Afternoon beauty fix: The less-is-more way to stop the appearance of under-eye dark spots

I am meticulous about covering the dark circles under my eyes. Is there something I can do to stop them from appearing in the first place? You can’t eliminate that pigmentation; it’s the residual effect of enzymes breaking down rogue red blood cells that escape the capillaries surrounding your eye. If you want to stop wearing concealer, you could simply cease its use, but I’d rather you find you a solution that maintains your one-step morning beauty routine and also supports my belief that sometimes wearing more makeup is “more.”  Wearing a tinted moisturizer like Pure Finish Mineral Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 by Elizabeth Arden ($38, at Shoppers Drug Mart, the Bay, and Sears) means you’ll get more sun protection and improved skin-evening coverage than concealer can deliver on its own. Plus, added minerals called mica diffuse light as it hits your face, so darkened areas appear brighter instead of “concealed,” and vitamins A, C, and E offer both moisture and anti-oxidant protection from free radicals, which are more damaging to your skin than runaway red blood cells.

In need of an afternoon beauty pick-me-up? Email us at beautyfix@fashionmagazine.com.