Product Review: Phwoarr Paint Concealer & Dealing with under-eye problems

My under-eyes are a nightmare. I have genetic eye bags (permanent puffy ones, not ones that die down after the morning), dark circles and some lovely fine lines to top it all off. I'm not blessed in this area and I just know that as I get older it's going to be even more of a problem. Concealing under there is always tricky. However, I'm going to tell you about what I've learned about helping those pesky under-eye issues in a little while... but first I have a review

The Seventeen Phwoarr Paint is something I have seen on a lot of beauty blogs. I haven't visited the brand since I was wearing fishnet gloves and too much eyeliner but I'm all for a drugstore find so what the hell. It's got a cringey name but comes in a really sleek little pot (with handy mirror inside) so I was already impressed for £5.49.

It describes itself as being heavy duty, which terrified me a little. Problematic under-eyes really need something between heavy duty and cream concealer (heavy duty cakes, cream creases- in my experience.) There are only two shades available (hmm) so I chose the Fair. It's slightly orange, but that's really what you're looking for with dark circles: something to correct and not highlight (see my post on my current contour palette to get a better idea of how this works.)

Dabbing this under my eyes I could immediately tell it was a winner. It requires a really gentle hand (as you can see from the swatch below, it's very thick) but the final result is very good coverage minus the cakeyness. It does crease on me after a minute or two as it settles, but not throughout the day, so be sure to wait for creasing, pat it out and set with a powder. I'm very impressed with this product. You can find it online here.

Here are my tips for helping treat problems under-eyes, especially concerning covering them up. They won't work for everyone and they're by no means going to solve every issue, but I find they certainly help.

1. Apply eye cream at night only. The more moisture you have under your makeup in the mornings will just mean concealer will move and settle into creases. I don't even apply foundation on the under eye area. The less product the better.

2. Argan oil, I realise, is mainly used for your hair. Obviously there are serums containing argan oil but I'm talking straight up argan here. Hear me out. When your under eye concealer starts to crease (usually an hour or two after application), dab a little argan oil over the area and viola, creases smoothed. I also use it as a night oil and it works really well.

3. Pat. Never smear concealer or serums under the eyes. With your ring finger (the weakest finger, therefore the gentlest) simply pat the product on gently. Smearing will stretch the skin over time and exaggerate lines.

4. Learn how to colour correct. If discolouration is your issue, figure out the colour you need to cancel it out. An orange base will work for dark pigmentation, for example.

5. Sleep on your back. This is the hardest one for me as I love sleeping on my front (it's so bad for the circulation in your face, unsurprisingly.) I have to make a conscious effort to, but I do find my under-eyes look drastically better in the morning.

And remember: under eye bags give your face character, in a way. I became obsessed with looking for a way to magically smooth the area under my eyes but in reality, that ain't possible. Use a gentle hand and a good serum and remember that they're just part of your face (I'm talking to me) (and you) (but seriously, let's embrace them.)