Let’s get one thing straight: dark circles are normal. They can happen to anyone (even your favourite celebs) and can be caused by a number of factors, including genetics and lack of sleep. Blemishes, on the other hand, are pretty common for those who have acne-prone skin. Pimple popping can also be one of the reasons why you have blemishes. But don’t lose heart, cause we’ve got just the solution for you. While you should focus on getting eight hours of unperturbed sleep every night and breaking up with your pimple popping habit as long-term solutions, here are some quick fixes that can help in the meantime.
Ahead, we’ve listed down a step-by-step guide that will help you conceal dark circles and blemishes like a pro.
- Step #1: Ice the eyes
- Step #2: Correct the colour
- Step #3: Set the base
- Step #4: Seal it up
- Step #5: Lock it in
Step #1: Ice the eyes
Before you use a concealer, place an ice-pack on your under-eye area to reduce puffiness. This treatment constricts the blood vessels and drains the pooled fluid in the area. If you don’t have an ice pack, you can dunk a teaspoon in a bowl of ice water, or leave it to chill in the freezer for a bit. If you have frozen the spoons, run them under water before placing them against your eyes.
Step #2: Correct the colour
Colour correctors are a godsend for concealing pesky dark circles and blemishes. A colour corrector follows the principle of the colour wheel, wherein colours that are opposite to each other on the colour wheel cancel each other out. Eg: a green colour corrector cancels out redness on the skin, and a peach or orange corrector tackles under-eye darkness by counteracting the tinge of purple effortlessly.
Step #3: Set the base
Once you’ve concealed your blemishes and dark circles with a colour-corrector, reach out for a medium-to-full coverage foundation to give your skin an even-toned look. Use a damp beauty sponge to blend the foundation for a seamless finish. The Lakmé 9to5 Primer + Matte Perfect Cover Foundation is a buildable foundation that gives a medium to high coverage for a flawless look.
Step #4: Seal it up
Concealer works like a magic wand to conceal your problem areas. Once you’re done applying foundation. Go over with full coverage concealer like the Lakmé 9to5 Primer +Matte Liquid Concealer on areas you need extra coverage. Use a shade that’s similar to your skin tone. To highlight the under-eye area and give your face a lifted look, you can opt for a concealer that’s 1-2 shades lighter than your skin tone. Make sure you pick the right undertone so you don’t end up with an ashy look.
Step #5: Lock it in
It’s time to seal the deal with powder. Use a translucent powder like Lakmé 9to5 Naturale Finishing Powder to set your base in place and prevent it from budging all day long. Infused with aloe and green tea extracts, this powder makes your skin appear smooth and creates a flawless matte base that screams perfection.
Written by Urvi Shah on Dec 17, 2021
A professional writer by day, and a poet by night, I'm a journalism graduate with experience in the news, travel, and food sectors. A frantic compiler of excerpts from books I've read, you can count on me to incorporate quotes and phrases into everyday conversations without a warning. On days I'm not working, I station myself in front of my laptop, and try to work my way through month-old drafts of my writings.