The Key to Covering Whiteheads Is . . . a Freckle Pen?

There are countless ways to cover a pimple with makeup. A few extra taps of foundation, some strategic concealer application, color correcting — the list goes on. However, the type of pimple that you’re trying to cover matters. We can likely all agree that fragile whiteheads are infinitely harder to hide than simple texture bumps, especially when they’re in tricky places like the lips. However, that’s exactly what Donni Davy, celebrity makeup artist and founder of Half Magic Beauty, did, and her technique will have you running to stock up on freckle pens.

Yes, you heard that correctly. In a TikTok video, Davy adds a freckle pen to her concealing routine in a quest to conceal a pimple on the inner corner of her upper lip. After pointing out that concealer alone tends to draw attention to whiteheads rather than away from them, she used a freckle pen as a color-correcting step. “Freckle pens are like stains, so they are long-wearing and don’t have the thick texture of traditional makeup to them,” Davy tells POPSUGAR. “You’ll only need one dot of product, and I love that I can do this step of my makeup while I’m also doing my normal faux-freckles.”

Whiteheads are notorious for popping at any given moment, so it may not seem like it makes sense to layer on a ton of product to the area — but that’s where technique matters. Ahead, Davy explains the exact steps to follow to achieve your own perfectly concealed whitehead.

How to Use a Freckle Pen to Cover Pimples

“I barely touch the pimple,” Davy says, referring to the fragility of whiteheads. “I more so gently tap a little color from the freckle pen on and then stipple concealer only on the red area around the whitehead.”

Stippling, rather than painting the concealer in broad strokes, is a key element of this technique. For those unfamiliar, it involves a gentle tapping motion to blend the product, which, in this case, successfully camouflages the discoloration of the irritated skin without making it worse.

After you have your pigment in place, you need a couple of reinforcements to make sure it sticks. “Tap a very small amount of transparent powder on top of the pimple,” Davy says. This will help the concealer stay in place and not slide off the face. “You’ll also want to seal your whole look with a setting spray,” she adds. Her product of choice is the Half Magic Dewlock Setting Spray ($22), which is great if you want a long-wearing, glowy finish. If you have oily skin or just prefer a look that’s a bit more matte, we recommend the One/Size On ‘Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray ($32), which is beloved by editors and Beyoncé alike.

Davy also recommends avoiding any oil-based skin-care products in your prep before makeup application if you really want to ensure this hack has longevity. While they can give you a glowy finish, they may also cause your makeup to slide off.

You’re probably itching to buy a new freckle pen to add to your makeup routine right now and we don’t blame you. We like Freck Beauty Original ($28) and Freck Noir ($28) for deep skin tones. You can follow this technique to the letter or just use the pen to dot on even more faux freckles so that the pimple isn’t the focal point on your face — another hack that Davy recommends. You can’t go wrong with owning one, especially if you love the look of beauty marks.

Either way, when a hack is recommended by “Euphoria” royalty, as Davy is, you know it’s going to be good.