All products featured on Vogue are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.
Concealer is a makeup-bag essential—it’s among the most versatile and practical beauty products around. However, not all concealers are created equally. Some work great for under-eye circles, while others are better for evening out the skin. Others, like green concealer, are ideal for color-correcting. Use it whenever you want to camouflage redness, pimples, discolorations from acne, purplish dark circles, and rosacea.
With the right steps and a few tricks, green concealer will allow you to camouflage imperfections without weighing down your makeup. With a little practice, green concealer might even become your number one beauty ally—even for those who prefer a minimalist makeup look.
What is green concealer used for?
Remember the color theory lessons from your high school art classes? Green concealer is all about color correction—and, since green is the complementary color of red, it helps neutralize reddish skin tones. It makes a great make-up base. Getting it perfect is also easier than you think.
How to use green concealer
Before applying any product, start with well-prepped skin. Good skin care is always the best way to achieve natural, long-lasting makeup results.
- Cleanse: Clean skin serves as the ideal base. Use your regular cleanser to remove excess oil, residual product, or lingering makeup. Finish with a toner if desired.
- Moisturize: Apply your favorite serum and moisturizer to create a smooth base. This will help eliminate visible patchiness or roughness.
- Sunscreen: Even if your foundation contains SPF, it’s important to apply a stand-alone sunscreen before applying makeup. Red blemishes, scars, rosacea, melasma, and inflammation should always be thoroughly protected.
Once your skin is adequately prepped, it’s time to apply green concealer to (visually) counteract redness due to inflammation, acne, rosacea, or other skin issues:
- Choose the right formula: Personally, I find it’s easiest to apply green concealer in liquid form as it blends well and is often enriched with moisturizing or skin-supporting ingredients. I also prefer the versions that come in a tube with their own lipgloss-style sponge applicator. However, green concealer also comes in cream formulas. Choose the version you like best.
- Apply only where needed: Do not put green concealer all over your face. Focus only on the areas where redness is the most noticeable—usually around the nose, on the cheeks, or directly on blemishes. You can dot on with the sponge, a brush, or your fingers. If you have purplish undereye circles, apply there, too. (Note: green concealer will not neutralize greenish or blue under-eye circles.)
- Blending is key: After applying the green concealer, blend well with a makeup sponge or your fingers. The goal is to fuse it with the skin, so you don’t see a green patina.
- Do not overdo it: A small amount of concealer is enough to correct redness. Applying too much green concealer could make your makeup appear unnatural and mask-like. It can also accentuate imperfections instead of camouflaging them.
- Set with powder: If you have oily skin, use a tiny bit of setting powder over top to prevent the concealer from shifting throughout the day. If you want to skip this step, wait a few seconds for the concealer to “set” before applying foundation.
Can you wear foundation over green concealer?
After applying green concealer, go ahead with your regular foundation. This is where the magic happens—the concealer should blend perfectly with your skin tone, helping it to appear smooth and even. If you like a luminous effect, add some highlighter on the highest points of your face such as the top of the cheekbones or under the brow bone. Complete with contouring, bronzer, or blush. The result? Natural, glowing, and even skin.
