These makeup tips act like espresso shots for tired skin

Celebrity makeup artists on how to mask dark circles and redness

Boyfriends and partners grumble under their breath when made to parade around a mall for too long. Your favourite t-shirt comes apart at the seams after experiencing one too many washing cycles. Everything has a way to tell you that it needs TLC. Even tired skin.

Our Netflix binges, love for ordering in, and sleep deprivation have their way of making an appearance on our faces in the form of dark circles, inflammation or redness.

Usually right before that one event or day we’ve been looking forward to for months.

For those times, we put together a makeup cheat-sheet with a little help from makeup experts Neha Parmar, Smita Sharma, and Mausam Gandhi.

Dark circles

Gandhi believes that concealer is “the magic eraser for dark circles.” But just dabbing it onto your under eye won’t do the trick. “Going in straight with your concealer if you have dark circles will make them look ashy,” explains Sharma.

Follow these steps to give your tired skin a lift.

Step 1: Prep your under eye with some eye cream.

Step 2: Dab on some colour corrector starting from the inner corner to the outer to neutralise the darkness.

The best way to choose a colour corrector is to use the colour theory. “If your dark circles have a red undertone, conceal it with a green-toned product. If the undertone is blueish or brown, use a peach or an orange-coloured corrector, and if your dark circles have a purple undertone, then a yellow corrector is what you need,” explains Parmar.

Step 3: Apply concealer over the colour corrector. Ensure that your concealer matches your skin tone. “Blend well to avoid crease lines,” advises Parmar.

Step 4: Set the concealer with a loose powder, and you’re good to go.

Best concealers to help mask dark circles:

Studio Fix 24-Hour Smooth Wear Concealer by M.A.C, ₹2,300

Instant Full Cover Concealer by Bobbi Brown, ₹3,700

Fit Me Concealer by Maybelline New York, ₹404

Creaseless Concealer by Tarte Cosmetics, ₹1,900

Inflammation and redness

Redness and tenderness are indicators of inflammation. The skin must be soothed before going in with makeup. “Always begin with rubbing ice around the affected area,” recommends Sharma. The key to masking redness is colour correction.

Follow the steps below:

Step 1: Start with a moisturiser and a good primer.

Step 2: Neutralise the skin’s redness with a colour-correcting concealer. “A green colour corrector is a miracle worker when it comes to concealing redness,” says Sharma.

Start by dotting a little bit of corrector and build it up as required. “You can apply the corrector directly onto the affected area or mix it with your regular foundation. Be as targeted as possible and blend out the outer edges into the skin,” advises Parmar.

Step 3: Go in with a concealer or your regular foundation for extra coverage. “Apply a dewy finish full coverage foundation. It will hide the scars and pigmentation without making your face looking caked up,” says Gandhi.

Step 4: Set it all with a translucent setting powder to lock everything in place.

Expert-recommended colour correctors for redness 

Studio Perfect Photo-loving Primer (Green) by NYX Professional Makeup, ₹1,935

Photo Finish Reduce Redness Primer by Smashbox, ₹3,050

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