Concealer is something that can go horribly wrong, I agree.
If you apply too much it looks cakey, not enough and you can still see darkness and if you quickly dust a powder to set the concealer it can go patchy and
uneven, if you don’t set it at all it can crease quickly and be overly
shiny and if you “bake” the area with loads of powder it can look cakey,
dry and unnatural.
Use an Eye Cream or Primer
If you’re applying your concealer directly ontop of foundation without prepping the eye area first this could be where you are going wrong. On the other hand if you’re applying a thick heavy eye cream under the eyes and immediately going in with concealer this could also be where you’re going wrong. Confusing? Applying an eye cream or undereye primer will help to hydrate the undereyes and give the skin a little more “slip” so product is less likely to settle, but if you don’t let it absorb for 5 minutes or so before applying your concealer, you will find the concealer immediately grabs to the eye cream and makes a bit, gross, uneven and creasing mess. I recommend: Origins Gin Zing Refreshing Eye Cream (because it’s lightweight and has light reflecting properties which brighten the undereyes) and Smashbox PhotoFinish Under Eye Primer (because it is a beautiful creamier version of their original primer which helps fill in fine lines under the eyes)
Try a Thicker Product
When I say a thicker product I don’t necessarily mean one that is full-bore high coverage, I just mean one that isn’t super thin and liquidy. Thicker, creamier products tend to sit ontop of the skin better and have a bit more playtime (great especially if you have issues with creasing) whilst thinner and more runny products often dry a lot quicker and as a result can settle into fine lines and wrinkles. Try using a product that has a creamier texture like Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer or you could even try a full-coverage stick foundation!
Use Sparingly
One of the biggest causes for concealer creasing underneath the eyes and looking cakey is simply applying too much of it! I recommend only using concealer on the areas needed and go easy with it. Just because you have a bit of darkness under the eyes doesn’t mean you should pile on heaps of concealer. You may find this post about how to properly use concealer helpful.
Set Properly
The key to setting your undereye area is to use a loose powder or a clean, fluffy blending eyeshadow brush and gently press the powder over top of the concealer before dusting/blending the excess product in with the same brush. Here is a video on how to use setting powder.
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I hope I helped you and if you need anything else feel free to ask.
If any product you use irritates you discontinue use immediately.
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