You are absolutely on the mark about the cause of your beauty dilemma. I asked New York Dermatological Cosmetic Surgeon Dr. Rhoda S. Narins-- who vaporizes dark pigment with a Yag laser treatment to permanently eliminate under-eye circles-- what she thinks. Dr. Narins' explains, "Dark eye circles are hereditary but tend to appear worse with age as the skin loosens and picks up the shadow."

Correctly and naturally obscuring under-eye rings can be vexing if you are not using the right makeup concealers. Best intentions gone awry can present a beauty breakdown worse than what you're trying to mask. First, why not consider a treatment like Avon (1-800-FOR-AVON) Lighten Up that diminishes the appearance of dark under-eye circles as it moisturizes?

Makeup artists are masters of creating a flawless finish, so when top camouflage experts open up their professional kits to you with a their own signature line of cosmetics it's time to get in on the buzz.

Just decide which cover-up suits you.

According to Bobbi Brown, makeup artist and cosmetic company mogul, finding the right formula and color is key. Concealer should be yellow-toned and one shade lighter than your foundation. Avoid too white or pink concealers that will only appear that color when applied. Select either Bobbi Brown Professional Concealer or Essentials Foundation Stick for lighter coverage.

Laura Mercier (1-888-MERCIER) Secret Camouflage is a compact duo with one shade to match the skin's undertones and one to match the skin's color so you can custom blend your perfect shade.

Laura suggests:

- Mix concealer with a tiny amount of eye cream or moisturizer for a smoother consistency
- Use your finger or a makeup blush to apply
- Hold the end of the brush to ensure light feathery strokes
- Use fingers to blend in color
- Set with translucent powder

If mixing and matching is too much for you or you need on-the-go touch-ups, try Magic Stick from Paula Dorf (888-4-PAULA-D). Paula says it "magically" matches skin tones, "making everyone look flawless".

When it comes to faking it, there's nothing better than your own industrial-strength "retoucher," from BeneFit Cosmetic's Itty Bitty Fake-it collection... the Boi-ing! Concealer. Or, a novel, yet effective way to obliterate raccoon eyes is to write them off with the jumbo Pupa XXL Brilliant Concealer Pencil

For a super-light non-makeupy feel, perfect for the gym, or just hangin',Tony & Tina Therapeutic Eye Base doubles as a treatment and a cover-up.

A staple in tube cover-ups is Christian Dior (fine stores) Hydrating Concealer in an array of colors that run the gambit from ivory to mahogany. Hard Candy Twosome double-ended wand lays down concealer on one side, blemish control on the other.

Kimara Ahnert's (kimaraahnert.com ;1-800-452-9802) Camouflage Kit presents a wheel of five colors--mint, amber, medium-neutral, and luminizer-- to neutralize and tone. Kimara suggests, "Apply the mint or amber shades underneath under-eye concealer to prime the area and provide extra coverage." Paradoxically, the kit is also popular with people healing from plastic surgery!

Somewhere between a shot of ginseng and a dab of concealer rests the formula for a youthful, bright-eyed appearance. A washed-out face makes dark circles more prominent. How about cleverly distracting from under-eye umbra with some beauty department illusions?

The trick is to emphasize eyes and lip with soft definition: Add impact-- while still being natural-- with Shiseido (better stores) Petit Shadow Duo in Brown-Snow Tea and Chanel (fine stores) Sculpte Mascara for eye-opening lashes. Burt's Bees (1-800-849-7112) minty lipsticks offer an array of better-than-nude shades. Thanks to Yves Saint Laurent (better stores) Poppy Red Pure Lipstick, your kisses will not be for the faint of heart. Now, go out and live it up!

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