Posted on by Maike

Applying Concealer Correctly: Undereye

I often get frustrated by makeup tutorials from influencers, Instagrammers, and the like, but nothing annoys me more than the “big triangles.” You know what I mean—the 15 cm² concealer patches that are supposed to cover just 1 cm². So today: how to apply concealer correctly, with a focus on under-eye circles.

Prep: Applying Concealer

As always, makeup starts with proper skincare. To apply concealer smoothly and get a nice texture, the under-eye area needs to be well hydrated.

Apply your moisturizer and wait 10–15 minutes. Otherwise, the concealer may settle into fine lines. If you plan to do eye makeup, avoid applying moisturizer to the upper eyelid—otherwise, your eye makeup may crease quickly.

You don’t need a separate eye cream; a good facial moisturizer works just as well. But if you’re looking for one, here are my current favorites:

  • Rejuvi Eye Repair Cream

  • i+m Age Protect Avocado & Argan Eye Cream

  • ECOOKING Eye Cream

Trick for Concealer Creasing

The trick is simple: apply an eyeshadow primer before your concealer.

Color Correction

To cover under-eye circles effectively, it’s best to neutralize discoloration first. For more info, check out this blog post: The (Vegan) Art of Color Correction.

Colors most useful for under-eye circles are orange, peach/salmon, and yellow. These neutralize blue, blue-green, and purple tones. For brown discoloration, use pink or red depending on the skin tone. If the brown has a cool undertone, adding warmth or using a warmer concealer can help.

Apply color corrector only where needed. Otherwise, you’re coloring the skin unnecessarily and will have to cover it again. Less is more!

Use a small amount on a brush or finger and gently tap onto the discoloration.

My favorite correctors (the concealers themselves are also good):

  • Becca Cosmetics Under Eye Brightening Corrector

  • Jeffree Star Cosmetics Magic Star Concealer

  • L.A. Girl Pro.Conceal HD High Definition Concealer

Applying Concealer for Under-Eye Circles

Now for the star: the concealer. Use as little product as possible. Work in thin layers until you reach the desired coverage—you need less than you think!

I usually place the concealer in three points:

  1. Inner corner of the eye

  2. Just under the inner eye

  3. Outer corner of the eye

Then, with a brush, sponge, or finger, gently blend the concealer into the skin and outward. Blend the outer corner upwards to create a subtle cat-eye effect, visually lifting the eye. Repeat until you’re happy with the result.

Favorite concealers:

  • MÁDARA The Concealer

  • Danessa Myricks Beauty Vision Cream Cover Perfecting & Shaping Wand

  • MILK Flex Concealer

  • Too Faced Born This Way Super Coverage Concealer (very high coverage but quite drying, not ideal for dry skin)

Setting the Concealer

To prevent creasing, it’s important to set the concealer with powder. You can use a tinted powder if you need extra coverage, but I usually stick to a translucent powder.

I lightly powder the under-eye area, finish the rest of the makeup, and check if it needs touch-ups. If the concealer has shifted, gently tap it back in and set lightly with powder.

Do not bake unless you’re going on stage or taking Instagram photos—the finish usually looks unnatural.

My favorite translucent powders:

  • RCMA No-Color Powder

  • For a bit more brightening, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder is beautiful

That’s it! This is how to apply concealer properly to cover under-eye circles. I hope this post was helpful, and see you next time!

Maike Makeup Artist Vienna – Your Cruelty-Free Makeup Artist in Vienna