Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Readers' Corner: I Can Still See My Undereye Circles...Why???




As a makeup artist, one of the trickiest area to conceal is the undereye area, why?  Well, the area tends to crease or worst, applying the wrong shade of concealer may enhance the undereye problems!  Aside from that, most readers tell me how they can still see the "flaw" even after concealing.

Sounds familiar right? 

How do you really apply concealer under the eyes?  Are there steps or tricks to watch out for?  Well, after years of doing makeup on various people, I came into a conclusion that there really is a "technical' side in concealer application.  Today, I will be sharing some simple (yet effective) tips to YOU!


 Choose your Concealer
In this tutorial, I whipped out my new Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer

 

Application tips
  • To prevent concealer from settling into lines around the eyes, "plump up" the area by using an eye cream prior to concealing.  Let it sit for a couple of minutes before you proceed.
  • If concealer or makeup in general tends to fade on you midday, apply your favorite eyeshadow primer also on the undereye area (aside from the usual lids).  Some good primers you may try that works for the undereye area Benefit Stay Don't Stray, Urban Decay Primer Potion.
  • How light should your concealer be?  Try to go for a shade or 2 lighter than your foundation shade but not crazy light where it gets to focus people's attention on your flaws instead of covering them!
  • Is concealer applied before or after foundation?  Ah, that's the Question of the year!  You can't go by the book on this one! If you are comfortable applying concealer prior to foundation, do so but if you think coverage is not enough after the "concealer-foundation" routine, you may still follow up with concealer application.  There's definitely no hard rules
  • Keep in mind:  Never set your concealer with powder when you're not done with your make up!  The moment you set your concealer with powder, you can never go back on concealing as it may cake up your concealer!
  • Should I use a brush or my finger?  It all depends on your preference!  Both works just fine, it is the application technique that will help create good coverage concealer!  I will tell you more about it later!
Now let's get back to the tutorial shall we?


Dab your choice of concealer on the undereye area.  Keep in mind not to be stingy when it comes to concealer application, apply a bit more than the usual if medium to heavy coverage is required.  

Afraid applying too much will cake up your concealer application?  Fret not!  If you prepped your undereye area well, that shouldn't be a problem at all!



 AMW Diagram
  • Once you applied concealer, keep in mind that the yellow area (on diagram) should be the area where you PAT the concealer.
  • The red area is the area where you can freely blend out using a sponge, brush or finger!
  • The area where you blend out should go further down to create a more natural "fading" effect.  Do not stop immediately around the circle of your eye, this will magnify your flaw!


With a sponge, clean finger or brush, blend harsh edges using rolling motion.  You can also opt for dabbing motion (especially for fingers).  This will remove demarcation between the concealer and the rest of your face! 

It is also very important to mention that stepping back to check your reflection after concealing is one vital step to a successful undereye concealing!  Feel free to add a second or third layer resting in between to prevent concealer from creasing.  



Let your concealer set while you do the rest of your makeup.

Once you're happy with the way your concealer look, set with powder using patting motion.

Before and After Concealing
(Photo edited only for cropping)

I hope you learn some simple tips on how to conceal your undereye area.
Keep in mind that it takes a whole lot of practice!  Try to do different concealing techniques when you have time!  And keep in mind to dab...pat, dab...pat!  :)

Happy concealing!
Keep smilin'
Stay happy!
 

11 comments :

  1. Thanks for this tutorial! Love the step by step diagram! So easy to follow! I just bookmarked this page for reference when I need to cover my undereye circles. Thanks, Nikki!

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  2. thumbs up for this tutorial! i really dont know how to apply concealer properly, and always end up erasing the whole thing! XP

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    1. I hope this helps! This is very simple and quick to follow! update me how it went ok?

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  3. Thanks for the tip! I actually do this one with my bb eye roll on and it really does make a difference if you dab then pat the product since it looks seamless ^__^

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    1. Ooh Nice BB Eye Roll on! Super nice nga siya and effective! :)

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  4. Yay for the tutorial! Finally, naka-comment ako ulit sa blog mo, Ms. Nikki! ^__^

    I have a love-hate relationship with concealing... Thanks for the tutorial! ^___^

    I miss you a lot!!! <3

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  5. Such good tips andadvices! It's a very big problem for me and I haven't been able to make any concealer work. I'll try again with your advices and techniques.

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    1. Give it a try again and let me know how it goes! goodluck!

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  6. Just what I need for my undereye circles! Again, thanks for a wonderful tutorial!

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I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to comment your questions, suggestions and just anything you may want to say! Keep smiling and stay happy!