A makeup artist’s genius trick for hiding a pimple

Nothing can ruin your day or mess with your self-confidence quite like waking up to a big, honkin’ zit. You know you’re not supposed to pop it (especially if it’s one of those deep, cystic suckers) but it can also be tough to have to deal with a breakout on top of an already stressful schedule.

Thankfully, Katey Denno, celebrity makeup artist and natural beauty expert, has you covered—literally. Her optical-illusion concealer trick ensures that your blemish will remain your little secret. That means you can mark one stressful part of your day off your to-do list before you ever even leave the house.

The first step of her zit-hiding process is pretty standard. Start by hydrating the area with a light oil such as True Botanicals Pure Radiance Oil, $110. Then, apply a foundation such as Ilia Vivid Foundation, $44 all over your face. You might be tempted to skip this step, but it’s crucial because “otherwise, regardless of the type of concealer you use, the texture of the product won’t match the texture of your skin, and instead, you might actually highlight your zit,” Denno says. Last up: the concealer (like RMS UnCoverup, $36): You want to use one that matches your skin tone exactly, tapping it only to the specific area.

Now, for the smoke-and-mirrors: If your pimple is particularly large, and you’re worried about it showing in photos, “tap on a slightly lighter concealer underneath the bottom of the bulge,” says Denno. “This will trick the eye to see the lighter part [underneath] as more forward, instead of seeing the shadow that the blemish will cast.” This perspective trick nets out with skin look smooth rather than there being an elevated bump where your pimple is.

In other words: It’s basically the Photoshop “blemish remover” function, IRL. Skin-care sorcery, or what?

To learn about what might be popping up in your pores, check out our ultimate guide to pimples. And for even more magical ways to put your concealer to the test, check out Jessa Blades’ genius tips for using it as a multi-tasker.