CoverGirl Fresh Complexion Under Eye Concealer, $5-$7

Well, the going to bed late and waking up early has caught up with me. I needed a quick way to make me look more awake, so I bought some CoverGirl Fresh Complexion Under Eye Concealer (I think the shade is called Creamy Natural). It's packaged like lip gloss with a sponge-tip applicator, which makes it more portable and easy to use than a tube.

The concealer works really well. It's smooth and soft, and blends in evenly. A little bit goes a looong way with this stuff. Use less than you would think at first and then add more if you need it. It covers pretty well, so you probably won't have to use a lot. Like all face makeup, it's going to look more natural when used sparingly.

Final verdict
Cost: $5-$7.
Texture: Smooth and silky, and blends easily. It covers up the darkness under my eyes evenly.
Color: I was able to find a color that matches my skin tone pretty well, though they seem to carry only light to medium shades.
Repeat offender: I would definitely buy this again. It's a good concealer, and helps my eyes look a little more awake!

-T

Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener, $18

Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener is a neat little tool that can instantly freshen your look. I received a sample size tube of this product and I am very tempted to buy the full size product!

This product is a nice cream that has tiny bits of light reflecting sparkles (don't worry you can hardly see the sparkles) which work to brighten your under eye area and appear more awake. This is a makeup and not a preventative product so it is definitely for effect. The full products comes with a handy brush to dab the cream under the eye, I think this is really useful because the cream is a little too thin to be coming out of the tube.

You just have to dab a little bit of the cream and spread it with your finger and instantly your under eye area has a fresh glow. I think this is a great every day product that can work the way blush does to "wake" your face up.

Final verdict:
Cost: $18 for the full tube.
Does it make the under eye area white?: No not at all, the cream is a neutral shade that seems to blend in with your natural color, it works as a highlighter and not so much as a concealer.
Would it stay on all day?: I'd suggest spreading some primer in the under eye area before the Photo Op brightener for longer staying power.
Repeat offender?: I really want to get some of this eventually to use daily. Though I must say, I think this product would be better if used in the cooler months so you don't just sweat it off.

-M

Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller, $10-12

I've had the Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller since it came out. I don't use it very often but when I'm having one of those days (lack of sleep, staying out too late, stress, etc) I remember that I have this little gem and use it under my eyes. This product promises to instantly reduce under-eye swelling and dark circles, and overtime it promises that you will see the puffiness and darkness fade more. Well I never used this for a long period of time and to be honest I don't have the under-eye darkness or swelling enough to have to. But I can definitely say that you do see a change pretty instantly when you do use it.


To use it you just roll the roller from the inside corner of your under-eye area to the outside corner. The roller ball is a nice cool metal ball that also soothes as you apply the serum. The product is kind of a clear diluted gel that dries within seconds of application on your skin. Once it dries it actually feels firmer under your eye, what I mean is the skin tightens. You can definitely see an improvement in your under-eye area because of this.

Final verdict:
Cost: It is priced between $10-12. Kind of pricey but if you don't have to use it a lot it will last you a long time.
Does it do what it promises?: Short term, yes. Long term, I can't say. But it definitely helps give your face a pick-me-up. It actually has caffeine in it (don't ask me how they do this lol) but it is pretty much like a shot of espresso for your under-eye area.
Repeat offender?: Since this problem is pretty minor for me I think I would buy this again if I ever used it all up. If you have a more serious under-eye darkness issues I would suggest going with something that is maybe a higher quality for long term results.

-M