'I tried the $5 lip balm hack for dark circles. Here's how it went.'

Mamamia’s Tried and Tested series is your review of the latest to hit our desks in beauty, health and wellbeing. You won’t find any #sponsored content here, just honest, relatable and independent advice. This week, Mamamia's Beauty Editor trials the NIVEA lip balm dark circle technique. 

If there's but a sniff of a viral beauty hack out there, you can be assured we're trying it. And by 'we', I mean 'me'. 

From the haemorrhoid cream trick for wrinkles to THAT intense blush foundation hack, I've tried nappy rash cream for better skin, using lube as primer and even the 10-pump foundation trend. And yes, I go to bed at night knowing my degree in journalism really paid off.

But enough chit-chat, because we're here to cancel our dark circles with the NIVEA Lip Balm dark circle hack. Heard of it? Seen it? Got lost and suddenly reading this?

Allow me to explain.

Watch: Speaking of eyes, Bridal Makeup Artist Natalie Wright teaches us her techniques for a smokey eye with a twist... there's no black eyeshadow in sight. Post continues below.

The hack looks like it's been getting around on TikTok, but I first came across it on digital creator Munera's (@iconiccpinkk) account — and you guys, the results looked GOOD.

Please take a peek below.

@iconiccpinkk Using @NIVEA USA Lip Balms to cover up dark under eye circles? Let’s see if it works #foryou #undereyebags #darkcircles #nivea #niveausa #makeup ♬ original sound - Munera

Her expression says it all.

I know, I know. It's basically just colour correcting — except for the (very appealing) fact she's using a multi-purpose $5 product. The also intensely hydrates the under eyes instead of just tackling discolouration.

Now, I don't know if it's just me but I always feel like it can be tricky to find the best of both worlds when it comes to concealing under eyes — you want something that actually counteracts the dark tones of your under eyes, but you also want something lightweight and super hydrating. A tall order.

So, I was keen to see if it actually worked.

But before we get into it, let's just get this straight: Having dark circles is very much a normal thing that doesn't need to be 'fixed'. Goodness, not at all. We all have 'em!

But! If it is something that bothers you, we'd much rather give these hacks a whirl so you don't have to waste your time and money (even if it's five bucks!) on things that don't work.

With that outta the way, here's exactly what happened when I tried the viral NIVEA Lip Balm dark circle hack. 

What is the NIVEA Lip Balm dark circle hack?

Yes! Let's start here. In a nutshell, the viral NIVEA Lip Balm dark circle hack involves using a NIVEA Lip Balm in the shade 'Blackberry Shine' (or whatever shade suits your skin type best) and applying it under your eyes to counteract discolouration and dark circles, as well as keeping your under eyes hydrated and moisturised under the concealer you apply on top.

As I mentioned before, it's basically colour correcting, but with added benefits (cheap) (maximum hydration) (smells like berries).

Image: Supplied.

While most of the videos use the deeper, purple-y 'Blackberry Shine' shade, I purchased the 'Strawberry Shine' one because I thought it would work better for my skin tone and under eye discolouration.

How did you go with it?

Now, a little on my under-eyes. They can be quite dehydrated at times, and love providing a comfy home for concealer in the form of fine lines. 

They have a blue-ish undertone and would probably be best described as pigmented dark circles as opposed to sunken tear troughs or vascular dark circles (yes, there are different types of dark circles!).

As a rule of thumb, for blue hues you usually choose orange or peachy (pink/salmon) tones. I usually reach for a Bobbi Brown Skin Corrector Stick in Light Bisque to neutralise this area, before going over the top with concealer. The 'Strawberry Shine' balm is definitely more pinky than my usual choice, but I was keen to see if it would work.

I applied the balm under both eyes and added some concealer over the top (I used Bobbi Brown Concealer Stick).

Apologies in advance for the aggressive eye tug. Image: Supplied.

I know, I know — I'm pulling at the skin so much. Hurts my soul.

In any case, the balm itself felt lightweight and comfortable (not sticky) and was actually a lot more transparent than I expected — though, I applied a couple of swipes to get the pink hue to come through.

And look, as someone with sensitive, eczema-prone skin, it was hard to trust the process. After applying the balm, my eyes just looked like a red, irritated mess. 

But once I blended the formula in with a brush and applied my concealer over the top, things started looking — dare I say — good? Okay? Not terrible??

Here's what my eyes looked like before using the lip balm x concealer hack (left) and what it looked like after (right).

Before (left) and after (right). Image: Supplied.

Thoughts? Feelings? Qualms?

Look, obviously colour correction alone can't make your eye bags simply 'disappear' — camouflaging and treating dark circles are two very separate things. However, I think the combination of the pinky/red shade together with the concealer worked well to counteract the purple-y/blue-ish discolouration under my eyes for a brighter, more refreshed look.

I also found that the balm played surprisingly well under my cream concealer and made everything look and feel hydrated and moisturised. I was happy to find my concealer didn't chill in fine lines and there was no creasing, flaking or any of that funny business that usually happens with dry under eyes and makeup.

The verdict.

While I definitely score great coverage using my go-to colour corrector (shout out to my fave Bobbi Brown Skin Corrector Stick in Light Bisque), the thing I loved most about this hack was how hydrating it was — honestly, probably more so than using my cream colour corrector alone. But, maybe that just means I should just be applying an eye cream before makeup? Or concentrating a little more on hydration in this area? Hard to say.

Overall, I think my eyes looked surprisingly brighter, lighter and more refreshed after using the hack. However, it's useful noting that while my dry under eyes clung to the extra moisture and natural oils from the balm, oilier skin types might struggle with staying power. Obviously this hack is also totally dependent on the type of dark circles you have, too. So, it's definitely not a one-size-fits-all kind of technique. 

If anything, though — it's a great reminder of the power of colour correction. We love colour correction! Plus, if I'm ever stuck with a set of dark circles and nothing but a $5 lip balm and concealer — I'll know what to do.

What are your thoughts on the lip balm eye concealer trend? Would you try it? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

Feature image: TikTok/@iconiccpinkk