How To Get Under-Eye Concealer Right

No, Nicole Kidman, no! The other night, Nicole’s under-eye makeup was a bit too aggressively light in tone. I feel for her, under-eye makeup is one of the hardest things to get right—it’s either too dark, too light, too much, not enough. And seeing as though we are smack in the middle of holiday going-out (and thus holiday hangover) days and nights, I figured what better time to pass along a few nuggets of concealer wisdom?

So, before you get started, make sure you’ve got the right color concealer. Pick a color about one half of a shade to one shade lighter than your foundation. Going too light will only amplify the area you want to conceal (see Nicole’s look, above). Yellowish shades will work best for masking those bluish-purple tones. Now, prep your skin. Moisturizer is key—concealers are denser than foundations and are formulated to cover, so you want to make sure that you’re nice and hydrated to avoid cakey lines. Let it soak in. Next, apply your foundation. Getting that coverage taken care of first is a great trick to help prevent you from using too much concealer.

OK, concealer time: With a super light hand, apply a few dots of product only on the dark areas (usually in the inner corners and the areas right around your orbital bone). Less is always more! Then, gently “stipple” with your ring finger or a concealer brush to blend, blend, blend. Now for the smile test: If you’re happy with the results, then smile. If any product has shifted or moved into some fine lines, lightly tap with a tissue to remove.

In need of more brightness? Simply dab a tiny bit of shimmer cream right in that little hollow in the inner corners of your eyes. For those with a dark complexion, use a golden color. For pale skin, a silvery or pearlescent shade is best. Lastly, blend it well with a cotton swab. Done!