How to cover pimples: We've got two pimple concealer hacks and one is kind of... gross.

I’d like to preface this post by saying it’s 100 per cent OK to have a pimple, or several types of pimples, on your face. We all get them.

That said, if you’d like to learn how to cover pimples, you’ve come to the right place.

Knowing how to cover up pimples, blemishes and pigmentation on your face is an underrated skill because, well, it isn’t an easy thing to do.

Aside from the fact they’re red and angry most of the time, blemishes of all kinds tend to suck the concealer off your face pretty quickly.

Psst… beauty editor Leigh Campbell has a great hack for how to cover pimples. Watch how she does it below. Post continues after video.

No need to stress, though. We have two easy hacks for how to cover pimples. Hint: One is really gross.

Let’s get into it.

How to cover pimples.

Here’s a quick step-by-step for how to cover pimples:

1. Use an opaque, high-coverage concealer (or dried product from around the lid and nozzle of your foundation).
2. Apply concealer with a small, angled brush precisely where you need it.
3. Set the concealer over your pimple with a translucent powder applied with a small, fluffy brush.

Easy enough, right? Before you jump into it, there are some important points about each step to keep in mind.

Best concealer for pimples.

Rather than using your under eye concealer – a lightweight and light reflecting formula that bounces light away from dark circles – covering up blemishes and an uneven skin tone calls for an opaque, creamy concealer that’ll melt into your skin and be undetectable. (Mamamia’s Leigh Campbell explained the difference between types of concealers on You Beauty, listen below, post continues after audio.)

Here, you want serious staying power and a matte finish so as to not draw the eye to the area you’re trying to hide. These concealers generally come in pot or stick form and are thick, highly-pigmented and offer full coverage.

You might need to shop for a new shade if your current concealer is matched to your foundation shade, or if you’re fake tanning your face during summer.

The concealers we love for covering pimples are the Nude By Nature Flawless Concealer, $24.95, NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer, $46, and MAC Studio Finish Concealer, $38.

If you don't have one of those concealers on hand but need to cover a pimple ASAP, there is another option.

Enter, our gross beauty hack for covering pimples.

You know the sticky stuff that collects around the lid and nozzle of your foundation, or BB and CC creams? Don't turn your nose up at it, or even worse, wipe it off with toilet paper. That gooey goodness right there is your new spot pimple concealer.

Built up foundation or base products work just as well as a pimple concealer because A) it's the same colour as your base, so no need to colour match, B) the texture of the product is thick and tacky, so it'll grip to your pimple rather than slide off, and C) it's free.

Side note - personally, I use this leftover product on horrific chin pimples and save my under eye concealer for my under eyes. Don't tell anyone, but most days, I even squeeze a little extra product out of the tube specifically so it will dry up in the lid.

Some call it unhygienic. I prefer economical.

How to cover pimples with concealer.

Next, you’ll want to apply your pimple concealer using a small brush with a fine tip. This technique is called micro-concealing, and as the name suggests, the technique is all about the precise application of concealer only to the areas that need it.

The smallest eyeliner/concealer brush you can find will do the trick – something like this NARS Precision Blend Brush 13 ($38) or the Manicare 23051 Smudge Eye Brush ($5.39).

The aim is to apply the least amount of concealer necessary, and only to the areas you really need it. For example, you might apply on a pimple, and over redness around your eyes or in the corner of your nose. Once you’ve applied the product with the brush (think of it like doting on a freckle), use a small buffing brush or your finger to gently tap and blend in.

The result is a fresh, no makeup makeup look – the concealer knocks out enough colour from the areas you want to hide, but the precise nature of the concealing allows the product to blend into your skin tone.

Once you've micro-concealed, use a small, fluffy brush (like an eyeshadow brush, but a tiny bit bigger) to gently apply a small amount of translucent powder over the area where you applied concealer.

Aim for a light dusting - you might've seen some YouTubers or beauty bloggers 'bake' with powder by applying a thick layer that looks like talcum powder. You don't need to do that, just a dab is plenty.

And that, folks, is how you cover a pimple, should you feel like doing so.

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