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What undertone is best for under-eye concealer?

By: Author Color With Leo

Quick answers

The best undertone for under-eye concealer depends on your natural skin tone. Those with warm undertones tend to look best with peach/salmon colored correctors while those with cool undertones tend to look best with correctors that have pink or purple undertones. Remember to pick a concealer that is one to two shades lighter than your natural skin tone for maximum brightening effect.

What are the different undertones?

There are three main undertones that people tend to fall into:

  • Warm – Skin leans yellow, peachy, golden
  • Cool – Skin leans pink, red, or blue
  • Neutral – Skin has equal parts yellow and pink

Determining your undertones can help immensely when choosing the right shade of makeup and clothing. When it comes to under-eye concealers, picking the undertone that flatters your skin best will help neutralize dark circles and brighten the under eye area.

How to determine your undertone

Here are some tips to help figure out your skin’s undertone:

  • Look at the veins on the inside of your wrist – green veins mean warm, blue or purple mean cool
  • Do you look better in silver or gold jewelry? Silver indicates cool while gold flatters warm
  • Are your veins more apparent? Prominent veins often mean cool skin

You can also do awhite shirt test. Drape a plain white tee or button down over your shoulders near your face. Does your skin look more pink or yellow against the white fabric? Pink means cool while yellow means warm undertones.

Best under eye concealers for warm undertones

Those with warm yellow, golden, or peachy undertones will look best with under eye concealers that have peach, apricot, or salmon colored pigments. These warmer shades will seamlessly cancel out any blueish-purple discoloration under the eyes. Look for the following:

  • Bobbi Brown Peach Corrector
  • Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector
  • It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Corrector
  • Physicians Formula Conceal Rx Physicians Strength Concealer
  • LA Girl Pro Conceal HD Concealer – Creamy Beige, Nude Beige

Best under eye concealers for cool undertones

Those with cool pink or reddish undertones will look best with concealers that counteract under eye circles with pigments of purple, pink or peach. Some top options include:

  • NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer – Chantilly, Affogato
  • It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer – Light
  • Tarte Shape Tape – Fair Neutral, Light Neutral
  • Maybelline Instant Age Rewind – Fair, Brightening
  • Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer – Extra Light

Best under eye concealers for neutral undertones

Those with an even mix of warm and cool undertones (neutral) have flexibility when it comes to concealer shades. You’ll want to look for pigments that address any dark circles without looking too warm or too cool on the skin. Great options include:

  • NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer – Custard, Ginger
  • MAC Studio Fix Perfecting Stick – NC25, NW20
  • Sephora Collection Bright Future Gel Serum Concealer – Meringue, Macchiato
  • Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away Concealer – 4 Neutral, 5 Neutral
  • BareMinerals BlemishRescue Concealer – Light 2C, Light-Medium 2C

How to apply under eye concealer

Once you’ve selected the perfect undertone, make sure you apply concealer correctly to get a bright, creaseless effect:

  1. Prep – Apply eye cream before concealer and let it fully absorb
  2. Use your ring finger to gently pat a few dots of concealer in an upside-down triangle shape
  3. Blend edges outward with a damp makeup sponge
  4. Set immediately with a translucent powder to prevent creasing

How to color correct for dark circles

For those with very stubborn bluish under eye circles, color correcting is key. This involves layering corrective shades like peach, pink or yellow before regular concealer.

Here’s how to do it right:

  1. Start with a color correcting primer like Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector or LA Girl Pro Conceal – Orange Corrector
  2. Pat gently around the entire under eye area
  3. Layer your regular concealer shade on top
  4. Set with loose powder as usual

The corrector will neutralize dark colors while the concealer provides brightening and coverage.

Other pro tips for concealing under eyes

  • Exfoliate regularly with a gentle scrub to prevent product from clinging to dry patches
  • Make sure your concealer formula is emollient and creamy enough to move with your face without settling into fine lines
  • Avoid rubbing or tugging the delicate under eye area
  • Change and clean makeup applicators regularly
  • Use an under eye mask weekly for hydration

Conclusion

Determining your undertones is the key first step to finding your perfect under eye concealer. Those with warm undertones will benefit from peach pigments while cool tones look best with pinks and purples. Neutral skin gives you flexibility between the two. Remember to choose a concealer 1-2 shades lighter and set with powder to fake 8 hours of sleep!