No More Raccoon Eyes!

Alright, dear loyal readers.  We have heard your cries for help, and we are coming to the rescue.  We love all of the suggestions you gave us on the Sephora book giveaway post, and we will try to get to each and every one. 

I did notice that there were several suggestions for topics that have already been covered, and that made me realize that we probably need to do a better job of categorizing our posts.  So I am going to be working on that this week.

As for the topics we have NOT covered, the one request we heard more than any other was for a solution for those under-eye bags and dark circles.  Well, wait no longer.  Here we go!

First, a few helpful hints from  Sephora: The Ultimate Guide to Makeup, Skin, and Hair from the Beauty Authority:

1) Got tired eyes?  Wearing too much eye makeup when you’re tired is like sporting a snug half-shirt the day after Thanksgiving.  Mmm’kay.  That certainly puts things into perspective.  Here are a few tricks to hide tired eyes: 

• Use hints of gold shadow around the eye — at the inner corners and then over your lids.
• Try a flesh-colored eyeliner on the inside of the lid to open the eye and diminish any pink or redness on the inner lid.
• Dig out your eyelash curler (June reviewed her favorite here) and put it to good use — on your eyelashes, of course!  And add an extra coat of mascara while you’re at it.

2) Got dark circles?  Here’s a tip for you. Try sleeping with extra pillows.  Gravity helps fight the accumulation of fluid under the eyes.  Who knew!?  Unfortunately, sometimes dark circles are simply hereditary.  So here’s what you can do to camouflage them:

• Locate the problem.  To do this, look straight into the mirror and then tilt your chin down.  See ’em?  Good.  Now.
• Conceal those babies by applying concealer with your pinky finger  into the dark half moon area below your eye. (I use a concealer brush, but according to my trusty book, "the pinky
  finger is nature’s little dark circle-concealing tool".  Hmph.  Wish
  I’d known that before I plunked down that twenty bucks.)
• Use a peachy-toned concealer, and tap it right into the dark area, and blend.  Do NOT extend into the temple area.  That will only call attention to those fine lines and wrinkles whose existence you’re trying to deny.  Or maybe that’s just me. 

3) Got bags?  Concealer’s not going to do anything when it comes to under-eye bags. So here’s what you do.

• Create an optical illusion by applying a dot of vivid pearl highlighter on the inner corner of the eye, under the lower lids, and on the outer corner of the brow.  This will catch the light and make your eyes appear more awake.
• Use a baby pink blush to brighten the face, and be sure to blend.

A couple more tricks from the experts:

• Bright lipstick deflects attention away from the eye area.
• Wake up your face in the morning with a wash cloth dipped in ice water.

Here is a list of recommended products.  Keep in mind, these are products suggested by Sephora.  We at Chic Critique have not used any of these products and cannot vouch for their effectiveness.  Still, it should give you a place to start.  I am not going to bother linking to all of them.  To learn more about them, google is your friend.  Or you can always stop into your nearest Sephora.

Also, if you try any of these products, please let us know how you like them.  And consider writing a guest post for us!

Too Faced Wrinkle Injection – This is a cream, not a surgical procedure.  Supposedly it obliterates lines crevices, and furrows.  Sounds too good to be true.  Who’s gonna be my guinea pig?

Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer – Super concentrated, completely covers dark circles, age spots, and blemishes.  Again, too good to be true??  I’d love to know!

Lorac Undercover Lover – Under eye concealer with antioxidants.

Benefit Eye Bright – Brightens the area around the eyes and makes you look awake.

Sephora Blush in Rustic Rose – Makes cheeks look flushed and radiant.

And there you have it!  Everything you ever wanted to know about hiding tired eyes, dark circles, and under eye baggage.