Have you ever opened a magazine ready to enjoy a bit of page flicking only to be confronted by a seemingly innocent article that leaves you lost for words?
This happened to me today.
I opened a popular magazine and came across this headline:
Cover up Dark Circles
I love a makeup tip.
In fact, I love makeup!
This would be an interesting read.
Then I looked a little more closely...
Hmmm.
What can I say?
The models on the page look about the same age as my youngest daughters.
Maybe 15?
No older than 20 anyway.
They're beautiful.
Stunning.
BUT...Dark circles?
Give me a break!
I hope you've not just eaten because THIS is what a REAL dark circle looks like people!
{Brace Yourselves}
After reading this 'Dark Circle Covering' article and looking at the £160 worth of products they say you need to tackle the problem (really??) I got a little mad.
For many women this insane marketing has us hooked.
We look at our ageing faces and wonder...
"I know it's crazy and makes no sense BUT what if I buy this particular product and it turns out to be THE ONE?
Will this recommended product combination/technique be the holy grail?
Will this regime be the secret to a younger looking face?"
The short answer is NO.
Sorry ladies.
No matter how much you spend on products and/or procedures you will NEVER look like the girls in these photos.
In fact, you'll never look like anything other than an older woman who has had some work done to her face OR who takes great care of her skin.
Only the truly genetically blessed ACTUALLY look younger than they are.
The Yasmin Le Bons of this world (she is beautiful!).
She's in her 50s and looks amazing.
I know she has amazing makeup and perfect lighting BUT good genes go along way too!
Check out this video of her with my favourite makeup YouTuber:
After reading through this article I decided to embrace my bags, lines and circles and give their "Cheat Sheet" a good go.
Maybe they didn't have any stock photos of real dark circles?
I'm a 45-year-old who hasn't had a proper full nights sleep for...hmmm... probably 25 years so this could be my saviour.
I have REAL dark circles.
A proper challenge for this technique.
I'm not too bothered about my eyes BUT I still like to put makeup on most days.
Not because I think it makes me look younger (if often has the opposite effect!) but because I enjoy the process of applying it.
Putting on makeup is relaxing and enjoyable.
Experimenting with colour is fun, regardless of my age or how old my face looks.
{I know that I look fresher with nothing on my face but it doesn't stop me!}
Today I did my own research.
I followed the steps and their product recommendations (or close enough).
This was a pro-attempt to cover my circles.
What could possibly go wrong?
It started out okay...
The steps were simple.
Very light layers of the products tapped gently into the skin.
No sweeping motions.
No heavy powder application.
It made sense to me.
- Eye cream lightly tapped on.
- Colour corrector on the dark areas.
- Thin layers of concealer applied in a V shape.
- A very light dusting of powder.
Everything looked pretty good for about 30 seconds...
Then I smiled.Oh my goodness.
The crinkles around my eyes instantly cracked up into and ageing cake face.
Imagine how this would look after a few hours.
Not great.
Okay.
The theory seemed spot-on (light hand, tapping etc) but it wasn't working for my face.
So... I threw away the cheat sheet and did my own thing on my other eye!
I covered my circles the way I normally do.
Better.
Definitely better.
FAR FROM PERFECT (of course) but I am not perfect.
I'm 45 and my face is, well, 45!
All I did differently was to ditch the V shape and only applied corrector and concealer on the dark bits with a small brush. Tapping them into place with my ring finger.
The same products.
The same light hand.
Just no V.
I'm not going to bother to share the specific brands because it seems pointless.
- Just because a product works for me doesn't mean it will work for you.
- We all have a few (read: too many!) cosmetics kicking about and don't need to buy anymore.
- Most products are very similar regardless of their price tag or the hype surrounding them.
Just use what you have and experiment.
The truth about dark circles is that nothing can get rid of them.
Diet and a healthy lifestyle can help but if you're genetically gifted with dark circles then you're stuck with them.
You don't need to buy a magic cream or a new concealer.
Just use what you already have.
Forget 'clever' techniques and focus on what feels right.
You know your own face better than anyone.
Personally, I think less is more.
A light hand is more forgiving and flattering.
But you might like full coverage and using the full shebang!
Go for it if you do!
Sometimes I forget about what's supposed to be flattering and just have fun regardless.
That's what it's all about, right?
No amount of makeup can hide who we are.
Maybe in an Instagram post (or from a distance) BUT when someone is standing next to you they are well aware of what's going on with your face!
Embrace it.
What do you think?
Are you a sucker for a 'New' and/or 'Miricle' product?
Do you have FOMO (fear of missing out) when it comes to beauty?
Are you searching for the next big thing?
Or, are you happy with your lines and embrace your older face?
Do you love makeup like me?
So many questions and I'd love to know your thoughts!
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