skin surrounding it.
Dry and flaky
This one requires expert skin prep. You need to hydrate the area in order to make the skin look as fresh as possible, so start with a hydrating mist and follow with a small amount of moisturiser over the affected area. When it comes to concealer, be sparing – adding layers of product is only going to dry out the area further, making it look even more flaky.
Picked
Firstly, please try not to pick spots – it can cause scarring and exposes your skin to bacteria. But if you have picked your spot, clean the area gently and apply an anti-bacterial spot gel. It's best not to apply any makeup products while it's still an open wound as this could cause infection, but once it scabs over, use the same technique as concealing a whitehead (below).
Whitehead
These pesky spots require a concealer with a thicker consistency like COLLECTION's Lasting Perfection Concealer (£4.19, Boots), to help adhere. Be as targeted as possible and use a precision brush. Try to avoid covering any of the good skin around it and keep the full-coverage concealer to the spot itself – this creates the illusion of healthy skin overall as the rest of the face looks minimal, fresh and clean. Use a finishing powder that matches your skin tone to set the area.
Blackhead
Avoid a dewy, radiant foundation and concealer as this will highlight rather than obscure. A matte finish will make skin look smoother and you can add the radiance back in later with liquid highlighter. Layer with a creamy concealer and finish by setting with a dusting of a powder foundation to set the area.
