Have you ever put on a full face of makeup only to realize that, for some reason, your skin still looks a bit off? It could be for any number of reasons—maybe your under-eyes are taking on a bluish tinge, perhaps your skin is grayishly dull, or you may have some rosacea-induced redness peeking through. Even if you have the perfect concealer, you might be missing a key ingredient for a flawless finish: a color corrector.
Color correctors have gained quite a bit of traction on TikTok in the past couple of years, with quite a few of them going mega-viral. However, these painterly products have been staples in makeup artists' kits for years—but the trick to perfect color correction is knowing how to pick the right one.
“Color correctors are where fine art meets makeup,” says Sephora beauty director and editorial makeup artist, David Razzano. Because art abides by the same rules of color, whether the canvas is paper or skin, we’ll need to take things back to the color wheel. Color correction is based on complementary colors, or colors opposite each other on the color wheel. “These complementary colors are so opposite on the color wheel that, when mixed, they cancel each other out—transforming into a neutral, muddy brown—and that’s their magic.”
We found the absolute best color correctors to use for every circumstance, each one coming highly recommended by prominent makeup artists. Keep reading to choose the color corrector that's best for you, and get ready for your makeup to look flawless.
The Best Color Correctors, at a Glance
- Best Overall: MAC Cosmetics Conceal Correct Palette
- Best Budget: Sephora Collection Best Skin Ever 8HR Color Corrector
- Best for Redness: Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Camo Drops Color Corrector SPF 35
- Best for Dark Circles: Kosas Revealer Extra Bright Color Corrector
- Best for Deep Skin Tones: Live Tinted Huestick Corrector
Best Overall: MAC Cosmetics Conceal Correct Palette
Pros: Easy to use, blendable, long-wearing
Cons: Professional palette may be too much for beginners
Size: 0.21 oz. | Shades: 4 | Skin type: Dry, combination, oily | Finish: Natural
If you're always switching between concealers, this palette has four different concealer shades and two color correctors for a skin-like finish. Celebrity makeup artist Christine Cherbonnier says she finds herself reaching for this palette most often. "The colors in these palettes are so gorgeous, especially when working with deeper skin tones, and they blend easily under most concealers," she says.
Customer review: "If you’re thinking about color correcting and contouring then this is the all in one product. The size may seem small but it goes a long way if used where needed only. "
Best Budget: Sephora Collection Best Skin Ever 8HR Color Corrector
Pros: Low price, effectively covers redness, long-wearing
Cons: Only comes with one color
Size: 0.16 oz. | Shades: 3 | Skin type: All | Finish: Natural
Injected with niacinamide for skin-soothing results, this budget-friendly color corrector from Sephora does so much more than conceal. Sephora beauty director and editorial makeup artist, David Razzano, swears by this versatile product for a few reasons. “It’s a great lightweight, pigmented formula—it comes with a sponge applicator tip, so it’s perfect to dab onto areas you need color correction,” says Razzano. “The green shade is particularly wonderful for blemishes and breakouts with redness.”
Customer review: “This product is nice if you know how to use it. It started out [with] a bit of a learning curve, but once I figured out how to use it, it’s really really nice. It helps neutralize my redness and makes me look amazing. The way I use it is I dab a little onto my finger and then pat the color corrector on areas with redness. Since this product is super pigmented, I don't recommend applying a lot of product or putting it directly onto your face.”
Best for Redness: Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Camo Drops Color Corrector SPF 35
Pros: Lightweight texture, neutralizes redness, has skincare benefits
Cons: On the pricey side
Size: 1 oz. | Shades: 1 | Skin type: Normal, dry, combination, oily | Finish: Radiant
“This is where skincare and makeup meet!” Razzano exclaims. Dr. Jart’s Cicapair line is famous for its redness-correcting powers, with the TikTok-viral Soothing Color Correcting Treatment being one of them. However, the MUA suggests these correcting drops for a more makeup-friendly iteration. “These Camo Drops are wonderful because they are very lightweight and can be used with your normal skincare routine,” he adds. Plus, the formula is infused with tiger grass, which soothes irritated skin and minimizes redness, and SPF 35 for essential daily protection.
Customer review: “Wonderful! I wear this instead of makeup for day-to-day. Looks natural, has sunscreen, and no fuss. Reduces redness and enough coverage without being too heavy. I will let a dab of this sit on a blemish and blend lightly with a concealer brush if I have places needing additional coverage.”
Best for Dark Circles: Kosas Revealer Extra Bright Color Corrector
Pros: Highly pigmented, depuffs under-eyes, skincare-infused
Cons: Some reviewers cite dryness
Size: 0.17 oz. | Shades: 5 | Skin type: All | Finish: Natural
Available in five color correcting shades—and we’re not talking greens and oranges, but real skin-tone hues—there’s a shade match for a wider range than most with Kosas’s Color Correctors. “They contain lots of pigment, so a little goes a long way here,” says Razzano, who recommends these pigments for dark circle coverage. “This formula also boasts a powerful de-puffing serum to help reduce puffiness and dark shadows that can enhance under-eye circles.” Use it with Kosas’ Revealer Concealer for extra-bright under-eyes.
Customer review: “I use this instead of concealer, not sure if it covers the same. Wish it was more moisturizing, but it’s a very good one and matches many skin tones.”
Best for Deep Skin Tones: Live Tinted Huestick Corrector
Pros: Easy to use, blendable, good for all skin tones
Cons: Some find the crayon breaks easily
Size: 0.10 oz. | Shades: 4 | Skin type: All | Finish: Natural
Live Tinted Huesticks are formulated specifically with darker skin in mind. Orange pigments work to cancel out purple and blue tones that might crop up when you're dealing with hyperpigmentation. The best part? You can use this stick on the eyes, lips, and cheeks, and it comes in a variety of colors. "Live Tinted Huestick Correctors are great for deeper tones," says celebrity makeup artist Grace Pae. "It has the perfect orange/red shades to neutralize any discoloration or darkness under the eyes or anywhere on the face. It comes in a crayon form, which makes it so convenient to just swipe on anywhere you need correction."
Customer review: "I was skeptical at first about whether I really needed to add an extra product to my makeup routine (I am all about sticking to just the essentials) but this color corrector has actually become a staple in my routine because it prevents that ashy look that can result from concealer on bare skin. I am also someone who does not like to spend too much on makeup products (I have literally never spent more than $40 on a makeup item), but I think this product is well worth the money and will last you a long time."
Best Palette: Stila Correct Perfect All-In-One Color Correcting Palette
Pros: Easy to use, mix of powders and creams
Cons: Some find the formulas oily, not enough shades for deep skin tones
Size: 0.45 oz. | Shades: 1, 7 included | Skin type: All | Finish: Radiant
“I love the OG Stila Correct and Perfect All in One Color Correcting Palette,” says celebrity makeup artist Archangela Chelsea. “You can have it all in just one palette.” This palette is full of sheer shades that are easy to build and blend for customizable coverage, including orange, peach, and green correctors that neutralize the skin tone. It also has two finishing powders to even skin tone, brighten, and set the color correctors.
Customer review: “I was skeptical at first about whether I really needed to add an extra product to my makeup routine (I am all about sticking to just the essentials) but this color corrector has actually become a staple in my routine because it prevents that ashy look that can result from concealer on bare skin. I am also someone who does not like to spend too much on makeup products (I have literally never spent more than $40 on a makeup item), but I think this product is well worth the money and will last you a long time."
Best Cream: Charlotte Tilbury Magic Vanish Color Corrector
Pros: Easy to use, blendable, non-drying formula
Cons: Some say it doesn't last all day, small shade range
Size: 0.08 oz. | Shades: 2 | Skin type: Normal, dry, combination, oily | Finish: Natural
Four different peachy shades varying from light to nearly red help conceal dark circles on a wide variety of skin tones. Makeup artist to Lola Tung and Jenny Slate, Kirin Bhatty, and Cherbonnier both swear by this color corrector. "I love the consistency of these. They are easy to blend but still a matte finish, so it doesn't add any extra oil or shine to the skin," says Cherbonnier. "I also love the red-based colors in the correctors. They add amazing coverage under eyes, helping to cancel out any blue or green discoloration." Bhatty calls this cream a “beautiful solid formula” that’s easy to apply with a brush or fingertips. (Just remember that light taps do the trick.)
Customer review: “This is the third time I purchased this color corrector.. It does everything it says on the tin and magics away my scary dark circles with the swipe of a finger. Love this and will continue to purchase it again and again… It lasts a long time (over a year in my case). Totally worth the price tag as well. This is definitely a superior product.”
Best Powder: Givenchy Prisme Libre Blurring Color Correcting Matte Pressed Powder
Pros: Wide shade range, ultra-blurring finish, one-stop shop
Cons: Quite pricey, may be too matte for dry skin types
Size: 0.20 oz. | Shades: 6 | Skin type: All | Finish: Matte
If you prefer to finish your look off with a color corrector rather than starting it with it, Razzano recommends this luxe powder compact for you. “Color Correcting powders are a great way to easily neutralize unwanted surface tones,” he explains. “These powders from Givenchy have four shades in each compact, so when you swirl your brush over the powder, you’re left with a mixed powder that blurs texture and evens skin tone—all in one step!”
Customer review: “If you were hoping this powder would suck because it's so expensive—sorry. This is the absolute best pressed powder that I have come across for setting makeup and touching up through the day on oily areas! It has a light fragrance as most products from luxury brands do, but it's quite nice and non-irritating. I did unfortunately hit pan quite quickly but I use it every day. I wish there was more powder in the compact and it would also be amazing if you could buy refills!”
What to Look For in Color Correctors
- Shade range: Depending on your skin tone and intended areas of coverage, you’ll need a select set of shades for different purposes. For example, when canceling out redness, you'd use a green pigment. To cancel out blue, you'd pick orange, and purple would cancel out yellowness. Reference the color wheel when selecting your perfect product.
- Skin type: You’ll also want to consider your skin type when picking out the best color corrector for you. If you tend to lean oily, you may be interested in trying a powder product. On the other hand, dry skin tones will appreciate the hydrating effects of Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Vanish Color Corrector or Stila’s All-In-One Color Correcting Palette.
- Product type: There’s something to be said about having a portable correcting stick like Live Tinted Huestick Corrector readily available versus a professional product like MAC’s Conceal and Correct Palette. If you prefer quick touchups and tend to only fix one thing, like redness or purplish under-eyes, then you might prefer a stick. On the other hand, if you want something versatile to paint your entire face like a Picasso piece, then you might want to opt for a palette with several shade options.
How should you read the color wheel for color-correcting?
For newbies, Chelsea recommends starting simple by dividing the wheel into two colors. “Orange or peachy undertone would cancel purplish color (usually can be seen on your under-eye) and green helps to minimize redness on the skin,” she adds.
“Think back to grade school when you learned about the color wheel in art class,” says Razzano. “The wheel has the classic rainbow colors: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. You also learned about complementary color schemes, which are the two colors that are exactly opposite from each other on the color wheel (i.e., yellow and purple, blue and orange, and red and green).” When mixed together, these hues neutralize each other—meaning that if your skin has one of the complementary colors showing through (like redness under the skin), you’ll want to reach for a color corrector in the shade across the wheel (in this case, green).
- For under-eyes: “The darkness is usually caused by blood under the skin, which is tinged a purple/blue color. Cue the peach-toned color corrector,” says Razzano. “Peach is a combination of yellow and orange, [the] two colors that are complementary to purple and blue. When applied to a dark undereye, you’ll be left with a muddy brown shade—which now can be covered by concealer (without the gray tint). If you have deeper skin tone, you reach for a deep peach or orange shade (still a color corrector, but now accounting for depth).
- For redness: “You can also use color correctors to address redness,” he adds. “If you have red surface tones (perhaps from eczema, acne, rosacea, or even general ruddiness), you can apply a green color corrector over the red areas. Since red and green are complementary colors, they cancel each other out—allowing your foundation and concealer to cover redness more effectively with less product.
- For dullness: “Similarly, for sallow, yellow-toned skin, a purple color corrector can be used to brighten and balance the complexion.”
How do you apply color correctors?
The truth is that proper application varies by formula, but most abide by the same manual. “Color correctors are applied before—as they act as a barrier over the area that you want to conceal, brighten, etcetera,” says Bhatty. “Light layers are key, as you don’t want the area to cake or crease.” The only time we’d suggest using these kinds of products after your makeup is finished is with a color-correcting finishing powder, such as Givenchy’s Prisme Libre Blurring Color Correcting Matte Pressed Powder. However, Razzano recommends waiting for the corrector to dry before applying more complexion products on top.
Which color corrector is the best for dark circles?
Professional makeup artists recommended the Kosas Revealer Extra Bright Color Corrector for shadowy under-eyes because of its high-pigment formula infused with skin-plumping serum. This potent color corrector doesn’t require a lot of product to get your desired look, and the formula is packed with de-puffing ingredients to give your skin new life.
How We Chose
To find the very best color correctors on the market, we did extensive research to see which formulas are trending in 2025 and why. After performing our own investigations, we consulted with celebrity makeup artists to see their recommendations (and how much crossover we had). With sage advice from MUAs like David Razzano, Christine Cherbonnier, Archangela Chelsea, and more, we found the very best color-correcting products on the market today—from palettes to sticks and serums.
Why Trust Us
AtBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing , we know that beauty isn't one-size-fits-all. Over the years, our editors have tested thousands of products—including skincare, makeup, haircare, and nails—while also working closely with trusted experts, like renowned dermatologists, celebrity makeup artists, and other leading industry insiders. Together, this ensures every guide is well-researched, inclusive, and relevant to you.
We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they're affordable favorites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how, and what we'd truly recommend to our closest friends and family members.
This article was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
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