When it comes to beauty criminals, under eye circles might as well be named public enemy number one.  Whether exhaustion, allergies, aging or genetics (thanks mom!) are the culprit, one thing remains true, you are not the only victim.

Today I am going to teach you how to trick everyone (even your own reflection) into believing you are exempt from the dark circle curse.

When it comes to concealer, there are two sorts of women.

1. Those who use concealer in addition to their foundation.
2. Those who skip the foundation, choosing to use concealer as a spot treatment.

If you fall into the first group, use your foundation before your concealer. Apply it right up to the lash line. This will actually eliminate a good deal of the darkness on it’s own. For those of you that follow this approach, get that foundation on and then join the other ladies (and gents) on the steps below.

The Foolproof Guide to Hiding Your Dark Circles.

Concealing dark circles is so easy. (Stop rolling your eyes!) In fact, most of the time we screw it up by over doing it. The true dark circle rarely takes up the entire under-eye area. When you conceal more than necessary, believe it or not, you actually attract more attention to the discoloration. If you want to hide your circles in the most natural and undetectable way, you have to truly see where they lie.

Step 1. Idetify the Culprits.

While looking forward into a mirror, slowly tilt your chin downward. The dark circles will pop right out. They are purple or bluish crescent shapes that begin at the tear duct and travel toward the cheekbone.

Step 2.  Conceal.

Using a concealer brush, tap a light touch of concealer onto the half-moon of discoloration. Feather the edges until they disappear into your own skin (or foundation). Be sure to get the inner and outer corner of your eye, as well. These two spots tend to deepen or turn reddish when we are tired. (If the darkness does extend upward from the crescent, a sheer wash of concealer all the way up to your lash line should be enough to cover that area.)

Step 3. Set It and Forget It.

Using a small eye shadow brush, press translucent powder over the concealer. Don’t drag the brush, this will only move the concealer you so carefully placed. This step is vital. It will give the product all day wear. 

Step 4. Additional Coverage…Proceed With Caution.

If you still see major discoloration, apply a second, sheer, layer and again set it with powder. Remember, easy does it! Too many layers attract just as much attention as the circles themselves. 

Choosing the shade.

I always use a peach/salmon colored concealer appropriate to each woman’s skin tone. The mix of orange and pink work well to cancel out the purple and blue hues that make us look exhausted and old. To right one for you is a ½ shade lighter than your skin tone. It should be light enough to brighten the area but not so light that it doesn’t match your skin. The Salmon Concealers, by Eve Pearl ($42, www.evepearl.com) are phenomenal and worth every penny. They are available in 4 shades that effortlessly cancel out even the most stubborn dark circles. And, guess what gals? They have an eye treatment in them. Banish your lines while you hide your circles!

A Bit of Bad News About Eye Bags.

Concealer will not hide eye bags. How could it? They stick out from the face.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, though. Let’s remember that make-up is an illusion. Although nothing can truly hide them, there is a trick that will brighten and even out the area making the bags instantly less noticeable.

With a detail brush, apply a pearl eye shadow or highlighter to the inner corner of the eye, immediately under the lower lid and on the part of the bag that hangs downward (this is the very small area where the shadow of the bag is cast.) This little touch of powder catches and casts back, the light, creating the illusion of a brighter, more open under-eye area. The best one I have found so far is the Warm White Eye Shadow, by Three Custom Color ($22.50, www.threecustom.com). 

A Few Other Tips and Tricks.

• Avoid the ultra-sheer, liquidy concealers (they don’t do much of anything); opt instead for a supple, creamy version. The skin under eye is drier and thinner than the rest of your face, so it will benefit from the extra hydration.
• When applying concealer or foundation under the eye, use a brush. I don’t want you pulling or tugging on that sensitive area. Gravity does enough damage on its own.
• If your concealer doesn’t glide well under the lower lid, prime it first with an eye cream. This area gets dehydrated quickly.
• If your concealer dries or flakes during the day, tap a touch of eye cream over it. This will ‘wake up’ the product making it look as fresh as when you first applied it.
• Dark circles don’t travel alone; red inner rims usually come along for the ride. Running a flesh colored pencil over them will instantly banish that “tired” look, giving the appearance of an instant eight hours of sleep. The Clarifier Pencil, by Three Custom Color ($16.50, www.threecustom.com), is the choice of champions. It is available in both light and dark.

Finishing Touch….The Lashes…

You’ve come this far, lets go all the way. Nothing makes freshly concealed eyes look better than a well-curled lash with a coat or two of mascara. I adore my Shu Uemura eyelash curler. It is shaped perfectly to easily accommodate any type of eye ($19, www.sephora.com).

Follow these tips ladies and darkness will never bring you down!