Since dark circles are primarily blue, reach for shades in the orange family. If you have light or fair skin, use a more peachy color. If you are more in the light to medium skin tone range, look for a bisque color corrector. If you have a dark skin tone, reach for an orange-based concealer.
Depending on a person's skin tone, dark circles can tend to have purple-ish or blue-ish hues. To conceal dark circles, the same color wheel principle applies. People with fairer skin may opt for yellow, peach, or pink colored concealers. Darker skin may benefit more from an orange shade.
While concealer for the general areas of your face should match your skin tone, under-eye concealer should be one or two shades lighter than your natural coloring. Using a lighter concealer for your eye area helps cover up under-eye circles and creates a brightening effect.
Yellow color correcting concealer can be used to cover up any blemish that's purple in tone. Bruises, veins, and under eye circles can be hidden with a yellow spot concealer.
SHADE | Peach color correctors will even out grey dark circles and pink correctors will correct blue or purple dark circles (the category I fall in). You should aim for a corrector shade that is about the same shade as your skin tone.
The proper way to apply the two products is to first smooth on a foundation and then apply your concealer. Foundation will create that even canvas we talked about earlier, and then concealer can be used to spot correct any outstanding areas that need extra coverage.
The vein test
In natural light, look at the appearance of your veins beneath the skin. Green or greenish-blue veins suggest a warm undertone, whereas blue or purple veins suggest a cool undertone. If you can't tell whether your veins are green or blue, you likely have a neutral undertone.
Applying foundation first creates an even base to reduce overall redness, discoloration and minor blemishes. If you apply your concealer first, you may end up wiping some off when you apply foundation or using a lot more product than necessary, which can create a heavy, cakey look.
The reason concealer alone cannot address dark circles is that it often creases and makes the issue much worse. Moisturizing and applying color corrector can help minimize the look of dark circles.
Concealer is the key to covering dark circles under eyes with makeup – Charlotte calls concealer the magic wand of her makeup kit! Applying concealer to your eye area allows you to build coverage that diminishes the appearance of dark circles, leaving the under-eyes looking smoother, brighter and more energised.
“Very commonly, dark circles worsen with age,” says Dr. McGevna. “That's because there's a natural restructuring of the bones of the cheek, and some skin laxity in the eyelids, which leads to a hollow appearance, and a shadow from above.”
As Reiss-Andersen points out, concealer is designed to color-correct dark circles and spots, as well as blemishes, while foundation works to enhance the overall skin tone. “It's great to combine both concealer and foundation to make the skin look as radiant as possible,” she concurs.
Opt for a sponge for finishing touches, like cleaning up streaky bronzer or absorbing excess foundation or concealer. Sponges work wonders in applying a light layer of blush or highlighter, and can be used with cream products for a more natural finish.
According to Emily Cheng, a celebrity makeup artist who works with Yara Shahidi, your concealer should be pretty similar to your foundation shade but with a slightly different undertone, depending on whether you're covering up dark circles, redness, or blemishes.
Flip over your arm and take a look at the inside of your wrist. If your veins appear to have a blue or deep purple tint, you likely have cool skin undertones. If they look more greenish, you likely have warm or olive undertones. If you can't tell one way or the other, you may have neutral undertones.
There are three key factors in finding the right foundation shade – understanding your skin tone and undertone, swatch testing, and updating your shade with the seasons to ensure a perfect foundation match all year 'round.
Here's what to do: Apply 2-3 layers of a very light shade concealer under your eyes, allow it to sit for a while and then apply your foundation over it. Try the Magic Wand Waterproof Concealer in the shade 07 – Vanilla Latte. This illuminates, conceals dark circles, and provides a lifting effect at the same time!
TIP #1: MOISTURIZE
Before you apply concealer, make sure skin is clean and moisturized. "Taking the time to massage skin with moisturizer will help the makeup look and wear better, especially when it comes to concealer," says Lee. "When moisturized properly, concealer will adhere to the skin much better."
Concealer is extremely versatile, and can be used to spot treat, to conceal dark circles, as foundation, as contour, and even as a tinted moisturizer.
You Can Totally Wear Concealer Without Foundation—Here's How. Concealer is kind of like your favorite skin-care serum: You can't really see it, but it does some heavy lifting behind the scenes. Once blended under your foundation, it chameleons those uninvited pimples, dark spots, or bits of redness away.
They're usually caused by aging, genetics, allergies or not getting enough sleep. Home remedies and medical treatment options may be able to help correct the appearance of your under eyes. But if the dark circles persist or you have excessive swelling, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider.