How to: Color Correct featuring Products from the Drugstore!

As a Makeup Artist, one thing that you get taught when taking any class or course is the importance of color correction. This used to be solely a Makeup Artist technique but over recent years the popularity within color correction for all makeup applications has exploded. Now when you search on websites like Sephora you can specific go to the 'Color Correct' section and learn all about the products used to help achieve your desired look.

But with any technique, there are always many questions, many concerns, and many fears when going into a store to purchase a product to use for this intention. Today I thought I would share a more formal post from my Makeup Artist training to expand your knowledge on color correcting and how you can use this technique effectively and what products you can use to achieve your desired look.

I specifically decided to share this post for those who want to start out with trying the technique but aren't ready to drop hundreds of dollars on products. So all the product recommendations you will find in this post are budget approved and can be found in your local drugstore. If you would like to hear about some high-end products that you can use for this technique, just drop me a comment and I would be happy to share a second post with even more recommendations.

Let's get into it!

Color correction is the technique of using colored correctors - such as concealer or corrector products - to help minimize the appearance of skin imperfections. Color correction was first used by many Makeup Artists when doing film or photography projects but as the makeup industry has expanded others have taken to the stores in search of products to use this technique in a more mainstream manner.

As the popularity of color correcting grows new colors emerge with various different uses for the skin. As a Makeup Artist, I don't use every single color out there for color correcting but I do stick to the main few including; green, purple, yellow and salmon. Each of these colors has a particular use but many can be combined to create your own unique color and then be used on your client to suit his or her needs the best. In cases where you are doing applications on yourself, you can also use the same principles and mix colors based on your skin tone and the imperfections you are trying to correct.

Let's dig a little bit deeper into what colors are used for what:

When dealing with stubborn acne scarring or visible redness on the skin because of allergic reactions or sunburns the best shade to use is GREEN. A green shade (or even a green toned shade) will help to cancel out this redness allowing your skin to have a more even tone.

We've all woken up in the morning and been shocked to find dark undereye bags and purple veining there because of the lack of sleep we've been getting. In this situation, you can actually reach for many of the shades to neutral these colors including yellow, peach, orange and purple. For me, I like to use a PURPLE corrector in this area because not only does it help to neutralize the darkness under the eye but it also helps to brighten and highlight the extra for that extra fresh and awake look.

As we age we also might start to develop sun spots or brown marks on our skin from our over exposure to the sun over the years. The best colors to help neutral these types of pigmentation spots are purple and pink. PURPLE is going to help to neutral more yellow toned areas whereas PINK is going to help neutralize more brown toned areas.

METHODS TO BEST APPLY COLOR CORRECTION:

When you are looking to use the color correction technique you really want to make sure that you are getting the best and most blended application while still leaving enough pigment on the skin imperfection to suit your purpose. When applying color correction products I recommend a small or large (depending on the area) synthetic brush. Synthetic brushes aren't going to soak up the cream product but they are also going to allow you to target the area much better.

Once the product is applied you want to focus on blending the product out. Based on the spot or area you are looking to color correct you may want to blend the entire product into the skin but in other cases - like an acne scar - you are only going to want to blend out the edges. This is where your fingers are going to be your best friend. Your fingers are going to help heat up a thicker cream product and spread it out and blend it into the skin to give you your desired effect. If you aren't comfortable using your fingers you can also use products like a damp makeup sponge or beauty blender dupe type of applicator.

Each application is going to be different, so no matter if you are a Makeup Artist or everyday consumer you are going to want to try several methods until you get your desired effect the application method that suits your needs best.

WHAT PRODUCTS ARE THE BEST FOR COLOR CORRECTING?

As I've dug deeper into color correction both in my Freelance Artistry career and within my own personal applications, I've come across quite a few products specifically from the drugstore that I have falling in love with. One of the biggest fears for starting out with this technique was the price point of the products and the fear of not knowing how to use them properly. So I'm here to save you as much as I can and share with you my favorite drugstore products for color correction.

Here are the products you should try first:

• Maybelline Master Primer in Blur + Redness Control
• Hard Candy Color Correcting Sheer Envy Primer
• Wet N Wild Cover All Color Correcting Palette
• LA Girl PRO Concealers
• ELF Studio Tone Correcting Powder
• ELF Studio Color Correcting Palette

So now that you know all about color correcting it's time to head down to the drugstore and grab a product or two and start trying out this technique. Remember, that color correcting is a personal thing and it's going to be different for every individual person. Pay attention to your skin concerns and your skin needs and purchase products based on those needs. Don't go out and buy every color corrector on the market if you know you don't offer from the concerns they are there to correct!

I'm so thankful that color correcting came into my life because it has certainly changed the way I apply my makeup and how I correct my own skin imperfections. If you would like to see a more detailed demonstration of how I color correcting on my clients or on myself, leave me a comment below!

Have you ever tried color correcting?
What skin concerns do you use color correcting for?