NYX HD Photogenic Concealer Wand Review, Photos, Swatches!

NYX HD Photogenic Concealer Wand

NYX HD Photogenic Concealer Wand ($5) is a lightweight concealer that covers under-eye circles and imperfections on the face without looking cakey or obvious. It's non-comedogenic, so it won't clog your pores. Available in (8) skin shades and (3) color correcting shades.

The NYX HD Concealer is actually one of NYX's best selling products and it's a product that I've seen recommended countless times.

I purchased the shade CW05 Medium, which is described as a medium beige with olive undertones. I don't know about olive, but the shade is very peachy with a hint of pink. In MAC concealers I always use the shade NW25 and it's a pretty good equivalent - NYX has a stronger peach tone though, which works really well for counteracting under-eye darkness. Don't judge the shade by what the tube looks like from the outside because it looks much lighter than it really is. I also find that the color oxidizes a bit shortly after application.

The concealer has a light/thin, creamy, velvety texture and dries to a semi-matte finish. It smooths on easily and blends out really well. Some compare the texture to MAC Select Moisturecover Concealer, but it's definitely not as wet/liquidy. I find it to be most comparable to Nars Radiant Concealer, but it's not as budge-proof as Nars. Nars dries down quickly, whereas NYX doesn't fully set without the help of a powder.

The first few times I used this concealer, I didn't like it. It looked dry, almost ashy and obvious. With all of the positive reviews, I was persistent to get it to work for me. It turned out that all I needed was some eye cream (or any moisturizer) prior to applying the concealer. The results were a day and night difference.

I always make sure to apply a moisturizer to my under-eye area and then I wipe a generous amount of concealer under both of my eyes straight from the applicator. I don't blend it out right away - I'll usually dot my foundation all over my face and then take a beauty blender and blend my foundation in and then lastly, blend in my concealer with light, patting motions. I blend my concealer last to give the concealer a little time to set on my skin so when I finally blend it out, the coverage is a bit fuller. Also, the foundation residue from my sponge will help blend the concealer with my foundation. Sometimes I'll add an extra layer of concealer and blend with my finger tips and set with a powder (Ben Nye Neutral Set, of course!)

The coverage is medium and is buildable to full. When set with a powder, it lasts all day without creasing. If I don't set it, it will settle in my fine lines that I didn't even know existed.

I've been using this concealer every day for the past couple of weeks and I have no complaints! It conceals, it brightens, it lasts. This concealer is definitely one of the better ones at the drugstore.

Swatch of shade CW05 Medium

As a side note, the initial reason I purchased this concealer was so that my under-eyes wouldn't look ghostly white with flash photography because I was attending a night (indoor) wedding. My favorite concealers all contain SPF, so I was curious to try an actual "HD" concealer. Needless to say, it worked extremely well and had no flashback in the photos. My makeup looked really natural, as I wanted it.

(Photo taken with flash)

Would I recommend this concealer? Heck yes! For the price, it's a great buy. And, if it doesn't work well for you under the eyes, it works really well on blemishes.

The Round-Up

Pros:

• Lightweight
• Applies smoothly
• Blends easily with the fingers
• Medium coverage that is buildable to full 
• Brightens the under-eyes
• Photographs well

Cons:

• Could be more hydrating - I highly recommend applying an eye cream prior to application if you have dry skin.
• Can settle in fine lines if it's not set properly with powder.

Price: $5, Ulta and nyxcosmetics.com.