How to Cover Dark Circles
If there was one thing I could permanently take away from myself forever, dark under eye circles would definitely be in the running. It doesn’t matter if I get fourteen hours of sleep, my under eye area always looks like I only got four. It’s ridiculous and one of the reasons I almost never leave the house without makeup. Even if my skin is completely clear, those dark circles can be such a drag. I’ve searched for years to find something to cover them completely and I think I’ve finally figured it out!
Although there is one main thing that I’ve changed in my routine that makes the biggest difference, it is still a bit of a process to get the full effect. The one thing that’s really been the game changer is using a color correcting concealer before anything else. I thought layering two concealers would feel heavy on the skin and look crepey, but the L’oreal True Match Color Correcting Crayon in the shade Peach blends into absolutely nothing.
I first apply my primer like normal and then I put a little bit of the peach concealer just in the exact spots where the dark circles are. I blend that in while the primer is settling into the skin, then apply my foundation/BB cream, and finish with a skin-toned under eye concealer. The Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser for Dark Circles in the shade Fair is my absolute favorite. I’ve loved it for years and won’t use anything else!
Once the concealer is done and has had time to sink into the skin, it’s important to set it with powder to prevent the concealer from settling into any fine lines. My favorite is the Elf High Definition Undereye Setting Powder. It’s super finely milled, allowing it to blur the under eye area beautifully. Once the concealer is set, I also go on top of that with a lighter face powder to brighten. The Elf powder does provide a slight brightening effect, but I like adding something else to really awaken the face.
For everyday use, I normally reach for the Maybelline Fit Me pressed powder in the shade Ivory. Make sure you choose a shade much lighter than your actual skin tone so it can actually brighten rather than just blending in. You can clearly see how much I’ve loved this powder based on how much pan is showing! It won’t be long before I’ll need to repurchase.
If I’m going somewhere that’s more important or if I know pictures will be taken, I add one extra step. After setting with the Elf powder, I’ll bring in any pressed yellow-toned powder that I have. The one shown below is the BH Cosmetics 6 Color Contour & Blush palette. I can’t seem to find that on their site anymore, but Coastal Scents has one that’s almost completely identical. When I use this palette, I dip into the yellow shade first and then layer the white shade on top. Depending on your skin tone you could stop after the yellow powder, but that would make me look sick with my pale skin so I have to add the white.
Something you might not think about, but is still super important when considering makeup application and the finished look is the tools that you use. I didn’t realize what I was doing wrong until I had the right tools in hand. The difference was unbelievable! Thankfully, I have found some pretty affordable options.
The Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge is still one of the best there is on the market and has remained one of the most affordable. I don’t really use sponges to blend in my makeup anymore, but I’ve found that this is the best method for blending in that peach concealer. I use the Morphe M407 brush to apply the Elf powder. That is the only brush I do not recommend because of the brand, but the shape of it is what I wanted to share. The Elf Small Tapered brush is what I use to apply the brightening powders afterwards. This one is super affordable (only $3) and the shape is perfect!
This might seem like quite the process at first, but it really doesn’t take that much time. I always lecture on about how skincare is so important for perfect makeup. But when you’re actually doing makeup, the base face products are what I’ve been paying the most attention to. It doesn’t matter how beautiful your eyeshadow may be, your skin is the first thing that catches the attention. It’s important to make it look as flawless as possible.
If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to share it using one of the buttons below. If you have any other questions, leave them for me in the comments. Have you used a correcting concealer before? What’s one of your best beauty tips?
~Christina~
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