I had to wake up at 4:15 yesterday morning to film a TV segment. Needless to say, I had some raging undereye circles. Lucky for me (and for the people watching my segment), makeup artist Angella Valentine was stocked up on concealer—and ready to share her application tips. A few things I hadn’t heard before that work:

Mix a dab of primer with your concealer: You can use eye primer, but if you don’t have any, face primer works just as well. (In fact, Valentine likes Smashbox Photo Finish, which is made for the face). This can do a lot of things:

1. For people whose sensitive skin is irritated by eye cream, the added primer helps moisturize the area in a gentle way.
2. For people who aren’t irritated by eye creams but end up with caked-up concealer two minutes later, the primer is smoother (and less dense) than a cream and locks the concealer in place.
3. The combination gives you full coverage without the heavy texture often accompanied by traditional full-coverage formulas.

If you have super-purple circles, choose a concealer one shade deeper than the rest of your skin. Since dark circles are, by nature, darker than the skin on your forehead and cheeks, a slightly darker cover-up color can actually look more natural. If you go with a shade that matches the rest of your face skin, your undereyes could appear too light—and bring attention you don’t want to the area.

Try Benefit Erase Paste: Valentine loves the coverage this concealer gives, but says that “it’s very pink. If your skin is more yellow, mix this with your regular facial concealer and then tap it under your eyes. Then mix a bit with your foundation to unify the look.”

RELATED LINKS:
· Daily Beauty Reporter: Readers’ Choice Survey: Vote and you could win a spa trip!
· Romantic Beauty Ideas: The Top 7 Long-Wearing Lip Colors for Valentine’s Day
· Romantic Beauty Ideas: The 10 Best Valentine’s Day Beauty Ideas
· Daily Beauty Reporter: The 6 Best Beauty Looks From The Grammys
· Daily Beauty Reporter: The 5 Best Looks from the Golden Globes

PHOTO: DAN DRURY

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If 2010 already has you stressed, help is on the way. From now until February 28th, you can enter to win Spa Week’s National Wellness Giveaway where 28 spas across the country are offering day packages for 28 lucky winners. If massages aren’t your thing, check out other simple relaxation tips below. And, for more info on how to calm your nerves, pick up our February issue, on stands now.

1. Focus on positive thoughts. It’s impossible to stop worrying entirely, but try to keep it to what’s called productive worry—ie. things you can control, like meeting deadlines or pleasing a boss.

2. Sweat off the stress. In other words, hit the treadmill. Working out boosts your ability to withstand emotional anxiety.

3. Do one thing that makes you happy every day. It can be meeting a friend for lunch, practicing yoga, or reading a book—the benefits will “rebound for the rest of the day,” says Sonja Lyubomirsky, a psychology professor at the University of California, Riverdale.

4. Clean up your clutter. Piles of papers or a messy house are sources of stress we don’t even notice, says Lyubomirsky.

5. Unplug all the technology. Cell phones, email, Facebook, and Twitter “have become a huge source of anxiety,” says Rita Emmett, author of Manage Your Time To Reduce Your Stress, because we are constantly available. Set hours when you’re not reachable—and stick to them like you would a work schedule.

RELATED LINKS:
· Daily Beauty Reporter: Readers’ Choice Survey: Vote and you could win a spa trip!
· Daily Beauty Reporter: Is a Cheap Spa Experience as Good as an Expensive One?

PHOTO: DAVID STESNER

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Drama students from China get makeup tips during workshop at Spring Arbor University
Katie Rausch | Jackson Citizen Patriot Zhang Yiren, a 17-year-old drama student from Beijing, applies eyeliner during a makeup workshop Monday at Spring Arbor University.A group of 15 Chinese students arrived at Spring Arbor University’s White Auditorium on Monday, only…

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On Allure’s Facebook page, a reader recently commented that she rarely finds tips for her bob haircut. Allow us!

• The freshest bob is one with angled layers. If you want an edgier look, ask your stylist to keep the front sections at your chin but to trim the back so it’s no longer than your hairline.
• If you have fine hair, get a blunt bob–it can make wimpy strands look thicker. Sprinkling a little dry shampoo at the roots will also help build volume. (We like Fekkai Au Naturel Dry Shampoo.)
• For wavy hair, the key is to avoid a cut that turns your head into a triangle/pyramid/disaster. A bob that’s a little longer than chin-length and layered in the back will keep you out of embarrassment’s way.
• Bangs with a bob look hot. Just make sure they’re strong, not soft–wispy bangs can look dated and too girly.
• Don’t OD on products, but don’t skip them entirely—or watch as your short style turns poofy. The pros say that a volumizing spray is ideal for hair this length. Spritz it at the crown of damp hair, then blow- or air-dry. (Try Phyto Phytovolume Actif Volumizer Spray.)
• For a sexy evening look, tease the crown of your hair and if you have bangs, brush them over to the side.
• To shake things up, add a hair accessory—but avoid anything patterned or sparkly, which can look teeny-bopper with a bob. You can use a simple barrette to fasten side-swept bangs at eye level. Or go with a wide headband.

RELATED LINKS:
· Become a Fan of Allure on Facebook!
· Daily Beauty Reporter: Michelle Obama’s New Bob
· Daily Beauty Reporter: Lauren’s New Do
· The Hottest Cuts
· Daily Beauty Reporter: Do You Prefer Katie Holmes’s Hair Long or Short?
· Daily Beauty Reporter: Katy Perry’s Breakup Bob

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

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