One of the more popular questions I get is about what I use under my eyes to keep them looking very bright & awake. It’s actually something I struggled with at one point, during and after Accutane because my under eyes looked a little dull and sunken in.. like they’d been drained of any hydration. I was drinking SO much water bc it is a requirement when on Accutane and also using really good eye creams, but I realized I needed something that would really cover the dark circles. (Oh and severe allergies don’t help this either!) Long story short, I began trying every ‘top’ under eye concealer that I heard anyone rave about… I have literally spent a small fortune testing out concealers, whether they be from the drug store or high end. After over a year of testing out concealers and trying a plethora of new ones, I thought I’d share some of the ones that I have used and quickly review which ones actually worked for me.
At the end of the post, I am sharing a step by step of what I use to set my under eye concealer to make it wear all day!
Out of the 8 concealers that are being discussed in this post, this concealer is in my top 3 & is VERY effective. It truly is waterproof and stays put all day. It is easy to use since the formula is not too sticky or heavy, but is also not too light of a formula – so you don’t have to build up any coverage. You just use a small dot for each eye and it will cover the circles very well. It’s not drying and won’t crease or crack in fine lines. My final thoughts: if you need a full coverage concealer that will wear ALL day long and cover even the darkest of spots, this one is for you.
If you watch YouTube at all, this concealer is one of the HOT items from 2016. Every top YT’er was using this concealer like crazy in 2016 so I gave it a shot… and shockingly, I didn’t fall in love. The formula is very light and thin, and didn’t cover my dark circles in the least. However, it could just be my skin type that it didn’t mix with considering how many people are crazy over it. I’ve tried it numerous times and never felt like it covered any darkness – but it is a light, skin-like formula so maybe I just needed to build coverage? I am just not a fan of building up coverage under my eyes since that end result can look cakey and bad. My final thoughts: if you don’t have crazy dark circles and just need a light formula to brighten the under eye area, this may work very well for you!
Like #2, this concealer is another hot item from 2016 – any and every YouTuber raved about it and said it was their top product for 2016! I am not 100% sold on this one.. but I do keep it around and like it. I think it is kind of effective.. but not crazy effective. It is supposed to be full coverage but I’ve noticed it doesn’t do the best job covering my darkness fully. One thing I do love about it is that is an easy application & doesn’t have a sticky, cakey formula. It also isn’t too light of a formula, so you won’t have to build up coverage. My final thoughts: I can see why people love it, but I don’t think it is the best for those of us with severely dark circles that are hard to cover. Also, this stuff is VERY long wearing which I think really impresses me!
Okay, this is like #2 and #3… it’s a concealer that so many top influencers are obsessed with… and it reminds me a lot of the Tape Shape from #2. Again, I’m not obsessed with it because it doesn’t cover for me like I need it to. However, I can see how it would work for those whose circles aren’t too-too bad. Also, I think my skin type has to have stronger, more full coverage than most people. I have friends with circles who are dark like mine and this one and the previous 2 actually work for them, but my skin seems to be more challenging. My final thoughts: I can see why it is as popular as it is, but if you have challenging skin, you may need something more powerful.
This concealer is definitely in my top 3 of the 8 mentioned in this post. I really love this concealer because it has a thicker, tackier consistency which I know is hit or miss for a lot of women. Also, I think that because of the tacky consistency, it can take a few times to get used to blending it in and making it wear well for you. The consistency or formula being thicker and more sticky is what makes it effective for me – when I tap it into my skin, it sits there and stays there. It doesn’t fade or look watered down at all which is why I think it works so well at covering dark circles. Also, the formula is NOT drying so you won’t see it cracking or creasing. My final thoughts: this is best used by those who have drier skin or severely dark circles. It isn’t the longest wearing or waterproof out of all of these, but it is very effective for covering darkness.
This one is a lot like #3 & #4 – except it wears MUCH longer #4. It’s got a lightweight consistency so it does look and feel like your own skin. It won’t look cakey at all – but for me, it didn’t cover the darkness like I needed it to. My final thoughts: much like 3 & 4, this one is best used for someone who has more normal, combo skin that is not challenging – it will wear for HOURS and hours, but if you have under eye circles like mine, it may not work for you.
Okay, this concealer is my #1 – my holy grail.. it is EVERYTHING. And of course, it is the most expensive out of all of these. The little jar is a whopping $48 (!!!) BUT a little goes a REALLY long way. You will 100% get your money’s worth. In fact, if you even get the slightest bit too much on your finger or your face, it is not a good situation. This formula is a heavy consistency and works best if you’ve moisturized your under eye are well. It does not look cakey or feel sticky on your face, but it truly covers ALL flaws. A fave YT’er of mine recommended it – saying that apparently Kylie Jenner uses it and sometimes mixes it with a primer to use it as a foundation for all over! I think this concealer is great for skin of all ages – even more mature skin. It won’t dry you out at all and it will stay put. My final thoughts: if you have beautiful under eyes or just a little darkness, you don’t need to invest in this. However, if you have dark circles and are willing to splurge, you will love this!
This one is middle of the road for me – mainly because of the packaging and the way you have to use your finger to swipe out some product. It doesn’t last a while or anything but it DOES cover. It has a bit of a tacky consistency initially but that is what makes it cover. I really like this product, but I don’t reach for it a lot bc I don’t like how it’s packaged. Final thoughts: worth a try if you need full coverage and want something that will really cover and wear well – however, check out the packaging first!
From left to right:
Lancome ‘Effacernes’ Waterproof Protective Concealer in ‘Ivoire’ and I wear it year round in this shade.
Urban Decay ‘Naked Skin’ Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer in ‘light warm’ – year round.
Tarte Shape Tape Concealer: in ‘light medium’ – a little dark for me year round – wish I had the ‘light’.
NARS Radiant Cream Concealer: in ‘Vanilla’ – works year found for me in this shade.
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer: in ‘light’ and works year round for me.
Smashbox 24HR Waterproof Concealer: in ‘light medium’ – too dark for me though – even in summer.
Kevin Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer: in ’02’ – works best for me in this shade in winter – need darker in summer.
Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit: in ‘Porcelain’ – works year round for me.
**For reference, I am ‘dessert beige’ in Estee Lauder Double Wear and NC 20 in Mac foundation in winter.
I shot these photos on Sunday and have bathed since and the Lancome, Tarte, NARS, IT cosmetics, and Smashbox concealers STILL have marks on my arm!! However, my top favorites for my bad circles and skin is the Lancome, Kevin Aucoin, and IT.
Alright, so now let’s talk abut how I use these products… first of all, most days if I am in a hurry or just heading out to run errands, I simply dab a little concealer on my under eye area and set it and head out. But the steps I’ll be sharing are if I wanted to really brighten the are and have it last all day – bulletproof.
Step #1: Make sure your moisturized your face and under eye area!! I use THIS under eye cream before application – it wakes up my eyes and de-puffs and brightens. (Has Vit C- which is made to brighten dark spots!)
Step #2: I apply concealer of choice to my RING fingers and rub together to get them warmed up so they blend better. Then I tap the product under my eye in a triangle and sort of blend it all in.
Step #3: Using my damp beauty blender, I tap out the product – the BB really does the trick in blending it all out seamlessly. I can not get ready w/o a BB – I only use it damp though! If it is too damp, it will wash out the concealer so wring it out.
Step #4: Use an eye brighter like MAC Prep & Prime (in light boost) or BareMinerals Well Rested (in clear) – (you can use before or after concealer.) I use it after bc this really brightens the area and brings it to life!*I only use this step occasionally – it isn’t a must!*
Step #5: I use my damp BB and dab it into the white in the TOP, RIGHT corner of this pallete. This powder is SO good for brightening the area – but use carefully or it will look super white. You can use the lighter shades in this palette too if this is too bright or too white.
Step #6: No matter how big of a hurry I am in, I always use my damp BB to set my concealer and foundation with THIS powder. This powder is EVERYTHING. Everyone needs a good translucent powder to set your base or concealer. It won’t dry you out or look creasy or bad – it just subtly sets your foundation and makes it stay all day.
^^two stripes up top are the highlighters mentioned in #4.
^^my fave setting powder
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Linking all products mentioned below!
Love this post! What shade do you wear in the Kevin Aucoin concealer? I want to get it but don’t know which to go with!
Thank You for this! I always struggle with application and then Being able to see my fine lines half way through my 12 hour shifts at work (im a nurse) i want to look alive too. I dont have extremely dark circles but they are still there.
Love this post! I want to get it but don’t know which to go with!
What brush do you use to apply the KA Concealer in you IG stories? I want to try it but I want to make sure I use the correct brush to blend!
Thank you for your time!