How to Avoid Obvious Looking Concealer

Even Jessica Alba isn’t immune to concealer problems.

The whole point of using under-eye concealer is to hide the fact that you were out all night drinking working late, but when you don’t use it correctly, you end up highlighting the problem instead. To avoid a reverse-raccoon look, stick to these tips when it comes to choosing concealer.

1. Don’t stray too far from your natural skin tone.
It’s easy to assume that the lighter your concealer, the better it will hide your dark circles. When you go too light, however, it makes it impossible to blend in with your foundation. Stick to a color that’s no more than one shade lighter than your skin, and always apply it before your foundation and powder.

2. Watch out for concealers that promise to “brighten.”
We all want brighter skin, but using brightening concealers isn’t the way to do it. These formulas generally have light reflecting particles that draw attention to your problem area instead of camouflaging it. Reserve light-reflecting products for underneath your brow bones and along your cheekbones.

3. Sheer it out.
Many concealers have thick formulas to help cover your dark circles. Thicker can sometimes be more problematic than helpful, though. Mix your concealer with a tiny amount of moisturizer before applying and then build on as you need.

Read more: 5 Makeup Tricks to Disguise Tired Eyes