What Color Concealer Do You Use For Dark Circles?
Following a sleepless night, you may be dealing with dark under-eye circles in the morning. Many people suffer from that familiar blue hue under the eyes for one reason or another.
Trying to cover dark under-eye circles can be a difficult task for many. There are a number of skincare products on the market today to help combat those pesky blue circles. However, concealer can be a quick fix to make you look awake, rested, and ready to take on the day.
Some people aren't sure what concealer they should be using or how they should be applying it for maximum coverage. If you misapply the concealer, you could end up looking cakey or, worse, even emphasize the problem.
We will go over the causes, treatments, and coverage options you can implement to say sayonara to your dark under-eye circles.
Causes Of Dark Circles
First, let's go over the causes of dark under-eye circles so you can better understand the problem.
Fatigue
You probably already know lack of sleep can make you grumpy, forgetful, and have an overall negative impact on your day. But staying up only a few hours past your bedtime can cause dark circles to start forming under your eyes.
Sleep deprivation is nothing to mess around with, especially if you don't want dark circles. Lack of sleep can make your skin look dull and pale, allowing dark tissue to shine through.
Not enough sleep can also cause fluid to appear underneath your eyes, giving you that dreaded puffy eye look. Puffy eyes can actually create shadows, making your dark circles look even more prominent!
Allergies
When you're struggling with allergies, your body releases histamines as a response. Histamines can cause your blood vessels to dilate, which will be visible on the surface of the skin.
Allergies may also cause you to feel itchy, resulting in you scratching or rubbing around your eyes. These actions are not beneficial and can cause your symptoms to worsen, including puffiness and broken blood vessels.
Sun Exposure
Overexposure to the sun can result in your body producing too much melanin.
Melanin is what gives your skin color, so too much of it can cause the skin around your eye area to darken. Excess melanin impacts your under-eyes more than other areas of your body because the skin around your eye area is very delicate.
To avoid this, try to make sure you are wearing sunglasses that block UV rays as well as sunscreen when you're in sunlight.
Heredity
Your genetics can also play a role in developing dark under-eye circles. If it is something you inherited, you can usually tell in childhood. It can either vanish as you get older or get worse.
Age
As you get older, your skin begins to thin out, and you lose collagen, which is one of the main proteins in your skin. You also start to lose the other primary protein, elastin.
When these proteins start to fade, and your skin thins out, it becomes easier for the dark blood vessels in your face to make an appearance on the surface.
Some other causes to look into are dehydration and eye strain. It is essential to understand what's causing your dark circles so you can do your best to prevent them from occurring or getting worse.
How To Conceal Dark Circles?
Now that you know what could be causing your dark circles, let's dive into how to cover them up with one of our favorite makeup products, concealer.
Concealer is a must-have makeup product, especially if you're trying to cover your under-eye area.
We recommend HIDE Premium Concealer because its ultra-lightweight formula and high coverage capability are the perfect combination to cover your delicate under-eye area.
Here is a step-by-step guide to hiding your dark circles.
1. Prime
The first step is prepping the area for makeup. There are primers designed explicitly for your under-eyes.
The under-eye area needs a little extra hydration, and these primers offer more moisture and are also formulated to cover dark circles. They help your concealer go on smoothly and prevent it from settling in fine lines.
A little goes a long way. You only need a pea-sized amount of primer. You can pat it onto your under-eyes before makeup.
2. Apply
Before you apply just anything in this delicate area, think about the consistency. You want something that is high coverage but can go on in a thin layer.
Stick formulas are usually too dry for your under-eyes. Consider using a liquid concealer for its hydration levels and ability to build coverage through thin layers.
You also want to make sure you have the right shade. Ideally, you will have one shade lighter than your foundation. The lighter shade will help to brighten your under-eyes. Try not to go too light, which can actually age you more.
Once you have the right shade, apply a thin layer under your eyes in a triangle shape. Next, use your ring finger or a damp makeup sponge to blend out the concealer.
Try not to rub or tug on your skin when applying your primer and makeup because this can cause the unwanted pigment under your eyes to worsen.
3. Set
Finally, dust on a small amount of translucent powder under your eyes. This step can make your makeup last longer but isn't necessary if you are especially dry or using HIDE concealer.
Color Correcting Concealer
If your concealer isn't quite doing the trick, you may want to consider using a color corrector underneath it.
If you've never seen color-correcting concealers, they come in various colors like green and orange, which can feel intimidating to use on your face. But it can be a beneficial extra step for some.
Color correcting uses the opposite color on the color wheel to help cancel out the discoloration. This technique works for more than just dark under-eye circles. You can color correct for redness and other discoloration you may experience.
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.
After you apply your primer:
- Apply your color-correcting concealer in a thin layer over your dark circles.
- Cover the area with a skin-toned concealer one shade lighter than your everyday shade in a triangle shape.
- Gently blend it over the area with your method of choice until you have a flawless-looking finish.
HIDE concealer is often pigmented enough for most people's under-eye circles and discoloration, meaning you may not need a color-correcting concealer to achieve an even complexion.
Tips For Dealing With Dark Circles
While getting rid of dark circles completely can be challenging, some treatments can help.
Skincare
Flawless makeup starts with a good skincare routine.
Look for an eye cream with caffeine. Caffeine tightens the blood vessels and can prevent puffiness under the eyes. You can also reach for products with retinol and vitamins C and E because they also can lighten your under-eye circles.
Keep your makeup in mind, though, when choosing a skincare product. If you ever notice your concealer pilling, it may have something to do with the product reacting to your skincare.
You always want to choose an eye cream made from the same base ingredients as your makeup for the perfect compatibility. If one is water-based and the other is oil-based, it will clash on your skin and won't look smooth. So always look over the ingredient list of your products to make sure they're compatible.
The first ingredient on the product will be either water or oil, so you don't necessarily have to analyze the whole list of ingredients.
HIDE uses water-based concealers and foundations.
Hands off
Unless you are gently applying a product, avoid touching your under-eye area. You definitely don't want to rub your eyes aggressively because it can cause hyperpigmentation. Also, be careful when removing your makeup as well.
Rest
As we mentioned before, fatigue can cause dark circles. So the best tip for that is obvious, sleep. Try to aim for 8 hours of sleep a night, which helps you more than just brightening your under-eyes.
In Summary
SourcesWhile dark circles aren't a serious health problem, they can make you feel less confident about your appearance. Thankfully, there are several things you can do to help prevent and conceal your dark circles.
Understanding the causes can be the first step to prevention. Implementing a good skincare routine can also be beneficial.
Start with an eye cream to hydrate the area, apply a primer before makeup, and use HIDE Premium Concealer to cover your dark circles and give you that bright, fresh appearance.
Sources:
Dark circles under eyes Causes
An Overview of Your Skin | Cleveland Clinic
How to Use Color Correct Makeup - How to Color Correct | Elle