Quick Answers
Under eye concealer can be light or dark depending on your specific needs and preferences. Some general guidelines:
- Use a lighter concealer to brighten and highlight the under eye area.
- Use a darker concealer to neutralize dark circles and conceal bluish/purple undertones.
- Consider your natural skin tone when choosing a concealer shade.
- Test out different concealer colors to see what works best for your needs.
What is Under Eye Concealer?
Under eye concealer is a makeup product that is used to conceal, correct and highlight the under eye area. It comes in a range of different shades and formulas and is applied under the eyes to help minimize the appearance of dark circles, bags, fine lines, and discoloration.
The main purposes of under eye concealer include:
- Brightening and illuminating a tired looking under eye area.
- Neutralizing dark circles and bluish/purple undertones.
- Covering puffiness, bags and wrinkles.
- Providing an even, smooth canvas for eye makeup.
When shopping for an under eye concealer, you’ll have options between liquid, cream, stick and powder formulas. The shade range can vary from very fair to deep dark. Overall, under eye concealer is a staple makeup product used by people of all ages and skin tones.
Should You Go Lighter or Darker?
When choosing an under eye concealer shade, you essentially have two options – go lighter or go darker than your natural skin tone. Here’s an overview of the benefits of each approach:
Going Lighter
Using an under eye concealer that is slightly lighter than your natural skin tone can help to:
- Brighten a tired looking under eye area.
- Create a subtle highlighting effect.
- Minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Make your eyes look more awake and youthful.
A lighter concealer works by reflecting light off the skin, creating a luminous, wide-eyed effect. It also uses the color principles of color theory – the light shade visually recedes, effectively minimizing lines and imperfections.
This technique works best for those looking to get a brightened, illuminated under eye area. Keep in mind not to go too light with your concealer shade, or it may look unnatural.
Going Darker
Opting for an under eye concealer that is slightly darker than your natural skin can help to:
- Neutralize bluish undertones from dark circles.
- Provide fuller, more uniform coverage.
- Correct pronounced discoloration and pigmentation.
- Add warmth and color back into a dull under eye area.
A darker concealer counteracts discoloration using the principles of color theory – darker colors visually recede. So a strategically placed deep concealer can make circles appear less prominent.
This technique is ideal for those with pronounced dark circles, bags and bluish undertones. It provides fuller coverage and color correction benefits. Just take care not to go too dark or the results may look muddy.
How to Choose the Right Shade
When trying to decide whether to go lighter or darker with your under eye concealer, consider the following guidelines:
Your Natural Skin Tone
Take a close look at your natural skin tone without any makeup. Does it have warm golden undertones? Cool pinkish undertones? Neutral undertones? Olive undertones? Knowing your undertones will help determine whether a lighter or darker concealer will best correct them.
Those with cool pinkish undertones tend to benefit from a darker concealer to balance out the blueness. Those with warm golden undertones can typically handle a lighter brightening concealer.
The Severity of Discoloration
Factor in the severity of your under eye area concerns. Do you mainly just have slight dullness and fine lines? Or do you suffer from very pronounced dark circles and deep pigmentation?
Mild discoloration and fine lines can be improved with a brightening, illuminating lighter concealer. But more severe darkness and discoloration typically requires a darker concealer with better coverage properties.
Your Overall Preferences
Also think about the overall look and effect you prefer. Do you want a wide-eyed, highlighted effect? Or are you more focused on neutralizing and correcting discoloration?
Your personal preferences and makeup style should guide you toward light or dark. There are no set rules – it comes down to choosing the shade that makes you look and feel your best!
Test Out Different Shades
It can take some trial and error to find the perfect under eye concealer match. When trying out shades, only use a small amount and blend it out to get an accurate view of the color.
Testing concealer colors in natural lighting is best. Compare swatches of lighter and darker shades to see which is most flattering on your skin tone. Don’t be afraid to mix two shades to customize the ideal color.
How to Apply Light vs. Dark Concealer
Once you’ve selected the optimal concealer shade, make sure you use proper application techniques based on whether you chose light or dark:
Applying a Lighter Concealer
When using a lighter brightening concealer:
- Apply it only to the inside corner of eyes, in a triangle or upside down triangle shape.
- Blend toward the outer corners of eyes.
- Use a color corrector first if neutralizing discoloration.
- Set it with a translucent powder to lock in the brightening effect.
Strategic placement of the lighter concealer just at the inner corners creates a gorgeous highlighting effect. Take care not to bring the light shade too far outward, or it will look obvious.
Applying a Darker Concealer
When using a darker, color correcting concealer:
- Dot it directly onto any dark circles or spots of discoloration.
- Blend outward toward the cheekbone and lashline.
- Use lighter concealer on top to further even out the skin tone.
- Set with powder only after blending the edges.
Make sure the darker concealer targets just the areas of concern. Blend edges seamlessly into your foundation or skin. Layering lighter concealer on top camouflages even better.
Tips for Using Light and Dark Concealers Together
For optimal results, don’t be afraid to combine both light and dark concealer shades! Using products in multiple shade ranges can provide more complete color correction and coverage.
Here are some tips on layering light and dark concealers:
- Use dark concealer first on targeted areas of discoloration.
- Follow with light concealer across the entire under eye area.
- Or, use light concealer just at inner corners and dark concealer only on outer half.
- Blend edges together where the shades meet.
- Set with powder to finish and extend wear.
Layering light and dark concealers helps to get the best of both worlds – maximum brightening and correction in one routine! Play with the placement until you discover your perfect light-to-dark concealer ratio.
Pro Tips for Choosing Concealer
Here are some additional professional tips and best practices for picking the optimal under eye concealer shade:
- Look for concealers with a neutral undertone for the most natural effect on any skin tone.
- Cool-toned skin looks great with peachy correctors to counteract blue tones.
- Warm-toned skin benefits from orangey correctors to combat purple tones.
- Green color correctors neutralize surface redness before applying concealer.
- Mix cream and liquid formulas together for customizable, blendable coverage.
- Add a drop of facial oil into thicker concealers to sheer them out.
Like with any makeup product, finding your perfect under eye concealer shade takes some trial and error. But once you discover the light, dark and multidimensional combinations that complement your skin, you’ll be amazed by the results!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about choosing the right under eye concealer shade:
How do I color correct dark circles?
Use color theory to neutralize dark circles – green concealer offsets redness, peach combats blueness, and orange counteracts purple tones. Or opt for a concealer slightly darker than your natural skin tone to color correct overall discoloration.
Should I get my exact foundation shade?
Not necessarily. Most experts recommend going a touch lighter or darker than your foundation for optimal brightening or color correcting. Exact foundation shade concealer works if you mainly want to spot conceal blemishes.
What finish concealer is best?
It comes down to personal preference! Luminous or dewy concealers offer glow and radiance. Matte formulas provide fuller coverage. Try out different finishes to see what wears best on your skin type.
How do I stop creasing under the eyes?
Use minimal product, set it with powder, and blend concealer up onto your orbital bone instead of just layering heavily under eyes. Using a hydrating eye cream before makeup also combats creasing.
What tools work best to blend concealer?
Soft synthetic concealer brushes, makeup sponges, and fingertips can all work beautifully! Use a patting motion to press concealer into skin and warm the formula up for smooth blending.
Conclusion
Finding your ideal under eye concealer shade ultimately comes down to experimentation. While general guidelines suggest going lighter to brighten or darker to correct, your own skin tone and needs should ultimately guide you. There’s no universally perfect shade – it’s about choosing what makes you look and feel your most flawless!
With strategic placement and proper blending techniques, concealer can transform even the tiredest looking eyes. Combine light and dark shades for added dimension. And don’t be afraid to switch between shades as your preferences and needs change. When you discover your perfect concealer match, you’ll be able to fake a full night’s rest even if you only got a few hours of sleep!
