A Vanderpump Rules Makeup Artist Shares the Cast's Holy-Grail Concealers

One thing’s certain: The women of Vanderpump Rules (airs Mondays at 9/8c) are never short on drama. Yet despite the tears and late nights, have you ever seen a dark circle or under-eye bag at SUR? Me neither.

Turns out, there’s a reason Kristen Doute, Katie Maloney-Schwartz, Brittany Cartwright, Ariana Madix, and crew always look so well rested no matter what: They have a makeup artist to help them hide the evidence.

“As a pro MUA, the one thing I know I’ll always use is concealer. Whether it’s to disguise under-eye circles, spot-treat a blemish or just create a subtle highlight on the face, concealer is a staple for everyone who sits in my chair,” says Jared Lipscomb, who works with nearly the entire PumpRules crew.

Above: Ariana Madix wearing Becca's Ultimate Coverage Longwear Concealer ($29).

And because we're guessing you have your fair share of drama too, we asked Lipscomb to share the 5 concealers he uses to keep his clients looking flawless on set, plus his best pro tips for applying them.

Rule No.1: Go easy

“My number one concealer tip is always: LESS is more. With online makeup tutorials so popular, there is a common misconception that using a lot of concealer will create a perfect complexion. This technique usually only works when there is a lot of controlled lighting (like ring lights) shining directly in front of you. For red carpets, on camera shoots, and just everyday makeup, using a small amount of concealer will hide any imperfections but still look soft and natural.”

Rule No.2: Don’t ‘overbake’

“A big mistake people make is ‘baking’ their concealer with too much powder for too long. Setting your concealer with a dusting of translucent powder is fine, but packing on too much powder can cause your concealer to look cakey, dry and accentuate fine lines. This is especially important if you’re prone to dark circles as a lighter shade can accentuate dark circles.”

Rule No.3: Harness its hidden talent

“Aside from its obvious use of concealing and correcting, a bit of concealer blended through the high points of the face create a gorgeous subtle highlight. Pick a color one shade lighter than your skin tone and use it sparingly under the eyes, up the cheekbone and down the center of the nose, forehead and chin.”

Why Lipscomb loves it: “This concealer is mine and Kristen Doute’s favorite. It lasts so long on the skin and there’s a shade for almost every skin tone—30 total—and is jam-packed with natural ingredients. I love the semi-matte finish, so I can skip powder and just buff it into the skin for a soft second skin like texture.”

Pro tip: “Because this concealer is full coverage and has a more matte finish, use sparingly and avoid too much powder with this product.”

Why Lipscomb loves it: “Katie Maloney-Schwartz turned me on to this product. Katie loves makeup—and is obviously really good at it—so this is a fun, multi-use product to play with and experiment with! You can thin out the very pigmented cream to create your own coverage. I also love to use pinhead size dabs of it to spot-conceal pimples before applying foundation. If I’m using it under the eyes, I like to mix it with an illuminating primer so I can control the consistency and density.”

Pro tip: “This product is designed to be thinned out, so unless you’re dabbing it onto an acne spot, you should always mix it with a moisturizer, primer, or another mixing medium before using it. Kevyn Aucoin Beauty actually recommends using a rice size amount for your WHOLE FACE!

Why Lipscomb loves it: “I love a multi-tasking product that can be applied with your fingers and is also great for your skin. This concealer is all of the above! It blends effortlessly, is nicely pigmented and has ingredients that will brighten your under eyes. I’ve used this gorgeous product on Mercedes Javid for a fresh faced, ‘no makeup’-makeup look that focused on her naturally flawless complexion.”

Pro tip: “Use your hands to applyt. It will warm up the elixir so it blends flawlessly into your skin. Use your ring finger to pat the product under the eye so you don’t tug on this delicate area.”

Why Lipscomb loves it: “I’m obsessed with this water resistant, long-wear concealer. It has a gorgeous dewy finish, that looks like your skin, but is still full coverage. I used it on Ariana Madix for the People’s Choice Awards [below]. Ariana likes a soft look, but I also needed a product that would photograph well and last from the red carpet to the after parties, so this was the one!”

Pro tip: “Try using this concealer down the center of the nose and forehead for a soft contour. It blends easily and looks so natural. It makes for a nice natural highlight and contour.”

Why Lipscomb loves it: “I really love using this on Brittany Cartwright! It’s my favorite high end concealer. I love the unique stick formula—it glides on so effortlessly and blends so easily into the skin while still providing full coverage. I also love that it’s been re formulated with SPF. Such a nice added bonus, especially when my clients have to spend some time outside in makeup. That extra SPF was especially helpful during Brittany’s beachside engagement shoot over the summer!”

Pro tip: “I love to dab a bit of this on the eyelids and lips to exact as an SPF-infused primer before eyeshadow and lip color application. It will extend the wear of makeup in both these areas!