TikTok’s Concealer Hack Is For People Who Hate Makeup In Summer

If TikTok is anything to go by, this is the summer we wean ourselves off foundation. Don't get me wrong — as someone with acne-prone skin and subsequent skin staining left behind by breakouts, I know that full coverage has its place in makeup (particularly if it makes you feel confident to face the day). But with the weather heating up, wearing a full face is the last thing I — and, I suspect, many others — want to do.

That's where TikTok's beauty enthusiasts come in. From the 'skin smoothie' hack (like wearing a glow filter IRL) to the 'celebrity skin' trick (mixing lightweight complexion products to make a skin tint), the app is awash with easy ways to fake full coverage without the heavy feel of a layer of foundation. This week, a smart concealer placement hack has gone most viral.

It's difficult to tell exactly who dreamt up the makeup trend, which consists of applying concealer in a T-shape to your forehead leading down to your nose, an upside-down V just underneath your eye, and a tick mark from the side of your nose all the way to your cheekbone. Some attribute it to TikTok account @makeup but TikTokers Yen, Christen Dominique and Deborah Ruiz have all since tried it — and loved it. The idea behind the trend is that applying concealer to these three specific areas (and then blending it in) is all you really need to achieve impressive coverage without overloading your skin. Judging by these videos, the result is natural, dewy, even skin.

I was intrigued. Could this replace my foundation for summer? And would it shave some time off my makeup routine? I made a beeline for the concealer I'm really enjoying at the moment, Kosas Revealer Super Creamy + Brightening Concealer, £26, which is highly pigmented but feels lightweight. If you're after fuller coverage, I'd recommend Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer, £27, Revolution Conceal & Define Concealer, £4.99, or L'Oréal Paris Infallible More Than Concealer 24H, £9.99. The latter two are really brilliant budget options.

I got to work drawing the T-shape onto my forehead first (this is meant to be a little thicker than the other placements), then the rest of the shapes underneath my eye and next to my nose, taking care to make these lines quite thin. I thought it would be difficult to blend out the concealer once it had been sitting there for a little while but the heat from my skin melted it slightly so it was easy to work things in with my trusty brush (Hourglass Ambient Soft Glow Foundation Brush, £51 — a great investment). It took half the time it usually does for me to blend in foundation or a skin tint.

I was surprised by just how much coverage such a minimal amount of concealer lent my skin. Sheering out the product in this way felt like I was wearing nothing at all. Happily, the concealer tucked away the hyperpigmentation left behind by a couple of big breakouts earlier in the week and it didn't collect in my fine lines and skin texture as noticeably as foundation. On close inspection at the end of the day, my makeup hadn't slipped off in sweaty areas like my nose or upper lip as it does usually. It was still pretty perfectly intact.

The only problem I have with this hack is that because concealer is a full-coverage product, it takes away any nuance in the face and seemed to erase my contours, making my skin appear quite flat. For this reason, I wouldn't attempt it again without following up with blush or bronzer, just to add a bit more life back into my face. Right now, I love & Other Stories Blissful Rose Cheek & Lip Tint, £17, which is a cream but dries down to a powder on the skin. This means it stays put, unlike plenty of other cream blush products out there that slide around. It's also available in a handful of deeper shades such as Novel Red (punchy poppy), Wild Cayenne (a brick colour) and Burnt Cinnamon (wine red). I added a touch more to my nose and near my hairline, too.

If you're an R29 regular, you'll know that this isn't the only concealer placement hack I've tried and loved. There's the 'concealer geometry' trick (etching little concealer triangles in certain areas to sculpt the face) and 'concealer glasses' (exactly what it says on the tin). But I have to say that this is the most effective. It targets all the areas which are prone to redness and discolouration like your nose and under-eyes, all without making skin appear caked in makeup. Ahead of a scorching week, it's a winner.