dark circles - Stuff Parents Need

I’ve been so excited for this day to come on my editorial calendar. About a month ago I purchased a product that has really impressed me, and helped me take care of a problem I have that doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. In fact, it just seems to be getting worse as I age.

The problem is dark circles under my eyes. And my research seems to indicate that they are really just genetic and you can’t get rid of them. There are some super expensive creams out there that MIGHT help lighten them ever so slightly, but pretty much, you are just stuck with them if you have them.

So, yay! I’m definitely feeling like a winner!

Ok, so if you can’t make them go away, the next strategy is to cover them up. For a long time, I have used Mary Kay’s concealer (it’s actually one of my favorite makeup products), and it worked really well. But I think as I have aged and the dark circles have become a bit more, well, DARK, that this product has started to not be as effective. So I did some online searching for another highly recommended concealer that other genetic lottery winners like myself had successfully used for dark circles.

I heard repeated high praise for Benefit’s Erase Paste which is now called Boi ing airbrush concealer and even with a high-ish price tag, I took the plunge and purchased it. And friends, it was the right call!

I believe this product comes in a few shades, and I picked the palest peachy one. The peach beautifully counteracts that dark purple under my eyes (think opposite sides of the color wheel when you are trying to balance!).

Gals, I tried and tried to get a good before and after shot of myself, but I was attempting it by myself with a toddler tugging on my pants legs the whole time, and everything looked blurry. So you’ll just have to trust me: the under-eye circles, while not 100% gone, were dramatically improved.

And here’s a tip for you: you need to get an applicator brush when using this. It looks so much better than if you attempt to apply this with your fingers.

I picked up the super affordable Bamboo Deluxe Concealer Brush and it is working great! When you apply the concealer, make a few dots under each eye, and then use your brush to sweet everything down and out, if that makes sense. For the $40 you’ll spend on the concealer and the brush, you’ll be SUPER happy with your results. I know I am! I hope it helps you out a bit if you are seeking a solution to dark circles.

And if you need a budget friendly option that works surprisingly well, I also am currently loving the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer. It’s under $10 and brightens the area so very well.

For some ideas on how to keep your bamboo concealer brush clean, check out my DIY makeup brush cleaner tutorial (it uses a product you almost certainly have at home already!).

Affiliate links included. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

What’s your biggest trouble-spot when it comes to doing your makeup? Mine is the dark circles under my eyes. I’m very fortunate that thus far in life (knock on wood), I don’t get bags under my eyes. No puffiness, really. But those dark circles are definitely there, and they get more and more defined as time passes.

Foundation doesn’t cover them. Nope, not one bit. Most concealers I have tried either don’t work at all, or look too light, giving me these bizarre reverse raccoon eyes, if that makes sense. I do have one concealer that works, but it is from a company that you have to have a rep to work with, and I don’t have one in my new hometown. And frankly, I’m reluctant to get one, because in many cases, those reps hound you to buy more. I’ve tried the line…I only like 2 products…I only need to buy them twice a year. So I’m not really a great catch as a new customer, and I just don’t feel like doing the awkward dance with someone who wants me to buy more.

Anyway, so all this is to say that if I could find a product at a mass merchandiser that worked as well as my old standby, I’d be all over it.

And guess what? I found one!!!!! You may have seen some advertisements for Olay Total Effects Line and Dark Circle Minimizing Brush. This is a line and dark circle minimizing brush, and it works beautifully, in my opinion.

I think the applicator, itself is very cool. There’s a button at the bottom that you push, and it dispenses the perfect amount of product onto the brush. The brush is then used to sweep the product under your eyes. I sometimes use my finger to get it exactly how I want it, and there are some parts that I put more product on, and some less, just depending on how dark it is in that spot. The color is a bit darker than my stand-by concealer, but it looks fantastic…it gives the area under my eyes a flesh color, which is just perfect. I tried to take some before and after shots for you, but I guess the lighting was bad by my mirror, because they just didn’t turn out good. But I have inspected my eyes again and again with and without this product, and I can say with confidence that it works, and that I will be buying it again when I run out!

Wanna know what made me try the Olay product, when I could have tried any of the billion other products out there? YOU did! I recently asked about your favorite beauty products, and SEVERAL of you said that you trust Olay. Growing up, my mom also used Olay products. I thought the odds were good that a company trusted by so many women probably was doing a good job with their expanded line. I’m so glad I tried it!

If you love Olay, too, be sure to check out their Facebook page, as they keep you up to speed on coupons and contests!

Win it!: Yes, ladies, Olay wants to help you look your very best by giving 5 lucky Stuff Parents Need Readers a Total Effects Line and Dark Circle Minimizing Brush! The giveaway will run until April 21st at 11:59pm EST when winners will be selected using Random.org. The winners will have 48 hours to respond to winning notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

Mandatory entry: Tell me about your biggest beauty trouble-spot. Do you have a solution? Still looking? Anything relevant to the topic works for me!

Additional entries:
1. Sponsor love: Like Olay on Facebook
2. Blogger love: Like Stuff Parents Need on Facebook

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my homepage.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.