The Surprising Hack That Can Nix Dark Circles (No Concealer Necessary)

Concealer is no doubt a hero makeup product, but any time I hear whispers of a hack that doesn't include one, I'm eager to investigate. After all, there's nothing like a workshop on color theory to really get a beauty editor giddy. 

"The reason why this works is because, typically, bronzers are warm, and the warmth of a bronzer is going to counteract any blue—aka, dark circles—around the eyes," Hughes explains. Essentially, think of a warm-toned bronzer as an under-eye color corrector: The former contains orange under-tones that neutralize any cool blue hues. 

That's actually the main difference between bronzer and contour; while both can bring definition to the face, contouring formulas tend to read much more cool-toned. So make sure you do have a proper bronzer before tapping it into your under-eyes, as a contour will only exacerbate any shadows. 

Hughes uses the Rose Inc Solar Infusion Soft-Focus Cream Bronzer in the shade Seychelles, but feel free to scroll through this list of favorites to find a formula you love. Saie's Sun Melt would also be a gorgeous option to try. Regardless, you may want to choose a cream product over powder since you'll be using it in place of concealer. 

On that note, you totally can layer a concealer over your bronzer for a brighter look, or you can stick to a bronzer-only application. The latter is perfect for days when you just want a bit of oomph, but even if you do apply concealer, it will still appear pretty natural.