Last week I discussed the truth about dark circles and what cosmetic products were allowed to do. The most basic conclusion that I wanted to convey is that beauty products are not able to truly diminish a dark circle under our eyes. This week I wanted to offer some positive news about what we as consumers CAN do around our eyes to help with dark circles and puffiness.
The first thing that we can do is massage and hydrate. Keeping the skin around the eyes moist means our makeup sits nicely and the skin is in good shape. Massage can help move fluid out of the eye area. Before I tell you the massage technique let me say that some puffiness is fluid that accumulates under the eye and some puffiness can be fat. If the puffiness is fat, only surgery can take it away. But, by using massage, good products, and my secret weapon (I’ll tell you in a sec) you can do a lot to make the eyes look smoother and less dark.
#1 Massage – Massage, using a good eye cream you want to tap product around your eye on the bone. Try not to get it too close to the eyes or you will feel blurry later (the cream will soak in and spread). Then with a ring or middle finger, very lightly massage the cream in by making light circles around the eye from the tear duct up to the brow bone to temple and back to tear duct. Think of it in this way, your eye is the sun and your finger is a planet going around and around….
My favorite eye creams to use for this are Tatcha’s Revitalizing Eye Cream $135, L’or De Vie by Christian Dior $210, Acure Eye Cream Chorela $20 (great for daytime and young skins) and my new fav of the moment is Acure Line Eraser $20 (use this on the bottom of the eye where fine lines are and let soak in a bit before massaging).
#2 Color Correctors – Notice how 10 years ago we were all using yellow toned concealers and now they are all peach? That is because the secret of color theory is becoming more mainstream. (Something a pro mkp artist relies on heavily.) Dark circles tend to look blue or blue-gray under the skin. Color theory tells us that orange nuetralizes blue…therefore an orange-toned concealer will neutralize or “correct” the blue tone under the skin. The trick is that you want to put the product where the darkness is so that the area is corrected and matches the skin around it. My favorites are still the Blue Correctors from MUD, I just keep going back to them.
#3 Diffusers – Using a product that gives you a bit of diffusion can be very beneficial in disguising a dark circle. Think of it as a magic dust that blurs the area. Brighteners like YSL’s Touche Eclat work nicely and so do some of the finer “HD” powders. I like Nars Light Reflecting Pressed Powder $35 This is especially good on-camera. Just dust or pat a small amount right under the eye area. There area also skincare items that “brighten”. These might work for you as well.
#4 Pillows – Yes, that is right. My secret weapon against dark circles and puffiness is my pillow! Last year I invested in a side sleeping pillow. It is very tall and at first I didn’t think I could possibly sleep on it. However after a few weeks what I noticed is that the darkness under my eyes was less severe. I also see less puffiness, although I have very prominent fatty bags, the skin around the bags seems smoother. I believe that sleeping with my head up at this level is helping my eye area tremendously. Not to mention I seem to have less ache in my shoulders. The pillow I purchased came from Brookstone and was about $100.
Well there you are. Some real things you can do about dark circles and puffiness. Not a miracle, but practical steps. I hope that this helps to enlighten and inspire you.
Until next time, Terri Tomlinson Makeup Artist Dallas