New
color correcting makeup, in highly pigmented shades like canary yellow
and pistachio green, seems better suited to an afternoon of decorating
Easter eggs than a morning in front of the bathroom mirror.
But
the trend — a favorite of bloggers and Instagrammers, it would seem —
is fast developing a following, with a slew of new products that promise
to mask complexion problems like ruddiness, sallowness and lackluster
skin.
The
principle of color correcting makeup is essentially that of color
theory: That is, opposite hues cancel each other out. So a primer in
pale green can mute redness, lavender minimizes ashy tones and yellow
brightens dull skin. Depending on your skin tone, pink, peach or orange
can help conceal under-eye circles and hyperpigmentation.
The
makeup can be a bit daunting if you’ve never tried it before. “The
trick is use a teeny, tiny amount of color corrector, no matter what
shade you’re using,” said Eliza Davila, one of 15 Sephora makeup artists
who contributed to a color correcting tutorial that was added to the
store’s smartphone app this month. “It should blend into the skin and
conceal properly.”
Brushes
or sponges are effective, but, Ms. Davila said, your fingertip is the
easiest tool with which to apply these correctors, using a delicate
tapping motion.
For
help with color choices and application techniques, there are plenty of
instructional videos online, on YouTube as well as on sites like
Sephora’s.
Algenist REVEAL Concentrated Color Correcting Drops,
introduced this month, are especially easy to apply: The tinted fluid
can be mixed into moisturizer or foundation or used on its own. Each of
the four colors includes a specific type of algae in its formula to help
treat as well as cover the skin.
Urban Decay Naked Skin Color Correcting Fluid,
also newly available, comes in slender tubes that look as if they may
contain lip gloss. The product’s texture is on the thick side, but it
quickly blends into the skin when applied. The five colors include a
pale yellow and a green tint that brings a matcha latte to mind.
Cover(t) Stick Color Corrector,
a recent addition to the Marc Jacobs Beauty line, is a swirl of two
corresponding shades inside a squat standup tube. One option, Bright
Now, mixes sky blue and pinkish beige to brighten; the two others tackle
redness and dark spots.
The compact silver-toned cases of the new Cover FX Correct Clicks
look like truncated tubes of lipstick. They’re available in six shades,
including three that target dark spots on different skin tones. They
appear quite matte but offer sheer coverage.
Lancôme added Miracle CC Cushion Color Correcting Primer
to its collection a few weeks ago. It’s a small compact with a spongy
pad that’s saturated with a thin cream in one of four colors. The
consistency is pleasingly light and blends easily.
To combat multiple issues, there’s the new Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Wipeout Color-Correcting Palette,
a large compact packed with six creamy discs ranging from muted yellow
to milk chocolate. The combination provides soft, understated coverage
that’s easy to customize depending on how your skin looks each day.
While many of these products aim for spot correction, YSL Beauté Forever Light Creator CC Primer delivers
a thin wash of color over your entire face. Introduced this month in
three colors, the liquidy tint includes a broad spectrum sunscreen. YSL
offers more targeted coverage, too: In January, it added three tinted
versions of its popular Touche Éclat highlighter to its line.