How to Camouflage Dark Circles

A little concealer goes a long way when camouflaging dark circles.

Under-eye dark circles occur for a variety of reasons, from lack of sleep, to poor diet and stress. The best thing to do for dark circles is to try to eliminate them, and vitamin K creams are a good starting point. Make sure you drink plenty of water, and get adequate exercise to help flush out all the toxins from the body. While you're working on getting rid of those dark circles for good, you'll want to know how to camouflage them. Both men and women can conceal dark circles with a little bit of makeup know-how.

Things You'll Need

• Mirror
• Concealer, various tones
• Makeup brush
• Setting powder
• Makeup sponge

Instructions

1. Examine your dark circles to see the underlying color. If purple is the most prominent shade, then choose a yellow-toned concealer; if there is a greener undertone to the dark circles, then choose a pink-toned concealer. Have a light and a darker shade of your chosen concealer color.

2. Dip the tip of your makeup brush into the lighter shade of concealer, then apply it directly into the corner of the eye, down to just above your nostril and up to the mid-point of your eye in a triangle. This may look dramatic, but it is softened up eventually.

3. Blend the color into the skin without adding more color to the brush. Do not extend the line much past the mid point of the eye. At this point it will be looking pretty white and washed out.

4. Dip the brush into the darker, warmer toned concealer, and dab it over the other concealer, concentrating more on the outer parts. Blend with a finger to help melt the colors together, giving a more even-toned, natural look.

5. Press the makeup sponge into the setting powder, and place and roll it over the area with the concealer. Pressing the powder into the face, rather than brushing it on, helps it absorb into the makeup, setting it properly, rather than sitting on the surface of the skin and looking 'powdery.'

Tips & Warnings

• If you have bags under the eye as well as dark circles, keep the lighter shade of concealer in the crease of the bags only---if you put it on the 'bulge' of the bags, it will accentuate them.

References

• Good Housekeeping: The No-Knife Eye Lift
• YouTube: Make-up Plastic Surgery: Getting Rid Of Under Eye Circles
• Dark Circles Gone: Makeup Tips For Dark Circles