Reviewing Dark Circle Minimizing Concealers
Guest Post by Emma Beecroft from
Cafe La Moda, the social space for fashion tips and beauty advice.
If you're anything like me, it doesn't have to be a late night for you to wake up with dark circles around your eyes. If you have thin skin, it can give you a tired look even when you're wide awake. I've tried many tips and products in order to make my own dark circles appear reduced, all the while on the hunt for that miracle product that will eradicate them completely. I have found concealer to be the one thing I cannot live without, and rarely leave the house without it. Here, I review some of the top recommended concealers to see whether they really work. They are:
Clinique's Line Reducing Concealer, Benefit's It Stick, Garnier's Eye Roll-On, Yves Saint Laurent's TouchÈ …clat and E.L.F's All Over Cover Stick.
Clinique's Line Reducing Concealer
The feel of this formula is really smooth and light. I like that it builds up easily giving variable levels of coverage, and it is the only concealer to minimise fine lines which is a real bonus when dealing with thin skin! It's a matte concealer, so can be used all over the face to hide imperfections. This product lasted all day with no need for any touch-ups.
Benefit's It Stick
I found I had to really warm up this pencil to get a creamy, smooth consistency for application to the eye area. When dabbing it on with my fingers it didn't blend very well although it did give good coverage that didnít budge. It worked best on other areas of my face that weren't so delicate.
Garnier's Eye Roll-On
Garnier boast a caffeine formula in this roll-on which they claim can make you appear more awake. I found it easy to apply and the coolness of the metal ball felt nice, but the coverage was quite translucent and streaky, and needed touching up frequently.
Yves Saint Laurent's TouchÈ …clat
TouchÈ …clat is such a well renowned product for reducing dark circles... so I was more than a little surprised to find it so thin, streaky and hard to create an even finish. The illuminating particles made my eyes look a little space-age when first applied, but once dried the shine lessened to a more iridescent look. However, I wasn't a fan of all the effort it took to make it look natural.
E.L.F's All Over Cover Stick
This is the cheapest concealer of the bunch, from an internet-only retailer hailed by many fashion magazines. It was easy to apply and definitely made a difference to my dark circles, but I found it felt dry and heavy. Perhaps if teamed with a moisturiser suitable for the eye area this product could be great for its price.
The verdict:
I found Clinique's Line Reducing Concealer to be the best of the bunch, for its ease of use, great coverage and the fact that it lasted all day. However, I would definitely recommend E.L.F's All Over Cover Stick for a brilliant budget alternative.
