Can you use blusher to hide under-eye shadows?

The hack
Dark circles under your eyes? What’s new. But can you use blusher instead of concealer to cover them up?

The test
This old makeup artists’ hack follows colour theory: the study of how shades mix, match and contrast (on your face or in your home), and has recently taken off on TikTok.

The theory suggests that certain (rather unexpected) colours can be used to offset others, and in this instance dark blue under-eye circles can be softened by applying a reddish-toned concealer. The method is simple enough. Pat a cream blush in a red/coral shade on to the darker areas, then use your regular concealer on top.

I used Live Tinted Huestick in Rise, created by Deepica Mutyala, a south Asian businesswoman who went viral in 2015 after using a red lipstick to conceal her under-eye circles. But those with more purple shadows might find a yellow-based corrector better, and those with redness should try something with a greener hue.

The verdict
I find the idea that we “have” to correct every natural skin blemish a bit wearing. And it’s worth noting that in France, concealing under-eye circles isn’t really a thing in makeup routines – there, they’re almost a badge of honour, suggesting you’ve been up all night. But does it work? Yes it does.