Tag: concealer

Concealers Worth Your Money, Honey! | Part II

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One of my most viewed blog posts is my “Concealers Worth Your Money, Honey!” post from October 23rd, 2016! I thought it was time for an update and to my surprise, only one of the concealers mentioned in that previous post has remained a present day fav! If I had to guess, this subject has such popularity because of how common dark circles are for all of us! Whether you have them because they’re hereditary, or you’re a new Mom, an overworked employee, whatever the circumstances may be…we all seem to struggle with being tired and/or having discoloration in our under eyes. I wanted to include different brands, price points, formulations, etc. to fit the needs of the variety of skin types/concerns of my readers. Just to give you some background information about me. I am always tired due to a new job with a very demanding work schedule. I also have dark, blue-black circles underneath my eyes from genetics. Plus, I have seasonal allergies which play a big role in the puffiness and swelling that I experience this time of year. Safe to say, I have less-than-perfect under eyes and personally NEED to wear concealer in order to feel comfortable. It’s a step I never skip, whether I’m going for a natural, “no makeup makeup” look or a full glam beat! There is never a time (unless I’m physically ill or in a state of emergency) that I’ll pass on concealer. Since I do have this great need, I’ve tested a lot of different formulas from many different brands and have narrowed down my list to 5.

L’Oréal Infallible Full Wear Waterproof Concealer | $13.49

I stumbled upon this product when I was trying to find a more affordable dupe for the Tarte Shape Tape Concealer. After reading reviews and testing swatches in store, this one seemed to be the closest match on the claims and coverage from Tarte Shape Tape. This is a very full coverage product that dries to a matte finish. I would definitely recommend applying this with a damp beauty blender to thin out the formula. I really like the large doe foot applicator because it covers such a wide area very quickly! It claims to be water resistant and all day wear, but I’ve never really tested it to withstand either of those conditions. I can tell you that it for about 14-15 hours on me and didn’t fade. I really like the versatility of this concealer because I can use it to cover up imperfections, such as blemishes and dark spots, and also use it underneath my eyes!

Tarte Double Duty Beauty Shape Tape Contour Concealer | $27.00

If I could only recommend one concealer to you, it would definitely be this one! I’ve used it for years and it’s just so consistently amazing. Not only is it very full coverage, but it is also lightweight and very blendable! Warning: this can get cakey and look dry if you 1. Apply too much (all you need is a small swipe of product underneath each eye) or 2. You blend it out with a brush. I’ve found that using a damp beauty blender is key to sheering out this concealer and making it look more skin like and natural, without taking away from any of the coverage it provides. It also will not settle into your fine lines, exaggerate pores, or cling to dry patches. I think it’s also very important to mention that this is formulated without Parabens, Mineral Oil, Phthalates, Triclosan, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, and Gluten. It’s also Vegan and Cruelty-Free! I have 2 of these in my collection at the moment. One is in the shade “Light Neutral” which is about 1-2 shades lighter than my skin. It’s definitely personal preference, but I’ve found that buying a concealer that is a shade lighter than my foundation, really helps brighten up my under eyes. I also use the shade “Light Medium Sand” to conceal blemishes, which I want to match the color of my foundation and provide extra coverage for redness and inflamed looking skin.

Too Faced Born This Way Super Coverage Multi-Use Sculpting Concealer | $29.00

If you have dry under eye skin, combined with dark circles, then I would highly recommend this Too Faced concealer to you! The formula is infused with coconut water, alpine rose, and hyaluronic acid which keeps your skin plump and refreshed throughout the day! I’ve noticed that this product is a lot thinner than the previous two I’ve mentioned, however it still has high coverage and will conceal darkness and discoloration. It has a very lightweight feeling once applied and blends effortlessly into foundation. I’ve actually found that it pairs so perfectly with the Born This Way foundation from Too Faced! I know this product works really well on mature skin because it is so nourishing and won’t settle into fine lines. You definitely have to set this! I would use a really finely milled translucent setting powder on a tapered brush and just tap tap tap out the creases! I find that all hydrating concealers require setting powder to last all day. I use this in the shade “Snow” which is one of their lightest colors. It does oxidize (turn a shade darker) after it’s applied, so be warned of that as well. I would test some in store on the back of your hand, walk around for a bit, then check back to see if the color has darkened since first applied. That’s how I had to select my perfect brightening color!

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer | $9.99

Okay I HAD to include this because I don’t use it alone, but rather in conjunction with all of these other concealers to brighten the darkness first, and then cover it with a shade of concealer that is closer to my skin tone on top. The “Brightener” shade is a peachy pink, color correcting product that is going to counteract the blue/black tones of your under eyes. It instantly gives life to sallow, sunken areas that need an extra boost! I’ve found that I use less concealer when I first apply this, which ensures that I never look cakey around my eye area. It’s seriously so good! I really love the shade “Neutralizer” as well. These are such a great affordable concealer that I seem to always have in my collection. Such a staple!

bareMinerals bareSkin Complete Coverage Serum Concealer | $22.00

If you really don’t have bad dark circles, but mainly just want to brighten and hydrate your under eyes, then this is going to be your bestie! This has such a silky, smooth texture and glides evenly over the skin. I love the way this feels on my skin. It is definitely not the most full coverage, but it does cover and will last for 8 hours (sometimes more) without fading! The way I apply this is by creating the standard diamond shape underneath my eyes, then letting the product sit there for about a minute. Then once I feel like it’s started to set, I will blend it out with my damp beauty blender. I’ve found that this method works best if you want to get the maximum amount of coverage from this concealer. As always, I think it’s really important to know that this formula is Paraben-Free, Phthalate-Free, Formaldehyde-Free , Chemical Sunscreen-Free, Triclosan-Free, Triclocarbon-Free, Propylene Glycol-Free. Mineral Oil-Free, Coal Tar-Free, Microbead-Free, and Cruelty-Free. If you get this concealer, I guarantee that your eyes will look more healthy and hydrated!

Whew, that was a lot! If you made it to the end, thank you SO much for sticking it out and reading all 5 of my recommendations. Each of these concealers is so different. I wanted to give you a variety to choose from because I know that we don’t all have the same skin types and concerns! If you know of an incredible concealer that I’m missing out on, then please leave me a comment so I can try it next! Love you!

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How to Look Well-Rested with Brighter and Wider Eyes!

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Do you have dark circles, puffy eyes or just a sleepy looking appearance after repeatedly hitting snooze on your seven alarms? Because same. I developed a routine to de-puff and give a highlighted, lifted appearance to my under eye area, while also brightening and widening my eyes! Keep reading to see the list of products I use and the ways I apply them to look more awake!

I always wake up with puffy eyes and the Clinique “Pep-Start” Eye Cream is my go-to for hydrating and brightening! I love it for so many reasons. I’ve struggled with finding the perfect formula to lightly moisturize my under eyes before I apply concealer. Whenever eye creams are too heavy, it will cause whatever you put on top of it to look heavy and crease. This one is so lightweight, while also being hydrating, so it’s the perfect formula for A.M. application! It is cooling to the touch, which helps with de-puffing as well! I’ve also noticed that this doesn’t give me those small white bumps, which sometimes can happen with different eye creams that I’ve tried. I use a small, pea sized amount and tap it on with my ring finger since it applies the lightest amount of pressure! I wait about a minute for it to sink in and then I go onto the next step!

I’ve been using the Becca “Under Eye Brightening Corrector” for a couple years now and I can’t imagine this product not being in my daily routine! If you have stubborn dark circles that show through with even the most full coverage concealers, then you need to invest in a good corrector! This one is a peach color with light reflecting illuminators, which will counteract the blue tones in your dark circles. A little goes a long way with this product, plus it lasts all day long! I apply this with my damp beautyblender underneath my eye and in the inner corners.

After I’ve moisturized and corrected, I apply a full coverage concealer! I always purchase one that’s 1-2 shades lighter than my foundation to give a highlighted effect! My holy grail formula is the Tarte “Double Duty Beauty Shape Tape Contour Concealer” (that’s a mouthful!) and it comes in 14 shades so you’re bound to find your perfect match! It is by far the most lightweight, full coverage formula that I’ve ever tried! It truly conceals acne, dark circles and redness so flawlessly! I always use this product with a damp beautyblender to help sheer it out slightly! If you’ve struggled with your concealer wearing off, then you NEED to try this one because it doesn’t fade during the day or look drying!

By this point, I’ve used so many creamy, liquid products underneath my eyes, that I have to set it with a powder to lock it all in and prevent any creasing! I always choose a yellow-toned, matte highlight powder to enhance the brightening effect I’m going for! Even if you have a different skin tone than me, I would still highly suggest checking out the NYX “Highlight Pro Singles” on Ulta.com! These aren’t sold in store, but I always stock up online! At only $5 a pan, they’re extremely affordable and there are 12 different shades to choose from. I was constantly buying the Anastasia highlight refills and then I discovered these, which are just as pigmented! The powder will also help smooth out any fine lines you may have, which is an added bonus!

Now that my under eyes are concealed and bright, I move onto making my eyes look big and awake! On a daily basis, I typically just apply my bronzer in my crease and take a shimmery shade all over the lid. Even when I’m rushing, I will never forget to highlight my inner corners with a shimmery, champagne eyeshadow! This makes the biggest difference in opening up your eyes and reflecting much needed light in an otherwise shadowy area! I love using this L’Oreal “Infallible Eyeshadow” in “Iced Latte” to brighten everything up! I take my pinky finger and dab the shadow on my inner corners, blending it outwards to seamlessly fade into my lid color.

I have round eyes, with a lot of lid space, so I always use eyeliner on the top lash line to help define and thicken the look of my eyelashes! Whenever I don’t put eyeliner in this area, I feel like my eyes look super tiny and tired. My favorite liners to use are the Kat Von D “Tattoo Liner” in “Trooper” for an ultra black, winged liner and I love the Marc Jacobs “Highliner Matte Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner” in “(Earth)quake 41” for a smudged out, brown liner look! I also use the Marc Jacobs liner on my top waterline to further define that area, as well as smudged out on the outer corners of my lower lash line!

I’m pretty sure the best makeup secret to opening up your eyes and making you look awake is using a nude eyeliner in your lower waterline! The Tarte “Fake Awake Eye Highlight” is the most pigmented and long wearing one I’ve tried so far! I’ve repurchased it so many times because nothing compares! The nude color will neutralize any redness you have from having your eyes closed all night long. Using a light color in the lower waterline will help widen and brighten your eye. Back in the day, I would use a white eyeliner, but I’ve started to enjoy the more natural effect of a nude eyeliner now! If you haven’t tried this beauty hack yet, you really need to! It makes the biggest difference and I really can’t do my makeup without it!

Do you have any tips or tricks to getting a fresh and well-rested appearance when you’re really just a sleepy gal?! Let me know by leaving me a comment! I love learning new techniques from you guys! Thank you so much for reading, I hope you found this type of product review/routine helpful!

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Concealers Worth Your Money, Honey! 

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Most gals wear concealer, but with so many different brands and formulas on the market, it’s hard to know which ones are worth it! I’m sharing my favorite ones that are tried and true! Each of these concealers are ones I’ve either repurchased or will repurchase! 


Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer    

       
I feel like this concealer is great for any skin type, mature or young, pink or yellow-undertone; literally everyone. Urban Decay’s Naked Skin concealer is by far the most lightweight formula I’ve tried. It is extremely opaque, so you can trust it will cover the darkest of under eye circles. Since it is such a lightweight and thin formula, it can be very buildable, without looking cakey, which is always concealer goals. My favorite way to apply this product is with a Beauty Blender because it buffs it into the skin beautifully, leaving behind a luminous, natural finish that luckily doesn’t settle into my fine lines! I recommend this concealer to everyone because it seems to work amazing on every single person that uses it, regardless of their skin type and makeup preferences! I have repurchased this concealer three times and I will definitely continue buying since it’s such a staple in my every day makeup routine! 

    
    

Tarte Double Duty Beauty Shape Tape Contour Concealer

       
If you love full-coverage and long-lasting concealers, then look no further! The brand new Tarte Double Duty Beauty Shape Tape concealer is EVERYTHING! I rarely come across formulas that are longwearing, completely opaque in coverage and also hydrating. Tarte released so many different shades for all different skin tones, which is amazing to see on the market! I always go a couple shades lighter with my concealer to provide a brightening effect and I love the shade “Light Neutral” for my medium-olive skin tone. I really think the best part about this concealer is the long lasting capabilities! It will not settle into any fine lines underneath your eyes and it doesn’t budge all day long! The applicator is really large, which helps whenever you’re highlighting with concealer in the “V’ shape underneath each eye. This is another concealer I confidently recommend to people of every skin type and undertone because it just works so well!

     
   

Too Faced Born This Way Naturally Radiant Concealer
      
I have a full first impression/review on this product here, but this is another one of my all-time favorite concealers. If you have dry skin, I think you would absolutely love this product. It is a very creamy, radiant formula that hydrates the under-eye area. It isn’t full-coverage, but it is certainly buildable. If you check out the ingredients, this concealer is made with hyaluronic acid, which is amazing for tightening fine lines without drying your skin out. Also a lot of Too Faced products have coconut water, which I’ve found to be an amazing ingredient for hydrating my sensitive, dry skin. 

   

Sephora Collection Bright Future Gel Serum Concealer

   

I wanted to mention this concealer because it’s only $14, but has a very high-end, luxurious formula! It’s very creamy and buildable in coverage. I would agree with its description of a gel-serum formula, which really helps with the lightweight feeling! The only problem I have with this concealer is that it will settle into my fine lines if I don’t immediately set it. Other than that, I find myself going back to this product all the time! I love the fact there are SO many shades in the range too! Anyone can find their perfect concealer shade and that makes me very happy! I use the shade “Custard” and find that it has a perfect, subtle, yellow undertone for my skin.  

    

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer    

   

If you want full coverage, with a matte finish and just overall flawless looking under eyes, then you need to get this concealer as soon as possible! The MAC Pro Longwear Concealer is definitely a permanent member in my holy grail makeup collection! I have used this product for the last 5 years and I think I will always have it in my makeup bag! It’s a very lightweight formula, but it’s super full coverage and will hide the darkest of circles! This one also works great on blemishes too! It will not move, fade or transfer throughout the day, so you can rest assured it will last. I wear the shade NC25 and it works amazing to highlight my skin in a subtle way. If you have tried this product and feel like it looks too cakey, I would highly recommend blending it out with a damp Beauty Blender because that really changes the look and feel of it! It’ll be a bit more hydrating too, which always helps if you have dry skin, like me! 

    

I really hope that this post helped you decide with high-end concealer would work best for you! I know these are pricy compared to drugstore, but if you’re someone like me with stubborn dark circles, then you know the struggle of finding a good product that really works! In my opinion, all of these are worth their price tag and really work as well as they claim to! Let me know your favorites in the comments below! Concealers are one of my favorite makeup items to try out and put to the test, so I’m always looking for recommendations to review! Thank you for reading! 

    

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Too Faced Born This Way Naturally Radiant Concealer Review!

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As a concealer junkie, I’m always trying to find the best and brightest product to put under my unsightly dark circles. Just to give you some insight into the exciting world of my under eyes, they are puffy, discolored and have fine lines; attractive! So when I’m researching new concealers, I not only look for one that has the ability to cover, but also brighten and moisturize. After reading the description of the new, “Too Faced Born This Way Naturally Radiant Concealer,” I knew I had to have it! Take a look at the main ingredients, “coconut water, alpine rose and hyaluronic acid” are formulated to hydrate, promote youthful elasticity and last for a long time once applied to the skin. It is in the high-end price range at $28, but once you read the many benefits of using this product, it is worth it to receive a skincare treatment and essential makeup item all in one! I think it’s also important to mention that this product is oil-free, so when you’re using it on existing blemishes or if you just have sensitive skin, rest assure that this won’t do any damage!      


So as you can see in the first photo, my under-eye area looks puffy and dark. Not a great overall look. You can’t really tell in the photo, but I also have some serious fine lines underneath there too. I’m not sure if it’s just because I do have dry skin or if I’m just rapidly aging only in my eye area; either or. Once I applied the Naturally Radiant Concealer, I could definitely see that the “Light” shade was maybe too brightening, but decided to roll with it any blend out anyways with my Beauty Blender sponge. Within seconds, this product began creasing and settling into my lines. Although initially discouraged, this happens to me A LOT with pretty much every concealer and I do have strategies to make it work. If you’re noticing that even after you’ve blended your concealer, it still is creasing, take your ring finger (it applied the least amount of pressure) and gently tap on the creased areas and it will remove that excess product, without disrupting your existing makeup.

    

 
Once I blended this product out, I could tell it was a situation that I needed to set with powder immediately in order to prevent further creasing! I used the NYX HD setting powder in the shade “Banana,” which also additionally brightened up this area! Once set, I thought this concealer looked absolutely beautiful! After a few hours, I was absolutely impressed that my fine lines were still concealed and my under eye area felt super hydrated and soft! This continued on throughout the day as well! I was very excited that the concealer stayed true-to-color and didn’t fade or oxidize darker throughout the wear time.

    

I am in love with this product after using it for a couple weeks. I love it for natural looks and I love it for full glam makeup. I find it does have a radiance property to the formula, hence the name! This product blends seamlessly into the skin, making it perfect for those “no-makeup-makeup-looks.” I think this product is going to perform well for any skin type, but especially those with drier skin! I know for me personally, it really hydrated all day long and kept this area plump and youthful looking. What new products are you currently loving? Let me know in the comments below! Thank you so much for reading!  

    

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