When it comes to makeup, most of us know the most common items: foundation, blush, powder, mascara, lipstick, etc. Even women who don’t wear makeup are aware of what each items does. However, you may not know as much as you think about the world of cosmetics. If the terms “neutralizer” and “color corrector” aren’t familiar to you, it’s time to learn a few new things.

The first thing to know is that neutralizers and color correctors are actually one in the same. Many cosmetic manufacturers use the terms interchangeably so don’t be misled by what you read on the labels. As the name implies, color correctors allow you to “correct” any discolorations or hard to conceal blemishes on your complexion. The term “neutralizer” comes into play due to the fact that this makeup item neutralizes the problem color/discoloration by applying its opposing color over it. Common skin problems that can be solved with color correctors include under eye circles and redness from rosacea.

In terms of skin color, color correctors and neutralizers deal with the concept of the skin’s undertones. Our skin undertones are either red/warm or blue/cool. The skin itself contains four types of pigments (color). Carotene pigments create the skin’s yellow tones, melanin is the predominant pigment that causes the skin to become darker when exposed to direct sunlight, oxygenated hemoglobin pigments make the blood red, and the reduced hemoglobin pigment creates the blue of our veins that can often be seen through the skin. So what does this have to do with your complexion and treating skin issues and how can it be done?

In order to use a neutralizer properly, you’ll need to know what your skin’s natural undertones are and what opposing color to use on your discoloration, redness or blemish. For those with yellow skin undertones, you’ll want to opt for a neutralizer that contains a lilac color corrector. This will create the appearance of an evenly toned complexion. Beige complexions contain blue or green undertones. Yellow color correctors will address skin issues with blue undertones, while pink color correctors work well against green undertones. Peachy-orange color correctors can tackle problems for brown skin that contains blue and gray undertones.

The great thing about neutralizers is that you use them the same way you would a concealer. Using a concealer brush or your fingers, apply tiny drops of the neutralizer onto your problem area(s). Because the color corrector can become tainted by your bare fingers, use a small spatula or cotton swab to gather the corrector and then apply that to your fingertips to use instead of putting your fingers right into the corrector. Once the neutralizer is on your skin, gently blend the color over the area as you would regular concealer. When choosing a color corrector to use, avoid formulas that are dry. This makes it hard to blend naturally into your complexion.

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