The other day I was swatching in Sephora, and by pure good fortune, Smashbox was there having an event. As a result I met the utterly charming Calvin Brockington, makeup artist extraordinaire.
I have a feeling I have quite a lot to learn from Calvin, but there was one trick in particular which was so remarkable, I’ve been using it every day since. I can’t believe I’d never seen it before.
When I apply undereye concealer, I used to apply it in a semi-circle under my eye (logical, since that’s where the darkness is). Calvin applied concealer in what he called an “S” (and what I call an “upside-down checkmark”) shape.
He first touched his fluffy blending brush at approximately the center of the undereye (since he wanted to deposit the most product there, in the area that needed the most covering up). Then he moved his brush to the inside corner of the undereye and down the side of the nose. (He said many people have capillaries and redness to cover there anyway.) Then he swung the brush back up, sweeping under the eye and extending all the way from the outer corner of the eye to the outer corner of the brow. I’ll demonstrate on an older photo of me. (Of course you’ll blend-blend-blend until the concealer is invisible.)
This technique had the really remarkable effect covering AND highlighting, seeming to “flatten out” that area (it optically smoothed the hollows under my eyes). It was just one of those makeup tricks that seemed like magic. Try it — I think you’ll be hooked.
This works! I go even further, down the sides of my mouth.
Love this tip & can’t wait to try it tomorrow morning. What concealer did he recommend? I’m falling out of love with my Lancome Effernaces and am looking for something new.
Did he actually apply concealer to the “side” of your nose, or just next to your nose? The reason I ask is that my nose area is so sensitive and acne-prone that I have to use different products to conceal on my nose than under my eye.
However, if I were just concealing near my nose (but really on the cheek area next to the nose), it would probably be okay.
Hope I’m making sense and not just babbling! Thank you.
Thanks!! I’ll be trying this later…the thought of it blows my mind!
Estelle, it was a Smashbox makeover, so he used Smashbox concealer… I think it was the High Definition, but he might have used the Photo Finish Lid Primer as concealer. Either way, a cream consistency. Have you tried Armani’s High Precision Retouch Concealer?
Beth, I *think* Calvin applied on the side of the nose, but I’m sure you could do next to the nose for the same effect. I’ll watch more carefully next time I see him!