Black is great for dresses, especially those chic holiday party frocks...but underneath your eyes? Not so much. Dark circles can make a girl look old, tired, unhealthy - not exactly the most festive look for the season. To send those bags packin', we asked award-winning makeup artist and beauty expert Sarah Brock to spill her secrets. Her top tip? Get enough beauty sleep, meaning eight (or so) hours of uninterrupted shut eye per night as part of a regular bedtime routine that you follow most every day (yes, weekends as well). She also recommends drinking lots of water to keep your skin hydrated throughout the day. And lighting up...well you already knew this is a total no-no. "Smoking is one of the worst things you can do for your skin, and this is especially true of dark circles," warns Sarah. "Smoking drains much needed vitamin C from the skin, making it thinner and the bags darker and more obvious. Cutting out nicotine might be tough, but it will make a real difference to your health and beauty."
For a quicker fix, here are Sarah steps that will have you applying concealer like a pro:
1. Prep your skin by first patting on a separate eye cream. “Remember to apply eye cream sparingly, as too much will make the area greasy, causing concealer to slide off the skin. Just pat a small amount onto the eye area and gently blend in.”
2. Once your eye cream has absorbed, tap a small amount of concealer onto the back of your hand. If you have dry or problematic skin, add a touch of eye cream.
3. Using a concealer brush, apply the concealer. Don't forget the inner corners of your eyes. And when you're concealer shopping, be sure you buy the right one. “Look for ones with light-diffusing properties to help illuminate the skin around the eye."
4. Gently pat in the product using your ring finger until it blends into your skin or foundation.
5. Bring some concealer with for on-the-go touch-ups. “If you’re worried about the eye area becoming drier throughout the day, carry your cream with you," notes Sarah, "and gently apply a tiny amount on top of the concealer to refresh the look.”
[Note: this was written in partnership with Nuture Skin Care, but the words & opinions are ours.]
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