How to Flawlessly Conceal Under Eye Bags and Circles (2025)

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Our guide to radiant under-eyes, sans swollen half-moons.

Hana Hong

Hana Hong is the beauty & fashion editor at RealSimple.com. She has been a writer and editor in the beauty and fashion industry for more than six years, sharing her expansive knowledge on skincare, hair care, makeup, fashion, and more. In addition to her broad network of beauty experts, she uses her family's background and training in skin science and cosmetic chemistry to differentiate between effective skincare formulations and marketing jargon.

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Updated on February 08, 2024

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Hadley King, MD

Reviewed byHadley King, MD

Hadley King, MD is a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in medical andcosmeticdermatology.She is also a Clinical Instructor of Dermatology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University.Dr. King is a highly sought after dermatologist in New York City, where she has been treating patients for almost twenty years. She has wonnumerous awards including Castle Connolly Regional Top Doctor, Top Doctors New York Metro Area, New Beauty TopBeauty Doctor, and RealSelf Top Doctor.

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Fact checked byIsaac Winter

Isaac Winter is a fact-checker and writer for Real Simple, ensuring the accuracy of content published by rigorously researching content before publication and periodically when content needs to be updated. Highlights: Helped establish a food pantry in West Garfield Park as an AmeriCorps employee at Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center. Interviewed Heartland Alliance employees for oral history project conducted by the Lake Forest College History Department. Editorial Head of Lake Forest College's literary magazine, Tusitala, for two years.

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As human beings, our under-eyes are naturally darker than the rest of our face because the skin is thinner with lots of blood vessels. Plus, it's the most sensitive part of our face, making it prone to puffiness after late-night Netflix binge sessions. In other words, the under-eyes can easily become an eyesore.

How to Flawlessly Conceal Under Eye Bags and Circles (3)

Fortunately, there are solutions—be it tea bags, slices of cucumber, or ice rollers—there are plenty of de-puffing and brightening hacks to be tried. But when you're looking for a quick fix, the best solution for getting rid of under-eye bags and circles is also the easiest one: Learn how to properly apply under-eye makeup.

The key word here is properly—for all the aforementioned reasons (thin skin, sensitive skin, and blood vessels, for instance), it's easy for makeup to look clumpy in this area, counterintuitively making your under-eyes stand out more.

If you're looking for a seamless application that blurs the appearance of puffiness, strategy is key. Whether you have perma-bags or simply drank one glass too many last night, follow our step-by-step guide to eliminating both under-eye bags and circles.

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Prep the Skin

Like all things in life, everything starts with a good foundation. And we don't mean literal makeup foundation, which can look overdone and make under-eyes appear cakey. Instead, think moisturizer: Dry skin will look tired and dull, no matter how much concealer you pile on top of it. "Put a drop of eye cream on the tip of your ring finger (which has the lightest touch) and dab it lightly along the under-eye area, starting with the inner corner and working outward," says celebrity makeup artist Nick Barose. Repeat with the other eye.

Tip: Use an actual eye cream, which is specifically formulated to treat this delicate area. Eye cream typically plumps the skin, thereby making the veins underneath a little less visible. You can choose one with light-reflecting pigments to further brighten the area, one with caffeine (it's a vasoconstrictor, meaning it compresses blood vessels in the skin), or a gentle skin-lightening ingredient, such as vitamin K.

If dark circles are due to sun damage, an eye cream with alpha hydroxy acid will help lighten the unwanted pigment. If your circles are very dark, see a dermatologist to ask about a prescription cream containing a lightening agent like hydroquinone.

If you're dealing with puffiness, you may want to apportion some extra time to apply under-eye gels (a cold roller works, too). Keep them in the fridge for at least 15 minutes, then place under your eyes for an instant cooling and de-puffing effect.

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Color-correct Dark Circles

Under-eye bags are often accompanied by hyperpigmentation due to blood pooling in the area, which can appear purple or blue in color. If you don't have dark circles, skip this step and proceed to step three.

Priming the eyes with a color corrector can make concealer more effective. Unlike using just regular concealer, using a color-correcting shade will essentially neutralize whatever imperfection you want to hide.

Use complementary colors (which are opposite on the color wheel) to cancel each other out. That means when it comes to correcting pesky under-eye circles, you should reach for sunny colors, like peach, yellow, and orange. "The key is to apply it only where there is darkness, so that you don't see the orange hue," says Quinn Murphy, a celebrity makeup artist and host of In My Chair podcast. Try: Fenty Beauty Bright Fix Eye Brightener Concealer.

Swipe the formula over your dark circles in a "V" shape (so the tops of the "V" are at the inner and outer corner of your eye), then blend the "V" shape into your under-eye area using a concealer brush.

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Contour Under-eye Bags

Pick a stiffer/thicker balm concealer, like KVD Beauty Good Apple Skin-Perfecting Hydrating Foundation Balm, that is two to three shades lighter than your skin, but here's the catch: Apply it only at the bottom of your under-eye bags, sort of like you're tracing the shadows the bags create.

Why under and not over? According to Murphy, this creates the illusion of lift, just like contouring does on your cheekbones. The visual trick will lift the surrounding skin to help recede any ballooned creases.

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Apply a Creamy Liquid Concealer

Take a second creamier liquid concealer, like Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer, that's a bit closer to your actual skin tone. Draw an inverted triangle right where your bags are with its point ending midway down your cheek. Wait about 10 seconds for the formula to get tacky, then tap and blend using your ring finger—the warmth of your body will soften the formula and make it easier to work with (take special care to avoid pulling or tugging the skin). Stop when you can no longer tell where the concealer starts or stops.

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Powder to Set (Optional)

If you have dry skin and/or don't have bags, you can skip this step.

Since under-eye bags are often textured, part of the goal in concealing them is to minimize texture and fake a smoother appearance. Bags can be enhanced by creasing concealer (which is a result of oily skin), so a light dusting of translucent powder, like Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder can be helpful. Instead of dusting it on, use a brush or sponge to "stamp" it into the skin to prevent streaking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you hide under eye bags without make up?

In this case, cold is your friend. Submerge a washcloth in ice water and ring it out. Place it over your eyes for at least ten minutes. The cold will reduce the puffiness around your eyes, giving them a more wide-awake look even if you are feeling less than lively.
How to you hide under eye bags with concealer on mature skin?

The key to hiding under eye bags on mature skin is moisture. You'll want to start with a good moisturizer, then use a concealer that has moisturizing ingredients on top of that. Without it, concealer can become cakey, accentuating fine lines and wrinkles.

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