Covering dark undereye circles can be quite a challenge for some. There is hope however, in concealing these dark little secrets. With a little practice, these simple applications will help you become a dark circle concealing expert. First, it is best to consider the underlying reasoning for these little (or big) circle gems.
Some causes of dark undereye circles may be allergy related, caused by fatigue, hyperpigmentation, dilated blood vessels, pregnancy, sun-exposure or simply a wonderfully inherited family trait. The fact is, dark under eye circles almost always leave an impression of looking fatigued, and not everyone wants to wear sunglasses all day to hide them. Some preventative measures include using a good undereye sunscreen product, as the sun can bring out the dark circle pigmentation even more, and using gentle eye cleansers and eyecare products and of course getting enough rest.
Topical preparations such as using an icecube wrapped in a cloth, cotton pads soaked in witch hazel, or cooled chamomile tea bags are all great when used as undereye compresses a few minutes before applying concealer or foundation make-up. These preparations help reduce puffiness as well as leaving undereye areas feeling refreshed, tightened, and soothed. Before applying any concealer or foundation to the eye area, apply a moisturizer containing sunscreen, one specifically designed for delicate eye areas is most recommended.
Starting with one eye area at a time, apply a few dabs of foundation to darkened areas, being careful not to apply product into the eyes. Choosing a shade of foundation most like your own skin tone will give you the best results, a sponge wedge helps with the application of foundations; or using a foundation brush; but most find that using the ring finger is best in light tapping motions working product from outer most part towards the inner part of the eye area. If the darkened areas cover an entire circle of eye area, apply foundation gently over eye lid and upper eye area as well. When working with foundation, be sure to always use small dots of make-up a time and blend well with light tapping motions. After this is accomplished, look at the eye blended beautifully with foundation and ask yourself, Do I still see these terrible dark circles? If the answer is no, continue on to the other eye and follow the same coverage techniques and be thankful they weren’t all that bad! This is always a good test to see the severity of undereye circles and how well products do in concealing them.
An undereye concealer cream is not always necessary unless the answer to the question is YES, I still see the dark under eye circles. This means it is time to bring out the heavier artillery, and carry on to the next step. After the foundation is set, concealer can be applied right over top. Where to apply the concealer, and the shade chosen are very important. First of all the concealer should not be applied over the entire area of the eye circle as this can make the coverage too obvious; also, be sure not to choose too light of a shade. Concealer should only be applied to the inner half of the under eye circle, and be sure to select a yellow-based concealer as this helps with the purple and red toned circles, or otherwise a natural-toned concealer should do the trick. Again, use concealer sparingly, with light tapping and blending motions. Lastly, a good natural shaded mineral powder can be applied with a large powder brush in downward motions over eye area. This will help set in all your hard work and help it to last all day. You should be quite pleased with the before and after results, and remember, practice makes perfect. Using make-up is the best way to get rid of these dark under eye circles.
There does not seem to be any instant disappearing act for them at this time; however other alternative measures include using products containing AHA’s, Alpha-Hydroxy Acids, to help lighten the pigmentation, these can already be found in most undereye lightening creams. There, you look livelier already. Happy concealing!
