When your flawless makeup application reveals a few stubborn spots of discoloration, it’s time to call in the secret weapon: color correctors. They’re the magical touch that blurs away those under-eye shadows or the hyperpigmentation hinting at your skin’s mood swings. Sometimes, concealer and foundation alone can’t tackle these nuances in your complexion. That’s where a stellar color corrector swoops in, becoming the ace up your sleeve for achieving complexion goals.

Unlike your regular concealer that matches your skin tone, color correctors work on the principles of color theory. According to Mali Thomas, Bobbi Brown’s global artist in residence known for her work with celebrities like Kelly Rowland and Tiffany Haddish, color correctors neutralize deep pigmentation, offering an advanced solution when your typical products fall short.

Navigating color correctors might seem daunting initially, but it’s like a crash course in art 101. Need a guiding light? Dive into color theory, master the art of application, and discover expert-endorsed recommendations.

11 Best Color Correctors Makeup for All Kinds Discoloration

Bobbi Brown Skin Corrector Stick

Our Overall Best: 

Why It’s a Must-Have: This portable stick, a favorite of Thomas’s, doubles up as a color corrector and concealer in a single swipe. With an inclusive range of 12 shades, it caters to various undertones, effortlessly camouflaging those pesky dark spots. Packed with coffee seed extract, it revives tired eyes while the infusion of Salicornia ensures hydration.

Who Should Grab It: Busy bees needing a quick fix, pronto! | Finish: Natural | Shades Available: Twelve

Stila Correct and Perfect All-In-One Color Correcting Palette

Best Color Corrector Palette:

Why It’s a Game-Changer: Stila’s palette is a beauty gem encompassing every hue you’d need, regardless of skin tone. Featuring seven demi-matte shades, including a blendable green corrector for redness and a translucent purple powder for sallowness, it’s your go-to for tonal and textural balance.

Who’s It For: Everyone, irrespective of skin tone | Finish: Demi-matte | Shades Available: Seven (five creams, two powders)

Chanel Le Correcteur de Chanel Colour Concealer

Best Luxury:

Why It’s Worth the Splurge: Chanel’s Le Correcteur de Chanel is the epitome of luxury in a tiny dot. A minuscule amount effortlessly conceals redness or dark circles with its creamy texture, available in four shades that tackle discoloration without a cakey finish. Its gel-textured formula sits like a dream on your skin, boasting soft-focus pigments for a filter-like finish.

Makeup Pro-Tip: Dive into the right shade for your routine – Vert neutralizes redness, Rose brightens dullness, and the warmer tones, Abricot and Pêche, target dark circles with precision.

Who’ll Love It: Seekers of weightless coverage | Finish: Natural | Shades Available: Four

NYX Professional Makeup Color Correcting Palette

Best Drugstore Palette:

Why It’s a Steal: Six Shades under $15? Count us in! NYX’s Color Correcting Palette is a treasure trove that offers a spectrum of pigments to diminish discoloration concerns. These six blendable shades seamlessly cover an array of imperfections, catering to diverse skin tones.

Tip: Travel plans? This TSA-friendly palette is your on-the-go savior.

Who Should Get It: Anyone craving quality on a budget | Finish: Natural | Shades Available: Six

Make Up For Ever Step 1 Primer Color Corrector

Best Color-Correcting Primer:

Why It’s a Game-Changer: Picture Make Up For Ever’s Step 1 Primer Color Corrector as the Swiss army knife of primers. Beyond its incredible 24-hour makeup hold, this formula works like magic, instantly blurring hyperpigmentation, dark circles, and acne scars. It’s the perfect canvas-prepper for your entire makeup routine.

Tip: Don’t let the “primer” label fool you – this gem works wonders even on bare skin. Apply a touch on no-makeup days for a sheer, even-toned finish.

Key Ingredients: Silica, dimethicone, glycerin, panthenol

Who Should Get It: Makeup mavens looking for a 24-hour fix | Finish: Natural | Shades Available: Six

Tarte Shape Tape Corrector

The TikTok Darling:

Why It’s a Must-Try: Tarte’s Shape Tape family introduces color correctors beyond the ordinary. Offering complete coverage, these correctors serve multiple purposes beyond canceling redness. For instance, the Yellow shade offsets dullness and mild redness, while the white shade mixes with a foundation for a brightening effect.

Tip: Use the blue corrector to neutralize orange tones in overly warm foundations.

Key Ingredients: Amazonian clay, hyaluronic acid, prickly pear, ginseng, squalane, licorice root extract

Who’s It For: Shape Tape enthusiasts loving the classic doe-foot applicator | Finish: Natural | Shades Available: Nine

Nars Radiant Creamy Color Corrector

Best Color Corrector for Dark Circles:

Why It’s a Top Pick: Tioseco swears by Nars Radiant Creamy Color Corrector as her “absolute favorite for the under eyes.” This Nars gem comes in an array of red hues suitable for all complexions and is equipped with micro-powders that smooth fine lines, making it perfect for layering makeup.

Tip: Its seamless blend-ability and quick-drying feature make it a breeze to layer concealer on top. Pair it with Nars’ Readers’ Choice Award-winning Radiant Creamy Concealer for optimal results.

Key Ingredients: White water lily, red spiderling flower extract, glycerin

Who Should Try It: Base makeup enthusiasts seeking a radiant finish | Finish: Radiant | Shades Available: Four

Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30

Best Color Corrector with SPF:

Why It’s a Winner: This green-to-beige formula has earned its stripes on TikTok, especially for those skipping base makeup. Besides concealing redness, it treats inflammation and discomfort, thanks to Centella Asiatica leaf water.

Tip: Opt for Dr. Jart+’s Cicapair Tiger Grass Camo Drops Color Corrector SPF 35 for a serum-like finish. Apply a few drops on your clean and moisturized skin to achieve a dewy transformation. Both Cicapair products contain mineral sunscreen filters (zinc and titanium oxide).

Key Ingredients: Centella Asiatica leaf water, zinc oxide, titanium oxide, glycerin, niacinamide

Who’ll Love It: Fans of all-in-one products | Finish: Natural | Shades Available: One

Live Tinted Huestick Corrector

Best Multitasking Formula:

Why We Love It: Versatility is vital, especially in an easy-to-apply stick like the Best of Beauty-winning Huestick. Beyond camouflaging dark, bluish areas, it functions as an eye, lip, and cheek multi-stick. Containing hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, squalane, and vitamin E, it boasts a soft, semi-matte finish without the cakey look. Plus, vitamin C aids in brightening dark spots over time.

Tip: Blend the pigment using your clean fingers or try a concealer brush for precision, as associate news editor Gabi Thorne recommended.

Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, squalane, vitamin E, vitamin C

Who Should Try It: Those craving a makeup-skincare hybrid or aiming to simplify their routine | Finish: Semi-matte | Shades Available: Five

Smashbox Photo Finish Correct Anti-Redness Primer

Best Color Corrector for Redness:

Why It’s a Must-Have: Smashbox’s line of primers carries its weight in awards, and the Correct Anti-Redness Primer is no exception. With its greenish hue, this gem is a powerhouse against redness, thanks to a comforting blend of hyaluronic acid, algae, rose, and mushrooms. What’s more? Algae and mushrooms also act as protective shields against blue light and pollution.

Tip: Is redness not your primary concern? No worries! Smashbox offers three other formulas catering to various needs: Primerizer+ (hydration for dry skin), Illuminate (radiance for uneven texture), and Control (mattifying for oily skin).

Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, algae, rose, mushroom, Lactobacillus ferment

Who Should Try It: Those with sensitive, easily irritated skin | Finish: Satin | Shades Available: One

Danessa Myricks Colorfix in Carrot Top

Best for Deeper Skin Tones:

Why It’s a Game-Changer: Thomas advocates deep, warm tones and intense orange for women of color to mask hyperpigmentation. Enter Danessa Myricks’s Colorfix – a multitasking hero that seamlessly moves from eyes to lips to cheeks. Carrot Top, in particular, stands out as a popular choice for color correcting on deeper complexions.

Tip: Given its quick-drying nature, blend swiftly. If applying with a brush or mixing with concealer/foundation, a blending palette like About-Face or Beautyblender’s can be a handy investment.

Key Ingredients: Carnauba wax, mica

Who Should Get It: Individuals with deeper skin tones seeking a versatile corrector | Finish: Matte | Shades Available: 25 (in the matte category; not all suitable for color correction)

How We Chose the Color Correctors Makeup

For expert advice on selecting the perfect color corrector, we turned to the makeup artist Jen Tioseco, renowned for her work with Madelaine Petsch and Zoey Deutch. Her advice? Skip the viral lipstick trick and opt for products designed specifically for color correction. Tioseco’s secret? “Referencing the color wheel is key. To counteract unwanted tones, use the opposite color to cancel them out effectively.”

She breaks it down further: “Applying a peach corrector beneath the eyes neutralizes blue discoloration that might show through concealer alone.” Tioseco emphasizes the color wheel strategy: “Green, opposite to red on the color wheel, effectively neutralizes redness caused by rosacea or blemishes.”
With color correctors available in shades of green, peach, and red, the application process demands precision. It’s a step not to be taken lightly. Apply the corrector delicately after skincare but before concealer or foundation. Mali Thomas advises caution: “Using too much product is a common mistake.

Apply color correctors only where there’s discoloration for a more natural look.” Tioseco concurs, adding, “Less is more when it comes to color correctors. Remember, excessive corrector requires more con0cealer or foundation to cover it!”
A big thank you to Allure magazine for this fantastic update. We’re eager to hear your thoughts! Share your comments or tips we should explore.