Category: Tutorial

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I’m gonna be honest with you: concealing dark circles is tricky business. On paper it seems simple. It’s all about neutralizing unwanted colors with the opposite colors from the color wheel. You know, color theory and all that.

But in reality there are so many colors under the eyes it’s difficult to see what to put there. And in the morning you just want to get the job over with. So you probably use too much product (the more is more logic seems to work with coffee right?) and it probably isn’t doing the job as well as you’d like (and maybe what used to work for you five years ago doesn’t anymore).

So let me share what works for me and how I conceal my dark circles nowadays, because I have some big revelations.

How to conceal dark circles

When it comes to concealing dark circles – to make it easier – you need to have the right products (for you) and the right technique. I’ve found that the less is more approach, as well as being precise with my application helps most.

Here are my main tips for determining how to hide the dark circles.

3 tips to concealing dark circles

1. Determine the colors of your dark circles and compare the colors to a color wheel.
   Try and make sense of the color mix you have going on. Be open to the idea that there’s probably more than one color. Is it clearly blue or is it purple? What’s the dominating color? Or maybe you’re like me – and the blue leans to a greenish hue?
2. Be precise with your application.
   Apply the concealer where you need it, not around it. Forget about blending the concealer on your cheeks. Keep it in place. Tapping motion usually works great and helps to keep the product in place. This way you also need less product. The skin around the eyes is thin and the more product you put there, the more likely it creases and looks cakey.
3. Embrace your skin – dark circles and eyebags and all.
   You wouldn’t be in my blog, if I didn’t say it. We’re concealing the dark circles, but we’re not painting the under eye area to something unnatural. It’s okay to look human. The result doesn’t have to be perfect. I like my skin to look like skin. I’m not about that full coverage thing with my foundation, so if my under eyes looked like a painting it wouldn’t match. Overall, my skin can shine through my makeup a bit. I try to remind myself of this when I’m rocking eyebags. Because those you can’t hide (except maybe with glitter, but it’s not an everyday look for me).

Explaining and teaching this is easiest with an example. So here we go.

How I conceal my dark circles

The big revelation for me was finding the green hue. No one ever talked about green eye bags! But it does make sense, since my undertone is a warm yellow. It’s no wonder the yellowy concealers didn’t work for me that well. Because of the greenish blue, I need a salmony (pinkish) color under the eyes. And the product that I found (Smashbox x Becca) actually both neutralizes the unwanted color and brightens at the same time!

There’s also purplish blue under my eyes. And for that I need something more orange, more my skin color. So I still use two products, but I think of it like this:

First I just do a thin layer of concealer that somewhat matches my skin. It’s like a foundation to my under eyes. This already gets rid of some of the unwanted color, at least most of the purplish blue.
When I say thin layer, I really mean it. Again, not trying to look like a painting. Just human.

After that, I finish the job with a neutralizing brightening concealer. And here I use the new color: a concealer that leans slightly to pink, rather than yellow or orange. The concealer I have is quite creamy, so using two products works and isn’t drying or too much. This product I use even less than the first one, focusing it where I need it.

So in a nutshell, the colors that I need are a bit of orange and a bit of pink. Who would have thought.
Also, I have to note. Wearing eye makeup is a good distraction from the dark circles.

Awesome concealers I swear by and buy again and again

Shop:
*Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector, Fair/Light
*Tarte shape tape Ultra Creamy, 22N
*NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

*Smashbox x Becca Brightening Corrector in Fair/Light – it’s amazing. The consistency feels hydrating and lightweight. It doesn’t emphasize fine lines and it reflects light beautifully. I also love the beautiful jar it comes in, even though it’s not the most hygienic thing (remember to use clean brushes or fingers).

*Tarte shape tape ultra creamy concealer – similar consistency to MAC Pro Longwear Concealer. Lightweight and easy to blend, doesn’t get into the fine lines. I have the shade 22N, which could be my foundation.

*NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer is more of a thicker consistency, but as the name suggests, it’s very creamy. My go-to shades are Custard (close to my skin tone, but slightly darker) or Vanilla (lighter and cooler than my skin).

I hope this post was helpful to you. Let me know if you have any questions!
I want to also remind you, that I’m available for (€) online makeup consultation, if you want more personal advice.