“You look really tired.”
As college students, this statement probably sounds familiar to you. Your friends may harmlessly tell you this, but in your head you are thinking, “Well, that is just great. Now I KNOW I look as tired as I feel.”
The tiredness that people may see in your appearance most of the time can be attributed to the puffy, dark circles under your eyes. It can be one of the most challenging things we face when getting ready in the morning. However, there are a few tips and tricks that can be taken advantage of in order to help hide those circles and never have someone tell you that you look tired again.
Dark circles can be attributed to several causes such as lack of sleep, allergies, genetics, diet, stress, drinking, and aging. Basically, if you are human you will probably have them under your eyes! It is where your skin is thinnest and aging can first be seen.
Typically, when the circles have more of a blue undertone, the cause is lack of sleep. Red/purple undertones are because of aging or genetics. And when they have more brownish undertones, they tend to be from sun damage or genetics as well.
In order to help prevent them, it is important to try to get a consistent eight hours of sleep and drink lots of water. Decreasing your salt intake is also essential because it dehydrates the body, making you skin cling more to any water you intake and cause increased puffiness.
Also, avoid rubbing your eyes because it will only break the tiny blood vessels under the surface of your skin and cause darkness/puffiness.
Eye creams are vital in the morning and at night. They are going to help keep the skin smooth, hydrated, soft, and refreshed. It may be expensive, but skincare is always worth the investment to help keep you looking young and healthy.
Okay, so you wake up and the circles are there. What now? First, wash your face with some cold water to help wake up your skin. Next, to reduce puffiness place some spoons in the freezer for about ten minutes and then hold them under your eyes until they are no longer cold. Another alternative is placing a small piece of paper towel in the freezer overnight and then holding that over your entire eye.
Dark circles‘ worst enemy and your best friend is concealer. It is important to first prime your face so that your concealer and foundation last throughout the day. Purchase a concealer that is at least one shade lighter than your skin tone to affectively brighten your appearance. MAC pro longwear concealer ($20, online) is excellent for this because it is long-lasting. It is formulated to double as a primer for your eyeshadow and conceal the veins on the eyelids as well.
Put the concealer in a small upside down triangle underneath your eye. Then, use your ring finger to make small tapping motions – NOT swiping motions – until it is all absorbed. Another great tool is to use a damp beauty blender with the same tapping technique ($19.95, Sephora) because it absorbs any excess and blends the concealer easily.
Finally, set your concealer with a translucent powder and a small fluffy brush so that it does not crease and lasts throughout the day. Again, tap lightly when doing this so that you do not rub off all the concealer you just put on!
When you first conceal, your eyes may appear smaller, but add a little bit of eyeliner and you’ll be good to go!
Photo by Kim Hutchison
RT @ValleyMag: Fake it until you make it, right? How concealing under eye circles can make you appear awake, even when you’re not. http://t…