Correctors
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September 1, 2022
By Lisa Petrison
Correctors use the principles of complementary colors to address areas of facial discoloration.
These can include dark circles under the eyes or on the eyelid area; rosacea or other redness of the face; and various colors associated with bruising.
Since undereye discoloration usually has a bluish or greenish cast, red/pink or orange/peach color correctors can be used to “cancel out” those colors.
Redness is usually addressed with green color correctors, while a variety of corrective colors (such as green, yellow, purple or orange) may be used to address bruising issues.
I’ve found that using a relatively bright peachy-pink color under my eyes has been helpful for addressing dark circles without needing to use a large amount of heavy concealer.
Although at one point I was experimenting with using the Mineral Fusion Green Color Correcting Primer to address redness on my face, since then my skin has calmed down a lot (apparently as a result of my focusing on using non-irritating skincare) and redness is no longer much of an issue for me.
I definitely am open to the idea of using green color correctors if other types of similar issues emerge on my face again since I think that this technique can be very effective.
The green primers sold by Mineral Fusion and Smashbox are discussed on the Face Primers (Silicone) page of this website.
TOP PICKS
♣ Living Clean Superstars:
Bobbi Brown Skin Corrector Stick ($32)
Jones Road The Face Pencil ($25)
♦ Additional Possibilities:
+Bare Minerals Well-Rested Under Eye Brightener ($23)
Bobbi Brown Corrector ($31)
Exa High Fidelity Balancing Color Corrector ($27)
Jane Iredale Corrective Colors ($28)
NYX Color Correcting Palette ($12)
♦ Not Yet Tried:
+Bare Minerals Loose Powder Concealer SPF20 ($22)
♥ Lisa’s Personal Choice
√ Jones Road The Face Pencil ($25)
Notes:
1) Living Clean Superstars – Products with high scores on both Performance Rating (5) as well as Ingredients Rating (4/5). + Clean Pick (Ingredients Rating = 5).
2) Lisa’s Choice – Products that I would purchase for my own personal use. √ Lisa’s Favorite
Bare Minerals Loose Powder Concealer SPF 20 – $22
Performance Rating: Not Yet Rated
Ingredients Rating: 
(5 / 5)
Processed Fragrance: None
Silicone Level: None
The description of this product on the Bare Minerals website reads, “Made with just 5 mineral-based ingredients, this clean, vegan formula effortlessly conceals imperfections, redness and blemishes with a weightless, no-makeup feel. Provides lightweight coverage with a natural-looking finish. Protects the skin with broad spectrum SPF 20.”
I haven’t tried this product yet.
Size: 0.07 oz.
Ulta Rating: 4.7 Stars (1760 reviews)
Credo Clean: Meets Criteria
Clean at Sephora: Yes
Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria
EU Compliant: Meets Criteria
Think Dirty Rating: 3 (green)
EWG Product Rating: 2 (green)
EWG Ingredient Rating: 2 (green)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Ultramarines (3), Titanium dioxide (3)
Fragrance Ingredients: None
All Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide 24.4%; Mica, Bismuth Oxychloride, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Ultramarines
Bare Minerals Well-Rested Under Eye Brightener – $23
Overall Rating: 
(4 / 5)
Performance Rating: (4 / 5)
Ingredient Rating: (5 / 5)
Lisa Irritation Level: None
The description of this product reads, “This vegan under eye brightener makes you look well-rested —even if you’re not. Visibly reduces the look of dark circles and protects with mineral-based SPF 20. Instantly brightens the look of dark circles. Diminishes the appearance of puffiness and fatigue. Protects with broad spectrum SPF 20. Provides a natural-looking, luminous finish.”
Although apparently some people do well with this product, I did not have a lot of success with it in terms of it brightening up my undereye area.
I seem to have had more success with pink color correctors than with peach ones, and this yellow one seems even less effective for me. Maybe for someone with distinctly purple discoloration this would work well, though.
In addition, applying this product to my eye area seems to emphasize my wrinkles somewhat.
A good thing is that this is a gentle product with no artificial ingredients.
Although it contains titanium dioxide, I don’t feel that it is in a strong enough concentration to be irritating to my face the way that some mineral sunscreens containing titanium dioxide have been.
Size: 0.07 oz.
Ulta Rating: 4.5 Stars (1220 reviews)
Credo Clean: Meets Criteria
Clean at Sephora: Yes
Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria
EWG Ingredient Rating: 2 (green)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Titanium dioxide (3)
Fragrance Ingredients: None
All Ingredients: Bismuth Oxychloride, Kaolin, Mica, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide
Bobbi Brown Corrector – $31
Overall Rating: (4 / 5)
Performance Rating: (4 / 5)
Ingredient Rating: 
(3 / 5)
Lisa Irritation Level: None
This was the first color corrector that I tried, and I used it on a regular basis for quite a while.
I found this product to do a good job camouflaging my dark circles and did not experience any irritation from it.
The main issue with this product for me is that it had a definite tendency to settle into the lines around my eyes and make them look worse.
In addition, this product contains petrolatum and gave my undereyes a sort of shiny look that I did not find attractive. I definitely needed to use concealer or foundation over this product, and even then, it didn’t look that great.
The newer Bobbi Brown Skin Corrector Sticks as well as the Jones Road Face Pencils have worked much better for me, and so I have been using those instead of this one since they were released.
Size: 0.05 oz.
Ulta Rating: 4.6 Stars (455 reviews)
Credo Clean: No
Clean at Sephora: No
Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria
Think Dirty Rating: 5 (green)
EWG Ingredient Rating: 4 (yellow)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Petrolatum (4), Tocopheryl acetate (3), Polysorbate-20 (3), Titanium dioxide (3)
Fragrance Ingredients: None
All Ingredients: Petrolatum , Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate , Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2 , Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer , Tribehenin , Kaolin , Silica , Polyethylene , Tocopheryl Acetate , Lecithin , Polysorbate 20 , Tocopherol , Propylene Glycol Stearate , Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate , Microcrystalline Wax, Sorbitan Laurate , Caprylyl Glycol , Propylene Glycol Laurate , [+/- Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Ultramarines, Mica]
Bobbi Brown Skin Corrector Stick – $32
♣ Living Clean Superstar
Overall Rating: (5 / 5)
Performance Rating: (5 / 5)
Ingredient Rating: (4 / 5)
Lisa Irritation Level: None
The description for this product reads, “Color correction at its most effortless. The glide-on stick helps to instantly neutralize discoloration and brighten dark circles with skin-true coverage. This creamy, buildable formula blends on contact and becomes one with skin for seamless concealer prep. Color-corrects dark circles and camouflages dark spots for instant brightening and concealer prep. Neutralizes, brightens, and evens skin with skin-true shades. Coffee Seed Extract and Salicornia infuse skin with immediate and long-term moisture for plumper, smoother-looking skin. Stick format glides on for non-creasing, non-settling, non-caking, ultra-comfortable wear. Delivers for 12 hours of waterproof, sweat- and humidity-resistant correction.”
This product was released in early 2022 to wide acclaim.
I really like this product and have used it frequently.
It goes on easily and does a good job of covering up discoloration in my under eye area.
I don’t feel that it has emphasized my wrinkles or caused me any irritation at all.
The product does include a few preservatives (BHT and phenoxyethanol), but other than that, the ingredients list looks pretty clean to me.
I do think that the Jones Road corrector pencil disappears a little more easily under my eyes, but this one does a pretty good job of it too.
This product also has what I consider to be a substantial advantage of coming in a twist-up tube and therefore not needing to be sharpened.
Although I am pretty loyal to the Jones Road Face Pencil #6 (which is actually my favorite makeup product of everything that I have tried), this one is a close second in terms of correctors and I do not mind using it at all.
Size: 0.1 oz.
Bobbi Brown Rating: 4.8 Stars (734 reviews)
Credo Clean: No
Clean at Sephora: Unclear
Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria
EWG Ingredient Rating: 4 (yellow)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Tocopheryl acetate (3), BHT (3), Phenoxyethanol (4)
Fragrance Ingredients: None
All Ingredients: Glyceryl Triacetyl Ricinoleate, Octyldodecanol, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Polyethylene, Ozokerite, Kaolin, Barium Sulfate, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Commiphora Mukul Resin Extract, Coffee Seed Oil, Lecithin, BHT, Phenoxyethanol. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Bismuth Oxychloride
Exa High Fidelity Balancing Color Corrector – $27
Overall Rating: (3 / 5)
Performance Rating: 
(2 / 5)
Ingredient Rating: (4 / 5)
Lisa Irritation Level: Mild
This is a new line of color correctors (released in early 2022) from Credo’s house brand Exa.
Six shades are available. Four (in red, orange, peach and pink) are designed to address dark circles or other hyperpigmentation. The others (greenish-yellow and green) are intended to counter redness.
I tried the lightest shade (pink) with the goal of addressing dark circles under my eyes.
I have found the product to be irritating to my eyes, to the point that they ache and feel a little inflamed after a day of wear. I wonder if the problem is the Red #40, since that seems like something that could be irritating to my eyes.
I also found that the product did not do as good of a job covering my dark circles as the Jones Road or Bobbi Brown color correctors that I have tried. I feel like maybe a stick corrector works better in terms of providing coverage than a liquid.
This product did not seem to make the wrinkles around my eyes look worse, at any rate.
Although I have personally given up on this product for addressing my dark circles and wouldn’t especially suggest it to others, I think that the green or greenish-yellow versions still might have some potential.
This formula seems like it would work well to cover up facial redness, and I don’t think that the irritation caused by this formula would be as problematic if it were being used in a different part of the face than the eye area.
I would be interested in giving that one a try at some point.
Size: 0.25 oz.
Credo Rating: 4.6 Stars (17 reviews)
Credo Clean: Yes
Clean at Sephora: Unclear
Drunk Elephant Clean: No
EWG Ingredient Rating: 6 (yellow)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Licorice extract (4), Phenoxyethanol (4), Red #40 (6), Ultramarines (3), Titanium dioxide (3)
Fragrance Ingredients: None
All Ingredients: Water, coco-caprylate/caprate, propanediol, caprylic/capric triglyceride, cetearyl ethylhexanoate, c12-15 alkyl benzoate, triheptanoin, glycerin, coconut alkanes, hydrogenated castor oil, polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate, diisostearyl malate, kaolin, dilinoleic acid/butanediol copolymer, stearalkonium hectorite, polyglyceryl-6 polyricinoleate, polyhydroxystearic acid, polyglyceryl-3 polyricinoleate, rapeseed oil, licorice root extract, rice bran extract, althaea officinalis root extract, saccharomyces ferment, tocopherol, lecithin, cetearyl olivate, sorbitan olivate, jojoba esters, lauroyl lysine, castor oil/ipdi copolymer, disodium stearoyl glutamate, magnesium aluminum silicate, glyceryl caprylate, glyceryl undecylenate, phenoxyethanol. May contain : red 40, ultramarines, iron oxides, titanium dioxide, mica.
Jane Iredale Corrective Colors – $28
Overall Rating: (4 / 5)
Performance Rating: (4 / 5)
Ingredient Rating: (4 / 5)
Lisa Irritation Level: None
The description of this product reads, “A professional palette created for camouflaging all the stages of bruising. Also covers hyperpigmentation. The colors actually follow the ‘life cycle’ of a bruise, concealing it at every stage: Yellow conceals redness. Peach hides blue, purple or grey. Lilac covers yellow. Beige conceals hyperpigmentation.”
I purchased this kit thinking that it might be helpful for countering dark circles under my eyes, but I have not found it to be very successful for that.
The idea that it might help to cover bruising is intriguing though. I’ve heard people say that their cosmetic surgeons stock this product in their offices and that it has been helpful to them when recovering from cosmetic surgery, for instance.
I have not had any bruising that I wanted to cover up since purchasing this kit and so can’t comment on how it works for that purpose.
The formula seems fine and has not irritated my eyes when I have used it, anyway.
Amazon Rating: 4.4 Stars (274 reviews)
Credo Clean: Meets Criteria
Clean at Sephora: Meets Criteria
Drunk Elephant Clean: Meets Criteria
Think Dirty Rating: 3 (green)
EWG Ingredient Rating: 3 (yellow)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Titanium dioxide (3), Ultramarines (3)
Fragrance Ingredients: Moringa seed oil, cucumber fruit extract, pine bark extract, crithmum maritimum extract
All Ingredients: Moringa Seed Oil, Avocado Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, Castor Seed Oil, Moringa Oil/Hydrogenated Moringa Oil Esters, Carnauba Wax, Beeswax, Tribehenin Boron Nitride, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cucumber Fruit Extract, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Pine Bark Extract, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Bisabolol, Grape Seed Extract Ascorbyl Palmitate. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Ultramarines
Jones Road The Face Pencil – $25
♥ Lisa’s Choice
♣ Living Clean Superstar
Overall Rating: (5 / 5)
Performance Rating: (5 / 5)
Ingredient Rating: (4 / 5)
Lisa Irritation Level: None
Although the Jones Road Face Pencils are primarily marketed as regular concealer sticks, there are several shades that are specifically designed for color correction of dark circles.
The neutralizer shades are #6 (light peach), #11 (light/medium pink), #13 (medium peach), and #17 (medium/dark peach).
I have been using #6 and have been shocked at how easily and yet thoroughly it covers the darkness under my eyes, without it looking like I am wearing any makeup at all.
Makeup artist Bobbi Brown (who owns Jones Road) has said that the pencils are formulated with a clear base to help them to disappear into the skin, and so maybe that is what makes them so effective.
In any case, I really like the way that I can use the pencil to build up just enough coverage to hide my dark circles as well as any other issues that I may be having on my face.
The #6 pencil is just a little bit brighter peach color than the regular concealing pencils in the lighter tones. Based on the pictures, the #17 one does look quite orange, on the other hand.
Although needing to sharpen the pencil by hand is a little bit annoying for me, the pencil works fine even if the point is not very sharp and so it is not a lot of work to keep it in usable condition.
I kind of wonder whether Jones Road should offer green color correcting pencils, since I think that might be ideal for coverage of acne issues or other facial redness.
In any case, if I were going to own just one makeup product to use for the rest of my life, it would be the Jones Road Face Pencil #6. (With the Jones Road eyebrow pencil in second place.)
It does make a big difference in how I look, I think.
Size: 0.1 oz.
Jones Road Rating: 4.3 Stars (1748 reviews)
Credo Clean: Yes
Clean at Sephora: Unclear
Drunk Elephant: Meets Criteria
EWG Product Rating: 1-2 (green)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Myristyl myristate (3)
Fragrance Ingredients: None
All Ingredients (Shades 1, 2, 3, 5, 11; other shades differ slightly): Castor Seed Oil, Titanium Dioxide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride,Glyceryl Ricinoleate, Candelilla Wax, Beeswax, Carnauba Wax, Myristyl Myristate, Mica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Shea Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-t-Butyl,Hydroxyhyrdocinnamate, May Contain +/-: Iron Oxides
NYX Color Correcting Palette – $12
Overall Rating: (3 / 5)
Performance Rating: (3 / 5)
Ingredient Rating: (4 / 5)
Lisa Irritation Level: Very Mild
The description of this product reads, “Treat your most severe skin discoloration concerns with NYX Professional Makeup Color Correcting Palette. These six creamy color correcting concealer shades are customizable! Layer and blend them to cover and conceal redness, blue tones, bruising, dark circles and yellowness on all skin tones and types.”
I can see how this palette might be useful for treating a variety of skin discolorations and think that it might be good to keep on hand in case I ever need it.
I tried using the lightest pinkish peach shade under my eyes and thought that it did a good job of covering my dark circles and that it didn’t make my wrinkles look a lot worse.
It may have been slightly irritating, but considering that this is standard drugstore-type makeup, it could have been a lot worse.
Ulta Rating: 4.1 Stars (512 reviews)
Credo Clean: No
Clean at Sephora: No
Drunk Elephant Clean: No
Think Dirty Rating: 6 (yellow)
EWG Ingredient Rating: 6 (yellow)
EWG Problem Ingredients: Dimethicone (3), Tocopheryl acetate (3), BHT (3), Titanium dioxide (3), Blue #1 (7), Chromium oxide greens (5), Yellow #5 (6)
Fragrance Ingredients: None
All Ingredients: Trimethylsiloxyphenyl Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Beeswax, Isononyl Isononanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecanol, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Polyethylene, Sorbitan Olivate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Microcrystalline Wax, Tocopheryl Acetate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, BHT. D4-6 Trimethylsiloxyphenyl Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Beeswax, Isononyl Isononanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecanol, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Polyethylene, Sorbitan Olivate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Microcrystalline Wax, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Tocopheryl Acetate, BHT. May contain (+/-): Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Blue 1, Carmine, Chromium Oxide Greens, Yellow 5.
Shopping List
This section lists products that seem that they may have potential and that I am hoping to try in the near future.
Readers are highly encouraged to bring other relevant products that they have tried to my attention so that I can add them to this list.
Jane Iredale Circle Delete – $32
Live Tinted Huestick Corrector – $24
MAC Studio Studio Finish Skin Corrector – $14
About This Website
The Living Clean in a Dirty World shopping website is designed to provide guidance to those seeking out products that are relatively low in toxicity and that provide generally positive user experiences.
Although the skincare and makeup sections have a particular focus on products appropriate for women who are in their 40’s or beyond, the information provided may be useful for other people as well.
The products are curated by Lisa Petrison, who has been focused on helping people to improve their health by avoiding toxicity since 2008 and who heads the Paradigm Change organization.
Her Living Clean in a Dirty World blog site discusses a variety of topics of relevance to those who are working to pursue a more natural lifestyle with less exposure to harmful toxicity.
Lisa is the author of several books, including A Beginner’s Guide to Mold Avoidance (co-written with Erik Johnson).
She also runs the Paradigm Change website (focusing on issues related to toxic mold illness) and the Mold Avoiders Facebook group (designed for the discussion of all topics of interest to those pursuing the mold avoidance approach described in the “Beginner’s Guide” book).
Lisa was born in August 1964 and has yet to try cosmetic surgery, Botox or other cosmetic treatments requiring interactions with a physician, or beauty products containing retinoids.
In her former life, Lisa worked as a business school professor, as a marketing consultant to a variety of large companies, and as a reporter covering the advertising industry.
She holds a Ph.D. in marketing and social psychology from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University as well as B.S./M.S. degrees from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern.
Lisa would like to extend a special note of appreciation to Ellen Kleiman-Redden for her help in trying out products and discussing issues related to this project.
She also would like to thank the many members of the Mold Avoiders community who have shared suggestions of products to be included here.
A Note From Lisa
Products that I have tried or researched and that I have not found to be acceptable from a toxicity standpoint have been omitted entirely from the discussions on this website.
However, since a goal of this project is to introduce people to a range of options in terms of price and functionality, some products discussed on this site include ingredients that may not be appropriate for everyone.
It’s my hope that all individuals making their way to this site will find at least a few options from each product category that meet all of their own needs and wants from a variety of perspectives.
The vast majority of cosmetics marketers now offer affiliate programs in which Internet content creators may earn commissions if people who are referred to the companies’ sites by clicking on links end up making purchases.
I participate in quite a few individual affiliate programs as well as in the Sovrn/Viglinks program (which automatically converts regular links into revenue-generating links).
Links on this page that may result in affiliate income may include – but are not necessarily limited to – those from the following companies: Amazon, Bare Minerals, Bobbi Brown, Credo, Fitglow, Jane Iredale, Jones Road, Live Tinted, MAC, NYX, Pharmaca, Sephora, and Ulta.
Reader comments about products discussed on this website are very welcome.
Thoughts may be shared either by posting them in the comments section at the bottom of this page or by sending them directly to me at the following email address:
info at paradigmchange dot me
Companies that would like to offer me complimentary products to try out may contact me at this address as well.
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