You might've guessed, todays post is all about concealers. I picked a whole range of concealers from my collection and thought I would give you the low down on each one, the pros, the cons and the best way to use them. I worked on this post with intothegloss.com which is an absolutely amazing beauty website that I have been reading for quite a while. They share some amazing articles and posts that provide you with everything you need to know about hair, skin, nails, makeup and health.
We will start with the most expensive one of the bunch, the infamous
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer. I have mine in the shade NC20 which is a little dark, but I can work with it. I don't actually use this as a concealer (I like to break the rules), I actually use it as an eye primer. Now you may think I'm mad, but this actually does the job much better than any proper eye primer that I have tried. This has anti-crease technology in, which means your eyeshadow won't crease all day and it dries matte which helps to keep eyelid oils at bay and ensures your eyeshadow stays in one piece. It also claims to last for 15 hours, meaning your eyeshadow is really not going anywhere until you take it off. I find the pump applys a bit too much, so if I am really careful I can just about get half a pump which will cover both eyelids from lashline to browbone, and then I set it with either a translucent powder os a cream coloured eyeshadow so that anything I put on top of it then blends beautifully.
Next up we have one that requires no explanation, the
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer has been a cult product ever since I have been into Makeup. Its crazy coverage, its longevity and its fabulous blendability has rightfully earned it it's title as most people's favourite concealer of all time. It's an all round great concealer, you can use it to highlight under the eyes, as an eyelid primer or to cover up those pesky blemishes. Plus, coming in at £4.19, it's an absolute bargain not to be sniffed at!
If you want radiant and sheer coverage, then the
Seventeen Stay Time Concealer is the one for you. The coverage is light to medium, but easily blendable and looks radiant once applied. It is very hydrating which is a must for anyone who gets slightly drier around the eye area, and helps keep you looking youthful without looking too caked up or overdone. I have the lightest shade, extra fair but I do still find this to be a little dark on me and a little cool toned for me, but if you like a more cool toned concealer and aren't as pale as me, then this is a fabulous one to go for!
Onto a slightly more unique formula, the
Nyx HD Concealer Wand is a moussey consistency that packs in a whole lot of coverage. Designed to be photogenic, it really brightens and covers flawlessly, whilst blending to the point that you wouldn't even know it was there. It's perfect for events where you'll be constantly plagued with flash photography, as your skin wont appear bright light, and you'll also look completely flawless.
Next up we have possibly my favourite concealer, the much underrated
Essence Stay All Day 16 Hour Concealer. This one has it all, it's hydrating, long-lasting, super-blendable, brightening and has a whole lot of coverage. I have gone through about 4 of these and I just can't get enough, I will certainly be repurchasing this one again, and being the cheapest one of the bunch at £2.50, it really is one to look out for.
The last liquid concealer is the
LA Girl Pro Conceal HD Concealer, which I actually don't use as a concealer (I think you could probably tell that by the shade of it)! If you would've read my monthly favourites which you can find
here, you will know that I use the shade Toast to contour. This is so much more blendable than a cream contour and is much more forgiving, so if you aren't so skilled with cream products but love the look of cream contour, try a concealer that is a few shades darker than your skin tone, you might be surprised! This particular one has a nifty little brush which applies just the right amount of product (unless you squeeze the tube too much and then you just end up in a hot mess) and is perfect for fitting right under your cheekbones, down the sides of your nose and is even handy for contouring under your lips if you want them to look extra pouty.
Now the next two are cream concealers, and I would say they are both relatively similar but not quite. Both the
Rimmel Lasting Finish Concealer and the
Seventeen Phwoarr Paint are very thick in consistency but melt into the skin, have absolutely insane coverage and blend perfectly with the warmth of your fingers. However, I would say the Rimmel one is slightly more greasy in texture compared to the Seventeen one which is a little drier, but they are both brilliant at covering dark spots and blemishes, and also as an eye primer! If you have really veiny eyelids, suffer from dark spots or blemishes then this one is the one for you! The only thing I will say is they can look a little cakey under the eyes, and if you have problems with concealer creasing then these may be ones to steer clear of.
If you would like to delve even deeper into the world of concealers, you can find the post that Into The Gloss have created
here. They have talked about the absolute best concealers from Benefit, Nars, Makeup Forever, Kevyn Aucoin, Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown, Dior and many more, and have sorted them into categories. If you are after a specific kind of concealer, then this article is certainly the one for you, so pop over for a little read!
What are your favourite concealers?
Emily xx
