Dark under eye circles detracts from the beauty of the face and leads the focus away from the eyes. Skin under the eyes is very thin and sensitive. The slightest strain manifests itself as dark circles under the eyes and gives a haggard appearance to the face. The causes for dark circles are lack of sleep, malnutrition, anemia, smoking or constipation.
Dark circles are more marked in persons with deep set eyes. In contrast, dark under eye circles are hardly ever observed in Orientals who have small eyes. Whatever the reason, there are make up solutions available to cover up dark circles under the eyes.
Just as an artist uses a prime coat to prepare a canvas for painting, so does a makeup artist use foundation as the first layer to prepare the face for make up. A Concealer to cover blemishes forms the second layer of make up A Concealer is an essential item in every make up kit. It is used to cover pits and scars, pimples and acne. Concealer can be used to lighten skin tone under the eyes and give the impression of brighter eyes.
Under eye Concealers are best used in cream form. The Concealer used should be one or two tones lighter than the foundation used. The wrong shade of Concealer leads to make up gaffes. A yellow based Concealer used on very dark circles gives a grey appearance to the under eye area. Pink based concealers lend a mauve hue to dark circles. It is important to choose the Concealer shade with care.
Some recommendations based on complexion shades are:
- Yellow based congealers for tan to golden skins
- Pink based Concealer for medium to fair skins
- White based congealers for pink to fair skins
To apply the Concealer, clean the under eye area with an opthalmologically tested eye cream. Apply a very thin layer of foundation. Blend in the foundation and set with loose face powder. Concealers need to be used in very small quantities to avoid the white look. Take a minute quantity of the Concealer and tap cream at corners of the eye and at the centre. Gently blend in the Concealer using unidirectional strokes of the tip of the little finger. Take care that the Concealer does not bleed into laugh lines at the corners of your eyes. Powder based concealers are best used for barely visible dark circles using fluffy makeup brushes.
An opthalmologically approved cleanser should be used to remove under eye makeup.
The under eye area should be nourished with a vitamin based cream. Use of water resistant concealers is a good option too.