It all started when I clicked on an article that claimed under-eye concealer is “dead.” Of course the headline got me; the idea of not wearing concealer under my eyes? Unfathomable to this working mom of two kids under five. After skimming for a few seconds, I decided nothing would convince me give up my most-used makeup product and stopped reading. Coincidentally (or eerily?), after that my social media feeds were flooded with reels of women using bronzer in place of under-eye concealer.
Why bronzer? Turns out, their warm hues work similarly to orange and peach color correctors, canceling out blue and purple tones that present as dark circles. According to several TikTok videos, using bronzer around the eye area also “lifts” and “creates dimension” versus standard concealer.
After watching way too many reels, I had to try this viral hack for myself. Luckily, liquid and balm-y bronzers are one of my favorite makeup formulas, so I had options to choose from. For this experiment I grabbed Lumene’s Invisible Illumination Liquid Bronzer in Summer Glow ($30) because I already know its serum-like texture is a dream to blend and I love the natural-looking finish. To blend, I used my iT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Dual Airbrush Concealer Brush #2 ($28). And ever the skeptic, I had my go-to concealer on hand: Maybelline’s Fit Me Concealer ($9). While the method of blending varied from video to video (fingers, brushes, sponges, etc.), the key seems to be using a liquid or balm bronzer (i.e. Merit Bronze Balm, Dibs Desert Island Duo Stick) over a powder.
The technique is pretty straightforward. Apply your preferred bronzer to the under-eye and eyelids and blend. As I predicted, Lumene’s Liquid Bronzer melted into my skin with ease, but I have to admit I was stunned at how well bronzer worked to cancel out any darkness and camouflage my fine lines and eye wrinkles rather than emphasizing them, like concealer sometimes does. I also really like how blending the bronzer onto my eyelids gives the prettiest wash of subtle color. I’m not throwing away my concealer just yet, though. The whole look really popped when I added a dot to each corner of my eyes.
Reminding me that social media can actually be a place to learn and have some fun, using bronzer in place of (and sometimes with) a typical under-eye concealer is a hack I’ll actually be coming back to.
