Beauty Clinic: Brighten up your eye area
Q. Looking at my face in the sunlight I can see shadows round my eyes. What is the best way to camouflage these?
A. Fear not! The technology is out there on a beauty counter nearby. And, by the way, we really do suggest actually going to a counter and booking in for a consultation for queries like this. You should get really good advice on products, application and general tips. But just be aware of one thing: the light inside most stores may not give you a true impression of colour match to your skin. So take a little hand mirror with you and go outside to scrutinise your face before you invest in a product. It may be absolutely the right product but not the best shade in bright light.
What we suggest for your dilemma is investing in a great concealer. And you really are spoilt for choice. Top of the concealer category in our latest Beauty Bible Awards was Clarins Instant Concealer/£22.50, with a very high score from our ten women tester panel. It comes in three shades and features a Light-Optimising+ Complex, which does an incredibly good job of concealing dark circles and brightening the eye zone.
Here’s one tester’s comment: Dark circles?? A-Ma-Zing! Hello, the rest of my life! This is fabulous on my under eye dark circles and I look as if I have had a good night’s sleep. One does need to be careful not to over-apply, and to build gently, but I’m just so impressed'.
The Silver Award went to Benefit Boi-ing Brightening Concealer (formerly Erase Paste)/£17.50, which is designed for dark circles and shadows. This comes in a little compact and you can apply with a finger but we find a small brush much more effective.
Clinique has just launched a new contender in its Beyond Perfecting range, called – wait for it! – Beyond Perfecting Super Concealer Camouflage + 24-hour Wear, which is pretty amazing we think, having tried it. It comes in 18 shades, £18.50.
Make-up artist Florrie White stroked in dots of product on dark circles and the creases under eye bags, then – and this really makes a huge difference – in the inside corners of eyes by the bridge of the nose.
One very useful tip from Florrie for blue shadows (like the ones either side of your nose) is to mix a teeny drop of Apricot Corrector, from the same range, in to your chosen shade of concealer to neutralise the blue.
Finally… you can also use concealer to soften ‘marionette’ lines between your nose and mouth. Choose a slightly lighter shade for this, advises Florrie.
