No More Dark Circles?

Continuing my quest to expand my current cosmetic horizons, I decided my concealer game, which is decidedly lame, needed an upgrade. 

As I have mentioned, one genetic bane is my epic dark circles. In previous years, I've tried all the touted concealers, which didn't conceal much—even the sacred Clé de Peau Concealer didn't do the job. 

I therefore concluded that perhaps my circles were uncoverable. 

But, with a Sephora sale, it can't hurt to experiment, right? 

I squinted at the endless options, and decided to try IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Full Coverage Concealer in 10.5 Light (peering at the swatch online it looked like this shade had yellow undertones, which is what I have). I selected IT for a few reasons: it says it's for under eye, and it comes in a tube, not with an applicator like most concealers do. I don't want an applicator constantly touching my face then contaminating the rest of the product. 

Initial reaction: WOW. This stuff COVERS. All you need is a pinprick (I am not exaggerating) of product and it really COVERS. And brightens! 

The texture is thick and tacky, and is supposed to be warmed by the fingertips. While I should probably apply it by bouncing it on with a makeup sponge, that's too much work for a standard weekday morning; I tap it on with my ring finger to spread it on, then set it with my regular translucent setting powder. 

Until now, I thought I had to use color corrector and top that with concealer, but with one product I can do both!

I think that IT's a keeper!  

Now, it's not a perfect solution. It probably needs more patience and time in application that I don't give it. But its pros outway cons.

There are products better than Clé de Peau? Ma wouldn't believe it.  

Eye Makeup Remover is Serious Stuff

Once upon a time, when Sephora would have their 20% off events, I would stock up on enough makeup to last me quite some time. So it was only a few months ago that I noticed I was on my last bottle of Philosophy Just Release Me eye makeup remover. 

I moseyed over to the internet to find my baby, only to discover that it had been discontinued. 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Before you pat me on the back in a comforting fashion, bear in mind it took me forever to find Just Release Me in the first place. The usual favorite, by Lancome, left behind a greasy residue (in my mind). Every other product I tried merely smeared the mascara into racoon circles around my eyes, as opposed to removing it. 

I researched "dupe" frantically, and found an obscure post on an obscure blog claiming that they, too, panicked at the disappearance of Just Release Me, but found that the eye makeup remover by Neutrogena was an excellent replacement. It even had the same ingredients, the blogger wrote. 

I was dubious, as I had tried nearly every drugstore eye makeup remover already and they were disappointing. But, I tend to believe everyone's recommendations so I thought I'd give it a whirl. 

And . . . she was right! 

So, while I feel slightly stupid for paying so much over these past who knows how many years, I am thankful I do not have to rub my eyes into an early wrinkly future. Shiver.

Shabbos Lashes

Three day yuntif. For a makeup lover like myself, cue the 😱 emoji. I love yuntif! But keeping on mascara for three days is quite daunting.

In my younger, pre-baby days, keeping makeup on for so long was a challenge I was amenable to tackle. But I now cherish sleep to the point that I just want to bury my face into a pillow and pass out after a 2 am feeding.

I still, however, want to go out in public with my dignity intact.

A few years back I heard of magnetized false lashes. The lashes attach with magnets, so they can be applied and removed and reapplied on Shabbos. As I  am armed with Shabbos makeup, mascara is the only chink in my armor.

So this past Shabbos I gave it a trial run. I purchased a set by Lash’d Up on Amazon called "I Woke Up This Way," and after a few tries, managed to somewhat successfully apply them. They aren’t too dramatic - my mascara is usually more over the top - and with Shabbos eyeliner I was able to make it look more blended with the lash line. 

Because they are magnetized, you can’t use metal tweezers to get them on. I think I will look for plastic ones to assist.

So after a bleary night with baby, I was able to take my eyes from bare to smoky on Shabbos, with lashes!

The Messiah cometh!

The Repurchased! V, Eyes

I was shocked that I haven't done one of these in a long while. Well, no time like now, when I've recently restocked during Sephora's annual November sale. 

• Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara in Black

This puppy alone gives monster lashes; applied with the Maximizer, then followed by two coats, leaves one devastating. I've tried the other versions of Diorshow but only this one stole my heart.

However, it is not a good option for Shabbos Face. It clumps if it comes in contact with a pillow. 

• Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Pencil in Perversion

I'll admit, it took me time to warm to this product, even though everyone loves it. 

I recently became further enamored because unlike my previous eye pencil love, this one does not diminish in creaminess and pigment no matter how long I've had this unpackaged. Creaminess means less tugging when applying (I buff it in with an eyeliner smudge brush), and pigment means it stays the same deep black always. 

• L.A. Minerals Just Peachy Mineral Concealer

Whilst called a "concealer," I treat it like a "color corrector." As I have repeatedly mentioned, I have monster, epic, terrifying dark circles. Concealer alone usually leaves the area looking gray. 

The peach tone in this powder neutralizes the purple of the circles, and then I apply the concealer on top. (I've been using powder concealers as cream ones tend to make my eyeliner smudge horrifically.)

The Repurchased! IV

1. To highlight the brow bone, I rely on L'Oreal Infallible Endless Pearl. Of course it's matte. 

2. For the lid, I like to use a lighter shade of gray as opposed to the darker one that goes in the crease. L.A. Minerals Dove Gray is bright and cheerful and opens up my eyes. I also use it alone for all-over cover when not going so evening-y dramatic. 

3. After a long day, the above eye makeup should be thoroughly removed. I have tried so many (so so many) eye makeup removers, and keep running back to Philosophy Just Release Me. I'm so ashamed, every time, for ever questioning our attachment.

Via makeupandbeauty.com. Before . . .

. . . and after. Shazam.

4. For those new to anti-aging creams, I recommend OzNaturals Retinol Moisturizer. It contains a less-potent retinol derivative, but it still does lovely work. For the newbie, this will guide you gently over the threshold. 

5. For the hardened cream fiends, I am getting along swimmingly with SkinMedica Retinol Complex 0.5 (there is one in 1.0, but even I'm not ready for it yet). 

It is so potent that I have to mix it with—

6. —Cetaphil before applying. Yum yum.

 

I firmly recommend this step. Loved ones have accidentally "burned" their skin by applying straight retinol that their skin had yet to adjust to. 

7. I'm surprised at the unhappy reviews, but I like 40 Carrots Eye Gel. I've used many an eye serum and I'm pleased with this one. I feel as though it is doing its firming job. 

Enhance, Not Eclipse

I try not to attack "looks" head on—I'm quite chicken—but I will tentatively cluck my objections to the current craze of aqua eyeliner. 

 

Makeup is about enhancement, about taking what God gave you and making it go bang-pow-boom. 

Eyes are thankfully colored, and we are blessed with lashes, although some of us have more lustrous framework than others. Ergo, we make 'em blacker, so the iris hue is intensified. Lips are usually in the pink family, so we make 'em pinker, so they pop. We add a healthy flush of pink to the cheeks, fake sculpted cheekbones with bronzer and highlighter. We pluck and trim a chicer shape to straggly brows. 

But aqua liner sits uncomfortably on the face, not quite sure what it is doing there. The job of makeup isn't to call attention to the cosmetic itself, but for the admirable work it does in bringing out our natural best. I don't see the beautiful eyes when there is aqua liner; I only see the liner itself.

What makes it further perplexing is that aqua liner tends to be devoid of accompaniment: slashes of disconcerting blue on an otherwise bare, unpainted face. Look, if you are gonna go aqua, you gotta do everything else, too! 

(I'm still not crazy about it, but at least she went all out, right?)

Now, here is Karlie Kloss with a gray-brown-black based smoky eye: 

Via instyle.co.uk

 Whoo, look at those peepers! Now we're talkin'!

I can wander the aisles in a drugstore like any other warm-blooded gal and find myself looking longingly at a cheerful turquoise eyeshadow, but then I remind myself that I don't want my eyes to be upstaged, I want them to be the star of the show. 

L'Oreal Infallible 24 HR Eye Shadow

Nothing like a 30% off CVS coupon to have one eagerly trolling the drugstore makeup aisles. 

Peering at the L'Oreal Infallible 24 HR Eye Shadow, I noted that Sultry Smoke did not have the excessive amount of sparkle that the others did. Nor did Endless Pearl. Checking it up later online, neither does Continuous Cocoa. 

Via xoxovalentinekissesxoxo.blogspot.com

It's not exactly matte-matte, but matte enough. I'm not exactly used to using cream(ish) shadows, but this spreads quite delightfully with a few taps of the ring finger. They aren't primarily cream shadows; apparently they are labeled a cross between powder and cream, so they are brush-friendly. 

Others use long-wearing formulas like this as a primer itself. 

I have used Sultry Smoke over my entire eyelid, then applied my usual darker shade into the crease (if L'Oreal had one without shimmer, I would have given it a try). But Sultry Smoke is certainly crease-worthy, as is Continuous Cocoa (with a gold shade or lighter brown on the lid). Endless Pearl would be a good option for highlighting the brow. 

Eyeliner Quest

Sephora stopped carrying the Illamasqua Eye Liner Cake. Not a cosmic problem, I know, but for the last few years I have known no other liner. 

Bloomingdales is still currently selling it, so I swiftly purchased another from there, and I received a rather yellowed-looking box. Mislead's time in the US of A may be running out. 

I don't like to have all my cosmetic eggs in one basket; I began to browse for more options.

I covered eyelining in this blog's first few months, and my opinions haven't changed much since then. I am not a liquid eyeliner fan, preferring the safe-smudginess of pressed powder, such as Ilamasqua's. All previous pencils that I tried tended to leave black rivulets coursing downward. 

Like Floki's.

But I am always willing to experiment yet again. I filtered the results on Sephora by most favorable reviews, and up comes the cult-favorite Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil, which I bought in the darkest black, Perversion. 

Maybe because it has been a long time since I used an eye pencil, perhaps I didn't smudge it right, but boy, did it make a run for it. When I returned it the gal behind the counter thought I was slow in the head. "You're returning this?" she asked in shock. "Are you sure?"

I then received a VIB promotion of 15% off, which I decided to use to bankrupt myself. Amongst my haul that are loved: 

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in (obviously) Black: Yes, it is liquid eyeliner, albeit in the form of a marker. Why did I buy it? The reviews were so ecstatic I figured that I could manage with it somehow. Since it is a fine-tipped marker it doesn't give me that smoky-smudginess I like, but one thing is for sure: it STAYS. 

As in Shabbos Face STAYS. The neat painted line stays a neat painted line until os. If you like liquid eyeliner, this one is a keeper.  

Sephora Collection Retractable Waterproof Eyeliner in (indubitably) 01 Black: For weekday wear, I think I have found my new daily go-to. No sharpening (although it does come with a mini-sharpener if the tip is not to sufficient pointedness) and a built-in smudger. Application is pretty effortless, since the results are a blended smoky eye. 

My eyes have a tendency to tear up on the slightest pretense, like the springtime breeze kicking up a notch, and even after blinking away moisture, nothing strayed. 

By end of day, if there the migration, it is minor.

Sephora Collection Contour Eye Pencil 12hr Wear Waterproof in (undoubtedly) 01 Black Lace: While giddy with the above option for weekday, I wondered if this would be remotely up to the challenge of the 25 hour Shabbos.

It was! After applying and smudging with a cheap drugstore smudger, it gave me the look I've been going for, and stayed on very well. 

Like Siggy's. 

  

Educational Video, Class

  

This video provided some great tips for basic makeup application. I just relearned how to apply mascara—I used to brush my lashes to the side. Now I aim for up and in, and more product gets deposited by closing my lids during application. They look aaaaaaawesome.   

No Gluing Required

"Your lashes!" she gasped in delight. "Are they fake? Are you wearing, like, you know, those inserts?" 

"No, no—let me tell you about this great trick I just found out about . . ." 

Remember when I told all my lovely frumanistas about applying oil to eyelashes nightly? Well, I have to confess, when that post was put up I had only lash-oiled sporadically; usually following what I felt to be an abusive mascara-removal session, after a three-day yontif, for instance. 

About a week before the post, I began dabbing castor oil on my lashes every night, and quickly I began to see results. A number of lashes began to grow ridiculously long. New lashes were also beginning to grow in right above where my lash-line ends. Smaller lashes were filling in the base. 

Not me, but another satisfied lash-oiler.

From what I read online, the oil in question does not have to be castor. Coconut, avocado, olive, and the like are also options, as is blending them. Instead of prescription lash serums with scary pigmentation side effects, all one needs is a little grease.  

All this new growth means I have more real estate to apply mascara to. Along with the black powder eyeliner I dab into the lash base with an eyeliner brush (it is applied beneath the lashes, not above), I am left with a strong appearance of fullness.

I discovered my new mascara love, Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara, after a number of letdowns. I never had any joy with the original Diorshow, even though it is the gushing favorite of, well, everyone, but after three tries of dried-out goop they were returned with an exasperated wave of hands. 

Iconic Overcurl does what I expect my mascara to do, which is separate, define, plump, lengthen, and fix the kitchen sink.

A few sidecomments:

• Do not rub the eyes. That encourages not only sagging, but lash fallout.

• False lashes are not good for natural lashes. If donned sporadically and removed carefully, however, they don't leave lasting damage. Keep them just for special occasions.

• Remove eye makeup every night gently, lovingly. I soak a cotton round in makeup remover and lightly swipe it along the eye area in one direction. Make sure it is a good remover so that rubbing isn't necessary. Then apply the oil of choice thoroughly with a q-tip. 

I own an eyelash curler but I haven't yet used it. For the sake of progress and experimentation, I'll try it and report back. Soon. Ish.       

The Sephora Mattes

I love the mattes; I am quite vocal about it. Drugstore brands have sparkle in everything, though, except for one short time when Revlon had a matte collection. Even pricier brands will claim to be matte, and yet there is a veneer of sheen.

Sephora has their own collection of makeup, and while I was initially wary of cosmetics made up for the store brand, I have so far been a happy with a number of their products. 

To spread the word of the divinity that is matte, I present the colors of Sephora, albeit only the shades that I think are flattering:

Sephora Collection Colorful Eyeshadow 

(Purples, pinks, reds, and maroons did not make the cut):

N° 20, Sailor Kiss: Dark Blue

N° 50, Cashmere Coat: Mastic (taupe, I guess?) 

N° 52, 5th Avenue: Dark Gray (I only own grays!)

N° 54, Black Lace: Black (I use this to set my eyeliner or to smudge the line)

N° 59, Berlin Underground: Gray (a perfect lid color while the darker 5th Avenue goes in the crease) 

N° 64, Let It Snow: White (by applying a white base to lids before color, any shadow then applied on top really pops, and the eye area is brightened) 

N° 65, Lazy Afternoon: White Beige (highlight hue for the very fair-skinned) 

N° 73, Secret Boudoir: Pale Beige (hilighlight hue for light-skinned)

N° 75, Sandcastle: Warm Beige (highlight for darker skin tones, or lid color for brown eyeshadow)

N° 85, Coffee Break: Milk Chocolate 

N° 88, Morning Mocha: Dark Chocolate

Sephora Collection Colorful Blush:

Sunbaked 05: Toasted Rose (looks like orange-pink to me)
Rose Petal 08: Medium Pink  (lightest of the bunch, most universal)

Healthy Rose 09: Warm Rose  (darker version of 05)
Romantic Rose 10: Cool Rosey Pink (nice pink for darker skin tones)
Rose Pop 18: Fresh Pink (leaning towards fuchsia) 

Sephora Collection Bronzer: 

3 Los Cabos: Universal Tan

5 Bora Bora: Sienna (only slightly darker than Los Cabos)             

The Repurchased!

When it comes to cosmetics, I am always on the search for something newer, better, brighter. But often I am stung, and I back away to simply buy again that wonderful item that just stays wonderful.

  Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 in Finland. While this is too rich for my combination skin in summer, it makes the best daytime protective eye cream. Every SPF I've tried burned my eyes, but this doesn't. I dab this around the entire eye area, and it also serves as a pretty good lid primer and holds onto shadow all day. For the winter months (like now) my skin needs more moisture; it protects, provides light coverage, and doesn't clog pores.  

 bareMinerals Broad Spectrum Multi-Tasking Face in Well Rested. This concealer changed my life. I have monster dark circles (thanks to genetics) and this is the easiest and most fool-proof way of neutralizing them. I apply this on top of the Nars TM using a fluffy eye shadow brush; I buff this powder concealer onto my dark circles. That's it. No creasing throughout the day, and it stays put until I wash it off. Complete with SPF, what more could a girl want? 

 Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara. It separates, it volumizes, it nourishes, provides a rich, chic black, and even stays pretty well over Shabbos with lash primer. I have bought this over, and over, and over. 

 Maybelline Superstay 14 Hour Lipstick in Perpetual Peony. This lipstick shade is matte, and absolute perfection on top of a darker longwearing lipstick to provide the best Shabbos lips. I have gotten so many compliments for it. I am so hooked on it that I a receive a new one automatically every six months from Amazon's Subscribe and Save.

 Tarte EmphasEYES for Brows High Definition Brow Pencil in Taupe. This color is always sold out online, so I just buy one whenever I see it in store. It effortlessly provides a smart shape to my brows, making them look ridiculously sharp. Other eyebrow pencils tend to be too brown; the Taupe disappears into my brow hair, defining but not darkening. 

  Dior Diorshow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum. As lash primers go, da bomb. The brush is of a comb-like structure, so it separates as it applies those scrumptious plumping fibers. Before yontif I layer on two coats before the eight coats of mascara, and whoa!

     

Take Off the Eyes

It is of vast importance to remove makeup every night. When it comes to eye makeup, I can't use my other soapy cleansers since they would sting my eyes, plus I want to be careful about rubbing and tugging the skin there. 

One recommendation I heard a long time ago is to use baby shampoo. Lathering up a little between fingers with some water, and gently rub with the fingertips with as little friction as possible. Usually that takes everything off. 

I use the baby shampoo when it's late and I just want to get to bed; it's the quickest way and doesn't need much coordination when I am tispsy with exhaustion. The rest of the time, I use an eye makeup remover with a cotton round.

Out of all the many eye makeup removers I have tried, I like Derma E All Natural Eyebright Makeup Remover the best. It doesn't remotely sting, even less than baby shampoo, yet it effortlessly swipes everything off, better than many other removers I have tried.

Every other brand I have purchased, and I mean every other one, tzipped my eyes, so I would end up rubbing the eye area more than I would have liked with water to get the sting out, and I do not like to rub my eyes so the skin will stay youthfully tight.

I have bought multiple bottles of this in one go, I love it so much, and I am the sort of cosmetics shopper who always thinks there is something better out there to try. Meaning, if I have repurchased it, it is a keeper. 

It is sold out from time to time on Vitacost. The people must like it.  

Make Nice To Your Eyes

There has been much debate over the years as to whether the eye area needs different products than the rest of the face. The skin in thinner and more delicate there, and I don't need much convincing to purchase another beauty product.

When it comes to applying cream or serum or anything to the eye area, this is law: Thy must use thy ring finger in a light tapping motion. Why the ring finger? Supposedly it is the "weakest" of all the fingers, so it will not, even unintentionally, wrinkle-inducingly tug the skin. 

Remember this commandment for all thy days. 

Eye-skin thirsts hungrily for moisture (at least mine does), so an eye cream should be applied nightly. Maybe even a serum beneath as well. 

My current like is Earth Science Active Age Defense i-cream, which is in a tube, rather than a tub, a container that I prefer since the product won't be contaminated from dipping fingers. 

Between a nighttime regimen and never tugging eyelids (that means no vigourous eye-rubbing the morning to shake off sleep), one should hopefully reach middle age without any sagginess. 

Unless, of course, one decides to opt for plastic surgery. Blah. 

Faux Cils

When it comes to face paint, I don't dig the subtle. There is one line, however, that I don't foresee crossing soon, and that is false lashes. 

They are gorgeous, yes, but not worth the price.

Unless they are really, truly, expertly applied, they can look disconcertingly freakish. Additionally, there is a possibility of damaging the real lashes. 

I opt for dramatic mascaras instead, and simply apply as many coats that give me the volume I desire. Before yontif I actually look like I have false lashes on, without the glue.

My drugstore-issue like is L'Oreal Paris Voluminous False Lashes. Clump-free? Not quite. The formula is not as smooth as the false-lash mascara offerings from Sephora, and the brush is larger than I would like, but for $8.99 (or less with a coupon) it does the job very well, especially with some primer beneath.

I find false-lash mascaras are ideal for Shabbos Face since they stay on very well without flaking, nor are they difficult to remove.

Eyeliner Updated

After my initial eyeshadow post, I shopped around. I tried to be open. I tried gel liners, liquid liners, pencils. 

And you know what?  

Powder liner is the best. 

Every other one I tried ended up all over my face. And I don't ever, ever, touch my eyes (rubbing could facilitate wrinkles). Yet how did I end up with black smudges on my lower cheek and under my nose? 

I know I recommended that for Shabbos one should use sealant in conjunction with loose powder liner, but I have found that just using powder liner with a little water stayed on great all through Shabbos. The sealant is more necessary for a multiple-day yontif. 

Powder liner is also extremely versatile. Below is a video where she uses Mac black eyeshadow as a liner, I'm guessing in Carbon. It's the same makeup artist in both, so I guess she's a powder liner fan.

I apply eyeliner beneath my upper lashes for an appearance of fullness, and distinctly along my lower lash line. 

I have yet to try the "winged" look myself, since I think it is hard to do get right and can end up looking deforming if executed incorrectly. Just a simple swipe of black liner along the lower lash line will make one look stunning (it's kind of embarrassing how many Kim Kardashian makeup tutorials I have bookmarked. While that gal is no role model, she has great makeup looks).

Hey Bright Eyes

As I previously addressed, I prefer not to color my waterline with black pencil since I think it makes eyes look smaller. 

Previously I had the Tarte EmphasEYES Inner Rim Brightener, which is nude/soft beige. It lasts okay. 

I decided I wanted to get a white pencil for extra drama, à la this ad: 

My fetish for bling aside, check out her waterline. WHITE pencil.

Nars Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner in Santa Monica Blvd was my first try. It goes without saying that of course the only pencil I would try would be matte, and most have a pearl or shimmer finish, so there is a somewhat narrow selection.

I swiped it along my hand, and I was amazed that no matter how I smudged it with my finger, it did not budge. The question is if that bond will be there with a damp base like the waterline. 

Hmph. No matter how many times I ran it up and down my eyelid, only a fraction of color deposited there. Time for an exchange.

Enter Make Up For Ever Kohl Pencil in Matte White 2K. This one was much better than the Nars for the waterline—is actually colored it.

While watching a tutorial on YouTube by Zukreat, I picked up this tip: After applying nude or white pencil to the waterline, set it with a like-colored eyeshadow. So for this, I would use my white Illamasqua shadow; for the Tarte nude-hue, I use the eyeshadow for highlighting my eyebrow arch. 

Concealing Dark Circles

I take after Ta's side of the family. I have his skin coloring, his mother's nose, and his father's dark circles. 

All of Zeidy's sisters have matching sets of black dents underneath their eyes. 

I tried all sorts of treatments. First I purchased anything that claimed to do away with the circles. Then an "expert" claimed that the only way to treat dark circles was with Vitamin K. I had yellow, stinging goop beneath my eyes for months, and bupkis. No, no, no, said another "expert." Vitamin K was only for dark circles caused by lack of sleep; for genetic dark circles, the only thing that works is caffeine-based products. I got a coffee-smelling gel that did nothing after a year.

I threw in the towel. I still apply an anti-aging cream at night, but I no longer bother if it treats dark circles.

One of the reasons I was inspired to wear makeup on a daily basis was when a nervous voice in the elevator inquired, "Are you okay?"

"Um, yeah . . .?" 

"You look so tired! Are you sick?"  

Concealer, please! 

Makeup Geek has a tutorial that was of great help to me.

Until I saw this video, I only used concealer without setting powder, so it would crease. (The list of the products she uses can be seen here). 

Before one begins, there is the option to apply shadow primer first. It really helps to prevent the concealer from creasing (I usually only do this before Shabbos or an event). 

My concealer of choice is Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer in Ivory. Before my readership starts shrieking that $70 is INSANE for a concealer, bear in mind my last one lasted for years. But there are plenty of other options. 

The Amazing Cosmetics AmazingConcealer MUG uses is greatly loved. TheBalm TimeBalm is also well reviewed, as is Bobbi Brown Corrector. Ma absolutely swears by Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat, but I find the product too liquidy for my needs.

I like stick concealers since I find them to be usually more pigmented than others. I alternate between my ring finger and a concealer brush by Revlon that I bought for $1.99 from Amazing Savings. When using fingers, remember the ring finger only, and tap, do not tug. Dab the product on; rubbing it will only move the product around.

To set the concealer to prevent creasing and to ensure longevity, one can use a translucent setting powder. But in my case, with MONSTER dark circles, I need a little more coverage on top of concealer. 

I purchased bareMinerals Multi-Tasking Face, a concealer powder in Well-Rested ("yellow ivory/ eye brightening"). For purple circles, like the ones I have, yellow (on the opposite end of the color wheel) neutralizes the "bruise" appearance. 

It sets the concealer incredibly well (it won't budge over yontif), and it adds the extra coverage and brightening my eye area needs. 

To apply the powder under the eye, I would recommend using a fluffy eyeshadow brush, which gets into all the nooks and crannies. (I learned this from MakeupAdikt, who used to have YouTube tutorials but seems to have gone AWOL). Make sure the bristles are soft. I'm currently using Sonia Kashuk's Blending Brush that I found around the house. 

Via mymakeupblog.blogspot.com

To apply, make sure to windshield-wipe the brush back and forth to really work in the powder. Then it won't crease.

One can also use the bareMinerals Multi-Tasking Face alone. It works very well solo. This past summer I just applied it over my tinted moisturizer that I would dab around my eyes for SPF protection.  

I came across this video much later, where she highly recommends another shade of the bareMinerals Multi-Tasking Face, Summer Bisque.  

She gushes that this stuff is amazing, and I concur.

Leafy Eyes

After gray, another universally flattering eyeshadow hue is green, which is often my choice for weekdays.  

I'm currently using a beautiful shade by Illamasqua, a "matte dusky olive green" called Moan. However, that color is no longer carried by Sephora (dang!)

Illamasqua Moan

The color I was using beforehand, a less intense green called Sage by Chantecaille Lasting Eye Shade is still around. Chantecaille is available at select Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and Space NK. I was very happy with it before it hit my stone bathroom floor and smashed to bits. 

There is also MUFE Olive Green 47.

Bare Escentuals Wearable Green Dark (dark pine), Wearable Green Medium (olive beige), and Exotic Sandra (deep olive). 

Yes, all the colors I list are matte, and are not light. Light green can be distracting attention-hogs, whereas less acidic shades blend more discreetly. Green should be matte since it has the potential to be overwhelming, and lack of sparkle takes it down a notch. 

What Not To Wear: Eyeshadow Edition

Having already discussed the most flattering for all, I would like to now delve into what should never be worn. 

The first banned hue: red/pink. I never understood why some makeup artists recommend it. Consider the original Leah - after all that non-stop weeping, what color would her eyes have been? 

Red/pink eyeshadow give rise to the thought of  eye infections and  crying over ex-boyfriends. Red/pink goes on the lips, the cheeks, the nails, but not the eyes. 

Second banned hue: bright blue, specifically turquoise/aqua/light shades (navy I'll permit). I find such blues don't heighten; rather they distract from the eye, which should be the focus. She agrees with me. 

The purpose of makeup is to exaggerate and emphasize the features, not overpower them—the eyes should be what others see first, not the eyeshadow.