Top 10 concealers for eye bags and dark circles to fake a good night's sleep

With a mounting pile of tasks each day from work, to kids, and the house, there are many reasons to you’re not getting enough sleep. Though our first line of defence should be to improve the quality of our sleep, followed by good skincare, sometimes the only thing that helps get us out the door without eyebags is concealer.

These 10 concealers can help brighten up your face on dull and dreary days. And remember, to effectively stow away the puffiness and circles for good, keep Hourglass’ Global Director of Artistry, Marc Reagan’s tip in mind.

Pick a shade that’s a little warmer than your actual skin tone to colour-correct the darkness, and avoid going for something lighter.

1. Tarte Shape Tape Contour concealer, $42

The highly raved Tarte Shape Tape concealer is well-loved by many for good reason. Whether you’re struggling with blemishes or dark circles, this concealer banishes any discolouration, while brightening your skin, for a firmer and more lifted look.

Best applied with a fluffy brush or your finger tip to maximise coverage, the concealer offers full coverage to cover all your imperfections and it also doubles as a contour/highlight too! We’d recommend going for one or two shades lighter if you prefer to brighten certain areas of your skin.

2. Dior Forever Skin correct concealer, $63

If you’re a fan of Dior Forever Skin’s coveted foundation, then meet your new match. Dior Forever Skin Corret Concealer is a multi-use concealer that’s one of the best few concealers we’ve tried so far.

Use it as a foundation, contour cream or even as a brightener, this concealer is everything you need in a tube. In this case, it covers up dark circles really well and has a buildable formula that lasts up to 24 hours. What we love most about it is that it doesn’t cake on your skin, leaving a moisturised finished and its texture refined.

3. Shiseido makeup synchro skin self-refreshing concealer, $46

This has a soft, creamy texture that gives medium to full coverage for 24 hours to camouflage everything dark circles, blemishes and other imperfections. The intuitive applicator is able to hold the perfect amount of product and hugs the contours of the face for an ultra-smooth and controlled application.

Another plus: its special tech allows it to resist humidity and heat, as well as rebound from facial movement, so you won’t have to worry about touch-ups.

4. Cle de Peau Beaute concealer, $128

A favourite of beauty editors and makeup artists, this blends effortlessly to give you a natural almost invisible finish. An illuminating powder instantly brightens the eye area and hide dark circles and fine lines, so you look fresher and more radiant.

The stick concealer also has an SPF25/PA+++ formula to protect against UV rays (check out these sunscreens that beauty experts love), and skincare ingredients to lighten pigmentation over time.

5. Urban Decay Stay Naked correcting concealer, $40

If you’re running on zero sleep and are carrying around XXL eye bags, then this is the one for you. Ultra-pigmented, it provides high coverage for up to 24 hours, but still has a breathable, waterproof formula that feels light on skin.

Its wand also has a doe-foot applicator to help you control how much product you want to put on. Use the flat side for a more precise, subtle application, or the curvy side for a heavier dose of product.

6. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away liquid concealer, $55

Founder and makeup maven Charlotte Tilbury took five years to create this do-it-all full coverage concealer that helps to hide everything from dark circles to blemishes and fine lines.

It’s both makeup and skincare, with ingredients to reduce the appearance of crow’s feet, and treat wrinkles, as well as boost skin luminosity.

7. It Cosmetics Bye Bye under eye full coverage anti-aging waterproof concealer, $42

Developed by plastic surgeons, this gives pigmented, long-lasting coverage that won’t crease or crack throughout the day.

Its humidity-proof formula will hide everything from dark circles, eye bags, redness, hyperpigmentation, broken capillaries, age spots and discolouration (here are some other concealers that promise to hide every flaw too).

It also has skin-loving ingredients like collagen, peptides, vitamins and hyaluronic acid to hydrate and plump the hollows around the eyes.

8. Nars radiant creamy concealer, $46

This glides on effortlessly to hide dark circles and signs of fatigue, as well as blurs out imperfections like fine lines and wrinkles.

It has a balancing powder to optically correct imperfections and even out skin tone so your eye area looks radiant and fresh, while a botanical blend of magnolia bark extract, grape seed extract and vitamin E, hydrates, firms, reduces redness and fights free radical damage so your skin looks bright and youthful.

9. Hourglass hidden corrective concealer, $58

Infused with vitamin E to reverse sun damage, this creamy stick concealer gives buildable medium to full coverage and has a hydrating formula that doesn’t settle into fine lines.

Its long-wearing, weightless finish helps to camouflage imperfections like dark circles, redness, eye bags and even scars in just a few seconds.

10. La Mer the concealer, $130

This treats and heals even as it hides skin problems. Ultra creamy yet lightweight, this melts over skin upon application to give you medium to full weightless coverage.

What’s more, it’s even infused with the brand’s iconic Miracle Broth and a cocktail of antioxidants to soothe sensitivity and treat redness so your skin looks and feels healthy and radiant.

This article was first published in Her World Online.