The Concealer Hack Lucy Hale Swears By To Make Pimples Vanish (& We Do, Too!)

It's no secret celebrities have access to top-notch beauty treatments and professionals—as such, many have picked up a few habits over the years and incorporated them into their own routines. So when a celeb graces us with one of their go-to beauty hacks? It's pretty safe to say they've learned it from a seasoned pro. This is especially true with makeup: Say, if you had a makeup artist regularly perform their magic, chances are you, too, would internalize some skills. 

"The trick is to layer with a powder," Hale notes. She grabs a thicker concealer (we suggest this foundation stick from Westman Atelier) and dabs it on the spot; then with a small eye-shadow brush, she taps a loose powder on top. For inflamed acne, this two-step trick truly works like a charm. It may sound quite simple and borderline obvious, but you might not understand how it works until you give it a go. 

So let's break it down: You're essentially mattifying the area with powder, which limits shine (and, thus, attention to the pimple). However, the powder also helps blur the area—this is especially important for raised, inflamed zits. Sure, a dot of concealer may neutralize any redness, but it doesn't necessarily help the textural changes, and layering on globs of product will only make it appear caky. With a touch of powder, you're surrounding the area and eliminating any shadows, so the mound doesn't seem as raised.