One of the most common questions I get asked as a beauty editor is how to get rid of dark circles. In short, you can't. Dark circles are amongst the hardest beauty concerns to address and can be down to multiple factors from genetics to lifestyle. Truthfully, no eye cream can make dark circles fully disappear, and any brand that claims that its product can get rid of dark circles is lying to you with clever marketing. Don't get me wrong—eye creams can certainly make dark circles and under-eye bags look better, as well as help to hydrate the delicate skin around this area and plump out fine lines, but I mostly reach for makeup to disguise my dark circles instead.
I was finding that my under-eye concealer wasn't cutting it quite like it used to, so I went in search of an under-eye corrector to disguise my dark circles and brighten the eye area instead. I discovered Beauty Pie's Superluminous Under-Eye Genius (£12), and honestly? I've never looked back. Scroll ahead for my honest review and before-and-after pictures showing just how well this clever little product works.
Beauty Pie Superluminous Under-Eye Genius Review
Beauty Pie's Superluminous Under-Eye Genius is a colour corrector designed to be used around the eye area to cancel out dark circles. Depending on what tone your dark circles are, choose from three shades:
Light/Medium: This shade neutralises blue-toned darkness on light skin tones.
Medium/Deep: Counteracts brown-toned dark circles.
Deep: Cancels out blue-toned shadows on dark skin tones.
Remember the colour wheel from art class at school? The same principle applies here, with opposite colours neutralising one another (which is why you'll often see colour correctors for redness with a green tint, for example). This product isn't a concealer, so it's less about colour-matching to your skin tone and more about neutralising the shadows before applying concealer over the top. It does all the heavy lifting by colour-correcting and brightening, meaning you can get away with using less concealer, or even none at all.
For Light Skin Tones with Blue-Toned Dark Circles
Price shown is members' price.
If you have fair or light skin with blue-toned dark circles, choose the Light/Medium shade.
For Medium Skin Tones with Brown-Toned Dark Circles
Price shown is members' price.
If you have medium or tanned skin with brown-toned dark circles, choose the Medium/Deep shade.
For Dark Skin Tones with Blue-Toned Dark Circles
Price shown is members' price.
If you have dark skin with blue-toned dark circles, choose the Deep shade.
Before Applying Beauty Pie Superluminous Under-Eye Genius
I have light skin that has blue-toned dark circles, particularly on the inner corners of my eyes, so I went with the Light shade, which has a peachy-pink hue to neutralise the blue tones. I've applied foundation here, but have left my under-eyes free of makeup.
The Formula
After applying my eye cream, I used my fingertips to pat the product onto the skin— I prefer applying it this way to help warm up and melt the product a little so it blends more easily. It's well-pigmented, so you only need to take a small amount on your finger. The creamy formula is very silky and easy to blend but doesn't slip and slide either, making it great prep to grip onto concealer.
It has a non-greasy, satin finish which reflects light, adding to the brightening effect it has on the under-eye area. You could wear this on its own too for a "no makeup" vibe if you want to quickly disguise dark circles without wearing anything else. Ingredients include sunflower and castor oils, which help to hydrate and plump dehydration lines around the eyes, as well as vitamin E.
Before and After Applying Beauty Pie Superluminous Under-Eye Genius
Here, I've only applied the colour corrector on the left whilst the right side is free of any makeup, and you can see how much brighter the left looks. The darkness around the eye looks less noticeable and it reflects the light, making the eye area look so refreshed. Of course, as already noted, no eye cream, colour corrector or concealer will fully disguise eye hollows (for that, you'd have to call upon injectable treatments such as tear-trough filler), but overall, my eye looks much more awake.
Before and After Applying Beauty Pie Superluminous Under-Eye Genius With Concealer
Here, I've applied concealer on top of the Superluminous Under-Eye Genius on the same side, and I'm amazed at how much of a difference this colour corrector makes. Not only does it brighten and neutralise areas of darkness, but it also makes my concealer apply like butter, helping it to last longer without settling or creasing in fine lines. In fact, I don't find I have to pile on my concealer to hide the shadows, so I can get away with using just a touch to pull it all together with the rest of my makeup.
The Verdict
At just £12 (the price for Beauty Pie members), I'm amazed at how well this dark-circle colour-corrector works. Having tried more expensive versions from luxury makeup brands, I still think this is the best one I've come across. It really does cancel out dark circles whilst making the skin around my eyes look radiant, hydrated and refreshed. And a little goes a long way, so this pot is going to last a very long time. Whether you want to use it on its own or under concealer, Superluminous Under-Eye Genius really does live up to its name.
Shop Beauty Pie Superluminous Under-Eye Genius Review:
Price shown is members' price.
If you have fair or light skin with blue-toned dark circles, choose the Light/Medium shade.
Price shown is members' price.
If you have medium or tanned skin with brown-toned dark circles, choose the Medium/Deep shade.
Price shown is members' price.
If you have dark skin with blue-toned dark circles, choose the Deep shade.
