If you've dealt with dark eye circles, then you know just how frustrating they can be. Seriously — the rest of your complexion can look perfect, but if your under-eye area is dark, it can quickly become the focal point of your look. Of course an eye cream can help minimize the appearance of darkness under your eyes, but dark circles are often hereditary, which means they’re not going to go away.
The good news is, if you’ve been scouring the internet to find out how to cover dark circles, you can consider your search over. With the right concealer and a few simple steps, you can banish dark circles — until it’s time to wash off your makeup of course. We’re sharing everything else you need to know about saying goodbye to dark under eyes, including why you should color correct and how to apply concealer under your eyes to cover dark circles.
How to Cover Dark Circles
Make your dark circles out of sight, out of mind by following these five simple steps.
1. Prime Your Skin
You’ll want to kick things off by applying a makeup primer like the L’Oréal Paris Prime Lab Up to 24H Matte Setter. This primer will give your skin a smooth and even base for a seamless makeup application, and will extend your makeup wear time to up to 24 hours. Since you won’t want your dark circles to be uncovered later in the day, this is pretty important.
2. Color Correct
While you may think that using concealer and foundation is the be-all end-all to concealing dark circles, you’ll need to get acquainted with color correcting. Not sure exactly how it works? Let’s think of the color wheel: Colors that are opposite each other on the wheel can cancel each other out.
Apply this color theory to your makeup, and consider that since dark circles tend to have a purplish-blue hue, an orange or peach-toned concealer could be just what you need to neutralize their appearance because they sit opposite of eachother on the color wheel.
To start your dark circle disappearing act, reach for the L’Oréal Paris True Match Color Correcting Crayons. Use the peach pencil for fair to light skin tones, bisque for light to medium skin tones, and orange for medium to deep skin tones. Select your color corrector match, apply it in a dot pattern under the eyes, and blend until even. Keep in mind a little goes a long way, so use it sparingly — the goal is to neutralize the darkness, not conceal the area.
3. Apply Concealer
Next, apply concealer to mask the color corrector and brighten your under-eye area for an even and natural finish. Try the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Full Wear Concealer up to 24H Full Coverage, which provides full, matte coverage and works to conceal and correct the appearance of dark circles.
Apply the concealer directly to your under eye area and blend, preferably with a brush or damp makeup sponge. Like your color corrector, apply it in a dot pattern under the eyes, and extend toward the temple for a lifting effect.
4. Apply Foundation
Once your concealer is in place, it’s time to create an even base. Remember, you should always use a foundation that suits your skin type and addresses your skin care concerns. While this application may be a different order then the way you usually do your makeup, it’s best to apply corrector, concealer and foundation in that order so that you don’t have any purple or orange tones peaking through your makeup.
If you have dry skin, try a lightweight foundation, like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible 24 Hour Fresh Wear Foundation. Breathable with up to 24 hours of staying power, this ultra-thin liquid goes on smoothly and leaves your skin with a fresh, healthy-looking complexion without clinging to any dry patches.
If you have oily skin, reach for a matte-finish foundation, like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Up to 24H Fresh Wear Foundation in a Powder. This long-wearing formula minimizes excess oils to reveal a smooth and clear complexion.
If you want full coverage, grab the L’Oréal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Foundation. Formulated to cover dark spots, blemishes, scars and hyperpigmentation, this foundation comes in 47 shades organized by skin tone and undertone to make finding the perfect shade super easy.
Whichever foundation you choose, apply it with a damp makeup blender, using quick dabbing and rolling motions until you reach your desired level of coverage.
5. Set It Well
Use powder to bake your makeup by applying it directly under your eyes with a makeup brush, and letting it set for five to ten minutes before dusting away the excess. This will absorb excess oils and create a flawless, crease-free finish under your eyes. After finishing the rest of your makeup, follow up with the L’Oréal Paris Pro-Spray and Set Make-Up Oil-Free Setting Spray, misting it over your face in ‘X’ and ‘T’ motions to extend your makeup wear time.
Next: How to Fix Cakey Makeup Without Removing It
Photographer: Nelson Huang, Art Director: Hannah Packer, Producer: Becca Solovay, Beauty Content Director: Shalwah Evans, Visual Designer: Sarah Duvivier, Wardrobe Stylist: Alexis Badiyi, Wardrobe Assistant: Jazmine Alzado, Makeup Artist: Jonet Williamson, Hair Stylist: Akihisa Yamaguchi, Digi Tech: Jacky Jiang, Photo Assistant: Tyler Andrews, Model: Mecca Allah