Make up tips to hide scars.
I personally have a few scars, each with their own unique story to tell. I don’t always feel the need to cover them up, however if you feel insecure about scarring and would like to reduce their appearance, here are my top tips on how to do that.
As you know foundation and concealers can even out skin tone and cover up blemishes but using these products to cover a scar can be a challenge. Sometimes our attempts at covering them can make them seem more visible. The last thing you want to do is draw more attention to a scar by not covering it correctly. You don’t need to be a makeup artist to be able to hide a scar well. However, there are some techniques and products you should know about before getting started.
Before going any further, let’s go over the different types of scars and how they form so you know what you are dealing with. Scarring occurs after you have been injured and is a natural part of your body’s healing process. Your age, genetics, and gender can also affect the scar.
The most common types of scars are as follows:
Acne scars: These are some of the most typical scars we see on someone’s face. These scars can be deep-looking pits or small divots, depending on how bad the acne was. They are also associated with pigmentation issues.
Keloid scars: These scars happen when your body responds aggressively to the healing process. A keloid is often a raised scar with a flat surface, and the colour usually darkens over time.
Hypertrophic scars: These are also raised scars but are usually red. Like keloid scars, they occur when your body goes into overdrive during the healing process.
There are several treatment options to cover and conceal scars depending on which type you have.
Foundation can be great for covering more minor scars that don’t need as much coverage. Similar to concealer, the key is making sure your foundation is the perfect match for your skin tone. When choosing a foundation, it’s essential to get a formula that will provide all-day coverage. You’ll be reassured knowing that your scar will remain covered throughout the day.
To conceal acne scars, you will need a foundation that is medium to full coverage. A liquid foundation is ideal because it can fill in the texture and help smooth the scars’ appearance. A high coverage foundation can do a lot for your complexion. It hides redness and an uneven surface. However, before you apply your foundation, you should prime your skin. A primer will also help flatten out any uneven skin.
When covering scars, you should avoid foundations that are dewy, glowy, or radiant. A foundation with a high level of luminosity will emphasise your scars instead of concealing them. Go for a matte foundation because it will absorb the light and soften the appearance of your scar. They won’t attract any attention to the area.
Concealer is a great product to use to cover any scar. Its high pigmentation covers any discoloration and matches it to your natural skin tone. Finding the concealer that matches your skin tone is even more critical when covering scars. With all that extra pigment in the scar, you need to choose correctly. If you can’t find your exact shade, you may want to buy more than one and mix them to get the perfect match. Before applying concealer, make sure the area is clean. You can use a thin layer of powder over the scar to make sure there’s no excess oil.
Depending on what kind of scar you have, you may have to go over it with several layers. You want to make sure the layers are thin, so the area doesn’t look cakey. Use a small concealer brush for precise application. You can lightly dab the layers on, waiting in between for them to set. You can use this layering method any type of scar you have, it also works if you want to cover tattoos as well.
Colour correcting concealers are popular to offset the discoloration of your scars. You should pick a colour on the opposite side of the colour wheel to cancel it out. For example, a green concealer will cancel out redness, and an orange concealer will neutralise blue. If you have a concealer that isn’t high coverage and you put it over redness, it may end up looking pink. If you use a colour correcting concealer, you will still need to go over the area with a product with a natural skin-toned product. Otherwise, you will just have coloured spots on your skin.
When covering a raised scar, you should stay away from using light-coloured concealers. The concealer you use under your eyes, for example, is probably too light. You will end up drawing attention to the scar instead of concealing it. Try using a concealer that is the same colour as your skin.
Create a diversion.
If you can still see a scar and it really bothers you then create a diversion. If for example you have a scar on your forehead, apply a bold lip colour or if you have a scar on you chin then highlight the eyes. Accentuate the positives.