Sometimes darkness, our old friend, is here to stay. We’re dark circles, to be clear. Whether they’re caused by allergies, a sleepless night, or even genetics, actually getting rid of those dark circles is a difficult task. While eye creams and serums can help diminish their appearance over time, depending on the cause, they may not go away completely. If you’re wanting a quick fix, you might want to layer a color corrector underneath your concealer. These innovative products use color theory to balance discoloration on your skin by canceling it out with the opposite shade on the color wheel.
From color-correcting palettes that allow you to blend multiple colors to brush-on options, and even brightening color correctors that make you look more awake, there are tons of different types of color correctors available. With so many options, it can be difficult to discern what color corrector is the best for your skin tone and needs. That’s where we come in: After extensively reviewing the market, we identified 16 top-rated products and sent out our team of beauty experts and testers to try their real-world effects. After trying out reach option, we narrowed our list to the absolute best color correctors.
Nordstrom
Stila Correct and Perfect Color Correcting Palette earns our top pick for its all-in-one ability to color correct a full face — from under-eye circles to forehead shine — all while nourishing the skin with essential vitamins. “This product feels smooth and moisturizing, like I don’t even have makeup on,” shares our tester. She notes that in addition to completely covering her dark circles (“This is the first product I’ve ever used that actually made them disappear,” she says), the palette also eliminates rosacea-induced redness around her cheeks. We appreciate the included handy infographic that showcases where to use each of the seven colors, and, as a bonus, the palette also includes two tinted finishing powders for when you’re ready to set your face and say goodbye to shine for the entire day.
Size: 0.46 ounce | Shades: All-in-one palette includes 7 colors | Key Feature: Brightens under-eye area and reduces redness and shine
Smashbox
If you’re looking for a product that will brighten your under-eye area while simultaneously covering dark circles, there’s nothing better than this illuminating corrector. “This is always in my kit,” says makeup artist Kelly La Banco. The color corrector’s tint cancels out the dark blue and purple hues of dark circles, while the backlight technology illuminates your skin. It is also formulated with vitamin E to keep your under-eyes hydrated and moisturized, which helps prevent makeup from cracking or creasing. “It goes on really smoothly, and it makes an immediate difference in covering both redness and dark circles,” our tester says. Simply warm the product up between your fingers and then lightly pat to apply.
Size: 0.15 ounce | Shades: 4 | Key Feature: Brightens under eye circles with illuminating effects
EXA
We love this sensitive skin-safe liquid formula that boasts clean ingredients and impeccable blendability. The creamy consistency provides potent color payoff with strong coverage (you can use less product than you think you’d need, according to one of our testers, as a little goes a long way with this highly pigmented corrector). “It looks very natural with my complexion and significantly brightens my under-eye area,” she adds. Though it goes on a bit thick, it blends seamlessly with a finger or small brush and successfully covers acne spots and T-zone redness. The one downfall: Our tester did notice the product settling into her fine lines and causing some creasing by the end of the day.
Size: 0.25 ounce | Shades: 6 | Key Feature: Intense color payoff
Sephora
This fan-favorite color corrector from Charlotte Tilbury is a full-coverage product that brightens dark under-eye circles quickly and offers crease-proof texture. It’s specially formulated with carnauba wax, which prevents creasing, as well as flavonoids to help reduce the appearance of puffiness. To top it all off, the formula also boasts mica for a glowy, illuminating effect — it’s another makeup artist-approved pick and one of La Banco’s must-haves. Lightweight and buildable with a natural finish, you’ll only need to blend a dab of concealer over top. “This helped me achieve a smoother, more perfected makeup look, evening out my skin tone while feeling creamy, moisturizing, and lasting,” our tester says. Note that this works best when layered over a primer to ensure lasting power.
Size: 0.09 ounce | Shades: 4 | Key Feature: Full-coverage evening, smoothing, and brightening effects
Amazon
The Glo Skin Corrective Kit provides lightweight, sheer coverage for lighter skin tones. Its creamy texture offers an easily buildable consistency that sits well under pigmented concealers while canceling redness and brightening dark circles. “The product went on beautifully and melted into my skin evenly. It works well to cover spots and acne scarring,” says one of our testers. She notes, though, that those with darker skin tones or who prefer a more full-coverage look may want to steer clear of the palette as it’s a bit sheer and can have an ashy effect if not bolstered by additional foundation and concealer.
Size: 1.09 ounces | Shades: All-in-one palette includes 4 colors | Key Feature: Sheer coverage for brightening dark circles and reducing redness
Credo
This multi-use tool is ideal for quick touch-ups and life on-the-go. Its crayon-like packaging and creamy consistency make it convenient to throw in a bag and easy to apply no matter where you are. “Even though it’s creamy, it seems to set fairly quickly,” says our tester. “It goes on smoothly and doesn’t settle into my creases,” she adds, noting that the color payoff was very impressive. In addition to brightening under-eye circles and correcting redness and dark spots, the Huestick can be used as a lip, cheek, and eye tint that adds a subtle flush of semi-matte color. With five distinct shades that target a diverse array of skin tones, there’s a color match for everyone. Just be aware that while it does work as a magic eraser for dark circles, it’s not the best at concealing veins and blue/green tones.
Size: 0.1 ounce | Shades: 5 | Key Feature: 4-in-1 color correcting for dark circles, eyes, cheeks, and lips
Lancome
This ultra-pigmented color corrector can tackle even the most irritated areas. Whether you’re struggling with dark circles, lots of redness, or dull skin, this Lancome product is buildable, easy to layer, and provides full coverage. The unique squeeze bottle allows for smooth, precise application, and with seven shades to choose from, you can find the ideal neutralizing or highlighting effects you’re after — but the green hue is the best for addressing redness.
“The consistency isn’t too thick, which helps spread the color evenly without any smudging or pilling,” says one tester. “Initially, this product had a very hydrating finish. However, I did notice it beginning to settle slightly into the fine lines under my eye. It was a very slight settling into the crease, but still noticeable.”
Size: 0.4 ounce | Shades: 7 | Key Feature: Ultra-pigmented to neutralize tones and illuminate
Sephora
This Bobbi Brown color corrector is a very popular option and for good reason: Not only is the cream corrector infused with moisturizing ingredients to keep your under-eye area looking smooth and hydrated, but it’s also waterproof, sweatproof, and humidity-resistant, so it will stay put all day. “The product didn’t create any smudging or creasing,” says our tester. “Apply in layers onto a hydrated and well-primed area and it’ll go on absolutely seamlessly.” Plus, with 11 shades to choose from, you should be able to find an option that works for your skin tone. Regardless of which hue you select, each one has a pink or peachy base, which is great for canceling out the bluish-purple tone of under-eye bags. While it doesn’t come with an applicator (it applies best when using a brush), once it’s blended you’ll look well-rested and youthful in mere seconds.
Size: 0.05 ounce | Shades: 11 | Key Feature: Full-coverage, waterproof, and long-lasting
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![Woman applies Bobbi Brown Under Eye Corrector]()
InStyle / Tamara Staples
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![Close-up of woman's hands holding Bobbi Brown Under Eye Corrector]()
InStyle / Tamara Staples
Sephora
With four different shades included in this all-in-one Make Up For Ever Palette, it truly does it all. A signature blend of powders, oils, and pigments combine to create this creamy and easy-to-apply formula. “At first glance, I thought the palette might be a little powdery. Surprisingly, the texture was very creamy. There was no smudging or creasing at all after I applied it to my under-eye,” shares our tester.
It creates a noticeable difference in covering dark circles and brightening the under-eye area compared to merely using concealer, reducing any “ashy” tones, according to the tester. Buildable coverage makes layering products for the perfect color match and natural finish seamless and convenient. While we love the hybrid formula, it can feel oily on some skin types — particularly if you have oily skin.
Size: 0.23 ounce | Shades: All-in-one palette includes 4 colors and is available in 4 shade options | Key Feature: Buildable brightening capabilities
Other Options You Might Like
Clé de Peau Beauté Radiant Corrector for Eyes Liquid Concealer
If you’re new to color correctors, this format may be more familiar. The clicky pen is filled with a concealer-like liquid that is more skin-toned. We did find the formula to be a little too liquid-y and a lot comes out on the brush, which you can’t put back when you get way too much. That said, it does give a radiant, brightened appearance. We were impressed how bright our under eyes looked and that we didn’t need another concealer layer on top.
Jane Iredale Corrective Colors
Not only did this product come with four colors to mix-and-match, but also a small flat brush to apply it. The compact size of the kit would be easy to throw into a makeup bag for travel. The formula didn’t smudge and stayed in place all day. While it did diminish our dark circles, it didn’t cover them completely—even with concealer over the top. We do wish this product was more pigmented to give us the result we wanted.
Ben Nye Corrector Wheel
This color corrector smoothed on fairly easily and a little bit of product goes a long way. The coverage was buildable and layered nicely with concealer and foundation. The wheel allowed for customizable of the final look, especially because under eye circles are rarely just one shade. This product could be good for oily skin tones as it didn’t crease or move around, however our dry skinned test would it not quite hydrating enough and it did emphasize some fines around the eyes.
Our Testing Process
After researching the market and scouring online reviews, we identified the 16 most popular color correctors for dark circles. From there, we sent the products to our team of independent beauty experts and freelance product testers, who were instructed to wear each formula for a full day and track performance over time.
Each tester was required to rate the product on a scale from 1 to 5, accounting for factors such as formula, consistency, hydration, creasing, coverage, ease of use, and more. Once all testers provided their professional notes and feedback, we were able to narrow our list down to the twelve best products that really cover dark circles with a lightweight, comfortable feel. We considered skin type and color, and the level of dark circles when making this list of winners.
What to Keep in Mind
Shade
Many correctors have green and purple undertones, which are great for covering up blemishes and redness, but they do little for concealing dark circles (unless they have red undertones). “Green is used to neutralize red, making it great for covering up acne flare-ups, sunburns, and rosacea,” says La Banco. If you’re specifically looking to cover dark circles, you should instead choose color correctors in shades of red, pink, orange, or yellow, as these will help balance out the blue hue of under-eye circles. “Yellow is a super versatile concealer color that brightens sallowness. It cancels out purple tones, like veins or bruises, while still neutralizing mild to moderate redness,” adds La Banco.
The shade you choose will also depend on your skin tone. Peach-toned correctors work really well on light to medium skin tones (like Glo Skin Beauty Corrective Camouflage Kit), while oranges or reds work better for deeper skin tones (such as the Live Tinted Huestick Corrector).
Coverage
Some correctors also offer coverage, so you can wear them on their own and forgo concealer. If you plan to let your corrector stand alone, you’ll want to make sure it provides ample coverage and doesn’t allow for any creasing, cracking, or slipping. If you still plan on wearing concealer or foundation, a good corrector should create a solid, even base, so that you can use less makeup.
Lasting Power
Just like a concealer, you’ll want to make sure your color corrector can hold up for the entire day. The product should not only keep discoloration at bay for however long you intend on wearing it, but a good corrector will also last consistency-wise and prevent makeup from creasing or drying out throughout the day. Look for a product that is resistant to common makeup woes, like sweat and humidity, like the Bobbi Brown Under Eye Corrector
Your Questions, Answered
What does a color corrector do?
Essentially, a color corrector is similar to a primer in that it sits under makeup to prep the skin for more product. It neutralizes unwanted tones, like dark circles or redness, so that your concealer doesn’t have to do as much work. Color correctors are a great step to add into your makeup routine if you are struggling with complexion concerns, such as dark under-eye circles, redness, dullness, or hyperpigmentation. “They provide that extra pop of brightness and coverage when used right before your normal concealer,” La Banco says. They also provide a good base for the rest of your makeup, hydrating your skin and illuminating your under-eyes.
How do you apply a color corrector?
Once you’ve chosen the best color corrector for your skin tone or complexion issue, then you’ll want to apply a small amount of product on your skin (after you’ve applied your skincare). Place the product only in the areas you need it (under the eyes and around the nose are common) and remember that a little goes a long way. The type of product you choose will also determine its coverage — creams are usually fuller coverage than liquids. Cream formulas are often designed to be applied with a brush, whereas liquids can be easily blended with a damp sponge or your fingers, but use whatever tool works best for you. “I like to use my ring finger to pat in the product, after laying it down with a synthetic makeup brush like my favorite Real Techniques Brightening Concealer Brush,” La Banco explains. Give the product a little bit of time to set, then continue on with the rest of your makeup.
What Is InStyle Picks?
Our team of testers has reviewed every product on this list using a unique methodology to ensure it’s really worth your time, money, and attention. We may get samples for free to try but we never promise positive (or any!) coverage in exchange. Put simply: InStyle Picks are products we love, and we’ve put them to the test to be sure you will too.
Why Shop With Us
Linne Halpern is a freelance beauty, fashion, and lifestyle writer. She is a member of InStyle’s evergreen commerce team where she extensively tests and reviews countless products. For this story, a team of 16 beauty experts and freelance product testers were deployed to try each formula and provide thorough feedback. From there, we were able to narrow down our recommendations and provide you with first-hand knowledge, bolstered by tips and advice from notable makeup artist Kelly La Banco.
