The number one makeup struggle that I hear about as a makeup artist is dark circles.

Almost every woman I talk to wants to know how to cover up the discoloration, brighten up her under eye area and how to do it without it becoming a cakey mess.

Applying under eye concealer on a woman with more sophisticated skin definitely requires a different approach. We can’t be apply a thick layer of concealer underneath our eyes after the age of 35 and expect it to look great! But, don’t fret because I have mastered the art of concealing dark circles and of course I’m going to share it with you!!

If you want to see me walk you through this process step by step then watch the video tutorial below!

STEP 1

Skin prep is key. The skin underneath our eyes is the thinnest skin on our entire body so it is extremally important to properly prep the area before applying any makeup. My favorite way to prep the undereye area is with a good facial oil. An oil will provide long lasting hydration without being too heavy. I love this one from Youth to the People and use it practically every day. If you’re on a budget this rosehip oil from The Inkey List is a great choice! Just a quick tip, make sure you wait at least 5-7 minutes after applying the oil to begin applying makeup. You want the oil to be fully absorbed.

STEP 2

Color correction is your best friend!! Color correctors are typically pink or peach based and their sole purpose is to cancel out those unwanted tones that make up look tired. My absolute favorite color corrector is the High Fidelity Color Corrector from Exa Beauty. A great drugstore option is the Instant Age Rewind Eraser from Maybelline in the brightening shade. Apply a small amount of your color corrector just where you have discoloration. Pro tip - a lot of people have discoloration on their eyelids which can also make them look tired. Try color correcting your eyelids if this is the case for you.

STEP 3

Now time for concealer! I constantly get asked about my favorite concealer and to be honest it just depends on the person’s skin and the kind of coverage their looking for. The highlight creams from Seint are my go to for mature skin because they are so creamy and melt into the skin. I also really love the Airbrush Vanish Concealer from Hourglass Cosmetics if my client wants full coverage and has more oily skin. If someone is more on the dry side then then NYX Bare With Me Concealer is great.

My number one tip when it comes to concealer is to use less of it! I promise even if you have really dark circles you don’t need that much product. Take a small amount of concealer and warm it up between your fingers. If you have dry skin add in a drop of an eye cream. If you have normal to oily skin, spray a setting spray directly into the concealer. This setting spray is my favorite. The use your fingers or a small blending brush to press the concealer into your skin. Start at the outer corner and work your way over. Make sure you’re pressing the product into your skin and not dragging or rubbing it. Try to avoid bringing the concealer too close to your lash line as this can cause it to crease.

STEP 4

As soon as you’re done applying the concealer make sure that it is as smooth as possible (you can even use a brush or your fingers to smooth out any creases) set the concealer using a velour powder puff and a small amount of a finely milled translucent powder. Yes, even if you have more mature skin it’s ok to use a small amount of powder. Make sure you roll the powder into your skin. This setting powder from Tatcha is my favorite especially for more mature skin.

And there you go my friends! You have successfully concealed your dark circles! Now, one last final tip — texture and creasing is not only inevitable but it’s also completely normal!! It happens to everyone. So please please give yourself lots of grace and remember skin is skin - it’s imperfect and beautiful!