This Kylie Cosmetics Powder Lets Me Fake 8 Hours Of Sleep

I mostly use makeup to enhance versus cover up — except when it comes to my dark circles. They’ve always been there, but they’ve become increasingly prominent since I had my son over two years ago. To hide them, I layer concealer over foundation, but that’s as far as I go.

I know more advanced techniques exist, of course — the main one being color-correcting. According to color theory, using complementary shades can neutralize or cancel out unwanted discoloration on your skin. The concept is simple enough, but since it calls for adding yet another product and step to my always-rushed getting-ready routine, I’ve never fully embraced it.

Then I got my hands on the Kylie Cosmetics Natural Blur Brightening Powder, a lightweight under-eye powder designed to brighten, blur, and smooth for an instantly more refreshed glow. While it’s not technically a color corrector, it comes in shades meant to brighten dark circles. Since I complain about my dark circles on an almost daily basis, I figured I should see whether adding this extra step to my routine could make a difference.

Fast Facts

• Price: $24
• Best for: Instant brightening for the under-eye area.
• Rating: 4.7/5
• What I like: It delivers on its blurring and brightening promises; its lightweight texture.
• What I don’t like: If you overdo it, it can crease.

The Natural Blur Brightening Powder

Officially launching on June 16, Kylie Cosmetics' Natural Blur Brightening Powder is designed to do for tired under-eyes what a good night's sleep sometimes can't: make them look brighter, smoother, and more awake. Like the brand's cult-favorite Natural Blur Powder Foundation, it has an ultra-lightweight, breathable texture that delivers a soft-focus, airbrushed effect without caking.

Despite being a matte powder, the formula is hydrating, so it keeps the under-eye area looking smooth rather than dry or creased. You can apply it with any brush — or even your fingertips — though Kylie Cosmetics launched the dual-ended Precise Sculpting Complexion Brush 05 alongside the powder for more targeted application.

The powder comes in four shades: Translucent, a sheer white; Soft Pink; Banana Yellow; and Deep Peach, each intended to brighten different skin tones and types of discoloration.

The Review

When I first swatched the powder onto the back of my hand, I was surprised by just how little I felt it. The pressed pigment has a velvety-soft texture in the compact, but once applied, it practically melts into the skin, leaving behind only a subtle soft-focus glow.

As someone with fair skin, I first opted for the Banana Yellow shade — which, according to the brand, should help hide dark circles on light to tan complexions with warm and warm-neutral undertones. I applied the product using the wedge-shaped side of the corresponding brush, lightly dusting a layer under my eyes on top of my liquid foundation. There was an immediate difference: The bluish-purple shadows had vanished, and somehow my makeup still looked like makeup — not a heavily concealed under-eye situation. I just looked noticeably more awake.

I’ve had bad experiences with powders in the past; they’ve often accentuated fine lines and made my skin look dry by lunchtime. But this one didn’t do either — even after a full day of wear. Hours later, my under-eyes still looked smooth, and the formula remained virtually undetectable on my skin.

I tried the Translucent shade the following day, not expecting as much of a difference — but I was proved wrong. Despite being, well, translucent, it also delivered a surprising amount of brightness. It wasn’t as dramatic, but it still made me look like I got hours more sleep than I actually did. The Soft Pink also worked wonders; I found that the yellow was a better fit for my skin tone, but the pink gave a more romantic finish that paired beautifully with the mauve blush I wore that day.

For application, I've used both my fingertips and Kylie Cosmetics' new brush. Both get the job done, but the brush wins points for helping me reach the inner corners of my eyes.

The Verdict

The Kylie Cosmetics Natural Blur Brightening Powder understood the assignment: It flawlessly blurred and brightened the notoriously moody under-eye area without any of the typical powder-related drama — no creasing, no pilling, and no spotlighting of fine lines.

I was worried that adding a powder of all things to my routine in the summer would be a bad idea. Instead of weighing down my makeup, though, it was one of those rare products I forgot I was wearing. Most importantly? It solves my biggest beauty concern: dark circles that make me look as tired as I feel.

The best part is that the effect extends beyond the under-eye area. By brightening that one section of my face, the powder made my entire complexion appear more rested and energized. As a mom who is almost never well-rested, I'll gladly take the illusion.

If dark circles are also your nemesis, this is one extra makeup step that's actually worth the effort.