🌀 How to Stop Under-Eye Concealer From Creasing

Your concealer looks smooth in the mirror, and an hour later thin lines of it have settled into the skin under your eyes. People call it "creasing", "cracking" or "it sinks into my lines", and it nearly always comes down to one of four causes.

Below: a quick check to find yours, the fix for each, and the whole routine in one table at the end.

Quick check: when do the lines show up?

• Before you leave the mirror: Cause 1 or 2.
• An hour or two later: Cause 3.
• The lines look dry or cracked: Cause 4.

Cause 1: Too much product

Sign: a thick, opaque line sitting right in the fold under your eye.

Why: every extra layer is more material to fold when you blink and smile. Makeup artists call too much product the top culprit.

Fix: dot a little at the inner corner and only where it's dark. Tap it in with your ring finger or a damp sponge, never drag. Build up only if needed.

Cause 2: The skin underneath is still wet

Sign: concealer slides and creases almost at once.

Why: eye cream that hasn't sunk in gives the concealer something to slip on.

Fix: use a lightweight eye cream and give it two to three minutes before concealer. I use the wait to hunt for my clogs, my badge and the claw clip that always ends up somewhere strange, which is the most useful two minutes of my whole getting-ready routine. Ten minutes flat, still.

Cause 3: It was never set

Sign: perfect at first, lines by midday or mid-shift.

Why: unset concealer stays tacky, so it moves with every expression.

Fix: press a small amount of finely milled loose powder over it. Pat, don't sweep.

Cause 4: Dry skin or too much powder

Sign: the area looks dry or crackled.

Why: concealer clings to dry patches, and very matte formulas or heavy powder turn stiff and crack as your face moves.

Fix: moisturize first, use the least powder you can, and skip letting it sit for long. On deeper skin, translucent powder can leave a pale cast, so test a little or use a tinted one.

Hidden tip: look up and smile before you powder

Once the concealer is on, look up into the mirror and smile. Lines about to form show up now. Tap them out with a fingertip or sponge, then set. My sister Sana calls it my "creepy mirror grin."

Hidden tip: fix a crease with eye cream, not more concealer

More concealer gives lines more to grab. Instead, tap a tiny bit of eye cream on top to soften the product, then press it smooth with a clean sponge.

Dark circles still showing through?

A thin layer of color corrector cancels the shadow, so you need less concealer on top. Peach suits light to medium skin, orange medium to deep. Blend, then cover with your own shade.

When to see a doctor

Dark circles usually aren't a medical problem. Sleep at least seven hours, add an extra pillow, and try a cold compress for puffiness. If darkness or swelling shows under only one eye, or won't go away, see a healthcare provider.

Save this: crease-free cheat sheet

Diagnosis in one line: creasing usually means too much product, and a thinner, set layer fixes it.