With adulthood comes the unfortunate bouts of sleepless nights. Perhaps you were feeling anxious about work, had coffee too late in the day or have been taking care of a sick child who’s been fussing all night long. The dark undereye circles we sport are consequently indicative of the responsibilities we shoulder daily.
Yet not all of us want to walk around with tired-looking eyes but would rather appear fresh, bright and awake as though we had the coveted eight hours of undisturbed sleep. To achieve that goal, we’ve got the scoop on 10 undereye brighteners and correctors from new launches to tried-and-true favourites.
Not only does the bestselling eye cream from Ole Henriksen contain various forms of vitamin C to help brighten and nourish the undereye area, but the formula also contains light-reflecting yellow mineral pigments that colour correct and brighten blue and purple discolouration. This eye cream is suitable for use under makeup as it touts to be crease-resistant and concealer-friendly.
In case you didn’t know, this popular Maybelline concealer also comes in a brightener shade. The salmon pink hue helps counteract undereye discolouration as the crease-resistant formula provides up to 12 hours of medium-to-full, natural coverage. Goji berry and Haloxyl consequently brighten and smooth the skin.
True to Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty ethos, their undereye brightener is available in 10 shades across the melanin spectrum. A small amount goes a long way as the buildable formula also promises to be crease-, humidity- and sweat-resistant. Jojoba oil and HydraBlend complex meanwhile aid in hydrating and moisturising the area it is applied to.
E.l.f’s colour corrector is another budget-friendly yet efficacious option. The lightweight formula contains hydrating hyaluronic acid and rose flower water while offering full, long-wearing coverage with a satin, crease-resistant finish. Choose between three shades – yellow, peach or orange – to correct dark eye circles.
While Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty undereye brightener doesn’t have as many shades as Fenty Beauty (six versus 10), their formula provides sheer, flexible coverage that can work on multiple skin tones. It offers a radiant finish that doesn’t crease, cake or settle into delicate lines around the eyes.
When Becca announced their closure years ago, many ardent fans were upset that their colour corrector would be gone forever. Fortunately, the cult favourite product has been re-released under Smashbox. It continues to be well-loved for its colour-corrective and light-reflective qualities thanks to its use of peach and apricot tones. The formula also contains nourishing vitamin E. Available in four shades.
Infused with niacinamide and vitamin C, the Huda Beauty colour corrector is for those dealing with serious undereye circles. It has the same formula as the #Fauxfilter Concealer, albeit with less coverage and more brightness, and aims to correct and brighten with a crease-, sweat- and transfer-proof formula. Available in five shades.
The Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat pen has been a fan favourite since its release. While it doesn’t provide a lot of coverage, what it does best is to even out and brighten skin tone and dark circles while leaving a natural finish without the use of any shimmer particles. Hyaluronic acid and vitamin E hydrate and nourish too. Available in four shades.
Charlotte Tilbury’s cream colour corrector comes in an easy-to-travel compact. But beyond the convenience factor, the formula contains brightening mica as well as microspheres and carnauba wax that aid easy application leaving a natural finish. Flavonoids then help to conceal the appearance of dark undereyes. Available in four shades.
Besides tapping on cream and liquid formulas to even and correct the undereye darkness, you can also tap on brightening powders such as this iconic Givenchy powder. The radiance-boosting powders contain two corrective tones and two luminous shades, enhanced with light-reflecting particles and soft-focus spheres that set makeup, brighten complexion and blur imperfections. Available in four shades.
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