What is the best color corrector for dark circles

No matter how hard you might try to get a good night's sleep, there are things that can keep you up (hello, stress). While we always advocate for trying your best to catch more Zzzs, there will inevitably be some sleep-deprived days when your undereye dark circles are, well, wide awake.

And even if you do get plenty of sleep, dark undereye circles still affect some of us frequently, whether it be genetics, allergies, excessive sun exposure, or other factors that are hard to control. Below, we've enlisted the help of two makeup artists for their best tips on how to color correct undereye circles effortlessly.

What is a color corrector?

Color correcting is using complementary colors (which are opposite on the color wheel) to cancel each other out. Unlike using just regular concealer, using a color correcting shade in a complementary color will essentially neutralize whatever imperfection you want to hide. "When you color correct on your face, you apply a complementary color over the portion of your face that needs correcting," explains celebrity makeup artist Jamie Greenberg. "Complementary colors cancel each other out—for instance, a green color corrector will cancel out any redness because green and red are complementary colors."

How to find the right color corrector for your skin tone

Color correctors can feel quite intimidating, especially because many of them come in vibrant rainbow hues that look like they don't belong on your face. If you have dark blue undereye circles, you want to opt for an orange or peach color corrector, since orange lies on the opposite side of blue on the color wheel. "To find the right color-corrector for your skin, saturation plays a role," says Greenberg. "For instance, if your skin tone is lighter, you must use the lighter version and so forth." Test the product in natural daylight and use the side of your face to try the product to make sure it's a good match—lighter skin tones should use a peach shade, while darker skin tones should try an orange shade.

How to color correct dark circles

First, it's important to start with a hydrated base by applying a good eye cream. Dry skin will look tired and dull, no matter how much concealer you pile on top of it.

When it comes to correcting pesky under-eye circles, think sunny colors. According to Quinn Murphy, a celebrity makeup artist and host of In My Chair podcast, the best way to counter dark circles is to apply some variation of orange. "The key is to apply it only where there is darkness, so that you don't see the orange hue," he says.

First, you want to use a fluffy concealer brush to apply a cream peach- or orange-based concealer, like Cover FX Correct Click Under Eye Circles ($18; coverfx.com), or MAC Studio Fix Conceal and Correct Palette, $30; nordstrom.com) on hydrated undereye areas. Swipe the peach color corrector over your dark circles in a "V" shape (so the tops of the "V" are at the inner and outer corner of your eye), then blend the "V" shape into your under-eye area using the concealer brush.

Next, apply a concealer close to your actual skin color on top of the color corrector—Murphy loves Koh Gen Do Moisture Concealer ($70; amazon.com), Bobbi Brown Under Eye Corrector ($29; sephora.com), and Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Face and Under-Eye Concealer ($38; sephora.com). "Once you apply your true skin tone foundation on top, it will blend in with the skin," he says.

If you have dryness under your eyes, Murphy suggests staying away from powders. But if you tend to have oiler skin and find your foundation sweats off throughout the day, a light dusting of translucent powder can help. "Colorescience's Mineral Corrector Palette SPF 20 ($56; dermstore.com) is a great powder palette that you can use under the eyes and on blemishes," says Murphy.

Avoid applying too much product on your undereye area. "Start light, as if you were painting a pointillist," says Greenberg. "The easiest and most popular mistake is layering too much, which creates another concern to deal with (read: clumpy concealer that counterproductively makes you look more tired)."

When you have a stubborn breakout or dark bags under your eyes from a night of tossing and turning, sometimes it seems like no amount of foundation or concealer can hide them. And even worse, as you pile on more product in an attempt to cover them up, it only seems to exacerbate the issue, drawing more attention to the area that you're hoping to conceal.

If that scenario sounds at all familiar, you might benefit from adding color correctors to your beauty routine. You may have seen a few of the brightly-hued products pop up on your social media pages. Staples like L'Oréal’s green BB Cream and a blue foundation tint, have recently gone viral on TikTok. And while it may seem counterintuitive to put a colorful cream on the area you want to cover up, we spoke to two makeup artists who said that they both regularly use color correctors to help with a range of issues.

Here, the experts shared with us all the details on how color correctors work and which ones you should be using.

“Color correctors are makeup or skin care [products] that you can use to correct discoloration, like sunspots or dark under-eye circles,” said celebrity makeup artist Andrew Sotomayor. “And the benefits of color correctors are that they have the opposite color of the discoloration. That means they reduce the amount of coverage that you need in terms of a concealer or a foundation.”

To understand how they work, just look at the color wheel. “Opposite colors cancel each other out,” said makeup artist Jonet Williamson. For example, because green sits on the opposite side of the wheel as red, the color can be used to tame the appearance of blemishes or red spots. Orange, on the other hand, is opposite to blue, so it can be helpful for hiding the dark blue-gray discoloration under your eyes.

What are the different types of colors correctors?

• Green: You’ll typically find green used in color-correcting primers, Williamson said. “They're used to balance redness in the skin,” she added. “So [they're for] someone with fairer skin or a medium complexion that has a lot of redness or pinkness to the skin who wants to tone it down, so it matches the rest of their body." You can also sometimes find the color used in spot treatments, to cover redness from breakouts or other small inflamed areas.
• Blue: A blue color corrector can be used to adjust makeup that's too warm, Williamson added. Say, you have a foundation that you bought right after your most recent beach vacation, but have since lost some of your tan, you can add a couple of drops of a blue color corrector to neutralize and tone down the orange hues in the formula so it better matches your skin.
• Orange and red: While Sotomayor said that he uses color correctors often on clients, he added that he only uses shades of peaches, pinks and reds. "Pinks and peaches and reds are the three most useful," he said. The colors fall on the opposite side of the color wheel as blue, green and purple, so they can be helpful for covering up darker areas of discoloration. "Peach and orange are really good on the eyes," he said. "If you've got a medium to light skin tone, a peach or a pink is good under the eyes at the inner corner, where we tend to get a little bit of blue." For those with darker skin tones, deeper orange or red shades can help counteract the hyperpigmentation in the area.
• Yellow: Unlike other color correctors, which are typically applied before foundation or concealer, Sotomayor said that yellow color correctors can come in handy after you apply your base makeup. "Yellow is really great if you've picked up a little bit too much tan or you have a bit of a sunburn, or just you have sort of uneven pigmentation," he added. "You can do your foundation, and can take a yellow color corrector afterward and apply it across your cheekbones down the bridge of the nose in the center of the face and use it like a highlighter. It'll bring out your bone structure and it'll neutralize hyperpigmentation."
• Purple: Purple is on the opposite side of the color wheel as yellow. But because the color is made from a combination of blue and red, a purple or lavender color corrector may have similar effects, but may be easier for non-professionals to use, since it's a softer version of a red or blue, Williamson said.

With that in mind, we asked the two makeup artists to share some of their favorite color correctors. Plus, we added a couple of trending and top-rated options that you can try as well.

Best color correctors

Live Tinted Huestick Corrector

If you're looking for just one shade, Williamson likes Live Tinted's color correctors. "They have these color corrector sticks that are really easy to use, it's like a crayon that you dot on, blend it out really easily and you're set," she said. Along with its color-correcting abilities, the brand says that the Huestick can also be used to add color to your cheeks, lips and eyes.

Bobbi Brown Under Eye Corrector

The Bobbi Brown Under Eye Corrector is the same formula as the brand's concealer, but it has a pinker base, Sotomayor said, so it works to help cover dark circles. It comes in 16 peach and pink-based shades and is said to be waterproof and sweat-resistant to stand up to all-day wear.

Danessa Myricks Vision Cream Cover Wand TP02

"For deeper skin tones, I like to use the Danessa Myricks Vision Cream Wand, and a really useful color is TP02," Sotomayor said. It's a rich orange color, which he said works on even the darkest of dark circles. "You just put a tiny amount directly on the darkness — only where it's dark — blend that in with your finger or a brush, and then you can use just a neutral concealer on top of it and dark circles disappear. Even the toughest ones."

Smashbox Photo Finish Correct Anti-Redness Primer

When it comes to green color correctors, Williamson said she likes Smashbox's primer. The formula is said to neutralize redness while smoothing skin and protecting it against damage. It's made with soothing and nourishing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, algae, probiotic extract and vitamins.

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Underpainting Palette

Sotomayor said Make Up For Ever's HD Underpainting Palette in medium is one of his "favorites" because it includes peach and pink color correctors. According to the brand, the formulas combine pigments, powders and emollient oils to "provide a second skin, seamless look and feel."

MAC Studio Fix Conceal and Correct Palette

Williamson said that she uses Mac's Conceal and Correct Palette both on herself and on clients. "It's nice because they go by complexion, so it's light, medium, deep and dark," she said. Each palette has two color correctors and multiple concealer shades that can be used individually or combined to help hide any problem areas.

L.A. Girl Pro Matte Mixing Pigment

TikTok user Rose Siard went viral after she shared how she uses this blue pigment to neutralize the warm tones of an orange-heavy foundation and viewers were amazed by the hack. Reviewers agree, saying that it's great for those who struggle to find the perfect match. "I have light/fair skin, so it's hard to find exactly the right shade for me but with this, I can make my own perfect shade," one shopper wrote. "It's such a game changer, I will definitely be purchasing more in the future/recommending to others."

Nyx Professional Makeup Studio Perfect Primer

Nyx's affordable color-correcting primer has racked up more than 7,000 five-star reviews from shoppers who say that it helps reduce redness and create a smooth makeup look. "My makeup NEVER used to stay on all day," one reviewer wrote. "Now when I get home from work my face looks the same as when I left."

For more stories like this, check out:

• 11 waterproof mascaras that actually stay put — starting at $5
• Here are 6 ways to treat dark spots, according to a dermatologist
• 7 buzzy beauty ingredients that work for anti-aging, acne and more

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Emma Stessman

Emma Stessman is an Associate Editor for Shop TODAY.

Which colour corrector is best for dark circles?

Which brand color corrector is best?