Dark Circles.

Byline: Ellen Miller

Banish undereye shadows in four easy steps.

During swimsuit season, women moan about cellulite, but year-round, the focus is on another frustrating beauty dilemma. "Dark circles are the number one complaint among my patients," says Leslie Baumann, professor of dermatology at the University of Miami School of Medicine. "And they're one of the most stubborn problems to treat." Blue circles are typically caused by blood pooling under the eyes, while yellow or brown circles are usually a buildup of melanin caused by the sun. Eye creams with retinol and vitamin K or hydroquinone can help, but concealer is the key to hiding them. Because many women pick a concealer that's too light, makeup artist Laura Mercier offers a general rule: Choose a yellow-tone concealer if your dark circles have a blue cast (most do) and a peachy one if they don't--and always match your skin.

PROTECT 1

On clean skin, use your ring finger to pat an eye cream that contains sunscreen (at least SPF 15) around the entire eye area, including the lids and brow bones. Be gentle when applying--rubbing can stretch out the thin, delicate skin that surrounds the eyes.

CONCEAL 2

Go for a creamy concealer to hide circles without caking. Standing in natural light, apply three dots of color with a concealer brush. The dots should start near the tear duct and end under the iris. Pat (don't rub) your ring finger over the dots of color to blend.