Sculpt and Lift Your Face in Minutes With These Expert Concealer Tricks (2025)

The best beauty is an art form all its own. When properly applied, your products can highlight, obscure, and even shape your face—which is why learning how to sculpt and lift your visage with concealer is basically a makeup magic trick.

Concealer does more than just conceal: it can effectively redefine your face (and in an understated way). "There’s nothing like a good concealer to fake a full night’s sleep, hide the chaos of the week, or give you that 'I woke up like this' energy," says makeup artist Katie Nova. As a bonus, it turns out that the correct shade in the correct place can also create the illusion of volume and lift.

Trompe l'oeil facelift, anyone? Here's a breakdown of how to make it your secret weapon:

The Concealer Lift Pro Tips

The concealer lift is the ultimate understated beauty hack—the kind that appeals to full-face enthusiasts and no-makeup makeup lovers alike. Rather than covering up darkness, puffiness, or lackluster skin, concealer can completely counter the effects.

"This is one of those techniques that looks super subtle but makes a huge difference," says Nova. "It's my go-to for red carpets, weddings, or just when someone says 'you look tired' and I decide they're not allowed to speak anymore."

While snatching your face with concealer is fairly simple, experts are quick to note that the approach requires a thoughtful touch and a natural finish. To begin, makeup artist Deborah Altizio recommends choosing a concealer that's one or two shades lighter than your natural skin tone to avoid an unnaturally pale (read: ghostly) appearance.

Altizio suggests warming up concealer in circular motions on the hand ahead of application, which is the best way to allow the product to melt seamlessly into the skin. From there, tap on with fingers, a fluffy concealer brush, or a beauty blender, all while remembering that less is more. And if you go too far, there's always a fix. "If the concealer appears too light or thick, accentuating fine lines and wrinkles, revisit the area with gentle tapping motions using your foundation or Beautyblender to achieve a more natural-looking complexion," says Altizio.

Along with selecting the correct color and dabbing on the right amount of product, blending upwards is essential. "Gravity's already doing enough, so it's helpful to blend up to give the illusion of a lifted look," says Altizio. She adds that avoiding heavy layering or sharp contrast, pairing with soft contour for balance and dimension, and setting with a light dusting of translucent powder will ensure an effortless look.

The final tip? Always check your work in natural light, which Nova calls the "ultimate truth-teller. " The goal is a flawless finish.

Read on for four ways to use concealer for an instant lift.

Under-Eye Brightness

Illuminating the under-eyes is among the most popular uses of concealer, and for good reason. "The under-eye area often darkens and becomes discolored due to insufficient sleep or aging," says Altizio.

Nova suggests tapping a small amount of concealer beneath the inner corner of each eye before blending out and up. In this area, less is very much more, as too much product can result in creasing and unwanted texture.

Outer Eye Lift

If you've addressed your under-eyes and still find yourself in need of some enhancement, you can use concealer for an additional boost—this time around the outer portion of each eye.

As with cat-eye liner, the right swipe of concealer can extend and elevate your gaze. "Apply upward toward the temple from the outer corner of your eye and blend up," says Nova. "This gives an instant lifted effect and brightens the entire eye area."

Cheekbone Boost

From contour sticks to gua sha routines, carved cheekbones are among the most sought-after aesthetic effects. When using concealer to lift this area, keep an upward touch in mind.

"Apply a little bit just under your cheekbone and blend up toward your hairline," says Nova. "This creates a soft sculpt without any harsh contour lines." For her part, Altizio combines a small amount of highlighter with concealer prior to application, the better to create the illusion of definition with a wash of extra radiance.

Brow Tone and Sculpt

The brows frame the face, meaning that adding the right definition to the area can lift your entire look. "Applying concealer to the outer eyebrow can help to lift and redefine the area," says Altizio. Redefined brows, enlivened face.

For a holistic touch, Nova also applies concealer beneath the brow arch, swiping the product down the bridge of the nose. "I do this when I want to look like I drank water and meditated—even if I didn’t," she says. It adds polish without looking you tried too hard."