Bobbi Brown's tips to covering circles, blemishes & more

Concealer is my 'desert island' cosmetic – I wouldn't dream of living without it. More than lipstick or mascara, concealer is the one product that I feel most dramatically improves the way you look. When applied correctly, it instantly makes you appear awake and refreshed, no matter what's going on in the outside world.

Covering Up Dark Circles

What You'll Need:

To conceal dark circles, you'll need a yellow-based creamy concealer, in one shade lighter than your natural skin tone. This colour masks the blue discoloration and brightens the skin. If you're extremely fair, a porcelain-toned concealer will work.

If you're lucky and you need very little coverage, a stick foundation one to two shades lighter than the rest of your face can double as your concealer.

If you have extreme darkness, use a corrector. Peach or pink in colour, a corrector counteracts the purple or green tones underneath the eyes that a concealer can't cover on its own. If your skin is pale, choose the lightest colours, starting with bisque or light pink. For deeper skin tones, choose a medium or dark peach.

How To Do It:

Apply a light eye cream underneath the eye area. It should absorb quickly and leave your skin feeling smooth.
If you're using a corrector, use a concealer brush or your fingertip to apply it at the inner corner of the eye. Continue placing the corrector underneath the eye, staying close to the lashes and patting the corrector wherever your see darkness. Gently blend the corrector by pressing it with your fingers. You're now ready to apply your concealer.
Use a concealer brush or your index finger to apply the concealer in thin layers. Be sure to blend well.
Apply the concealer all the way up to your lash line and – this part is critical – onto the dark areas by the inner corners of your eyes.
Use more concealer than you think you need, and blend it into the skin, using your fingers in a soft, patting motion.
If you still see dark circles, go ahead and apply a second layer of concealer.
To the lock the concealer into place, apply pale yellow powder over the concealer and on the eyelids with a powder puff.
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