Image: Instagram Bags, be gone!
One of beauty's most-asked questions has always been 'how can I hide my dark under eye circles?' And it's not likely to change any time soon, because unless you're willing to try cosmetic concealer tattooing, there's no permanent solution for the shadowy bags beneath your peepers. Every day we count our lucky stars for handy helpers such as eye cream and under eye masks. But let's be honest, nothing beats the camouflaging magic of concealer.
And who better to teach us all the hacks for flawless under eye concealment than Fenty's Global Makeup Artist, Hector Espinal. With fifty shades in the Fenty concealer lineup and the task of acing Rihanna's base, he has a few tricks up his silk sleeves...
Ditch the 'v' technique if it's too severe
The 'v' technique is when you apply your concealer from the inner corner of the eye, down to the top of the cheekbones and back to the outer corner of the eye. It's very popular, particularly on Instagram.
If you're going down this road, Hector says to "apply the 'v' and then fill it in with your finger or a damp sponge."
While the technique is great for neutralising the entire area, a common mistake with concealer is using too much, which can accentuate lines and crow's feet.
If this is the case, and it's too severe, Hector says to "start with dots and buff it in with a brush."
Always go lighter no matter your skin tone
No matter what shade of foundation you wear, Hector says to "always go lighter under the eyes to add dimension."
"Fenty concealers are automatically two shades lighter than your foundation shade. So if you're 340 in the Pro'Filtr Foundation, you'll be 340 in the concealer, it's already made lighter for you."
The red lipstick trick is pfffft
Remember when videos of using red lipstick to hide dark circles on darker skin tones went viral? Hector says he's been there, done that and "I didn't really see a difference, and the average woman is not going to do that. I would go for a peachy concealer instead. If you do red, you're going to see the red."
Lighter skin tones often have puffiness, not darkness
Hector says people with really light skin tones are often experiencing puffiness, rather than dark circles. "Or maybe it's veins you can see."
To remedy this, he says to put "eye cream in the fridge", to cool and depuff the area before applying concealer.
Use it to neutralise your eyelids too
If you're going to be wearing eyeshadow, Hector says to use your concealer to neturalise your eyelids.
"Use what's leftover on the brush", he says. "Sometimes if you don’t do that, the eyeshadow will appear a different colour because of the veins or the darkness."
He also likes to use the concealers themselves to 'create a smokey eye'. Just mix some of the darker shades into the outer corners with your fingers.
Sponges are great, but a brush will give you better coverage
Every makeup connoisseur loves a beauty blender, and Fenty even has mini sponges designed for the under eye area. "But if you want more coverage, use a brush", says Hector. It will help to give a more precise placement of your product too.
[Via GLAMOUR UK]
