Waking up to dark under eye circles isn’t the best way to start the day. Unfortunately it’s all too common after a night of lavish drinking or sleeplessness. Sleep deprivation and fatigue are the main culprits of dark circles, so the best way to combat them is getting a good night’s rest. However, for the times when that’s just not feasible, there are concealers to cover up your dark circles and help you look as fresh faced as you can! Take a look at the best concealers for dark circles.
What Causes Dark Circles Under the Eyes?
There are a number of reasons you can develop dark circles under your eyes. The most common reasons are lack of sleep and genetics. If your family members have dark circles, you’re more likely to have them too. Sleep deprivation can cause your skin to become dull and pale, allowing for dark tissues and blood vessels beneath your skin to show. Lack of sleep can also cause fluid to build up beneath your eyes, causing them to appear puffy, and puffy eyelids can cast shadows that look like dark circles.
Natural aging is another cause of dark eye circles. As you get older, your skin becomes thinner and you lose fat and collagen needed to maintain your skin’s elasticity. When this happens, the dark blood vessels beneath your skin become more visible, causing the area below your eyes to darken.
Other things that can cause dark under eye circles are eye strain, allergies, excessive alcohol consumption, dehydration, and sun overexposure. More serious medical conditions such as anemia or iron deficiency may also cause dark under eye circles.
How to Apply Concealer to Hide Dark Circles
1. Start with a Smooth Canvas
Properly cleansing and hydrating the skin is an important pre-concealer step to ensure it goes on smoothly without any flakes or dryness. Exfoliating the under eye area can help to create smoothness and be sure to use a moisturizer or serum that absorbs but doesn’t overload the skin so your concealer doesn’t slip all over the place.
2. Apply Foundation First
If you’re going to be applying foundation as well, apply it before your concealer, even under the eyes. This way, you won’t have to use as much concealer to cover up your dark circles. Sometimes, using too much can make what you’re trying to hide look even more obvious.
3. Find The Right Shade
Using the wrong concealer shade can make your skin look ashy or make the concealer stand out too much. It’s really important to match your undertones to properly hide your under eye circles. Warmer skin tones should look for yellow or orange undertones, while cooler skin tones should look for pink shades. You should also use a light reflecting formula that’s a shade lighter than your skin to brighten the under eye area.
4. Apply From In, Out
Dark circles usually cover the inner third of the eye and a bit of the outer corner. Start your application at the inner corner of the eyes and move outward for the best coverage. Put your concealer on with a small synthetic bristle brush and then use the pads of your fingertips or a beauty sponge to dab it in carefully. Be sure to also hit the sides of the nose that hit the inner corner of the eye.
Best Concealers for Dark Circles
1. IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer
This under eye concealer delivers highly pigmented, long lasting, full coverage to hide your under eye circles. It’s a multi-tasking concealer that conceals the look of imperfections including dark bags, redness, hyper-pigmentation, broken capillaries and age spots. Infused with ingredients like anti-aging peptides, vitamins, collagen and hyaluronic acid, it also helps make your skin look younger!
2. Tarte Shape Tape Concealer
This super blendable concealer helps brighten, smooth and give your skin a firmer, more lifted look. It conceals all imperfections and is formulated with nourishing mango seed and shea butter to illuminate the skin for a lifted effect. It also contains liquorice root extract to colour correct and brighten the appearance of dark circles.
3. NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
This multi-action concealer highlights, corrects and perfects with an ultra creamy formula. It provides medium to buildable coverage and leaves you with a natural radiant finish. It instantly masks imperfections and hides dark circles and signs of fatigue. The botanical blend hydrates, firms and strengthens the look of the skin by helping its barrier retain moisture and light-diffusing technology gives the skin a fresh, radiant finish.
4. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser
Erase the look of dark circles and brighten dull skin with this drugstore concealer! This anti-aging eye treatment is infused with haloxyl, known to lessen the look of dark eye circles and firm and tone the eye area. Say goodbye to fine lines and dark eye circles and hello to a radiant, refreshed eye area.
5. ILIA True Skin Serum Concealer
This lightweight, creamy concealer offers medium coverage with a silky, serum-like texture that blends seamlessly into the skin. It protects the skin from free radicals and environmental damage while helping firm, soothe and nourish the skin.
6. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away Concealer
This is a full coverage liquid concealer that reduces the appearance of dark circles, blemishes and imperfections and provides fresher looking skin. With ingredients like Persian silk tree bark extract to fade dark circles and extract of wild indigo to enhance the skin’s luminosity, it’s the perfect concealer for under eye bags.
7. e.l.f. 16 Hour Camo Concealer
If you’re on the hunt for a budget-friendly under eye concealer, this one’s for you! It’s a 16-hour wear product that conceals, corrects and highlights for your most flawless skin. It’s a highly pigmented formula that’s quick drying and won’t settle into lines or creases. Enriched with avocado oil to moisturize and protect the skin and kaolin clay to control excess oil and shine, this concealer is an all around incredible product.
Finding the right concealer to combat dark eye circles is easy when you know what to look for. Try these tips and products for brighter, healthy looking skin!
