Share: Tell us what you love and hate about Under Eye Concealers!
my answer: I love them for hiding sleepless nights or stressful weeks. It can be tough to find the right formula that doesn’t crease, doesn’t make the area look drier, and so forth, though!
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I feel I am too old for concealers to really benefit me. It seems they accentuate the wrinkling I’ve got going on down there and then mascara/eye liner tends to smudge under my eyes. Yet, I keep putting it on as I feel naked without it. I guess I might be getting a little bit of brightening effect.
Hi Brandy 🙂 I find that smudging with the mascara/liner too with some concealer, foundation, eyecreams & moisturizers. Sometimes it’s just the heat or also cuz I have oily eyes but when I’m not lazy & worry that might happen, a very little bit of setting/finishing powder on helps.
I’m currently using a combo of Armani corrector, Armani concealer and YSL touche eclat to get them to disappear. Lol! Without it there’s no point of doing any makeup. Dark circles ruin all the blush and lipstick efforts.
Would you say the Armani corrector and concealer would work for a +40 skin? I thanked you in my post for remainding me that I should go hunting for a corrector. I’m currently kicking myself for not having bought one.
Heh, I procrastinated for a year before getting these so I know the feeling. I’m in my 20s but I didn’t win the genetic lottery with wrinkly, super loose undereye skin. The armani concealers are really light, pigmented (like I only use 2 dots per eye) and not creamy like the Bobbi Brown concealer which was a lines lines all around my eyes kind of a disaster. These kind of melt into the skin and don’t crease on me.
I just wish I could find a good formula. I need a concealer in the inner part of my under eye area, but at the same time it looks awful if it makes the skin look really dry, and if it sets i the wrinkle i’ve had all my life.
I might try to find a good corrector first, thanks to Strangeone for remainding me.
I like the Bobbi Brown corrector in light peach in winter ,peach in summer with Givenchy mister light patted over . The bb is a cream,kinda thick so I just place it over the blue part then the mister light under my eyes but not out where my crows feet are. Then I lightly pat mufe he powder over the inner area only…not where crows feet are. I have hereditary dark circles.so I’ve been searching for something forever it seems..I’m 38. kat von d tattoo concealer was my go to until I started getting more dry and lines. If u can,go to a Sephora and ask them to try it on you.make sure to blend the cream.I usually pat with a finger after a small eye brush. But just barely move around the thinner Mr. Light. Mufe also makes a peach corrector in a pen. But it’s a little thin for my darkness. 🙂
Concealer is a wonderful thing! Like Christine said, it can really be useful for those sleepless nights! As well, it’s a wonderful product to also help brighten the appearance in many ways! As Christine mentioned, and I agree, it’s a matter of finding the right formulas, colors, how to work it, and finding the right ones-which can be quite a pain! I’d like to add that placement of concealer is crucial and often seen applied in areas that just make it worse.. So find a good formula, know how to work it for your needs, and it can be a best friend for your face! 😀 (blush & mascara help, too) 😉
Rave: Very happy about the advent of corrector concealers intended for under eye use versus concealer products intended for discoloration and blemish concealment.
Rant: Rarely do I find a product that doesn’t claim it can do it all. Corrector/Concealer formulas are a seriously big challenge as you move into the mature skin zone. Reviews are of little help and about as subjective as mascara. You really have to try a pile..sadly 🙁 Lots look cakey, lots do not cover circles, lots sit in small lines, particularly as the day wears on.
Tip: For harder type and when looking to conceal versus correct, try applying with MAC 213 brush instead of concealer brush. Use same technique you would for cream eyeshadows: small circles with a well loaded brush, but ultra ultra light touch. For creamier or cream versions of corrector, I find the little OCC lip tar brushes are amazing to place corrector only on those areas with discoloration. Tap and blend with pinky finger.
Have you tried the NARS radiant creamy concealer???
No. Just ordered By Terry Densiliss concealer earlier this week as my latest ‘hope’. I have heavy discoloration due to meds plus aging skin under my eyes so need something in the peachy zone that is subtle but has ample pigmentation to cover and yet doesn’t crease. That’s not asking too much, right? The best weapon I have so far is an Eve Pearl product, which is good for discoloration but a bit thin and quite greasy so it tends to crease after a number of hours. Cle de Peau is okay, but finding it is getting too dry for my eye zone, particularly now we are heading into colder weather months. I’ll keep the NARS in mind and maybe grab when Sephora has their VIB sale in November.
I have to agree with Molly. I loooove the Nars radiant creamy concealer. It has the best formula I’ve used. I literally have tried everything. Again all concealers set into fine lines a little. If you are simply looking for something to cover up the dark circles then you don’t need a concealer, you need a corrector, bobbi brown makes a good one. I also like the highlighting pens made by MAC. I find the peach/pink one works the best for my light to medium complexion. Hope it helps.
Laughing because I so hate the Bobbi Brown peach corrector. 😀 Tried and fail.. it’s terribly creasy on me and doesn’t last more than a couple of hours. Tried powdering, not powdering. Still fail. But yes, completely agree, corrector is the right route for me. I think the BB formula might work better on younger than 50 year old eyes. sigh.
Hi Wendy 🙂 I have a tip for you, in case you’ve not tried it! When products start to feel as your CDP concealer under your eyes, before you apply it, gently tap into your eye area a more emollient eye cream than you’re using, or an extra layer of what you have, even moisturizer! Let it warm into the skin, absorbed. Then you have a silky canvas for your CDP which also acrid as a primer, binding the two together for natural long wearing light without the dryness. It’s something to play with! I hope you find what you’re searching for! 🙂
Hey there Lotus 🙂
I’ve actually tried the extra eye cream and for me, it makes things far worse with creasing and pooling in the deep grooves. I think it’s the nature of my eye socket and the fact that there is only so much you can do once you hit 50’s. Less seems to be more for me at this point and while CDP provides really good cover, and was a fav for a very long time, it is not the right formula anymore. Bah! I’m reading below lots of hate on for the NARS radiant so I’ll put that one on hold for the time being. This is a really tough category for many and hitting 50’s makes it even trickier.
Well, Helloo there, Wendy!
I’m sorry that method failed. 🙁 Aging brings about changes that are ridiculous as our once relied upon products won’t work, no matter what, and we try so many things yet remain stuck trying to figure it out! It’s expensive and frustrating! Hourglass Hidden Corrective concealer has done better than CDP in older demographics, performing quite similar as the CDP younger, and YSL just came out with a special BEAUTIFUL color for 2014 holiday, VIB ROUGE, In Dor Rose.. Rise gold? Perfect corrective color! Now onto critical information. My mother is in her 60’s and went through this, had to change eye cream and everything! Here are things she found useful and still uses flawlessly today! I hope something may work for you, though I’m guessing you probably tried everything, but it is all I can offer. You can always just be sub-par until a new creation comes out-happens frequently..
Here: She had luck with Diorskin Sculpt Lifting Concealer, but it became too much of an expense and she has now been consistently and happily using MUFE Lift Concealer! She had to change eye cream, as I stated, and after thorough research, we found sonething that seemed gimicky but really worked, and they’ve been great with customer service, price is decent, and it totally made a difference that is worth mentioning! The eye cream is called the Elite Serurm RX Extra Strength, which can only be found through EliteSerum.com !!! Please at least venture there to read about it, it’s actually as good as they say!! My mom’s upper eyelids have lifted and there has been an all around tightening, and she’s now been using it for many months, no problems! I really hope this helps!! The Nars one.. No. Yet, have you tried Lancome effernaces? The waterproof concealer? That’s amazing! I look forward to hear how you are, feel, and what you decide as well as how it works!
Much Love,
Lotus 🙂
The maybelline fit me concealer is the perfect dupe to Nars concealer! I love it!
Rant: They tend to crease. It’s hard to find the right tone.
Rave: They are a lifesaver when insomnia and stress leave my undereye all purple. I find e.l.f.’s concealer in Brightening works best for me. It covers well, dries really fast, and doesn’t crease. It’s not too dark for my skin tone. It’s a liquid rather than a cram.
I have allergies for what seems to be almost year round 🙁 so while I love finding great concealers and foundations, I find it somedays pointless or myself just getting lazy when I have to do eyedrops or constantly blow my nose and wiping off all the work I put into applying it.
Sometimes they make things worse! They tend to accentuate lines and wrinkles.
I am quite enjoying the coverage from my MAC Pro Longwear Concealer – I have the one with the little pump. I used to use the cream concealer, but it caked up and made me look like I had wrinkles where I didn’t.
they really make you look awake. i do feel it is necessary for me to use.
after alot of trial and error i am using lancome effacernes waterproof protective undereye concealer in deep suede. i wish they had a lighter shade that would work for my complexion though
I’d love to be able to rave about one in particular.. but I can’t cause I can’t find the perfect one for the life of me!!! I “suffer” from very bad under eye darkness: deep sallow brown discoloration with purple tones in it at times.. and NOTHING ever covers enough.. aaahhh such frustrationnnn!!!
However I have to say I love the texture of the Shiseido Natural Concealer, which unfortunately isn’t pigmented enough.
I have the same problem. I found that a combo of Tisha McAvoy correct and brighten and Laura Mercier secret camouflage do a decent job. I’m still searching for that perfect coverage but this is the best thing I’ve come across yet!
I need concealer under my eyes and, to a lesser degree, to cover redness around my nose (though most of the time, foundation works fine enough). What I don’t like is (I’m sure this is a common complaint) when concealer settles into lines under my eyes (I don’t even have that many lines but some concealers – even some good ones but just now and then – will settle and accentuate. I also don’t like when they go greyish in colour by day’s end. And I really don’t like how I spent a fortune on the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer and it is the driest, chalkiest looking and least effective concealer I own. I’ve exchanged for a better colour match but, in reality, I should have returned the 2nd one but I’m stubborn – there’s a part of me that is DETERMINED to make it work!!!
I’d love to see more product recommendations in the Rants & Raves!
Rant- creasing, or not enough coverage, or both. It’s been so hard for me to find something that works and I don’t even have bad circles or wrinkles.
Rave- Well, when they work, that’s awesome! Haha
I love Armani Master Corrector (NC15 skin, Luminious Silk 4.5, I use the peachy corrector and not the orange one) and then just use either concealer (still looking)…or just foundation over the top of it.
I always had a hard time with the texture and natural look. I had to buy MANY before I found my perfect combo. It is: Philosophy Hope in a Tube eye cream, then Bobbi Brown Corrector & Concealer in Porcelain. Now I’m happy 🙂
I use MAC’s Pure Orange or Bobbi Brown Dark Peach as a corrector to cover the green/purple veins on the inside upper eye lid and lower circle. Then I use one of the concealers by Cle de Peau, Eve Pearl, Lancome, or Laura Mercier. The orange neutralizes the discoloration. I sometimes just use foundation instead of concealers..and blend everything really well, then add a brightener to areas that need a little extra light. This way..there’s never an ashiness to the concealer, all of the tones look warm and illuminate the skin.
I love how it brightens my face but I have a deep crease under my eyes that makes things annoying. I still haven’t found a formula that doesn’t crease at all. Thankfully, setting powders help a bit
Hello! I’ve learned many find that place where it creases and applies eye primer, holding skin open in the area until it dries. It won’t crease as much! As well, after concealer, a setting spray in that area after setting powder.. You’re golden if you work patiently in thin layers! I hope this helps!
Rant: They tend to crease after a long wearing day.
Rave: Hard to find a good one that looks like skin.
I have two concealers/correctors that I swear by: Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer and Bobbi Brown Tinted Eye Brightener. Both of these have the magical ability to set under my eyes and stay put without any creasing at all. I generally use the Bobbi Brown one because it’s easier for me to get here and the Tarte one retains some shine even after it’s set, which can make my undereyes look a bit too light. However the Tarte concealer has better coverage. Either way I’ve perfected the technique of letting the concealer mostly set before gently blending out the edges thereby not losing the coverage
I’m still on the hunt for a setting concealer that has the colour of my beloved Laura Mercier Secret Concealer. That stuff cancels out my dark circles beautifully but sadly, no matter what I do, it creases on me. 🙁
i’ve tried so many (and paid so much for stuff that didn’t work) that i decided not to buy anything else unless the MUA or salesperson is willing to give me a sample to take home and try first. they all make my under eyes and corners look much drier and wrinkled than they do with nothing on at all. nars radiant creamy concealer is just as bad as the rest. i’ve also found that i have better luck applying concealer with a finger tip in a tapping mode than with any of the umpteen million concealer brushes that i have purchased. if you are over 40 and have dry skin–good luck!
lol..you said it
Have you tried something like Benefit’s Erase Paste? It’s like a tacky cream/paste texture but I use it in the winter when my under eyes get drier than normal and its the only thing that won’t crease or make my eyes look crepe-y. I’m only 23 but I have wrinkly, dry, dark under eyes …my genes are to blame and also my allergies 🙁
i don’t have any eye concealer to recommend as I have trouble applying them often.
for under eye puffiness and darkness, i love the orange container of under eye cream by Origins by Dr Weil. doesn’t help immediately but over a week or two on a regular basis. BTW, i have blue grey eyes, fair skin, and I’m 65. my skin is fairly normal in moisture but uber sensitive, Few wrinkles, couldn’t tan anyway.
I’ve spent the last 20 years trying different concealers for my undereye circles. I currently use Maybelline eraser in the “Neutralizer” shade, which I love because it is a thin formula that really covers. I follow with a tiny dot of foundation mixed with a tiny dot of eye cream. Then set with loose powder. The big problem I’ve had in the past is when concealers are too heavy they cover but make the area look worse because it’s so thick and cakey. I think nowdays there are newer formulas that are better than the old thick concealers of the past.
Under eye concealer is a must for me, but it is so hard to find one that is creamy enough not to accentuate drier areas but thick enough to cover, without looking cakey! wow, that’s not asking a lot or anything LOL!!
Gotta love them for mitigating the Thesisbags.
On the other hand, finding one that is simultaneously pale enough for me, and peachy enough to counteract said Thesisbags, is nearly impossible (thus far).
I always use two. My skin is so pale. for example, I use Anastasia 1.5 to cover the dark spots and .75 to blend, highlight and lighten. The Eve Pearl correctors come in duos too – I have the light duo and that was my Holy Grail before I tried Anastasia’s.
Origins Plantscription concealer in a wand packaging is my HG concealer for my over 40 eyes….The only one I’ve found that I can use under my eyes with no creasing and doesn’t emphasize lines….Tried so many others but keep going back to this one………………….
I have tried so many concealers and correctors, including BB, MAC or YSL, but I could not make them work without creasing.
To my huge surprise, what works much better for me, is using MAC paint pot instead. I use soft ochre daily, not only on my eyelids but also under my eyes. It won´t be enough to cover dark circles on really bad days, but on normal days it seems to work pretty well, it does not crease and looks naturally on me, I believe. Try if you haven´t yet.
Rant: if you’ve got ’em, it’s a B*(&^)(! If it’s genetic, even on a good day, they’re bad. On a tired, stressed. or allergied day, they’re deadly. The time+ dough i have spent over the decades on concealers would buy me a cabin cruiser…. The time to do them right can be way excessive. Always looking for HG. Most regular concealers + foundations are too yellow. At one time, my concealer box had at least 20, which speaks to a lot of NON-WORKING.
Rave: at least i don’t look like an extra in the Walking Dead, when they’re on. There are so many better selections than decades earlier, when it was Max Factor Erase + IDK who THAT matched.
Current routine: PC antiox serum. Soak in. PC moisturizer. (most days) Let absorb. Smashbox concealer primer bottom. Let rest. First Aid Beauty triple eye remedy. Rest. Correct: currently Eve Pearl, but It Corrector + Erase Paste also ok. Walk the dogs. Check for settling + fix if needed. (Use a concealer diffusing brush for ‘fix,’ not the flat concealer applicator brush.) On ‘good’ days, no additional concealer (I know, it’s already 3 products with color…). On bad days, concealer. On good days, liiiight amount of PC Super Light DWD, as the TM is going on the face. Careful + Do Not Disturb. Set, if needed: MUFE HD or MORE color correcting/powder. The dog walking goes at the point in the routine at which the greatest absorption and setting is needed. It’s 20-30 minutes. And Blinc mascara is the only one that doesn’t run in the concealer, if I can’t set via dog walking. and this sounds completely ridiculous, but it’s all true.
I love Anastasia Beverly Hills concealer! It covers like spackle 🙂 and yet, it blends down flawlessly whether I am wearing it alone, with a powder or liquid foundation. I always set any under eye concealer with Tarte Amazonian Clay Smooth Operator finishing powder to stave off the horrid xxx’s and wrinkles/creases. My other fave is Eve Pearl corrector. I actually made a flip video of my under eye routine on my IG in the last month. I do a lot of steps, but at 31, it’s all necessary and I love the results!
I’ve never found an under eye concealer that works for my skin tone. My skin is very very fair and most under eye concealers look too orange and muddy on me. And now I’m getting old enough I’m starting to have the crepey wrinkly skin issue as well so I guess that’s no concealer for me. Luckily, my under eye circles are pretty minor.
You would probably benefit from the Origins Quick, Hide Concealer in Light 01
I have been loving Smashbox HD concealer. I find that I squeeze too much out though, so I’m going to try the NARS one next.
I love using the Mac Pro Longwear concealer. It’s creamy and stays on for hours w/ the Ben Nye setting banana powder. I picked a shade or two lighter than my skin tone so it’s a natural highlighter. using the beauty blender sponge it turns into a airbrush look. Who doesn’t like having a natural airbrush look?! 🙂
Concealer is something that I use on a daily basis, because without it I have under eye circles and my makeup would be not so pretty, lol.
One thing that really sucks about concealer is finding one that works for you and doesn’t look crappy. For years I struggled with finding a good one, and it took so much product buying to finally find a good one. Nowadays I have quite a few that work for me though, thankfully.
A lot of times concealer can accentuate fine lines and wrinkles, make your skin look dry and cakey, crease throughout the day, etc. But once you find a good one, it’s so worth it and it helps tremendously with making yourself appear as non-zombie like as possible, haha.
Everyone’s experience with a concealer is different, so you really have to go through a lot of trial and error to get there and find a concealer that does what you need.
Some nice concealer that i’d currently recommend are;
-Nars radiant creamy concealer (lightweight, moisturizing, and works really well)
-Mac pro longwear concealer (really great for heavy duty, beautiful coverage)
-Bobbi brown creamy concealer (creamy, not cakey, and does a really nice job at hiding dark circles)
-Laura Mercier secret camouflage (Blendable, nice coverage,and makes the area look flawless)
I apply concealer either with my fingers or a concealer brush and blend it out with that or a beauty blender for a flawless finish.
Also, I like to buy concealer a shade or two lighter than my skin tone to act as a really lovely highlight under the eyes and brighten and hide dark circles better.