Much to the dismay of you/me/everyone in existence, getting at least 8 hours of sleep doesn't always prevent dark under eye circles. Often, they're hereditary or caused by hyperpigmentation, which makes them very common among chicas with darker skin tones. The trick to covering them up is to correct before you conceal. Celebrity makeup artist Lucky Smyler breaks it down.
1. Before applying makeup, make sure the under eye area is fully hydrated with a good eye cream. This step ensures that the concealer will blend and lay properly. Try Bioelements Multi-Task Eye Cream.
2. No matter what your skin tone is, apply a peach or orange corrector or concealer first. It's straightforward color theory: The opposite color of blue (which is probably the color of your dark circles) on the color wheel is orange, so they completely cancel each other out. Pat it onto the dark circle with your ring finger, or wisp it on with a concealer brush or sponge.Try Ricky's Ricky's Rickycare Original 3D Blender. It's shaped like a bullet and perfect for blending under the eyes. You can also use a bright orange lipstick like MAC Cosmetics' Lady Danger as your corrector. This option takes a bit more blending patience, but it does the trick.
3. Use a concealer that's a shade or two lighter than your skin. This will make your eyes appear much brighter. Try Lancome EFFACERNES Waterproof Protective Undereye Concealer, in bronze IV or suede for darker skin tones. For light skin tones, try MAC Cosmetics Prep and Prime Highlighter in Radiant Rose, YSL Touche Éclat Radiant Touch in #1 or #3, or Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Honey.
4. Be sure to blend the concealer all over your eye. Most people neglect that area where the ocular bone and bridge of the nose meet (the inner corner of the eye), but it's essential in order to maximize concealing dark, tired eyes and to blend easier with the rest of your makeup.
5. Apply your foundation after and finish with translucent powder. Translucent is best for under the eye so that it doesn't darken the area you just lightened.Try Revlon PhotoReady Translucent Finisher.
Photo Credit: Christian Parente