This TikTok-Famous Color Corrector Literally Made My Dark Circles Vanish

exa-color-corrector-review-300393-1654714455217-main

(Image credit: @kaitlyn_mclintock)

I've struggled with dark circles since high school. Back then, they really bugged me. I wouldn't dare leave the house without swiping on a thick coat of concealer, and even then, they would stubbornly show through. Maybe it was because I was a self-conscious teenager, but I couldn't stand this perceived imperfection. When people would ask me if I was tired or not feeling well, it only made it worse.

Somewhere along the way, though, I began to tolerate and maybe even accept them. I stopped focusing on them every time I looked in the mirror. I stopped wearing heavy coats of concealer to hide them. These days, I rarely think about them at all. And while I'm enjoying this new dark-circles-don't-matter attitude, there are still days when I prefer to brighten them up a bit. (What can I say? I'm only human.)

So when I saw a certain color corrector going viral on TikTok, I thought it might be worth testing. After all, who wouldn't want a product in their makeup bag that was sure to disguise dark circles? I certainly do. At the very least, I could use it on days when I'm short on sleep. And let me tell you, it worked. After swiping it on, blending it in, and applying a thin layer of concealer over the top, my dark circles had all but vanished. Keep scrolling to see the proof.

Here's the color corrector in question. It has a light-pink hue that cancels out dark spots and dark circles on light skin tones. The brand offers a range of shades to accommodate all skin tones. (More on that in a minute. This just happened to be the one that matched me.)

exa-color-corrector-review-300393-1654715891556-main

(Image credit: Credo Beauty)

Just like any other color corrector, it's meant to be applied to the skin before foundation or concealer. So that's what I did. I swiped it on directly from the doe-foot applicator. From there, I blended it out lightly with my Beautyblender ($20) and applied my favorite Il Makiage F*ck I'm Flawless Multi-Use Perfecting Concealer ($31) over the top. I used my Beautyblender again to lightly blend out the concealer, and I was done. So were my dark circles. The stubborn half-moons that were there just moments before were perfectly corrected and concealed.

Before

exa-color-corrector-review-300393-1654715754228-main

(Image credit: @kaitlyn_mclintock)

For reference, this is what my dark circles looked like before I used the color corrector. They don't look too bad in this picture, but I have good lighting to thank for that (trust me—in real life, they looked way more distinct).

After

exa-color-corrector-review-300393-1654715840436-main

(Image credit: @kaitlyn_mclintock)

Here's what I looked like after applying the color corrector and concealer. If I can be so bold as to say so, I feel like my eye area looks brighter and refreshed. That alone is enough to make me look wide awake (and not like I'm overtired and short on sleep, which was the reality of the situation). The best part? It didn't look cakey or unnatural IRL—the result was smooth, even, and undetectable even though I had layered multiple products.

Even though the lighting is slightly different from the first photo, I didn't add any other makeup products to the mix—it was solely the combination of the color corrector and the concealer that made this difference. Can I take a second to applaud this transformation and extend a big "thank-you!" to TikTok for the recommendation?

exa-color-corrector-review-300393-1654716536448-main

(Image credit: @kaitlyn_mclintock)

As I mentioned, this brand doesn't just cater to one skin tone or skin concern. There are six shades in total, ranging from pale yellow to red-orange for diverse dark circle–correcting power. There's even a green shade to cancel out redness.

Here's the green color corrector. Instead of a vibrant spring green, which is the hue many other green color correctors have, this one is almost grayish. I've found that it helps it blend in and look more natural than others I've tried. I don't have to layer as much concealer over the top, and my redness is still covered.

This yellow color corrector balances redness and dark spots on light skin tones.

Here's the shade I used to correct the blue and purple tones in my dark circles.

This shade balances dark spots and dark circles on medium skin tones.

This shade balances dark spots and dark circles on medium to deep skin tones.

Use this one to balance dark spots and dark circles on dark skin tones.

Shop More of My Favorite Eye Products

This article was originally published at an earlier date and has been updated.

Kaitlyn McLintock
Associate Beauty Editor

Kaitlyn McLintock is an Associate Beauty Editor at Who What Wear. Although she covers a wide range of topics across a variety of categories, she specializes in celebrity interviews and skincare and wellness content. Having lived in Los Angeles and Austin, Texas, she recently relocated back to her home state of Michigan where she works remotely. Prior to Who What Wear, she freelanced for a variety of industry-leading digital publications, including InStyle, The Zoe Report, Bustle, Hello Giggles, and Coveteur. Before that, she held a long-term internship and subsequent contributor position at Byrdie. When she's not writing, researching, or testing the latest and greatest beauty products, she's working her way through an ever-growing book collection, swimming in the Great Lakes, or spending time with family.