If anyone knows how to turn back the clock with a makeup brush, it’s Scott Barnes—the legendary makeup artist behind Jennifer Lopez’s iconic glow. And according to pro MUA and beauty YouTuber Risa (@risadoesmakeup), his under-eye concealer hack may be one of his best yet. It involves something shockingly simple: Aquaphor lip balm.
“Scott Barnes said this trick can take 20 years off your face—and of course I was all ears,” says Risa in her YouTube breakdown of the viral technique. As a professional who works with mature skin, she was especially curious about whether this would really work. “I truly don’t think I’ve seen anyone else attempt this using Aquaphor lip balm.”
The Viral Concealer Trick, Step-by-Step
Here’s how it works: Instead of applying concealer directly to bare skin, Barnes recommends prepping the under-eye area with a thin layer of Aquaphor lip balm first.
“This makes your concealer stay 10 times longer, it doesn’t crease, it doesn’t break down the makeup,” Barnes explains in a clip Risa shares. “I figured this out after hours and hours of photo shoots, movies, and music videos.”
After applying the balm under her eyes (and in other crease-prone areas), Risa pats in her favorite concealer using a brush—then finishes by blending with her fingertip. “Most pro makeup artists use their fingers to pat out concealer because the warmth helps it mesh with the skin,” she explains.
The final step? A light dusting of setting powder to lock everything in. Risa used Pat McGrath’s under-eye blurring powder, but Barnes has also recommended affordable picks like Maybelline’s Super Stay.
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The Results
In her follow-up check-in five hours later, Risa shows her under-eyes in both studio lighting and natural daylight—and the results are shockingly smooth and crease-free.
“This is honestly one of the best concealer wear tests I’ve done in a while,” she says. “It didn’t move, it didn’t get cakey, and it didn’t settle into fine lines.”
And while she plans to keep testing it—especially on her 76-year-old mother—she’s already impressed. “If this works this well on mature skin, I can only imagine what it could do for younger complexions.”
So if you’re tired of concealer settling into fine lines or fading by lunchtime, this $5 hack might just be your new holy grail. As Barnes himself says: “It’s magic.”
