Laura Mercier Secret Concealor, £18.50, www.lauramercier.com
This concealer has a buttery consistency that blends easily into the skin without dragging. Simply pat into the eye area for the pigment to cover up any evidence of sleep deprivation.
Although the formulation is quite thick it doesn’t cake into creases like many others and the eye area feels moisturized many hours after application.
The concealer has the added bonus of vitamin E to prevent moisture loss and vitamin A to help improve the condition of the delicate eye area and enhance elasticity. It also comes in a range of shades including tones suitable for dark skins.
Top Tip: When applying under eye concealer open your mouth into an ‘O’. This helps to stretch the skin under the eye into a smooth canvas, thus making application easier.
Chanel Lift Lumiere Smoothing and Rejuvenating Eye Contour Concealer, £32.50, www.chanel.com
This offering from Chanel claims to reduce signs of fatigue while smoothing and rejuvenating the eye area. And it doesn’t disappoint. Within 30 seconds of application I felt a tightening around my eye, weird, but satisfyingly so.
The formulation comes in a pump dispenser that is good for keeping the germs out (especially important for eye products) but bad for controlling the amount you mete out as a little goes a long way and you often under up with surplus product.
The concealer, although sheer, offers good coverage and can even turn it’s hand to covering up dark pigmentation, red patches, scars and slight blemishes (not crater like ones) on the face, making this a great multi-tasking addition to your make up shelf.
Top Tip: When applying concealer around the eyes use your index or ‘ring’ finger. You’ll apply less pressure with this finger, therefore avoiding dragging on the skin, which is never a good thing.
MAC Select Moisture Cover, £13.50, www.maccosmetics.co.uk
This is the most moisturising of all the concealers and would suit very tired eyes. It provides a gorgeous dewy finish that made me question whether I’d actually need an eye cream when wearing this.
The product has a thick consistency so apply sparingly to avoid caking. It comes with a convenient sponge wand applicator that is perfect for dabbing the product onto the skin, although you will still need your fingers to blend to a flawless finish.
Top Tip: For a fresh as a daisy look take the concealer into the inside of the eye socket and over the eyelid in addition to under the eye so all signs of fatigue are disguised.
YSL Touch Eclat Radiant Touch, £24.50, www.yslbeauty.co.uk
This is the holy grail of concealers. It first hit the shelves in 1992, has been a best seller ever since and earlier this year launched shades suitable for Asian and black skin tones. Described as “8 hours of sleep in a tube”, it has a luminous formulation that highlights and disguises imperfections, not only around the eyes.
Make up artists recommend applying it to the creases around the mouth and on the frown lines to soften them. Another insider tip is to use it to enhance a smile; simply brush along the edge of the lips to shape them and add a little to the cupid’s bow so lips look fuller.
The product comes in a brush tipped wand where the product is dispensed by clicking from the bottom, but rather that stroking the product on, it is recommended that you dab little dots onto the skin then blend with a finger or sponge.
Top Tip: With all under eye concealors it’s best to wait a few minutes after applying moisturizer and foundation to ensure the product lasts as long as possible.
Guerlain Precious Light Rejuvenating Illuminating, £28, www.guerlain.com
This concealer provides more illumination than coverage, but it definitely gives the under eye area a wide awake glow. It contains luxurious double sided gold radiance pigments that help reflect light, smooth fine lines and revive dullness, while the opaque side of the pigment minimizes imperfections, signs of growing old and tiredness.
It also includes firming peptides and oil of myrrh to help fill out fine lines and stimulate the skin. It comes with a handy instruction booklet on how to create different looks, including ‘illuminating’, ‘smoothing’ and ‘reviving’.
Top Tip: When buying under eye concealor you should choose one shade lighter than your normal foundation as you are trying to lighten darker areas rather than blend it in to match your skin tone as you would a foundation. |
