We’ve all been there… too little sleep, waking up early, rolling out of bed, walking to the bathroom, catching a glimpse of ourselves in the mirror and… What are those under my eyes?? I look like I’ve lost a fight! Where did those dark circles come from?? Unfortunately we usually don’t have time to drink a bunch of water and go back to sleep so it’s time to break out our best cover up skills. Here are a few tips to keep in mind next time you wake up with these not-so-flattering bruise-like marks under your eyes.
First of all, let me make it clear that we do not want to “lighten” the circle. We want to cover it. I’m not sure where the tip came from to use a lighter concealer to cover a dark circle but it is incorrect. Have you ever tried it? It usually doesn’t look quite right and you end up wearing more foundation to try to blend the concealer. Instead of thinking lighten, think color correction. When picking a product to cover your circles go for a concealer or foundation with an orange or warm hue to it. The warmth in the concealer will counteract the coolness from the circles to better cover it.
Most foundations and concealers come in a wide variety of shades. If you can’t find one that matches your skin perfectly don’t be afraid to mix more than one color. A lot of people have a little more color in the summer and need to darken their foundation. Same goes for concealer. Make sure your concealer is a match for your skin tone. If you notice your concealer that matched perfect in January is looking a little gray in June it’s time to go a shade darker. Just remember to get one with a warm hue to it if you’re looking to cover dark circles, even if your skin is naturally on the cool side.
Just as important as finding the perfect shade of concealer and foundation to cover dark circles is the application. Have you ever wiped on your concealer or foundation only to see it streak and wipe off? A better technique is to pat concealer on to dark circle and blend with your foundation if necessary. When using a brush, select a smaller one for more precise placement with synthetic bristles. Make sure it is clean. For more coverage use the brush dry and for a little lighter coverage use it damp but not wet. Although a clean brush is the best way to apply any makeup I totally get being in a hurry, half asleep still and applying with your fingers. When using your fingers to do anything around your eye area use your ring finger. It is the weakest finger and will be the most gentle on the thin skin around your eyes. Yay for not helping wrinkles! Also, be sure to apply the concealer only to the dark part of the circle. The purpose of the warm hue is to correct the coolness from the circle so blend the concealer out with your regular foundation.
Hope you found this helpful! Next time you catch a glimpse of a raccoon in the mirror remember these tips to return yourself to beautiful. No one will even know you’re tired!