At my wits' end with concealing dark lids/undereye circles

[euphrosyne_rose]

Happy Sunday, ladies!!

I'm sure there's probably a few threads on here that are similar, but I am about ready to tear out my hair when it comes to concealer. I have light medium yellow toned skin (probably around an NC20 with MAC) and darkness around my eyes, pretty much all the way around. The under eye area is dark circles, but not exactly like most people's where it's bluish. My eyelids are also darker than the rest of my skin and it seems like no matter what I use, by the middle of the day, it's worn off to the point that I look tired and I'm starting to hate how blah and tired I look. I've tried concealers with MAC, Estee Lauder (the illuminating concealer that's in brush form), Clinique, Erase Paste by Benefit, Becca and a few drugstore brands and nothing seems to help. A few people have suggested either Bare Study or Soft Ochre p/p but even that doesn't seem to help. It's like initially when I put it on, I look fine but then it seems to fade after awhile. I like my m/u as much as the next girl, but lately I've really been craving that fresh, natural look and would like to go without wearing eyeshadow sometimes, just liner and mascara and I feel like that just doesn't work for me b/c my lids are never even and always look dark. It's gotten to the point where I feel like by midday, I look awful. I don't generally touch up just b/c I don't want my lids to look cakey so I'm hoping that some of you out there have some tips or some advice for me. I've even tried a satin or matte e/s that's about the same color as my skin and that doesn't seem to have much effect either. Most of the things I've tried above usually crease a tiny bit too. Having the dark lids is something I know I can't do much for physically and I'll have to live with it, but some help making it look a little better would be appreciated.

 

[sayah]

Have you tried using something salmon coloured before using your regular concealer?

 

[euphrosyne_rose]

Have you tried using something salmon coloured before using your regular concealer?

No, I haven't tried that. I know there's a trick to using some of the different colors in concealer palettes but wasn't sure what a good one was or what color to use. Is there a particular brand that has a salmon color?

 

[shellygrrl]

Eve Pearl has salmon concealers. You could also try a pink- or peach-toned corrector (Bobbi Brown). Or if you've tried NC concealers from MAC in the past, you could try an NW shade (more pink-toned) instead.

 

[lmcmullen]

I have the same problem. I'm about the same color as you - NC20-NC25 ish - and I have rust-colored skin around my eyes that goes all the way up to nearly my eyebrows.
Everyone thinks I'm wearing badly applied red-brown eyeshadow.

I too have had a great deal of trouble covering this up. It's actually worse on the upper eye area than on the lower. Under my eyes the concealer seems to work and stay put most of the day, but on the upper area the skin is back to a red-bronze after about 4 hours no matter what I do to it.

Sometimes I wonder if my body is just ABSORBING the concealer, since it disappears so fast. And I've tried nearly every brand under the sun.

A few things that have somewhat worked for me, though nothing has been perfect:

1) MAC paint pot like Soft Ochre or Painterly on my eyelids. I use this as a base for eyeshadow. It stays most of the day with a powder shadow on top (though not all day) and evens out my eyelid color.

2) Benefit's Well Rested mineral powder covers the discoloration pretty well but doesn't stay on me unless it's put on over a light coat of concealer while it's still slightly damp. I also sometimes need to reapply it.

3) MAC pro-longwear concealer in NC20 works pretty well, though doesn't last all day. Of all the ones I've tried it probably lasted the best. Warning - the pump bottle it comes in sucks.

4) Carry a small amount of what you use and apply midday. I do this because I cant' stand the way I look when it all wears off (about lunchtime).

Out of curiosity, have you had bad allergies all your life? I'm wondering where my brown raccoon-rings came from, and I've been allergic since I'm a child. There were times where I rubbed my eyes raw from the pollen etc.

 

[euphrosyne_rose]

I have the same problem. I'm about the same color as you - NC20-NC25 ish - and I have rust-colored skin around my eyes that goes all the way up to nearly my eyebrows.
Everyone thinks I'm wearing badly applied red-brown eyeshadow.

I too have had a great deal of trouble covering this up. It's actually worse on the upper eye area than on the lower. Under my eyes the concealer seems to work and stay put most of the day, but on the upper area the skin is back to a red-bronze after about 4 hours no matter what I do to it.

Sometimes I wonder if my body is just ABSORBING the concealer, since it disappears so fast. And I've tried nearly every brand under the sun.

A few things that have somewhat worked for me, though nothing has been perfect:

1) MAC paint pot like Soft Ochre or Painterly on my eyelids. I use this as a base for eyeshadow. It stays most of the day with a powder shadow on top (though not all day) and evens out my eyelid color.

2) Benefit's Well Rested mineral powder covers the discoloration pretty well but doesn't stay on me unless it's put on over a light coat of concealer while it's still slightly damp. I also sometimes need to reapply it.

3) MAC pro-longwear concealer in NC20 works pretty well, though doesn't last all day. Of all the ones I've tried it probably lasted the best. Warning - the pump bottle it comes in sucks.

4) Carry a small amount of what you use and apply midday. I do this because I cant' stand the way I look when it all wears off (about lunchtime).

Out of curiosity, have you had bad allergies all your life? I'm wondering where my brown raccoon-rings came from, and I've been allergic since I'm a child. There were times where I rubbed my eyes raw from the pollen etc.

I've never had issues with allergies. I used to be alot darker toned when I was younger so I've noticed the darkness around my eyes more the past few years now that I don't get out in the sun anymore. I do think it might be a hereditary thing b/c my grandmother seems to have the same issue, though not as pronounced as I have it. I've tried MAC's regular concealer and I feel too like my skin just absorbs it. I tried Erase Paste but it creases really bad on me. I do find before I go out somewhere I do have to reapply something to make it even again but it just sucks to have to do that!!

 

[sunsetbeauty15]

i have the same problem and i've recently figured out a routine that works for me,
PRIMER! this is my life save i use a face primer which will keep your makeup on longer, and an eye primer on my lids, however Benefit do a primer called 'stay don't stray' which is for both lids and under eye circles which i have yet to try but looks interesting,
FOUNDATION! i do one layer of foundation and then gentally pat another layer under my eye and on my lids
CONCEALER! i then use MAC prolongwear concealer and pat that on my lids and undereyes. (i do thin layers so it reduces how much it creases)
POWDER! i use then my MAC MSF natrual and set the products.

i find this works really well for me however it does crease a little under my eyes by the very end of the day but nothing to noticeable that i feel looks horrible.

i really hope this helps you i know how frustrating this can be xx (NC20)

 

[ashley8119]

Do you have a thyroid condition, by chance? I have an under active thyroid and my eye lids always look much darker than the rest of my face. I'm not sure how to describe it, it's just kind of dingy looking. It's a side effect from my under active thyroid.

To fix this problem, I use: Urban Decay Primer Potion then I cover my lids with MAC Soft Ochre paint pot and then powder my lids with a high definition face powder (if I'm going for a "bare eye" look).