Concealer… the tiny but mighty product that will make or break your makeup look. What’s the point in perfectly applied foundation and eye makeup when you have dark circles or flakey/dry under eyes? It will only drag you down. For this piece I have teamed up with my good friend and professional makeup artist Fabiana Coppola. Fabiana is hands down the best makeup artist I know, follow her Instagram and you will see why! I felt it was important to call in the big guns for this piece as I am not a makeup artist, but a makeup enthusiast – I can only ever tell you what works for me and my skin type, however Fabiana is here to share professional insight and tips for everyone to get that perfectly flawless under eye!

Ciara: Fabiana – Let’s start with the don’ts, what is the biggest mistake you see with under eye concealer?

Fabiana: The biggest mistake is that people don’t use it! They apply foundation instead, which is dehydrating to your delicate eye area.

Ciara: You so often see video bloggers doing makeup tutorials and applying foundation under the eye and then concealer over it…

Fabiana: Never, only concealer!!! The under eye right up to your brow bone should be concealer only. 

Ciara: What about priming the under eye with an eye cream, which do you recommend?

Fabiana: Weird one – I use lip balm on my eyes! I figure lips are the only part of the face as delicate as the eyes so I apply Dr Paw Paw Original Balm (the yellow one!) every night. If your eyes, like mine, look a little sunken underneath, some MAC Fast Response Eye Cream first thing in the morning really plumps them out.

Ciara: When it comes to the actual application, what is your weapon of choice? There are so many ways from brushes to beauty blenders to choose from, what do you feel works best?

Fabiana: I always use a miniature duo fibre brush – Nima’s ‘The Patricia’ brush is my favourite!

Ciara: When should you use a liquid concealer and when should you use a cream concealer?

Fabiana: Use liquid on the eyes and for extra coverage on the t-zone. Use cream for carving out a cut crease or defining the brows. 

Ciara: The big question… what is your all time favourite concealer, your absolute holy grail product? 

Fabiana: Nothing holds a candle to Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer for me. I’ve tried desperately to find cheaper dupes for buying in bulk for my pro kit but I’ve given up and honestly, I think it’s worth every cent. 

Ciara: For people suffering with puffy under eyes, which do you recommend?

Fabiana: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. It’s full coverage but totally weightless so it really wakes up tired looking eyes.

Ciara: Which product do you recommend those looking to hide severe dark circles?

Fabiana: IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye concealer. The coverage is absolutely phenomenal, I was blown away when I saw it cover up a tattoo using just a tiny amount!

Ciara: For people who find their concealer settles into their fine lines, what should they try?

Fabiana: MAC Pro Longwear Concealer. It doesn’t budge!

Ciara: What about all this noise about baking? Personally, I hated it when I tried it!

Fabiana: Not into baking at all to be honest, I sometimes do it on the t-zone if my clients have excess oil but never on the eyes.

Ciara: Should you set your concealer with powder? Which powder is your go to?

Fabiana: Think logically – your eyeshadow is powder so that sets it. I don’t use setting powder under the eyes because I find the more makeup I apply, the more likely it is to set into any fine lines. I love Makeup Revolution Lace Baking Powder to take away any shine on my face after concealer and foundation is applied but I try to use a minimal amount so my makeup doesn’t look too heavy.

Ciara: When it comes to choosing a shade in concealer, should it match your foundation?

Fabiana: I like to go just one shade lighter with my concealer to brighten up my eye area for a more youthful appearance.

Ciara: With thousands of YouTubers claiming to be makeup artists and giving tutorials, what is misinformation is being given to viewers?

Fabiana: That your under eye concealer should be ten shades lighter than the rest of your face, that you have to apply 10 billion dots of it (such a waste of product- a sin!) and that you have to bake it. Have you ever actually tried doing it at home? It looks atrociously thick. Skin should always still look like skin after makeup application, not like cement.

Ciara: Haha, I did try it with Tarte Shape Tape, my face looked plastic! What tips do you have for different skin types?

Fabiana: If you have dry skin, don’t even think about using cream concealer, on application it will drag against your skin and bring on premature ageing- nightmare! If you have oily skin, applying extra product won’t keep your makeup on any longer. Instead use a long-wearing, oil free foundation. 

Ciara: What are the biggest no-no’s when it comes to concealer application?

Fabiana: Don’t go straight in with a bright concealer if you have dark circles under your eyes. Use a colour correcting product such as L.A. Girl Pro Conceal in ‘Peach Corrector’ before applying your regular concealer. Peach/pink corrects the blue undertones seen in a dark eye. 

Ciara: Finally, any other tips you want to share with us?

Fabiana: If you have difficulty blending your concealer with a brush, gently pat it on using your ring finger. The warmth of your skin will cause the concealer to take on a buttery texture and it melts beautifully into the skin. 

The wonderful thing about these recommendations are that some of the products are extremely affordable! So you can try them without breaking the bank. L.A. Girl Pro Conceal and Makeup Revolution products can be found at Bradley’s Pharmacy in Blanchardstown Centre.

So go forth and brighten! I hope you have found this interview helpful, any questions please get in touch.

For those looking to know more about the angel that is Fabiana, you can check out her website, Facebook page and Instragram.

Fabiana Coppola is one of Ireland’s leading freelance makeup artists with 11 years experience. After specialising in Fashion & Media Makeup in college, Fabiana went on to work with MAC Cosmetics for 7 years before embarking on a lucrative freelance career in all areas of the industry.

As a freelance artist, Fabiana has facilitated numerous workshops & masterclasses for makeup artists & enthusiasts alike, as well as working on television, alongside some of Ireland’s top photographers on editorial shoots, at bodypainting events & fashion shows. On a weekly basis, she travels around the country completing numerous bridal parties, teaching one-on-one makeup lessons in the studio & getting her clients glammed up for every occassion.