How to conceal dark circles with under eye concealer

Under-eye circles can be one of the trickiest eye makeup skills to nail—too much concealer and it can end up looking cake-y and obvious, too little and those pesky shadows won’t brighten enough to disappear. Even though it’s one of the most common dilemmas, how to apply concealer for dark circles leaves many of us in the dark. Here’s a simple guide to get you started.

Step 1: Know your skin colour and undertones. Skin colours range from very fair to rich dark, while undertones can be warm, cool or neutral. You don’t need to be a colour theory expert, but keep complementary colours in mind when picking your concealer shade. For example, if have cool under-eye circles (bluish or purple), look for products that have peach or orange tones to cancel them out. Or, if your undertones are on the reddish side, look for something with a touch of yellow.

Step 2: Prep the skin under the eyes with a hydrating cream before applying a luminising concealer. Dot and blend the moisturiser, then let it fully absorb so your concealer looks better and less obvious when applied.

Step 3: Use two shades: one to offset your undertones (follow the colour advice above) and one that matches your skin tone or is one shade lighter to brighten and lift the eyes. Colour-correct first by dabbing the the offset colour below the eye and blending with either a brush or your fingertip. Follow with the the second shade to create a flawless, natural finish.

The key to a seamless look is to blend, blend and blend some more. Find the best under eye concealer colours for your complexion and brushes when you shop online at Sephora!