In March 2014, in Paris, Dior handed its makeup to a Belgian named Peter Philips. He had spent years as Chanel's global creative director of makeup, and he arrived as Creative and Image Director of Christian Dior Makeup, saying he was honoured by the responsibilities entrusted to him. He has done the makeup for every Dior show since. Which means a runway face, in the end, is one man's idea of skin.

That idea trickles down to a small tube. If you only know one Dior concealer, it is Dior Forever Skin Correct Concealer, and it is worth understanding why it exists. The brand says it gives 24-hour wear and hydration, resists heat and humidity, is non-comedogenic and comes in 30 shades, per Allure and British Vogue. It lists 96% natural-origin ingredients, with iris, wild pansy and yarrow extracts, and it does include fragrance. Allure called it best for blemishes and noted plainly that it will not treat acne, only hide the evidence. I like that honest frame.

The trick is to treat the tube as the centre of a complexion, not a lone fix. The first grid is that whole face. The Forever Skin Correct Full-Coverage Concealer is the hero, and Forever Skin Glow Liquid Foundation 24HR Wear and the Forever Skin Perfect foundation stick sit next to it in the same family. The Forever Natural Velvet Matte compact is for anyone who wants a quieter finish, and the Forever On Set loose powder and Forever Nude pressed powder set it all. Then the glow side: the Backstage Glow Maximizer palette and the Forever Glow Luminizer. Peter Philips says he launched Backstage to reach younger customers with pure basics that are easy to wear and not intimidating, and that palette shows what he means.

Wipe a mascara wand on a tissue before you touch your lashes. Most clumps come from the first coat carrying too much formula, and a good wand only needs a little.

Dior's eye lineup gives you two personalities. The Diorshow Overcurl is the one I would pick if your lashes fall straight by noon, because the name tells you the job is lift. The Diorshow 24h Buildable Volume is for a slow build: one coat for a workday, a second at the outer corners for dinner. Keep them both in a drawer and pick by the day.

On the cheek, the Rosy Glow Powder Blush is the easy one, a soft flush you can sweep on without a mirror. The Rouge Blush is the firmer option, and I would use it on the apples and blend upward so it reads as a flush and not a stripe.

Lips are where the line gets playful. Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Transfer-Proof Lipstick is for a long day with a mask or a coffee cup. The Lip Glow Oil and the Addict Lip Maximizer are the shine pair, and the Addict Glass Lipstick stick is the one that slides into a pocket. A pairing I like: the liquid lipstick first, then a touch of Lip Glow Oil in the centre of the lips, so the colour holds and the middle looks soft.

What I would skip: layering the Maximizer over a matte liquid on a dry day. Pick one or the other.

Dab three shades on your jaw and walk to a window before you decide. Bathroom bulbs flatter everything, and a concealer that looks fine there can turn grey at the eye by lunchtime.

If you are comparing, the field is strong. Yves Saint Laurent's Touche Éclat pen is the quick brighten, a click-and-swipe under the eye, and it is the one I keep in a coat pocket. Armani Beauty's Luminous Silk concealer is the hydrating pick for under-eyes that tend toward dry. NARS Radiant Creamy is medium coverage with a soft finish, the one I would give to someone who says they hate concealer. Kosas Revealer is super creamy and brightening, good for people who want a little skincare in the tube.

Laura Mercier's Real Flawless is a serum concealer that is weightless, so it suits anyone worried about creasing. Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless is the long-wear blur version. Sarah Creal's Face Flex is a concealer and complexion enhancer in one, and Westman Atelier's Vital Skincare concealer adds hyaluronic acid, which suits dry or mature skin.

Next to Dior, the real difference is coverage. The Dior is the full-coverage one, and most of these are lighter. Dior goes on the blemish or the shadow that will not quit, with a lighter pen or creamy concealer over the rest of the eye.

What I would skip: a heavy full-coverage tube under the eyes every single day if your skin is dry. Save it for the spots that need it.

Colour correction is a thin layer, not a mask. Tap a little on the darkest edge, blend it out, and only then put concealer on top.

Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Vanish is the corrector I would start with if you have never used one. Kosas Revealer Extra Bright is the one for brightening a shadow. erborian's CC Red Correct Green has SPF 25 and is aimed at redness, so it is the one for a flushed cheek or a blemish you want to tone down.

Then brushes. Westman Atelier's Spot Check brush is named for what it does, placing concealer on one spot. Hourglass's Vanish Seamless Finish brush is the one for a blended edge, and Sephora Collection's PRO Concealer Brush #57 is the everyday one you will not mind losing in a bag.

Finish with powder, but lightly. Huda Beauty's Easy Bake Loose Powder Duo is a baking powder, so I would press it only where a crease forms. Too Faced's Peach Perfector Blurring Loose Setting Powder is the soft-focus one. Dior's On Set powder in the first grid is the third option, and you can use it with any of these.

What I would skip: baking the whole under-eye. A strip at the outer corner is enough, and you can always add more.

For most people, I would begin with Dior Forever Skin Correct Concealer and spend a morning learning your shade. Stand by a window, dab it beside your foundation, and wait a few minutes to see whether it turns.

After that, add one thing from each of the later grids: a mascara for lift, a lighter concealer for the days you want less, and a small brush that lets you place it exactly. That is the Dior complexion, edited down. Philips was hired in 2014 to decide what a face looks like. You only have to decide what yours looks like on a Tuesday. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Choosing a Dior Foundation and Everyday Makeup Look.