If you’ve ever dealt with dark circles, blemishes, or anything else you want to cover up, you’ll know that learning how to apply concealer goes a long way in your makeup routine. Concealer can be your best friend in your makeup kit, instantly erasing pores, pimples, scars, and more. But how and where you apply it makes all the difference: If you’ve experienced flaky patches, exaggerated lines, or feeling like your concealer just won’t stay put, you know what we’re talking about.

But don’t worry – you’re definitely not alone. We’re here to share all the concealer tips straight from pro makeup artists themselves, including tips for beginners, where to apply concealer, what tools to use, what order to apply it in, and more. Dive in and get ready for your best makeup day yet.

How to apply concealer for beginners

Whether you’re totally new to using concealer, or you haven’t been happy with the results of your typical method, everyone can benefit from going back to basics. For absolute beginners, celebrity makeup artist Mai Quynh advises trying liquid concealer first. “Liquid concealers are more forgiving and easier to blend, and you can experiment with layering for the perfect amount of coverage,” she says. When learning to layer, makeup artist Daniel Martin says to start light, then build up to the desired coverage level: “It’s harder to remove concealer if you’ve applied too much.”

When teaching beginners how to apply concealer, Martin advises easing in slowly. “Unless you’re a pro, dot [product] where you want to provide the coverage and tap with your ring finger until you’ve reached the coverage you want,” he says.

Once you’ve gotten a feel for the product, you can experiment with using brushes rather than your fingers, which Mai says will give more control over your product placement. Mai also emphasises that both beginners and pros should tailor their concealer techniques to the areas they want to cover. Blemishes and dark circles may respond differently to the same concealer, and areas with more fine lines or dry skin need their own considerations (more on this later). Below, find a customised tutorial – and more expert tips – for each of the most common placements for concealer.

How to cover up undereye circles

Repeat after us: Order is everything. For a smooth makeup application, use your foundation first, followed by a brightening concealer shade that’s a little lighter than your foundation tint. “One of my favourite tips to hide unwanted dark under eye circles is using liquid foundation first before applying an under eye concealer,” says makeup artist Laura Geller. “It provides a base to blend with the concealer for the perfect amount of coverage.”

Depending on your skin type, it may be worth applying an eye cream prior to any makeup. Drier skin types may benefit from a moisturising base before you use concealer and other eye makeup.

After foundation, you want to apply your concealer in a patting motion, then press it in with a concealer brush or Beautyblender. Hot tip: Don’t smear or drag – simply patting your concealer in will keep it from caking and creasing. Creating a good base is key when it comes to how to apply concealer under eyes.

Where to apply concealer around your eyes

It seems natural to apply concealer in the under eye area where the dark circles and discolouration are, but that’s not the only area to treat. Dot concealer under your eyes, and then “make sure you also apply it on the inner corners of your eyes,” Geller advises. And here’s where not to apply it: “Avoid using concealer past your smile line, as this will enhance any fine lines you may have,” she adds. For your final step, sweep on a light, oil-absorbing setting powder to set your concealer in place so that it lasts all day.

How to conceal redness

No matter how many times we dab concealer here, it never seems to stick—and we’re sure we’re in good company. After choosing a concealer that matches your skin tone, this is where setting powder comes in. “Again, my trick is to always use an oil-absorbing setting powder after you apply your concealer,” says Geller. “Makeup tends to come off the nose area more quickly, especially for me around allergy season. So you want to make sure the concealer is properly set in place to keep any redness hidden throughout the day.”

If your makeup is staying put but you’re still seeing redness, it may be time to colour correct: Consider using a green colour corrector prior to applying your foundation and concealer. Because green is opposite of red on the colour wheel, it’ll help neutralise the redness. Then the foundation and concealer will cover it up even more.

In the winter especially or if you have dry skin, don’t forget to moisturise this area beforehand to keep dry spots and flaking in check. (See our best winter-skin fix advice and list of favourite moisturisers to keep dryness at bay.)

How to hide breakouts

This may just be the most common coverup concern, and oftentimes the hardest. (Those pesky pimples always seem to find a way to peek out!) The good news: Urban Decay founder Wende Zomnir has a quick and easy layering trick to get smooth coverage on breakouts, and yes, it truly works. “I put Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion on blemishes before applying concealer,” she says. “The primer restores the velvety texture to the blemished skin, so the concealer has something to stick to.”

Have some extra time to get ready? Don’t be afraid to add a skin care step in too. Start by sanitising the zit with a blue light device (the wavelength of blue light helps kill acne-causing bacteria), Martin recommends. Follow that with primer, then concealer, then foundation. Sure, it’s an extra step, but if it means your pimple won’t show up during a midday makeup check, we say it’s worth it.

How to hide a scar

First things first: “Assess what type of scar it is—raised or flat,” says Geller. That will determine what kind of formula you should be using. “If your scar is raised, I always recommend using a creamy, lightweight concealer,” she says, like the hydrating Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer. “For flat scars, you want to use a thicker, more matte formula.” And remember, for both, choose one that will offer you full coverage, and use a setting powder to keep it in place.

How do you choose a concealer?

Unfortunately, it’s a rare concealer that performs equally well for all types of concerns. The best concealer to hide a pimple is different than one for dark circles, for example. Not all types of concealers are created equally.

For the best coverage, you may need to choose one concealer for blemishes and dark spots and another for under eye circles. “Under eye concealer should be less dry and thick in texture and consistency compared with pimple concealer,” Quynh explains. “You want to make sure your pimple concealer stays put, while your under eye skin is delicate and thinner, and you want a concealer that won’t settle into fine lines.” Think rich and almost pasty for spot concealer and something light, fluid, and buildable for circles.

Do you apply concealer before or after foundation?

If you’re going for a no-makeup makeup look, or learning how to apply concealer for beginners, it can be tempting to skip the foundation and just dab on your concealing product. But in most cases it’s actually better to apply foundation first – even if it’s just a light layer on the areas that need it most. By minimising spots (and possibly even fully hiding some of them), this reduces the amount of concealer you end up needing to apply. That means a more natural finish in the end – plus less overall makeup on days you want to feel fresh-faced.

There’s one exception, though: “I only recommend using concealer before foundation when you have a lot of blemishes to cover and you need to use tons of thick, correcting concealer for coverage,” Quynh says. “Then you can lightly stipple or dab foundation on top of the concealer for extra coverage and blending.”

Why are my dark circles still showing after applying concealer?

If dark circles are your main concern, combat them with a peach-toned colour corrector. Makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes suggests that if you’re looking to hide your dark circles, don’t start with foundation or concealer first. Instead, pick up a peach-toned colour corrector to help balance out the blue. Then, once the peach is well blended, go over that with the foundation and concealer you use on the rest of your face. This will ensure those darker areas stay well-hidden.

Should I blend concealer with a sponge or brush?

Using your fingers can be handy to apply concealer. In fact, when it comes to the delicate skin under your eyes, the warmth of your finger can help warm makeup so it blends on more easily and seamlessly. But to make the magic really happen, we can’t stop there.

In the case of dark circles, go in with a dampened mini makeup sponge after you’ve applied concealer to dab smooth every last crease and edge and truly look like you’ve achieved more than eight hours’ sleep. “This will also pick up any excess concealer, which is what can turn cakey as the day goes on,” explains celebrity makeup artist Nick Barose. Genius!

As for blemishes and dark spots, you need something targeted to avoid creating an obvious halo of makeup around the area—a brush with a stiff pointed tip (Barose swears by the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Brush). This will let you deposit a little bit of concealer in the centre of the spot, then almost microscopically stipple it outward until any redness or darkness has been blended away. For larger dark patches, reach for that makeup sponge again; it’ll help you layer on enough concealer to offset the dark pigment while blending the edges into your face and foundation.

Do you always have to set concealer with powder?

Not always, but it’s all about layering. Sometimes even the most stay-put concealer needs a crucial final step: powder. It’s the best way to lock that coverup in place so it won’t budge. “With newer pimples the skin can be taut, so setting concealer with powder is important so it won’t move,” says Quynh. You can lock your look in place even more by using a setting spray too.

However, once you start treating the pimple (and possibly picking at it – we know it’s tempting), you may want to skip this step. “Some pimples can be drier—the skin around or on it, because it’s been treated with salicylic acid – so adding powder may make it look especially dry,” Quynh says. “In this case, less is more and you can skip the powder.”

Another thing to note: One area to be cautious with powder is around your eyes. You can still set your undereye concealer with powder if needed, but do so sparingly, avoiding the outer eye, where it can settle into and play up fine lines. And opt for a lightweight, translucent brightening powder instead of anything heavy, matte, or oil-absorbing.

Does concealer expire?

Because we’re often using such a small amount of concealer at a time, you might suddenly realise you’ve been using the same tube for… years? This won’t kill you, but it also means you may not be getting the results that you originally did. “Over a long period of time, some concealers will start to break down and may darken or appear discoloured, or even separated,” says cosmetic chemist Jim Hammer. “Or the product may begin to dry up. It might not smell right or it might feel oily, or grainy, or have other issues.” All are signs it’s time for a fresh start.

Likewise, if at any point you notice your concealer is looking more orange or just doesn’t match your skin like it used to, toss it. “Changes in colour are often indicative of problems in the product – like microbial growth or oxidation – so that’s a good indicator that it’s time to buy a new tube,” Hammer says. “Most of these products are designed to last for two years unopened on the store shelf, but it’s probably a good idea to use them up within six to nine months after opening.”

This article originally appeared on GLAMOUR (US).