Bobbi Brown’s Tips: How to Conceal Pimples and Blemishes

Professional makeup artist Bobbi Brown made her mark with a makeup style that embraces women’s natural look: “Makeup should not be a mask. Makeup should not change the way you look. Makeup should enhance who you are.” Authenticity was the foundation of Bobbi Brown Essentials—the makeup line that Bobbi launched with ten lipsticks at Bergdorf Goodman in 1991—and remains the touchstone of Bobbi’s career. At a time when bold, colorful, and over-the-top beauty trends commanded the industry, Bobbi followed her instincts and worked to enhance people’s features.

“I think makeup is an individual way of making yourself feel better about how you look. I don’t believe in following the exact same rules for everyone. Everyone’s different. . . I really do love helping people, and makeup is a really powerful tool.” — Bobbi Brown

If you’re ready to cover acne on your own, follow these makeup tips from Bobbi Brown to create a flawless look:

1. 1. Cleanse and moisturize your skin. Before applying makeup, wash your face with a mild cleanser to remove dirt and dead skin, then prepare for makeup application with a moisturizer. “You have to make sure that the skin is smooth—not dry, not oily,” Bobbi says. “If you have oily skin, make sure it’s an oil-free formula. You want one that just hydrates the skin, makes it smooth, but it doesn’t stay on the skin like an oily moisturizer would.”
2. 2. Choose the right foundation shade. Whether you choose a full-coverage foundation or a sheer tinted moisturizer, ensure the shade matches your skin tone. Anything lighter will draw attention to what you’re trying to conceal. Bobbi believes in aiming for a natural look with makeup application. “Skin should look like skin. Whatever our skin color is, is the foundation color that you should use.”
3. 3. Choose the right foundation texture. Consider your skin type before choosing between a liquid, cream, or powder foundation. “You have to make sure the foundation is the right texture for your skin,” Bobbi says. “There’s nothing worse than someone who’s got very dry skin that uses a foundation that’s powder and just sits on the skin.”
4. 4. Always test the color before applying the foundation. Bobbi recommends testing your foundation on your skin before committing. “The only way to know if the foundation is the right color is to apply it on the side of your face,” she says. “If it disappears, it’s the right color.”
5. 5. Choose the right application tool. Bobbi recommends using whichever foundation tool achieves the best look for you: fingers, a makeup sponge, or a foundation brush. “You could use your fingers, which I do a lot,” she says. “You could use a sponge. I prefer disposable sponges. You use them once, and then they go. And then also, a foundation brush is such a great way to put it on and even it out.”
6. 6. Use different concealers for blemishes and under-eye circles. “Concealer really does what it says, it conceals,” Bobbi says. For under-eye circles, concealer should be one shade lighter than your foundation, but avoid using under-eye concealer on blemishes. “If you. . . put a lighter color on a blemish,” she says, “it’s going to make the blemish stand out.” A full-coverage concealer matches your foundation, while a green concealer acts as a color corrector, which can help tone down redness from cystic pimple breakouts.
7. 7. Use a concealer pencil or complexion stick on pimples and dark spots. Though you may also use wand concealers or even a little foundation to cover pimples, Bobbi recommends using a concealer pencil or complexion stick and ensuring it matches your skin. “The pencil that I use a lot is great for spots,” Bobbi says. Make sure the concealer you use blends well with your skin. “The right concealer will correct,” she says.
8. 8. Pat or dab on concealer. When you cover up a blemish with concealer, use a gentle touch. “I’m not tugging; I’m patting,” Bobbi says. “I’m making sure that the concealer doesn’t go on your fingers; it really goes into the skin. You just apply it to the spot and gently blend it in.”
9. 9. Give your foundation and concealer time to settle. Before applying the rest of your makeup, allow the foundation and concealer to absorb into your skin. “When you put foundation on, you give it a minute,” Bobbi says. “It absorbs into your skin. And if, for some reason, it’s not absorbed into your skin, it’s either the wrong color, or often, your skin is probably drier from the inside, out.”
10. 10. Use the right shade of setting powder. “Powder on top of the concealer and the foundation will pretty much lock it in place,” Bobbi says. “But the important thing is to choose a powder that is not translucent. Translucent is not invisible. It makes your skin ashy.” Be sure to choose a powder that matches your skin tone.
11. 11. If you don’t like your look, start over. “You can take off foundation or any mistakes you make, with the moisturizer,” Bobbi says. “The right moisturizer for your skin actually is a great makeup remover in a pinch.”
12. 12. Use a sunscreen (unless you’re doing studio photography). “I’m someone that believes you should wear sunscreen every day of your life,” Bobbi says, but she recommends not using sunscreen if you’re taking studio photographs. “Make sure the sunscreen, in a moisturizer, if you are using it, is transparent, or just for studio work, don’t use a foundation or a sunscreen. Because it’s just gonna create, like, an ashy [look] on anyone’s skin and make it look a little bit white.”

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