The Best Concealers For Under Eye Darkness

One of the most frequently asked questions I get is, “HOW DO I CONCEAL THE AREA UNDER MY EYES?” And when I say frequent, I mean that women ask me this very question about 5 times a day! That means there are a lot of ladies out there suffering from the same under eye problem.  So, read on and let me give you the low-down on saying goodbye to under eye bags.

There are a number of reasons why we get darkness under the eyes. Here are the 4 things I believe to be the biggest contributors to under eye bags:

• Sleep deprivation resulting in an overall tired looking eye, effecting the under-eye area.
• Getting older effects our skin’s health. The skin around our eyes is extremely thin and as we age it becomes thinner. Our blood and veins are dark in colour, so the pigment will begin to show through under the thin skin – hence the blue tone.
• Lack of circulation to the area under the eye creates a sunken socket, where the blood collects and doesn’t circulate very well. The blood can become almost ‘stuck’ in the area and this lack of circulation causes build-up, resulting in darkness.
• Genetics certainly has a roll in all of it.

Number one advice is to sleep more! But yeah right! Who has that luxury? But do not worry, we live in an age where concealers are available in abundance and here are my steps to concealing like a pro:

1. Start off by using a good eye cream. The skin under the eye can get really dry and this makes concealing correctly pretty difficult. I LOVE  the Amore Pacific Moisturebound  Rejuvenating Eye Treatment Gel – it is extremely hydrating, firming and I find that my concealer applies evenly and is less prone to creasing when I use it. It’s light in texture and absorbs perfectly into the skin. It reduces the appearance of fine lines and reduces puffiness it’s overall an outstanding product to invest in.
2. Pick a concealer with a peach undertone. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!! In fact, this will change your concealer game so dramatically you will not believe the difference. Every single time I work with a client, I notice that their concealer is white in tone. White is way too bright and definitely too light. Ladies and gents, white will not conceal anything and it will only serve to make the dark shade of your blue look like a light shade of blue.

Peach and blue are opposites on the colour wheel therefore peach cancels out blue tones leaving you under eye area looking refreshed and evened out. Not weirdly bright and too light in colour.  When you first see one of these concealers you will automatically think that is way too dark. It isn’t, it is the perfect shade you are just used to your concealer looking like white-out.

Here are my choices of best concealers for under-eye coverage. I have rated them based on applicator, texture and price. I have also added additional  personal notes about them too. The colours I use are perfect for fair to medium complexions. (For deeper skin tones pick a deeper shade with a bit of a peachier tone as opposed to beige.)

Nars Creamy Radiance Concealer – Recommended Shade: Custard 

This is hands down the best concealer I have ever used. I have yet to find one that I love as much.

• Texture: 9/10 – the creamy texture makes this product extremely easy to apply and blend. It goes a long way so you don’t need much.
• Applicator: 8/10 – it comes in a very easy to apply tube with a wand. I find the wand easy to use and I blend out the concealer with my finger tip or beauty blender. My only issue with this style of applicator is that I find it difficult to get all the products when it’s almost done.
• Price: 7/10 – $37 Canadian dollars is a pretty hefty price tag for a concealer but it does the job so well and it typically lasts me about 3 months. In my opinion it’s better to spend money on one pricier product that really works, as opposed to many products that don’t do as much.

Charlotte Tilbury Miracle Eye Wand – Recommended Shade: #3

• Texture: 8/10 – at first I was a little hesitant about the texture as this product is so sheer compared to the Nars, but after using it a couple times I really started to enjoy it. It does the job well without feeling cakey. The sheer texture is perfect for those of you who like to keep your makeup looking as natural as possible. The ‘gimmick’ with this product is that it has an eye cream on one end and then the concealer on the other. So, you get the best of both worlds in one product. I am not sure if the eye cream is the best one on the market but it definitely made my under eye feel moisturized and fresh.
• Applicator: 6/10 – I find with a twist up I always overdo it and waste product. It’s not the worst package but it’s not my favourite.
• Price: 5/10 – $55 – This is pricey! However, the product is really nice to wear, conceals darkness and comes with that under eye cream too. If you travel a lot and need to pack light then this is the perfect option for you. You don’t need to worry about packing a separate eye cream.

NYX Cosmetics Concealer Jar – Recommended shade: Glow (perfect for deeper skin tones too) 

• Texture: 7/10 – I really like the texture of these Concealer jars, they blend easily and erase any signs of under eye darkness. They don’t crease if set correctly with a powder. The creamy texture is heavier than the more liquid style concealers so use sparingly!! A little goes a long way and if you use too much, it can end up looking a bit cakey.
• Applicator: 5/10 – It comes in a jar so you have to dig in to get any product out. You will need a concealer brush to assist with application.
• Price: 10/10 – $8 – You can’t beat the price. This product works really well, lasts a long time and is well worth the $8.

 Urban Decay Naked Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer – Recommended Shade: Medium 

• Texture: 6/10 – I had such high hopes for this product and I do like it, but I am definitely not head over heels about it. The texture is pretty light weight (as advertised) but I feel like it oxidizes a lot and didn’t cover nearly as well as the concealers listed above. It also has a very strong chemical smell which I am not a fan of.
• Applicator: 8/10 – comes in the preferred tube with a wand.
• Price: 4/10 – $35 which in my opinion is steep for the pay-off. I prefer my $8 NYX option.

Maybelline New York Fit Me! Concealer– Recommended Shade: Medium 

• Texture: 7/10 – the texture is really nice and light weight. I found it to be a bit patchy when blending but overall creamy and lightweight.
• Applicator: 8/10 – This product comes in a tube with a wand, which is my preference over other applicators.
• Price: 7/10 – $9.99 – this is a great price point for this product I really feel that if you are looking for an amazing drugstore option then this is perfect for you.

3. Apply it like a pro. Now you have the tools you need to banish those bags. All you need now, is the know-how.

watch this video to see how I apply my concealer and my foundation 🙂

Then simply set it with a powder to keep it in place all day!

My favourite powder options are these :

or

Laura Mercier Transluscent setting powder

I hope this post will help some of you out there. And I’d love to hear which of these fabulous products you guys liked best! Comment below or get in touch!

xo Shira