Have you stumbled upon TikTok's abstract concealer hack? Of course you have.
It seems everyone is adding Jackson Pollock vibes to their cosmetics routine, and the new TikTok beauty hack is becoming a viral sensation.
But not all trendy tricks are worth attempting (*cough* remember TikTokers using lube as base makeup). What's behind this modern-art-for-the-face phenomenon? Allow us to explain before you spend that Sephora gift card in one fell swoop.
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What is TikTok's abstract concealer hack?
Sarah Wolak, TikToker and the makeup artist behind the movement, provided her nearly 80,000 followers with a quick tutorial on the trend.
Using the Maybelline New York Age Rewind Concealer, she traces the product under her eye, over to the side of her nose, down to her lips, and across her face to recreate the look in reverse.
The result? (Before blending the product, that is.) An abstract outline.
Take a gander at her video below. (Do note that the seemingly unrelated Three 6 Mafia musical accompaniment contains expletives.)
@sarah_wolak ♬ Half On a Sack - Three 6 Mafia
Tips for TikTok's abstract concealer hack
Like the how-to's that came before it, the abstract concealer route isn't entirely foreign in the makeup world.
"I feel like this has been around for a really long time and has been brought back into mainstream," says Shara Strand of Shara Cosmetics. "I remember using concealer sticks as contour back more than a decade ago."
If this is something you're dying to attempt yourself, Strand suggests finding creamy concealer sticks and setting it with a translucent powder so as not to let the liquid bleed anywhere. If you're contouring with powder, chances are it might not mix well with the best retinol serums you applied before it.
Arguably just as important as the product itself is the hue you select.
"Make sure you're using a color that's not really for concealer," Strand adds. "If you use a color that's too light, it's going to look very ashy, so you always need a color that's I'd say seven to 10 shades darker than your skin tone for it to work."
Though this certainly has the possibility to work and look flawless, Jordan Naylor MUA of Bridal By Alexandria recommends attempting when you're really going for a glam, out-of-this-world look.
"I would say that for makeup on a daily basis, I think it would be too much," she says.
She prefers to opt for Kosas concealer to touch up those needed areas rather than contour with it. (Psst: curious about foundation or concealer first? Read on!)
"After you apply your foundation or primer, just kind of touch on any blemishes you might have just a bit," she says. "I would just apply to where you really need it, if you go a little overboard it can cause some cakiness."
If you are indeed all about that glam, Naylor says to have the right accessories on hand.
"I always recommend blending out with a brush, I think you just have a little more control over the product," she says.
So, will you be giving this a go, or will you save the abstracts for the museum?
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