New color correcting makeup, in highly pigmented shades like canary yellow and pistachio green, seems better suited to an afternoon of decorating Easter eggs than a morning in front of the bathroom mirror.  But the trend — a favorite of bloggers and Instagrammers, it would seem — is fast developing a following, with a slew of new products that promise to mask complexion problems like ruddiness, sallowness and lackluster skin.  The principle of color correcting makeup is essentially that of color theory: That is, opposite hues cancel each other out. So a primer in pale green can mute redness, lavender minimizes ashy tones and yellow brightens dull skin. Depending on your skin tone, pink, peach or orange can help conceal under-eye circles and hyperpigmentation.  The makeup can be a bit daunting if you’ve never tried it before. “The trick is use a teeny, tiny amount of color corrector, no matter what shade you’re using,” said Eliza Davila, one of 15 Sephora makeup artists who contributed to a color correcting tutorial that was added to the store’s smartphone app this month. “It should blend into the skin and conceal properly.”  Brushes or sponges are effective, but, Ms. Davila said, your fingertip is the easiest tool with which to apply these correctors, using a delicate tapping motion.  For help with color choices and application techniques, there are plenty of instructional videos online, on YouTube as well as on sites like Sephora’s.  Algenist REVEAL Concentrated Color Correcting Drops, introduced this month, are especially easy to apply: The tinted fluid can be mixed into moisturizer or foundation or used on its own. Each of the four colors includes a specific type of algae in its formula to help treat as well as cover the skin.  Urban Decay Naked Skin Color Correcting Fluid, also newly available, comes in slender tubes that look as if they may contain lip gloss. The product’s texture is on the thick side, but it quickly blends into the skin when applied. The five colors include a pale yellow and a green tint that brings a matcha latte to mind.  Cover(t) Stick Color Corrector, a recent addition to the Marc Jacobs Beauty line, is a swirl of two corresponding shades inside a squat standup tube. One option, Bright Now, mixes sky blue and pinkish beige to brighten; the two others tackle redness and dark spots.  The compact silver-toned cases of the new Cover FX Correct Clicks look like truncated tubes of lipstick. They’re available in six shades, including three that target dark spots on different skin tones. They appear quite matte but offer sheer coverage.  Lancôme added Miracle CC Cushion Color Correcting Primer to its collection a few weeks ago. It’s a small compact with a spongy pad that’s saturated with a thin cream in one of four colors. The consistency is pleasingly light and blends easily.  To combat multiple issues, there’s the new Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Wipeout Color-Correcting Palette, a large compact packed with six creamy discs ranging from muted yellow to milk chocolate. The combination provides soft, understated coverage that’s easy to customize depending on how your skin looks each day.  While many of these products aim for spot correction, YSL Beauté Forever Light Creator CC Primer delivers a thin wash of color over your entire face. Introduced this month in three colors, the liquidy tint includes a broad spectrum sunscreen. YSL offers more targeted coverage, too: In January, it added three tinted versions of its popular Touche Éclat highlighter to its line.
A slew of primers in green, yellow, pink or lavender promise to “correct” your skin tone. What do they really do?