A virtual lift

Lifting application (left) versus a traditional application (right) Focus on concealer placement

Until recently, in addition to covering blemishes, concealer was a product that beauty lovers used in a triangle shape under their eyes - the primary focus was to cover up dark circles and illuminate the face. Not anymore. A viral beauty trend claims that you can use this product to give your face a very natural-seeming facelift. We got marketing professional and beauty lover Gayatri Thampi to road-test this innovative technique.

Apply your products in an upwards motion to create a lifting effect

Precise application: "The advantage of this technique is that you actually end up using far lesser product. This means you can say goodbye to creases and cakey-looking skin," Thampi says. You'll need a concealer in a shade that is slightly lighter than your skin tone and a blending tool.

Apply a single stroke of concealer at an upwards angle along the outer corners of your eyes. Do the same for the outer corners of your mouth. Then, dot a very small amount of the concealer on the inner corners of your eyes, under the middle of your eyes and on the sides of your nose. Finally, apply a small swipe under your cheekbones as well. Dab the concealer instead of painting it on.

A higher contour: Stack your bronzer and blush between the two concealer swipes on the sides of your face. " The placement of all three products should point towards your temples. This is much higher than where most people typically place blush. In effect, you are also wearing your bronzer on your cheekbones instead of under them. This creates the illusion of higher cheekbones," Thampi clarifies.

Finally, blend it all out for a seamless finish. It's important to blend all the products using an upward motion. Don't blend any lower than your cheekbones as doing so could detract from the lifting effect of this technique. Cream and liquid formulas blend more easily and offer a more seamless finish, she signs off.