Showing posts with label concealer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label concealer. Show all posts

Favourite Concealers


Concealers are some of the first beauty products I started buying and exploring. In all this time I've come to a realization that the concealers market is very undernourished here in Slovenia and it almost feels like they are deliberately trying to keep the good stuff away from us. That's why four out of five concealers featured in this post are only available abroad or online, as I won't talk about concealers that I don't believe in, just for the sake of easier availability. Ones I liked that I bought here were Artdeco's Perfect Teint Illuminator, YSL Anti-Cernes Multi-Action Concealer (stick concealer with a lovely creamy formula, but very expensive) and Essence Stay all Day (decent for the price, but there are so much better ones abroad). I've heard good things about L'Oreal's True Match Touche Magique Concealer, but I haven't tried it yet.


MAYBELLINE Anti-Age The Eraser
Level of coverage: Medium 
I've been in love with this concealer since I first tried it and my adoration for it persist. If you want full coverage this is not for you, but if you're like me searching for the most natural looking base and concealer products, don't hesitate to try this. The combination of a very light formula and the sponge application makes this a concealer that is super-fast to apply with very little blending and one with such a natural "of course I'm not wearing makeup" effect. The coverage is enough for my reddish under eye area, especially if I'm already wearing a base underneath and it never looks cakey. My only wish is that this came in more shades, lighter ones of course, but I'm making due with a pink toned shade called Fair. If this exact formula came in a foundation, I'll be all over it, but though a foundation in this line exists, I hear it's not that good. 
Girls from Slovenia can get this concealer on Feel Unique (only shade Nude), Boots International, on eBay and abroad closest in Austria (possibly also in Italy and Hungary, but I'm not sure).


Level of coverage: Medium 
I'm a huge fan of the CC cream from this line and this concealer's formula is very, very similar, except the shade is way better for me than the lightest in the CC creams. Just like the Eraser this is not a concealer that will cover everything on your skin, but it's another one that looks incredibly natural. It's again a concealer I use mostly under my eyes and on my nose, since it's a bit darker that the rest on my face due to a strange mix of uneven freckles and covers enough without looking cakey and obvious. The formula is super light and the lightest shade is neutral, which I really appreciate. The only huge minus is the quantity in the pen. You get a meagre 1.5 ml, so I don't buy this at full price, since even at a discount, I feel majority ripped-off. 


Level of coverage: Full 
Where are the days when everyone swore on this concealer? Well, I'm still one of them, even if everyone got too used to it. This really packs a punch and it's one of the most full coverage concealers I've tried to date. It covers almost everything, except very red blemishes might need another layer or two and it gives the skin almost a doll like effect because it erases so much. It can look cakey on dry skin, so I tend to use it quite sparingly, especially under the eyes where I reduce the amount to a little dot of product and blend it in well. The lightest shade called Fair is a nice match for my summer skin, though I can use it in the winter if I'm not too bothered and I use very little of it. It's other super power is durability on the skin and it can last you almost all day. The applicator is a classic doe foot. 
I buy it on Boots International, but some sell in on eBay.


Level of coverage: Full 
Another concealer with a very impressive level of coverage and I've said in my review that this doesn't differ much from the Collection's version. The level of coverage is about the same, as is its staying power and the formula is also very similar. The Nars' version is a bit creamier, which comes handy particularly under the eyes, but I genuinely don't notice much of a difference. The reason why I love it though is the shade. I've never found a concealer that would be so light and one that would really match my winter skin. Together with Sheer Glow in Siberia these are a power combination for perfect skin and in a colour that actually matches me. Due to lightness, I even get a bit of an illuminating effect under my eyes, which considering how pale I at, is unheard off. 
Mine is from HqHair.

A concealer with a similar formula and level of coverage is Clarins' Instant Concealer, which is available in Slovenia and I have trialled it for about a month, but it breaks me out. Price is about the same as NARS.


Level of coverage: Light 
This technically isn't a proper concealer, as it's actually an illuminating highlighting concealer that is mostly used over another more covering product. I didn't get this product at all when I first got it, the formula and coverage is so light that it barely covers anything, but when I was taking pictures of it for my review where I compared using concealer alone and with an addition of this on top, there was a difference. On the pictures with this my skin looked fresher, lifted and the circles were more diminished. I didn't see the difference without seeing the pictures because it's so subtle, but it is there. The quantity is again super stingy since mine is already on its lasts legs and I only used this on special occasions. I swear these pen shaped products are such a rip-off when it comes to quantity.
Slovene girls can get it on Salma, Feel Unique and Boots International. 

An alternative available in Slovenia is Artdeco's Perfect Teint Illuminator, but that one has a higher level of coverage. Also most obvious alternative is YSL's Touche Eclat, but I never tried it.
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Catrice Velvet Finish Foundation and Concealer


I wanted to avoid doing a review for this foundation simply because the lightest shade is way, way too dark for me meaning that I obviously wasn't going to do a "regular testing routine" by wearing it every day for a while, but I did wear it a few times when I was at home. The concealer, on the other hand, fits me a lot better, so I wore it quite a lot already. Velvet Finish range was designed with mature skins in mind and it promises to create an optical illusion of a lifting as well as to disguise wrinkles.

Velvet Finish Foundation with Hyaluron SPF 30
010 Light Velvet 


Texture and finish: This review is going to sound very similar to the one for Nude Illusion, in fact I consider these two to be close. Again as at Nude Illusion this feels like an old school foundation and the texture is even thicker, so the product comes out the pump in a very condensed and firm form. Despite the lack of the silicone slip, it still applies well without dragging and forms a smooth surface, but I prefer liquid foundations just because I'm more used to them. I wore Illusion and Velvet foundations side by side on each side of the face and the finish on my skin looks pretty much identical. It's what I call a luminous matte (it's described as velvety- matte by Catrice on this foundation) meaning it's a healthy, natural matte finish and not by any means the cakey, draining one of the for example Estee Lauder Maximum Cover. I must say Catrice does it's matte finishes flawlessly. 

Shade: I was given the lightest one in the selection of four called 010 Light Velvet. And now my rant begins. How, just how, can this be the lightest shade? This is at least two if not three shades too dark for me. It's not just too dark, but due to the undertone (peachy?) it looks orange on me, which doesn't happen at the Nude Illusion that has a neutral undertone. I think that even if I used a self tanner, it would have a very hard time making it work. I'd say it's similar to Bourjois Healthy Mix 53 or probably NW 25-30. 


I originally though that Nude Illusion's 010 and Velvet Finish's 010 are similar with the chief difference in the undertones. While they are wet/freshly swatched that is indeed the case, however as you can see from my swatches below, which I applied very thick and left to dry completely, it is obvious just how much darker Velvet Finish is. 


Coverage: It's hard for me to determine the level of coverage since this is so dark for me and the actual darkening of the skin disguises much of the redness. I don't think it has any more coverage than Nude Illusion, so it's a medium coverage foundation.


Staying power: As at Nude illusion I find that it wears very well on my skin. The luminous matte finish lasts for hours, the skin looks fresh a long time and there are no dry patches forming. However, again as at Illusion on some random days it's doesn't perform as well on me because it settles into pores and lines, but I think that problem has its roots in the condition of my skin rather than being the foundation's fault. At the end of the day there is a  lot of foundation on the pad when I use micellar water.

Scent: It has a gentle baby powder- sweet scent. To me it's pleasant, but it is barely noticeable upon application and completely absent later.


Packaging: A smaller glass bottle than Nude Illusion's, but with the same good pump that dispenses the desired amount of product. The matte glass makes it look a lot more expensive than it is. 


Price and availability: 5.29 € and it's available in four shades.

I actually don't find this all that different from Nude Illusion. As I said, I wore them side by side on the skin and I honestly see no difference. Velvet Finish has a thicker texture and the lightest shade is much darker once it sets, but in terms of finish, coverage and staying power it's the same thing on my normal/combination skin. I'd obviously still go for the Nude Illusion instead of this, but if you find a shade that matches you better in the Velvet Finish range then go for it.


Velvet Finish Concealer
010 Velvet Ivory


Texture: For a doe foot concealer it is slightly thicker and creamier than for example Maybelline's Fit Me, but it's still very much the standard liquid-but-not-really concealer. It blends very well, it actually melts into the skin seamlessly with no visible edges and that's what I really like about this concealer. In this respect it's similar to Maybelline's the Eraser. The finish is dewy and stays that way rather than it sets, so it looks quite different than the foundation. Due to a creamy texture, it's nice to use under the eyes, but for blemishes it's not ideal and I prefer something less slippery as it just "slips" of the spot if you try to blend the concealer in, even if I'm super careful.

Shade: Unlike the foundation, it is light and fits me ok. The lightest shade is is similar to Collection's shade Fair, but peachier. There are three shades available and as far as I know, all are on the light to medium side.


Coverage: The coverage hasn't wowed me. It's about medium and it doesn't cover my circles completely neither does it blemishes, but it also doesn't look cakey on a spot even if you layer it. I always have to apply at least two layers under my eyes and I still can't get a satisfying level of coverage for my needs. See how the redness still shows through under the eyes? I think I actually applied three layers here.


Staying Power: Due to creaminess, it's not as impressive as for example Collection or Nars', but it's decent for a drugstore concealer. Let's just call it average.


Packaging: A tube with a classic doe foot applicator. 

Price and availability: 4.49 € in drugstores.

Honestly, this is a very average concealer to me. There are so many better ones. It's a classic doe foot concealer, it reminds me a bit of the Essence Stay All Day one and I would prefer a higher level of coverage (compare for example the coverage of Collection concealer or Nars). I do like the shade, though.


There is also a powder in this collection, but I haven't tried it.

Have a great day!
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Maybelline Fit Me Concealer 15 Fair


There is so much talk about this concealer. Some refer to it just as a great drugstore buy, some find it HG and some even compare it to the much more expensive NARS' Radiant Creamy Concealer. I wasn't particularly impressed by it from the start (mainly due to the shade), but my impressions did improve with further use and though it is not one of my favourites, it's a decent concealer.


Texture: It's quite a light concealer, especially from what I'm used to when it comes to the texture of these doe foot versions. It is definitely much thinner than Collection Lasting Perfection or NARS Radiant Creamy concealer, in fact, I find it closest to Maybelline's The Eraser. This means it's easy to blend and you have more time to work with it. It's one of those concealers that isn't too drying, but at the same time not too liquid/creamy, so it works under the eyes as well as on spots and I like that a lot. 


Colour: Oh, the disappointment. I fear Maybelline has difficulties grasping the meaning of the word Fair. FYI Maybelline: it's a really pale shade with no orange, so the opposite of what you did (yes, I'm being evil now and no, I'm not sorry). 15 Fair is the darkest concealer I currently have in my collection. I think the swatches speak volumes and confirm my claim about it not being particularly light. In general it would fit someone with a NC/W 20-25 skin tone and just FYI, though there is a shade called 10 Light, it is in fact darker (swatches here).


Coverage: It has a medium to full coverage, but it's not like Collection's or NARS' concealer that's for sure. It's nice for covering circles, but needs to be layered to completely cover spots and the accompanying redness.


Staying power: It lasts decently, not all day like NARS or Collection, but it fades ok and doesn't look patchy.

Packaging: A simple tube with a doe foot applicator. It doesn't leak and works fine. Nothing more to add.

Some say that Fit Me is essentially a dupe for NARS' concealer - it's not in any way a dupe. Maybelline's is simply too light and doesn't cover as well. What I find being a very close approximate to NARS is Collection Lasting Perfection concealer of which I already spoke in a review. 


Price and availability: Mine is from Feel Unique for 7€, but it's widely sold in drugstores (including in Croatia, Austria and the rest neighbouring countries. Yet again we are the only exception in Slovenia. I want to take this opportunity and thank Slovene importers for continuously pissing me off. That's why I take my money elsewhere). It's sold on Salma for Slovene readers if you want to take a risk and guess your shade.

If the shade fit me (see what I did there?) I'd really like this concealer. The texture is nice and the coverage is fine for me to use under the eyes. However, I have to use quite a dark foundation and self tan to be able to use the bloody lightest shade in the range. Lovely. But if you can find a matching shade, it's a nice concealer to have. I am staying a firm fan of The Eraser.

Have a great day!
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L'Oreal Lumi Magique Concealer


Dubbed as the YSL Touche Éclat approximate (yes, I'm aware it's an odd word to use, but I wont' call it dupe because I never owned TE), this pen has very mixed reviews, with some people absolutely loving it and some finding it completely useless. I put it on my wishlist a very long time ago, but pondered afterwards whether to really take the plunge and buy it due to these conflicting opinions. One thing is very clear about this product - despite the name, it is absolutely not a concealer. It is a highlighting pen with light reflecting particles that disguise darkness under the eyes and lift the complexion by illuminating it. I must admit, I was quite perplexed by this pen and still am as I find it doesn't really make a massive difference when I'm applying it, but seeing now from the before and after pictures I've made for this post, there actually might be something about it, but I'll let you be the judge of that.


The formula is very light and doesn't offer much coverage, but hearing the words: "if you're using Touche Éclat as a concealer, you are doing it wrong" repeated in the beauty community, oh, so many times, I was very aware that this as well is not a stand alone product to use. I use a separate concealer under it that actually covers and then put this on top in the popular triangle shape under the eyes, avoiding the area right under the lashes. It's also supposed to be used on the high points of the face, so tops of cheekbones, bridge of the nose and cupid's bow. The first thing that made me to doubt its illuminating capabilities is the shade. Though it is light and peachy toned, it's not exactly light for me, meaning that's it's very close to my skin colour rather than a bit lighter, which I associate with illumination and I detect no illuminating particles in it like ones in their Lumi Magique Primer for example. 


Given how pale I naturally am, this also means that on anyone who is NC20 and darker this should look lighter. On the pictures I am using L'Oreal's Nude Maqiue eau de Teint foundation in 100 Porcelain, which is about NC20-25/Bourjois HMS 52-53, and Maybelline Fit Me concealer in Fair, which you can see from the swatches is anything but fair, so that illumination is more apparent.
Happy face! By the way on the lips I'm wearing Essence XXXL Longlasting lipgloss in 15 Coral Mousse.

The packaging is a rose gold metal-look click pen that works well, but collects dirt and fingerprints like there is no tomorrow. As at Bourjois CC Eye Cream there is a mere 1.5 ml of product inside which is a bloody rip off. However, for comparison Touche Eclat has 2.5 ml - again not a lot, which begs the question: what the hell are we paying for at all these pens? 


I got mine from Boots International, but it's sold in drugstores, obviously not ones in Slovenia (is anyone really surprised any more?). Slovene's can get it on Salma. 

As I said above, I'm not entirely convinced by this product. When applying it, I just don't notice a considerable difference, but the pictures tell a slightly different story or at least I think so. What do you think? Is it a noticeable enough difference that justifies owning this product? NARS's Chantilly, which is much lighter, makes a much more apparent illuminating effect for me, hence why I use it more often.

Have a great day!
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Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Eye Cream

While the 123 Perfect CC cream was on my wishlist, the eye cream from this release was an impulsive buy for me. I intended to get Maybelline's the Eraser, which is my favourite concealer, but I couldn't find it, so I grabbed this one on my way home. It's a nice concealer, but it has it's faults.

Texture: Light and runny. This texture allows easy blending and it's easy to cover larger areas. I also bought the CC cream recently and the textures are very similar (I'd do a separate review because I just got it).

Shade: I have the lightest shade called 21 Ivory which is slightly lighter than the CC cream and very close to Healthy Mix Serum with the exception that it's a much more neutral shade (kudos for that Bourjois! Now just make one lighter). It's very similar to Collection's Lasting Perfection concealer in Fair. 

Coverage: This is not the best covering concealer and I don't think it was meant to be anyway. It has a medium coverage that is very similar to the CC cream, maybe just a bit more. It doesn't completely cover my under eye circles, nor does it completely cover blemishes and due to the matte-ish texture it can stick on flaky parts of the skin, but it can cover redness and red marks from old blemishes. Honestly, for me it's enough as I like the natural look and it reminds me of my favourite concealer Maybelline's the Eraser, but I suppose most people wouldn't be too impressed.

Finish: Somewhere between matte and satin, in general very skin like. This really has a lovely finish.

Staying power: It's not the best, I'd say average. It rubs off in about 4 hours if you don't put powder over it. However, with powder over it, it lasts decently through the day.

Packaging: A twist up pencil shaped tube with a silicone nib. The silicone applicator is interesting, but in practice it can tug on the skin and it gets dirty which is my pet peeve (I want my make up super clean and looking like new). I actually apply it with fingers and not the applicator. I have to turn the mechanism that pushes out the product very carefully, otherwise I end up with too much concealer for application.

One massive disappointment for me, which I noticed only when I got home, is that this contains only 1.5 ml of product. Yes, you read right, that dot is placed correctly. That is a ridiculously small amount, it's like a perfume sample. For shame! If you look at the amount you get for price, even NARS' Radiant Creamy Concealer with it's 6 ml for 26 € is cheaper. 


Price and availability: I bought it in DM for 7.99 €.

Overall I like it. The finish is lovely and though the shade could be lighter, I love the fact it's neutral. However, the amount you get is shockingly small and since the coverage it so similar to the CC cream (which you can layer anyway), there is no need to own both. I'm angry that I paid 10€ for 1.5 ml of product, when those samples in little bags that have a similar amount are free. But that's just my humble opinion. 

 Have a great day!
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NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly (vs. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer)


I don't normally do anything as stupid and shell out 26€ for a concealer, though it has happened before (YSL Anti-Cernes multi-action concealer, which is lovely might I add and was 5€ cheaper back in 2006), but being super pale means finding a matching shade is about as rare as hen's teeth. So I treated myself for my birthday with the lightest concealer I have found to date - NARS Radiant creamy concealer in Chantilly.

Right off the bat I noticed how similar it is to Collection's Lasting Perfection concealer, especially for something that costs about a fifth of the price of NARS' concealer (or a little less than a half for someone like me who has to order it on eBay). But more about the comparison later in the post.

Texture: Super creamy, pigmented and very blendable, though it needs something underneath that has a bit of moisture be it a moisturiser or a moisturising foundation. Dry, matte skin won't allow this to spread and blend as nicely, resulting in it looking a bit patchy.  

Staying power: Just like Collection 2000, this lasts pretty much all day. It outlasts all the foundations I own apart from Estee Lauder Maximum Cover.

Coverage: Is almost full and buildable. It covers the redness and circles under my eyes completely as well as any blemishes. It takes a few layers to cover any dark freckle that I have, but even then it's not perfectly covered, though it's good enough for me. 

Finish: It leaves a satin-matte finish and I don't tend put powder over it unlike with other concealers. It doesn't settle in lines or crease.

Packaging: A simple tube with a doe foot applicator. The doe foot makes it easy to apply where you want and the amount you need. My only gripe is the rubberised cap (NARS' signature) which gets dirty super fast.


I went on and compared it too most foundations and concealers I own at the moment (well, as much as I could fit on my arm). When I was researching online, which shade to get, there weren't many helpful comparison pictures apart from the ones with shades within the Radiant Concealer range, which drove me mad.

Comparison with Collection Lasting Perfection concealer: I wore both side by side a few days in a row, using different foundations and BB's underneath to properly test it.


I wore both, one on each side of the face and I don't notice any difference in coverage, how they sit on the skin or how they wear off.

  • They both offer pretty much full coverage, the difference is in how much product you need to achieve that. NARS' has more coverage and is creamier making it a bit easier to blend. But you can get the same amount of coverage with Collection 2000. You just need to add a few more dots of the product or add another layer (and I think everyone can live with that, right?). 
  • The finish is spot on, the same satin-matte one and both have a tendency to cling to dry skin (something moisturising underneath fixes that problem). 
  • The only difference is that by the end of the day NARS' concealer lasts longer and look brighter, while on Collection's side the redness under my eyes already peeked through (which could also be a result of a difference in shades with the NARS being obviously lighter).


Here is a side by side comparison. I kept the pictures large if you want a closer look. You can also see a full-face version of me wearing both concealers here (the picture is too large for here, besides not every one wants to see my scary mug).

There is a difference in shades, but that's it. However, for a Snow White like me, there aren't many such light shades and this one fits me perfectly at the moment, especially when I wear it with Missha's BB, Dior's BB or Rimmel's Match Perfection, and that's why for me it's totally worth the money. I love it especially for under the eyes as it makes that brightening effect on me, which makes me look rather fabulous. Obviously, if you found a colour match in Collection 2000 range, honestly you don't desperately need NARS' Radiant Creamy concealer, but it is a great product to have.


Radiant creamy concealer is an excellent product, though, I still prefer the more natural looking texture of my beloved Maybelline the Eraser (I wish they made such a light shade), but Chantilly is still my little dream come true. As soon as I get a bit tanner this will be too light for me as well.

I bought NARS' Radiant Creamy concealer from HqHair for 26 € (21 £) and Collection's Lasting Perfection concealer of eBay for 12 € with shipping from a seller that doesn't exist any more (but I'm certain you are able to find one yourself) and it's sold in UK's Boots and Superdrugs for 4.19 £.

By the way, there is another fabulous concealer I tested in the shop (applied it under the eyes and the whole shebang) and I think it's one of the best concealers I ever tried. It's Clarins' Instant Concealer, however, the lightest shade is much darker than NARS' Chantilly (it's also pink toned, so maybe closer to Vanilla and Collection's Fair? I could be wrong). For anyone who doesn't have access to NARS or even Collection 2000, but can afford a high price tag, go check it out.  

Have a great day!
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Product of the Week #13

Recently, I have been skipping foundation/BB's entirely. Not just because of the heat, which makes any foundation feel suffocatingly heavy, but primarily because my skin got a lot better since I completely revamped my skin care regime. So I've been only using just a bit of concealer. But not just any in my collection. I used Maybelline's Instant Anti-Age The Eraser Eye. Why? Because it blends seamlessly into the skin and looks incredibly natural while covering circles and any other redness. I have raved about this it extensively in the past and it remains firmly at the top of my favourite concealers. It has medium coverage, but covers my circles completely and can handle some small blemishes. I just swipe a bit under the eyes, around the nose and on the nose (it's darker than the rest of my face). It doesn't require much blending, because believe or not, the sponge actually works. I blend where needed with fingers or RT brush if it's handy. The result is pretty much flawless (at least in my eyes). I sure hope my skin stays as good, because I am loving the minimalism, even though I sometimes I like applying foundation even when I don't need it. Since my T-zone is oiler than usual, I apply a bit of Mac's Mineralize Skinfinish Natural. For anything that needs more coverage, I still resort to Collection 2000 concealer, which covers everything, however, doesn't look as natural as the Maybelline one. 

I'm using the shade Fair, which is very light and pink toned. I have another in the shade Light, which is a bit darker and yellow toned. I have comparison swatches of both here.

For some unfathomable reason this drugstore gem is not sold in Slovenia, so I have to resort to buying it in our neighbouring Croatia and Austria. There is still eBay, though. Currently there is a set available in our drugstores with the foundation version of this, but I hear the formula is a lot lighter and not that good. Honestly, if this concealer would be a proper foundation, it would be one of my absolute favourites and definitely my favourite higher coverage ones.

Have a great day!
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