Defeat Dark Circles!

If you ever saw me without makeup, you'd ask me what the fight was about. That's how dark my dark circles are. I've spent my whole life in the pursuit of diminishing them, and today I want to share my success with you.

Dark circles can be genetic, which means that baby, we were born this way. That's me and, most likely, most of you with dark circle problems. The skin around our eyes is the thinnest in the body, and as blood flows through our veins, it produces a bluish tint. The thinner or more transparent the skin, the darker the circles.

The other main cause of dark circles? Not enough sleep. Losing out on your zzz's actually makes your skin paler, which causes the veins to jump out more.

Dark circles become more noticeable with age as the collagen production decreases. They'll also get worse during allergy season (if you're rubbing your eyes all the time), and an iron deficiency will also cause paleness (anemia, pregnancy, and "that time of the month.")

All right. Now that we know the causes, let's take a look at a four-step plan of attack.

1.) Treat: Murad Lighten & Brighten Eye Treatment, $67

I've tried several eye creams which promised to lighten dark circles; none of them gave me noticeable results. Then I stumbled upon this gem. It's got hydroquinone, a skin lightener, and also ingredients to reduce under-eye puffiness, ridding the area of shadows. It's a little tube, but a little goes a long way; you only need about a grain of rice to take care of both eyes. Pat it on the orbital bone before applying makeup, and again before going to bed.

2.) Conceal: Benefit Lemon-Aid, $20

If you're like me, shopping for a concealer is a nightmare. The ones that cover enough are too thick and cakey, sinking into lines. The ones that are the right consistency don't cover a thing. This is the perfect compromise.

First of all, yes, it's yellow! The reason why a yellow concealer is best is that yellow is the opposite of blue on the color wheel, and opposites cancel each other out. Yellow-based concealers (like Kat Von D's Tattoo Concealer) are good; this is better.

To apply: grab a mirror and tilt your forehead down so that you're looking at your chest. Then, keeping your head in that position, look up to the mirror. The dark circles should pop out at you (they'll look scary!) Take your ring finger, tap a bit of concealer on the dark circles, and blend in.

3.) Conceal: Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer, $25

On normal days, the Lemon-Aid is enough to hide my circles. On days I haven't had enough sleep, I need an extra pick-me-up. That's when I call on Kat Von D's Tattoo Concealer, which is highly pigmented and lightweight. Tip: go a shade lighter than your foundation.

4.) Distract: Benefit Moon Beam (or Sun Beam, or High Beam, depending on your skin tone), $26

Highlighters can open up your eyes and draw attention away from dark circles. Make a greater than/less than sign around each eye with the Moon Beam, dotting it below the eye on the cheekbone, coming to a point on the temple, then above the eyebrow, stopping above the pupil. Blend in with your fingertip. You can also use it from the corner of your eye, down the sides of your nose.

There we are! Four easy steps to conceal and heal dark circles. Also, don't forget to get your sleep!