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Monday, 1 May 2017

High-End Concealer Battle // Worth the Splurge?


Considering I'm a massive makeup collector/hoarder its unsurprising that my concealer collection has grown *slightly* out of control. However, I have been enjoying rotating these different concealers depending on what look I'm going for. I wanted to start by saying I enjoy using all of these, however, some stand out more than others. I've also included the shade I use for reference. I would describe my skin tone as fair, with neutral to warm undertones.

// Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer

Pros:
  • Medium-full coverage
  • Lightweight, thin formula
  • Easy to blend
  • Long-wearing
  • Limited creasing under the eyes
  • Sets to a matte, velvety finish, so you don't need to set with a power
  • This concealer has the perfect sized applicator that dispenses just the right amount of product - magic!
Cons: 
  • Can be a little more drying, particularly if you have drier skin.
  • Will need to layer the product to get a fuller coverage.
My shade: Fair Neutral (Light Warm is similar but more yellow)


Probably my least favourite (sorry Too Faced!)

Pros:
  • Light, thin formula
  • Easy to blend
  • Hydrating
  • Great for a more natural look
Cons:
  • Coverage is quite natural, so doesn't work very well on dark circles
  • Formula is too thin and hydrating to cover blemishes
  • The packaging can get quite messy with product spilling out the top
  • Not very long-lasting and prone to creasing under the eyes
My shade: Very Fair - This shade is quite similar to my skin tone, so not great for highlighting. If you are fairer than me you might have trouble finding a shade.


Apparently one of these is sold every 26 seconds!

Pros:
  • Very high coverage
  • Thin formula that doesn't feel thick or cakey 
  • Blends easily
  • Limited creasing under the eyes
  • Long-wearing 
Cons:
  • Giant applicator can dispense way too much product! Not too much of an issue but make sure to scrape off any excess
  • Only available in Australia from tarte.com so you will have to try and shade match yourself using swatches online.
  • I found that this concealer doesn't layer well over other correctors/concealers, which you don't necessarily need because the coverage is so high!
My shade: Fair - The lightest shade out of all these concealers. Perfect for when I want a really highlighted look.



Pros:
  • The formula is so light and thin its pretty much undetectable on the skin!
  • Beautiful for highlighting and perfect for brightening under the eyes
  • Blends easily
  • Super versatile - can be used all over the face including to highlight under the brows and to define the lip line.
Cons:
  • Not cruelty free
  • Incredibly expensive! I spend a lot of money on makeup but the price of this makes me cringe a little.
  • This is not really a concealer, the formula is targeted towards brightening so needs to be layered over something else as it won't actually cover anything on its own.
My shade: No.2 (I could definitely go a little lighter for a more highlighted look)


Not necessarily a concealer, but I thought I would include this because I find this to be the BEST option for dark circles.

Pros:
  • Think colour theory - peach/orange shades are opposite blue/purple on the colour wheel - so it is amazing at counteracting darkness under the eyes.
  • Easy to blend
  • You only need a small amount of product 
Cons:
  • Not cruelty free
  • The formula is very thick and creamy so it's essential that you take your time to blend this in properly.
My shade: Light Peach. There are two different undertones - peach and bisque. Bisque is more pink toned perfect for neutral to cool skin and peach is more salmon toned and works better on olive and warm skin.

So who comes out on top?

My favourite is definitely the Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer. However, if you're a full coverage fan, Tarte's Shape Tape has a similar thin, lightweight formula with that extra coverage! Also if you do suffer from blue or purple darkeness under the eyes, a corrector is the best way to go.

What's your correcting and concealing routine?

xx Cat