Cover Dark Circles in just 4 steps!
Cucumber slices, Tea bags, Rose water, Almond oil, Eye serums - I have given all of these one too many tries to beat my rather stubborn dark circles. While a few of them actually help, the blatant truth is that it never completely goes away. And there sets in the need to use makeup to conceal the puffiness and darkness around the eyes, which when fixed, can take years off one’s face. Based on a few requests that have come my way from readers and friends, I decided to do this post to share with you the products that I use and the steps that I follow to brighten the under eye area.
1. Prep and Prime
The amount of makeup you need to apply to correct a skin concern is directly proportional to the gravity of the concern. So the better the skin, the lesser the makeup one needs to apply. In the last couple of years, using the ‘Extra Eye Repair Cream’ by Bobbi Brown twice a day has substantially helped lighten my dark circles. It also acts as a primer for the under eye area making the application of other under eye products effortless. Make sure that your eye cream is completely absorbed before you proceed to the next steps.
2. Correct
What a corrector does is neutralize or offset. So using a corrector of a color opposite to your problem area on the color wheel, you can instantly correct a concern. For e.g. bluish under eye area can be neutralized using an orange corrector and redness around the eyes can be counterbalanced by using a green corrector. Shades of dark and deep peach can be used to correct darkness in deeper skin tones. Using a corrector is most recommended for extreme under-eye darkness and this step can be avoided if you are able to conceal the darkness just using a concealer. I use Bobbi Brown corrector in ‘Dark Peach’ to cover the discoloration under my eyes. For best application results, I use a flat concealer brush to apply the product and then pat and set it with the ‘Full Coverage Touch-up brush’ from Bobbi Brown.
Dab and press the product in with the brush. Do not rub.
In the pic above, you can see the difference the corrector has made on the left side neutralising the darkness.
3. Conceal
While a corrector neutralizes, a concealer brightens. Correcting covers up circles and a concealer helps match the area to the rest of your skin tone. When chosen and applied correctly, concealers can brighten the face at once. Concealers in yellow tone and in a shade or two lighter than the foundation works for most skin tones whereas porcelain toned concealers work for extremely pale skin tones. After setting the corrector with a touch up brush, I use Bobbi Brown Concealer in ‘Warm Honey’ which is the same shade as my foundation. The Touch-up brush from Bobbi Brown is once again my sought-after tool to set the concealer.
While applying both corrector and concealer, go in an inverted triangle shape under the eye.
4. Set with Powder
As if dark circles weren’t bad enough, creasing elevates the problem to a whole new level. If you don’t use powder, creasing is bound to happen. After much scouting, I believe I have found THE powder to set the under eye makeup. It’s the Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder. It’s light-weight, translucent and has a brightening effect making it perfect for creaseless setting.
All the products that I have used here are for maximum coverage and longevity, making them the perfect choice for special occasions. The steps are fairly easy and can be used for every day makeup as well. A few of the other products that I would endorse for daily use are ‘NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer’, Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Concealer and Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer.
Try it out yourself and see the magic that 4 steps can do in removing the tiredness and brightening up the face. And before I forget, almond oil works wonders and is a great home remedy for dark circles. Massage the under-eye area gently with a few drops of the oil to reduce the darkness.
Have a fantastic November ladies! xoxo
