Introduction: How to Cover Dark Under-Eye Circles

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Pretty much everyone has to deal with dark under-eye circles at some point. Maybe you're one of the lucky ones who only gets them after you've earned them, say after a big night out. Or maybe you're like me, born with perpetually dark circles (seriously, why is this? Why?) and in need of daily cover-up. Whichever the case may be, here are some tips I've picked up on how to cover under-eye circles so you look natural, fresh, and wide-awake.

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

You'll need:
  1. Eye cream (100% Pure Coffee Bean Eye Cream)
  2. Orange-based concealer (I use a combination of Kett Cosmetics Fixx Creme in CC Light and CC Medium)
  3. Concealer brush (Esum T41, but any small, smooth, supple brush will do)
  4. Foundation (Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Punjab)
  5. Setting powder or translucent foundation powder (Almay Smart Shade Pressed Powder)
  6. Powder brush (Esum G49)

Optional:

  1. Makeup sponge (Beauty Blender)
  2. Baby oil

Step 2: Step-By-Step Makeup Application

  1. Hydrate: Douse your eye area with eye cream and let it absorb fully. The biggest culprit in ruining under-eye coverage is dry skin. Your makeup will look cakey and obvious. Hydrate your eye area as much as possible so that the makeup glides on easily.
  2. Conceal: When concealing dark circles, you want to use an orange-based concealer to neutralize the blue/purple tones of the under-eye area. (If you use an olive or pink-based concealer, you will most likely end up with a slightly grey effect under the eyes.) Warm the concealer by blending it on the inside of your wrist with your concealer brush to help it glide on smoothly. Apply the concealer from the inner corner of the eye all the way to the outer corner. It may appear to be too much, but aim for full, even coverage.
  3. Match: You can skip this part based on how much coverage you're going for, but since I always use Nars Sheer Glow foundation (or similar) to neutralize redness in my T-zone, I also apply it lightly over the under-eye area to make sure everything matches.
  4. Set: Use your powder brush to apply just a bit of setting powder to prevent creasing. Don't overdo it or it'll look dry and emphasize wrinkles. Use a makeup sponge like the Beauty Blender to smooth everything out by pressing into the skin with light, rolling motions.
  5. Finish: If you're going to apply any eyeshadow/mascara, do it after concealing the under-eye area.

Optional: I like to rub a very, very small amount of baby oil into my palms and lightly press my fingertips over my under-eye area and upper cheekbones. It instantly hydrates my skin and gives it a great natural glow.

And there you have it - you look like you got way more sleep than you probably actually did. :)

Thanks for reading this Instructable! You can follow me on Instagram at @KirikoKikuchi or shoot me an email at KirikoKikuchi@gmail.com.