Dark undereye circles are the bane of many a women’s existence, and despite what many miracle product companies try to tell you, odds are good that if you’re genetically predisposed to them, you’re stuck with them. But all hope is not lost! You don’t have to go through life looking like a tired raccoon who stayed up all night drinking (or whatever the raccoon equivalent of drinking is-perhaps stealing garbage and fighting). A few brilliant cosmetic tips can quickly make those undereye circles history. Here’s how to get rid of your dark under eye circles:
Choose the Right Concealer
Concealers generally come in two forms: liquid and cream formulas. Liquid formulas tend to conceal less effectively, but cream formulas may cake up or settle into fine lines under your eyes, making you look even more tired. Experiment with both varieties and see what works best for you. It’s a good idea, in either case, to invest in a high quality concealer that contains SPF. The better the concealer, the better coverage you’ll get. While some concealers now market themselves as containing “reflective pigments” to cover under eye circles, it’s a good idea to avoid these. They may irritate the delicate skin under your eyes, and those so-called “light-reflecting pigments” are more likely to draw attention to your circles like a giant highlighter rather than get rid of them.
Most undereye circles are blue or blackish, so choose a concealer with a yellow hue, which helps to balance out the blue. You may also want to use a yellow primer before applying your concealer, which can also help to minimize the blue tones. Choose a concealer that is a shade or two lighter than your foundation for maximum under eye circle coverage.
How to Apply You Concealer
Your concealer will go on best and most evenly if you apply it with your finger rather than an applicator or brush. Make sure to apply the concealer to your entire undereye area, including areas without circles, in order to help the color blend more evenly. Gently tap the concealer to blend it. Rubbing it or blending too harshly can exacerbate undereye circles and cause damage to the skin under your eyes. Avoid completely blending your concealer if you’re using foundation. Your foundation will help to smooth out the edges, and completely blending it before you apply the foundation virtually guarantees that the foundation will remove a good bit of the concealer you’ve just applied.
Use Makeup Tricks to Draw Attention Away From Circles
Getting rid of your undereye circles doesn’t just end with concealer. There are other makeup tricks you can use to draw attention away from the circles and toward your eyes. Use a white eyeliner to line under your eye but above the lashline. This will make the whites of your eyes look brighter and whiter, thus drawing attention away from undereye circles. Applying mascara to the bottom lashes can also help to wake up your eyes. Apply a light, shimmery highlighter below your brows, and lighten up on eyeliner underneath your eyes, which can draw attention to undereye circles.
