Very bad under eye circles - what's best to cover them?

[SmileAndNod]

So I spent Monday trawling cosmetic counters as I need some new make up. I came away with some Bobbi Brown cream eye shadow in mink, some sparkle powder in mica and some gel eyeliner (which I can't do) in denim ink. Oh and also a clinique chubby stick in pudgy peony. I'm a hoc winter so I'm hoping these will be ok.

However none of the counters could cover my under eye circles, which are purple, grey and bruise like. Heavy duty creams / pastes just seem to sit in lines or are far too drying on an already dehydrated area. Does anyone have any recommendations? I need something that really works is easy to do and doesn't look cakey or dry. Am I asking the impossible?

How about a corrector in orange to cancel out the purple tones, then concealer and powder on top?
Mac should have something that could work.

Benefit Boing concealer is very good

Watching with interest as mine are horrendous....

I tried a decleor one the other day which was really nice. Can't remember what it was called but was very yellow :)

It's hard to cover them and even an effective one can make your eyes look piggy. Try and address them from inside. Do you drink enough water? Get enough sleep? Do you sleep with a window open?

Do you smoke?

No I have never smoked, I do have a window open to sleep, I don't drink enough water however and have no chance of sleep with dcs one who feed through the night constantly and one who wakes v early.

So if I up the water intake how long will it take to see a difference?

Have tried the benefit boing and something about it didn't look right? Maybe it was the wrong shade?

I still swear by Touche Eclat, have also heard good things about Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer on here too.

No suggestions apart from to ask if you've always suffered or is it tiredness related? Because I always used to have terrible bags under my eyes fron the age if about 10. Many years later they disappeared and it turns out they were allergy related (cats in this case).

Failing that I find a pair of glasses works wonders!

(Also is there not supposed to be a link to liver function or something? )

Dark bruised under eyes MAY be a sign of food reactions or autoimmune issues. Specifically I'm thinking of undiagnosed coeliac or other conditions that involve gut damage...

So if you have any health problems like ibs, bloating, headache, skin rashes etc, it may be worth investigating that, as the you may be able to get rid of the circles and improve health if you find a physical cause! Good luck.

Benefit Erase Paste is much better than Boing if you have proper dark circles - I had a Benefit makeup counter person do one of my eyes in each and the difference was huge. Boing didn't cut it! If you can get to a Benefit counter it's worth getting them to try some products on you - I think they also do a colour corrector such as carpaccio suggested.

Touche éclat isn't a concealer so don't bother - it's just a highlighter. Christian Dior skinflash is similar to touche éclat only also conceals so is better, but isn't heavy duty enough for full on dark circles.

There is hope btw - my 8mo DD has just started sleeping through the night and my formerly-horrendous dark circles are much improved!

Haveyoutried - almost a cross post! Yes to allergies and I believe liver function also as that's tied up with a lot of medical conditions...

I think I've had them since my 30s but they are definitely worse now after seven years of sleep deprivation. I don't really suffer from any food related things as far as in aware

Have used TE in the past but that just made me look very white under the eyes. I don't think I'm near a benefit counter soon unless I make a special trip but it would be interesting to see if that works. Like I say the BB stuff made little difference.

Ideally I would like about a week's solid sleep, but failing that a concealer will have to do

Smashbox do an undereye primer which is supposed to hydrate and stop concealer creasing. Something like that might be worth a shot.

Use a primer before the concealer, makes a huge difference IME, I like the L'Oreal studio secrets one in a jar

I have always had these (blood issues, they don't go away).

I have always sworn by these 2:
www.clinique.co.uk/product/1596/6088/Makeup/Concealers/Line-Smoothing-Concealer/index.tmpl

Or (over a thin layer of eye cream as it can tug):
www.boots.com/en/Rimmel-Hide-The-Blemish-Concealer_6976/

...set with some loose powder.
The only 2 things that work for me, and they work really well.

I love the new Soap and Glory pencil concealer

Ben nye blue neutraliser concealer. Also their 5 o'clock beard cover (hideous name!) is good too but like the neutraliser better.

I use a cheapy No7 (Boots) concealer for my shadows and it works fine. Mine are pretty- bad some days I look like I've been punched. I do have various autoimmune problems including liver disease, so it may be that for me. Though I've read copious amounts on liver disease and shadows under the eyes aren't a sign that jumps off the page exactly. Some folk just are more prone to shadows than others, I think. Getting enough sleep/rest (and I need lots) seems to help mine. Then covering up and ignoring.

I find Benefit Fake-up works brilliantly on mine. It's a moisturiser and concealer in one.

i have been using the benfit potent eye cream and it seems to be fading my dark eye circles, didn't believe it would work at first, try some at the counter

I second benefit fake up. Really works for me.

I saw someone using a no. 7 under eye concealer the other day which did an amazing job. Looked like a mock touche eclat though so if that doesn't work for you, might not be much good .

Only thing that completely hides mine is Benefit Erase Paste. Also I have sensitive eyes but this is fine.

Benefit Boing is good too but lighter texture. Erase Paste is very thick. They do a confessions of a concealerholic box set which has both. My mini pot of erase paste from that is lasting me forever. Looks best applied with a brush but tbh I usually just dab a finger in and paint out my dark circles.

Laura Mercia works for me, it's a little pot of creamy concealer that I put on with a brush. It doesn't settle into fine lines and lasts a long time