Recently, every time I looked in the mirror, I seemed to notice deeper and darker under eye circles. Can anyone else relate to this? So, when I came across an article titled “After Testing Dozens on Stubborn Under Eye Dark Circles, Editors Found the 11 Best Color Correctors,” it drew my attention like a magnet. Right then and there, I determined to do some testing myself to see how well these color correctors worked on mature skin.
For years, most of us heard that the way to hide under eye dark circles was to apply a slightly lighter shade of concealer over that area. Well, that’s partially true, but the best way to cover those dark circles is to first apply a color corrector and then a lighter concealer. That’s because a lighter concealer applied just on its own can cover darkness – but it can leave a grayish cast or shadow under our eyes. So, it’s only partially effective in covering dark circles.
Why a Color Corrector Is Important
Since those dark circles usually have a blue or purple cast to them, we need to apply a color corrector in a complementary color to blue and purple since complementary colors cancel out the darkness. As you can see on the color wheel below, the complementary colors on the color wheel that are opposite blue and purple are peach and orange so peach and orange will do the best job of cancelling out the purple and blue tones of our dark under eye area.
In addition to determining which corrector most effectively covers the dark circles, there are three other important considerations we need to keep in mind.
- We want a color corrector that’s not drying on our skin.
- Also, we want a color corrector that’s not too thick or cakey looking – but which is thick enough to provide enough coverage.
- And finally, we want a color corrector that has some brightening properties. That’s because a brightener uses light-reflecting particles to diffuse the darkness under the eyes, making the area appear brighter by essentially “bouncing light” off the skin, rather than just covering it with heavy pigmentation.
But let’s be real. No product is going to totally cover our dark circles, though some will definitely do a better job than others. And correctors can be especially helpful if we have bags or hollows under our eyes that create darkness – as I do.
After each of the 8 color corrector tests I’ll be doing, I’ll apply my Kosas Concealer in the shade 1.5 over it – which is about 1 shade lighter than the concealer I use on the rest of my face. And then I’ll apply a tap of powder to prevent the concealer from creasing. I’ll apply a different color corrector under each eye and then we’ll compare both eyes.
Testing 4 Drugstore Color Correctors
First, we’ll test 4 drugstore products.
Catrice Brightener
The Catrice Under Eye Brightener costs $6.00 and is described as visibly balancing out the bluish tones of dark circles, giving the complexion a radiant glow. This concealer cream is specifically developed for the under-eye area with a formula that includes hyaluronic acid and shea butter to nourish the skin. It’s described as a blendable cream texture that is brightening and neutralizes dark circles. It’s also cruelty free and vegan.
Catrice is headquartered in Europe which means that all their products adhere to the high quality standards set by the EU Cosmetics Regulations which restricts over 1,500 ingredients from being used in beauty products. The U.S. just restricts 11. They’ve also banned an additional 60+ ingredients that they deem unacceptable.
Elf Corrector
The Elf Camo Corrector costs $4.00 and comes in four shades: yellow, green, peach, orange and blue. According to the information on the website, the peach shade camouflages dark spots under the eyes for those with fair to medium skin tones. If you have a tan to rich skin tone, the best shade to use is orange.
It’s described as a long-lasting, light-weight formula that layers flawlessly under foundations and concealers without caking or creasing. In the video I’ll show a close up look at both of these eyes so we can compare the Catrice Under Eye Brightener with the Elf Camo Color Corrector.
Elf Concealer
The Elf Hydrating Camo Concealer costs $7.00, comes in 25 shades including a Light Peach and a Medium Peach. This is a hydrating concealer that provides crease-resistant full coverage with a satin finish which is blendable. It has a large doe foot applicator, and it’s good for oily, dry and combination skin. It’s cruelty free and vegan. I’ll apply the Light Peach.
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NYX Sticks
The newest drugstore entry I have in the under eye color corrector field is from NYX: their NYX Pro Fix Sticks. These are described as color sticks that correct, conceal and brighten with just one swipe. There are a total of 18 complexion shades and 6 color correctors for each skin tone. They’re also described as crease resistant, medium coverage with a natural finish and are infused with hyaluronic acid so they can glide on and never feel drying.
In addition, they’re vegan and cruelty free. The pink is to brighten and conceal discoloration on fair to medium skin tones. The yellow brightens and conceals discoloration on fair to light skin tones. The dark peach brightens and conceals discoloration on medium to deep skin tones. I’ll apply the pink shade.
Testing 4 High-End Color Correctors
The first two high-end products are brightening products.
Smashbox x Becca Corrector
One of them is an OG product which has been around for years. It’s the Smashbox/Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector. On the website it’s described as a full coverage color corrector that uses light to brighten dark under eye circles. It’s vegan and cruelty free and now comes in an expanded shade range of Fair/Light, Medium, Medium/Dark and Dark.
Doll 10 Corrector
The other under eye high end brightening product is from the clean beauty brand Doll 10. It brightens the appearance of under eye circles while airbrushing the appearance of fine lines and imperfections and also provides a hint of subtle radiance. It’s formulated with concentrated pigments that feel weightless while providing buildable medium coverage.
Nars Corrector
The Nars Radiant Creamy Color Corrector sells for $30 and is described as diminishing the look of under eye circles, dark spots and hyperpigmentation with a custom blend of red-toned pigments that neutralize blue and purple toned imperfections.
It’s a lightweight formula that dries down quickly and feels weightless and comes in four shades: Light, Medium, Medium Deep and Dark. The website information also states that the product may separate – which is normal – and doesn’t affect performance. It is crease-resistant and sweat-proof and has a custom brush applicator that precisely deposits formula to target small areas.
Bobbi Brown Corrector
The Bobbi Brown Under Eye Color Corrector is $35.00 and comes in 12 shades. It’s a full coverage under eye corrector that neutralizes discoloration and also brightens. It blends seamlessly, so it’s perfect to use under concealer for a natural, skin-true effect. It covers the most stubborn dark circles, provides immediate and all-day moisture to the delicate under eye area and is waterproof and sweat and humidity resistant.
Final Results
Here’s a look at photos showing how each color corrector looked after application. But you can get a better sense of how each product worked by watching the accompanying video. My top pick was the Bobbi Brown Corrector, but I also really liked the Doll 10 and Elf Hydrating Camo Concealer. Which do you feel worked best?
Even with all the color correctors I tried today, there still are some others that I’ve seen recommended by others that I haven’t tested: Tarte’s Colored Clay CC Undereye Corrector which is $30, Charlotte Tilbury’s Color Corrector which is $32.00 and the highest rated one in the article by Instyle Editors which is the most expensive color corrector I’ve seen at $39.00: Givenchy’s Prisme Libre. Since this Givenchy corrector was the highest rated one by InStyle Editors, I really wanted to try it. But quite honestly, I just couldn’t bring myself to spend $39.00 on one rather small color correcting product.
But if you’ve tried any of these color correctors that I didn’t try, please do let us know your experience with them. And I’d also love to hear your thoughts on which of the color correctors I tried seemed to do the best job of covering up that dark under eye area.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
What is specific about your under-eye area? How do you conceal dark circles? Do you use a color corrector? If so, what product works best for you?
