Those palettes of pink, green, yellow and orange can look baffling at first. The idea behind them is simpler than it seems. Colour correcting uses basic colour theory to cancel out discolouration, so your skin looks even before you add any foundation. Used well, one or two products can soften redness, dark circles or uneven tone with very little effort. In this article we explore what colour correcting is, which colours target which concerns and how to use them properly.
What’s the Difference Between Concealing and Colour Correcting?
A standard concealer matches your skin tone and covers a flaw by sitting over it. Colour correcting works a step earlier. It uses a colour from the opposite side of the colour wheel to neutralise the discolouration first. Only then does any skin-toned product go on.
This matters because opposite colours cancel each other out. Green sits opposite red, so it neutralises redness. Peach and orange sit opposite blue, so they counter bluish dark circles. By neutralising the colour first, you need far less concealer on top. The result looks fresh rather than caked. It also avoids the grey, heavy finish that a thick layer of mismatched concealer can leave.
What Should You Colour Correct?
Start by looking at your face in natural light and deciding what actually bothers you. The aim is a fresh, even finish rather than full coverage. So it helps to correct only the things that stand out such as:
- Dark circles and discolouration: most common around the eyes, between the brows or at the corners of the mouth.
- Dullness: sallowness and uneven tone across the face that leaves skin looking tired.
- Redness: often on the cheeks, but also the chin, nose or forehead.
- Spots and marks: blemishes, scars, visible veins and patches of hyperpigmentation.
You rarely need to treat all of these at once, so pick the one or two that matter most to get the best and most natural looking outcome.
Which Colour Corrects Which Concern?
There are five workhorse colours, and each neutralises a specific problem. Matching the shade to your skin tone also matters as much as choosing the right colour. So go lighter on paler skin and deeper on medium to dark skin. Below are the main colour correcting colours and how they work:
- Green: cancels out redness. It works on widespread flushing as well as individual blemishes and broken capillaries. Paler, cool-toned skin suits a light mint, while warmer and deeper skin tones suit a richer green.
- Peach: corrects blue-hued dark circles, visible veins and deep discolouration, and adds warmth to dull skin. It suits medium to deep skin tones, where it brightens better than yellow.
- Yellow: brightens dull or tired skin and counters purple-toned shadows, including some under-eye darkness. It works best on pale to medium skin tones.
- Purple: neutralises yellow undertones and sallowness to brighten the complexion. Shades run from mauve to lilac, lighter for pale skin and deeper for medium to dark skin.
- Pink: corrects dark circles and blemishes with a green or grey undertone, mostly on paler skin. It also doubles as a subtle highlighter.
Most people only need one or two of these. If a concern is mixed, such as blue-green veins, you can blend two correctors. A little peach with a touch of green works well, for instance.
How Do You Apply Colour Correctors?
Prep first. Cleanse, apply a light moisturiser and let it settle, so the corrector has a smooth base to sit on. Apply it with a small brush, a damp sponge or a fingertip, using a gentle stippling motion rather than dragging.
Less is more here. A thin layer placed only where you need it does the job, and you can build up if necessary. It often works well to apply corrector after foundation rather than before. The foundation already evens out much of the tone, so there is less left to correct. Set everything with a light dusting of powder or a thin layer of foundation, and stop there. The goal is to blur a flaw, not to mask the whole face.
Can Colour Correcting Fix the Underlying Problem?
This is the same limit as with any makeup. Colour correcting is a clever way to disguise a concern for the day, but it sits on the surface and does nothing to the skin beneath. The redness, dark circles or dark spots are all still there once it comes off. That matters because most of these concerns have a treatable cause. Persistent facial redness is often due to rosacea or visible broken capillaries. Dark spots and patches are usually hyperpigmentation, driven largely by sun exposure and inflammation. Even dark under eye circles have a number of underlying causes including pigmentation, vascular, structural and mixed. Definitive treatment may require things like acne medications and pigment suppressors for hyperpigmentation or rosacea treatments for redness.
Colour correcting is a genuinely useful trick once you strip away the mystery. Pick the colour opposite your concern, match the shade to your skin tone, apply it sparingly and set it lightly. So the best way to think of colour correcting is as the quick fix and skincare as the long game. Makeup gives you an instant improvement by concealing the problem. However, treating the underlying cause will eventually allow you to achieve even glowing skin without or with very minimal makeup.
At City Skin Clinic, we are devotees of personalised skincare. Our doctors create custom treatment protocols using ingredients such as tretinoin, hydroquinone, niacinamide and azelaic acid where appropriate. We treat hyperpigmentation, rosacea, acne and skin ageing. To get started, book a video consultation or complete our online consultation form. Your journey towards great skin starts here.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a qualified medical provider for any medical concerns or questions you might have.
