How to cover a spot in 4 simple steps, according to a make-up artist

Spots might just be the most annoying, ugly, pain-in-the-arse things in the world—which is why team Marie Claire has worked hard to discover the best acne treatment out there. Whichever types of acne you're dealing with—whether it be back acne (or bacne as it's so pleasantly known), fungal acne or just plain old chin acne—they all suck. There are no two ways about it—sometimes you just want to know how to cover a spot up. 

Because while you can arm yourselves with the best spot treatments and best skincare routine for acne the world has to offer, sometimes they just don't disappear fast enough.

You see, it's just a sad beauty truth: there is no magic wand to wave at spots in order for them to disappear overnight. More often than not, while you're waiting for your acne patches or acne face wash to do its thing, you're going to want to find a way to cover it up. 

And while you might want to slather on all of the concealer and foundation you own in a bid to camouflage it, there is actually a secret in how to cover a spot. To help, I sat down with Caroline Barnes, the Max Factor UK Ambassador and a pretty darn brilliant make-up artist, to get her expert insight on the best way to cover a spot. Turns out, it's easier than you'd think—you just need to know these four simple steps.

How to cover a spot: Step 1

"First things first," says Barnes, "pop some blemish gel onto the spot. I really like Medik8's one. This will dry the spot out, as well as sealing it from any infection from makeup. Wait for this to dry."

How to cover a spot: Step 2

"Next up, apply your foundation in your usual way, then go in with an opaque concealer. I recommend Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage Concealer. Whatever you choose, make sure it's a concealer in a solid formula that has nothing reflective in it."

Be sure to apply your concealer with a clean brush or clean hands to avoid transferring bacteria to the area—the last thing you want is an infection.

How to cover a spot: Step 3

"Then, apply Mac Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation, which is a foundation and powder in one. Apply with a cotton bud just to that area—this provides a really dense application."

How to cover a spot: Step 4

"Finally, grab a really delicate blending brush—like one that you might use on your eyes—and just dance it around the area to soften the edges and diffuse the colour."

When you do this, try to keep the product from straying too far from the spot itself—you want the product to be concentrated where you need it most.

Et voilà, you're done!

Spot covered.