I have ginger hair, heavy freckles, seriously pale skin and always have dark purple circles around my eyes. So far I have had no success finding a pale and strong enough liquid foundation. I really need help as my face ends up orange even when I use the palest colour in a brand. I also want something that takes away the darkness and the boldness of my freckles. Help! Della
There are many causes of dark circles under the eyes; they can be hereditary, or caused by fatigue, bad circulation, smoking, stress or skin allergies. The best way to prevent them is to eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, drink plenty of water, get enough sleep and take regular exercise.
But don't fret, there are great products out there that will really help too. I've found that a lot of the high street budget brands don't make foundations pale enough for lightest skin tones, so I'm afraid you do have to spend that little bit more money - but it's definitely worth it.
Estee Lauder, Lancome and Illamasqua all do shades of foundation for paler skin tones (pictured above: Illamasqua Rich Liquid Foundation in shade 105, £21.50). I would recommend that you visit a department store and ask the make-up artist to colour-match you (it's really important you check the shade against your skin in daylight) and ask them to apply the product so you can see how it feels on your skin. Most big brands will also be happy to give you a free make-up sample to try at home.
For more tips on how to know when a foundation is the right shade for you, watch my How to Apply Foundation video.
Remember: when you're investing in a good base, you need to feel 100% happy with your decision, especially if you're going for a more expensive brand. Choose carefully and I promise you won't look orange!
If the foundation is light enough in texture then you can also use it under your eyes. Pat a little in, but never rub under your eyes. For more help brightening up dark circles I recommend using an under-eye concealer. I really like Make-Up For Ever Lift Concealer(opens in a new window) in shade 1 - you can see me using it in 4Beauty's Date Make-Up video. I also recommend No7 Instant Radiance Concealer, Revlon ColorStay Under Eye Concealer or Clinique All About Eyes Concealer.
