5 Steps To Cover Dark Under-Eye Circles With Makeup

Dark under-eye circles are notoriously difficult to cover up. The good news? Effectively camouflaging dark circles isn’t actually too complicated – you just need the right products and a few expert techniques. If you want to know how to get rid of dark circles under your eyes like a pro, consider this your ultimate guide. 

Step-By-Step Guide to Covering Your Dark Circles

For brighter, more energized-looking eyes, here is how to use makeup to conceal your dark circles. 

1. Prime Your Skin

Before even reaching for your concealer, you’ll want to properly prep your skin. Starting with a freshly cleansed and moisturized complexion, apply an even layer of eye cream underneath the eyes, and give it a few minutes to absorb into the skin. An eye cream will hydrate and soften the delicate under-eye area for easy application. 

Next up is primer – a crucial step for flawless makeup. A primer will create a smooth, even canvas for your makeup while also giving it something to grip onto. The results? Under eye makeup that lasts all day and doesn’t settle into lines. 

Using either a small brush or your fingers, apply a thin, even layer of primer, extending it from the inner corners of your eyes to the outer corners. You’ll also want to apply your primer all over your face to keep your foundation in place. 

2. Color Correct

The secret to fully camouflaging dark under eyes? Color correcting. Concealer on its own often can’t completely hide dark circles – something you may have already learned through trial and error. By implementing the science of color correcting, you can shield any hint of discoloration to completely transform the eyes. 

The concept of color correcting is centered around the color wheel. Colors that are on the opposite ends of the wheel cancel each others’ effects.

With dark circles – which typically have blue hues – you will want to use a peach or orange color corrector. A peach color corrector will work best for those with lighter skin tones, while an orange color corrector is the ideal match for medium to dark skin tones. 

In some cases, dark circles lean more towards purple rather than blue. If that sounds like you, a yellow color corrector may be a better fit, since it's on the opposite end of the wheel from purple. Pale yellows are great for lighter skin tones, while more golden yellows work well with medium and dark skin tones. 

To apply your color corrector, use either your ring finger or a flat concealer brush to dab the product into your skin, focusing it on the darkest areas. You only need to use a small amount – you don’t need to completely cover the dark circles, but rather neutralize the color. Take your time working the color corrector into the skin for seamless application. 

3. Apply Concealer

Next, you’ll apply concealer to fully cover up your dark circles. To choose the best concealer for dark circles, you’ll want a formula that is one or two shades lighter than your foundation. This lighter color will work to brighten the eye area while still looking natural and flawlessly blending with your foundation. 

Note that the concealer that you use on your face to cover up blemishes or other imperfections will likely be a shade too dark to use under your eyes. This means you may use two different concealers in your routine: one lighter shade for the eye area, and one shade that matches your foundation for the rest of the face. 

Additionally, choosing the right formula type is key. For covering dark circles, cream concealers are especially effective, thanks to their thicker consistency and more opaque finish. That said, liquid concealers can also offer great coverage. 

Apply your concealer underneath the eyes, applying small dots from the inner corners and extending them out towards the temple. Use either a damp makeup sponge or a small blending brush to blend the product into the skin. 

Just like with the color corrector, you don’t want to apply too much product. Overdoing it with concealer increases the risk of the product creasing or settling into lines, so you’ll want to take a more conservative approach. Start with a small amount of concealer, and build coverage as needed. 

4. Apply Foundation

Once your concealer is blended in, it’s time to create the rest of your base. A foundation will even out your skin tone and minimize the look of imperfections. 

For buildable coverage and a gorgeous, your-skin-but-better look, we recommend working with a cream-based foundation. This type of formula will melt into the skin, and layers perfectly with liquid and cream concealers. 

To enhance your under-eye coverage, use the Major Skin Hydra-Luxe Luminous Skin Perfecting Foundation. This lightweight foundation blends seamlessly, offering buildable coverage that brightens and smooths the skin. Its hydrating formula ensures a natural, luminous finish, effectively concealing dark circles without caking or settling into fine lines.

Using either a damp makeup sponge or a complexion brush, buff the foundation into your skin, building it to your desired coverage. Take the time to blend it into your skin, paying particular attention to the area around the eyes for a seamless transition between your foundation and concealer. 

5. Set Your Makeup

Finish out your beauty routine by applying any other makeup products, such as blush, bronzer, and eye makeup. Once that’s done, it’s time to set everything to lock in your look. 

First, use a translucent powder and a brush to “bake” your under eye makeup. Apply the powder underneath the eyes, creating a visible layer from the inner corners to the outer corners of the eyes. There’s no such thing as being too heavy handed when it comes to baking, so layer it on thick. You’ll leave the powder to set for a few minutes, and then brush off the excess. Doing so will help prevent creasing to give you the longest wear possible. 

After you’ve brushed off the excess translucent powder, finish your beauty routine with a makeup setting mist to lock in your concealer (and the rest of your makeup). Spray it all over the face, making X and T formations for full coverage.

In just five steps, you can use the power of makeup to banish dark circles – and keep them covered up all day long. Even after a night of no sleep, brighter-looking eyes are in reach.