How to Conceal Freckles

It seems that the people who have freckles hate the sight of them and would scratch them off their skin if they could, and those who don’t have freckles think they’re the most adorable little things they’ve ever seen. Freckles actually are yellow, red or brownish-colored spots of melanin, and for the most part, these spots are flat and small, about the size of the head of a nail. Freckles mostly appear on fair-skinned individuals and those with red hair, but actually, freckles can appear on just about anyone after spending time in the sun.

Concealing freckles is more difficult than you might imagine. If you’re someone who is prone to getting freckles, you are better off if you try to keep freckles from appearing in the first place. Staying out of the sun whenever you can is your best defense, but this isn’t realistic. Wearing sunscreen whenever you’re going to be spending time in the sun is a better way to keep freckles at bay. Of course, you’ve got to frequently reapply the sunscreen for it to be effective.

But when those freckles do appear, applying a skin-toned concealer is the best way to keep them under cover. If you’re trying hard to conceal your freckles, it’ll be easy to go overboard and you might end up applying too much make-up so watch out. Too much concealer will give you a heavy, caked-on appearance, which is counter the natural look that is more in line with today’s image of beauty.

Besides concealer, some people have had luck using non-prescription bleaching creams that contain hydroquinone and kojic acid. Applied over several months this may lighten freckles. Sometimes, however, bleaching creams have caused the area around the freckles to discolor which ends up calling more attention to the area. Facial peels and laser surgery are other options people have tried, but both tend to be harsh and can potentially damage sensitive skin.