How to Conceal Dark Circles
Written for Walgreens.com
We’ve all been there. Maybe it was a fun, all-night party that kept you up late, or labor on a work presentation that reduced your sleep to nothing. Whatever the situation, the result is the same. You look in the mirror in the morning to put on your makeup and notice big circles of doom under your eyes. But don’t worry. With just a few simple steps, you can cover up those circles, not broadcast them to the entire world.
The spoon trick
First things first. Go and freeze 2 spoons for 10 minutes. Once they’re good and cold, lay down with them over your eyes until the coldness is gone. This is an almost instant pick-me-up and will reduce much of the puffiness that is currently plaguing your eyes. Next, we’ll tackle the dark circles.
Prep work
Before we start concealing those dark areas, make sure to clean and moisturize your skin so that the foundation or concealer you use goes on smoothly. If dark circles are a normal occurrence for you, keep a good eye cream around and use it twice a day. Look for one that contains vitamin C and caffeine to relieve puffiness and discoloration. After your skin has been prepped, apply foundation to your face and eye makeup as normal.
Concealer vs. foundation
Now that your skin has been prepped and your base layer of makeup is on, it’s time to start masking those dark circles. Either concealer or your normal foundation will work. If you don’t have concealer on hand, squeeze a little bit of the liquid foundation onto your hand and let it sit there for a moment and oxidize. The longer it is exposed to the air, the more concentrated the pigment will become. If want to use a concealer, look for one in a yellow tone. It will even out the blue and purple hues and brighten the area.
The biggest mistake most women make in covering up dark circles is putting the foundation or concealer under the entire eye. Instead, only put the product where the dark circles appear. Typically, there will be a semi-circle of color from the interior of the eye down towards the cheekbone. Using a finger or makeup sponge, lightly build up the product you apply, taking care to let sections dry before you try to reapply. Make sure not to cake on the makeup, or it will be noticeable.
Powder
Once you’re done with concealing your dark circles, set your makeup with translucent powder. To avoid a heavily made-up look, finish your makeup with a spritz of water from an atomizer or face spritzer.
By now, your dark circles should be greatly diminished. Take care to get a good night’s sleep when you can, drink some caffeine, and engage in some exercise to get your blood flowing and further reduce puffiness. No one will even be able to tell that you were up all night.