Showing posts with label Concealer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Concealer. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Review: Dermablend Quick-Fix (Full Coverage) Concealer! Photos + Before & After.

Dermablend Quick-Fix Concealer

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: A lightweight formula with high purity pigments, Quick-Fix offers improved skin tone shades and texture with long lasting wear. For moderate to major localized skin flaws, Quick-Fix provides buildable coverage that won’t enhance the appearance of wrinkles or pores. Available in 10 shades.

For Skin Flaws Such As: Scars, Bruises, Freckles, Dark under-eye circles, Blemishes & Age spots.
(Source: http://www.dermablend.com/)

I purchased Dermablend's Quick-Fix Concealer in the shade Beige. It is a great color for light to medium skin tones. It is yellow-peachy in color, and works great for concealing purple tones under the eyes.

Dermablend Quick-Fix Concealer Beige

Dermablend Quick-Fix Concealer Beige

What really tempted me to try this product was, I've been seeing so many raves lately for the Vichy Dermablend Concealer (which I hear now is being discontinued?) and I can't find anywhere. Many have told me that I can purchase Vichy Dermablend from CVS - and I went to about 10 different CVS locations and none of them carried it. So, I went on the computer and started doing some research about Dermablend. Someone mentioned that the regular Dermablend concealer is the same product as the Vichy Dermablend Concealer. Even though they weren't a reliable source - I decided to check out ULTA, which carries Dermablend and swatch some of the testers. Dermablend has three different concealers. A redness concealer (Smooth Indulgence Redness Concealer), a liquid medium coverage concealer (Smooth Indulgence SPF 20 Concealer) and the full coverage cream concealer (Quick-Fix Concealer). I had every intention of purchasing the Smooth Indulgence liquid concealer because I prefer liquid concealers over creams, but the claims of the Quick-Fix concealer lured me in.

My Review: This concealer claims to be full coverage and states that it will cover under eye darkness, blemishes, scars, etc. So I expected this to be a really heavy duty concealer that will completely cover my occasional breakouts. The directions for use are to apply this directly to the under-eye area from the tube and blend with your fingers - or use your finger to wipe a little product from the tube and apply it to your under-eye area. From reviews I have read, some mentioned not to apply this directly under your eyes because it is heavy and will look cakey. I did not find that at all to be true for me. I like applying it directly from the tube and taking a flat foundation brush to lightly blend it in. No heaviness, no caking. The consistency is your average stick concealer. It applies creamy, but it also has the concentrated - sort of dry texture that many stick concealers have. I found it to be very similar to my favorite Palladio Stick Concealer. I didn't find it to look thick under my eyes, nor did it emphasize any lines. I always make sure to moisturize my under-eye area prior to using this so it will glide on better and have a better end result. It is necessary to set with a powder, as cream concealers tend to move around and will settle a bit in fine lines. After I set my under-eyes with powder, I had no caking throughout the day and no settling. It pretty much stayed put all day. The coverage - I would consider it to be full, but it wasn't as "full" as I expected it to be. With a thick layer, it covered probably 85% of my darkness - but once I applied my foundation you could barely notice them. I am happy with the results for my under-eyes and I'll continue using this. But, for blemishes - this is terrible. I have a few minor red scars from a recent breakout and this didn't cover them. It covered them probably 50% - and the redness still peeked through. I am extremely disappointed with this products performance for that considering it's the main reason I purchased it. This is no way going to cover anything remotely severe on your face unless you apply it to your face directly from the tube and don't blend it. Nevertheless, I really like it for my under-eyes and the tube makes applying it very handy.

The 1st photo shows my under-eyes before. They don't look severe at all - but the sunlight I took the photo in really distorted any darkness. They are much more purple/red in person. The 2nd set of photos show how the product looks applied directly from the tube. The 3rd photo shows me smoothing it out with a foundation brush (I was using Ecotools Foundation Brush) and the last photo shows my under-eyes after. They pretty much are fully concealed. Only when I turn my head in certain angles can you see the slightest darkness peak through my hollows. 
 

Have you tried any Dermablend products? Is there anything you would recommend?

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Dermablend.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Review: Keromask Concealer in the shade "Light" - A Great Full Coverage Concealer!

Keromask Concealer (Sample)

Product Description - Keromask® Masking Cream by Christy UK, is an ultra-highly pigmented and extremely concentrated camouflage cream for disguising a variety of common skin problems, large or small, such as:

Age spots • Acne marks and scars • Birthmarks • Broken capillaries • Bruises and Post-operative bruising • Burn Scars • Dark circles under the eyes • Eczema • Flushing • Moles • Permanent pigmentation problems • Port wine stains • Psoriasis • Rosacea • Scar discoloration • Tattoos • Temporary discoloration • Varicose veins • Vitiligo • And more…

Powerfully concentrated, just a small pin-drop of Keromask® is all that’s needed for many kinds of skin discoloration coverages. Generally one thin smoothed layer is sufficient coverage for most situations. However, in the case of very prominent discolorations, additional thinly applied layers of cream is more effective. Everyday make-up can be applied over a sealed area of Keromask® without disturbing it.
Keromask has an SPF12 sunscreen and is 100% waterproof when sealed with a loose finishing/setting powder. Keromask can also be worn when swimming or playing sports, and just one application can last up to eight hours, providing you with effective coverage throughout your day.

It is not animal tested.

(Source: http://keromaskmaskingcream.com)

Color Choices

You may have remembered from my latest http://www.camerareadycomsetics.com (no affiliation) haul, I purchased a sample of Keromask concealer on complete impulse because I had to spend one more dollar to qualify for free shipping.

The sample costs $3.99 and is shipped in a small plastic screw top jar. The purpose of purchasing a sample is to accurately test the color on your skin tone before purchasing a full size product. It is supposed to be enough product for a few uses. I had my fingers crossed that the sample was going to be a little more generous - but they only provided a small dab.. Luckily, with this concealer a little goes a long way - So I've been able to test the product out for days.

It was a little difficult finding swatches or many reviews for Keromask, so I chose the shade "light", which is described to fit "normal" skin tones and is most likely the most popular color. I could of probably used medium as well if I wanted to match my skin tone.. but I prefer my concealer to be a little bit lighter (not much) to give my face more dimension.

The color looked slightly dark and pink in the jar, and I didn't think it was going to work out good.. BUT, I was surprised to see that once I swatched it, it appeared much lighter and less pink.

It actually has that salmon/peachy coloring that works so well for masking under eye darkness.

I apologize that my before and after photos aren't that great. My under eye darkness is much more visible in person than it is in my before photo. I have a reddish purple under my eyes and its a darker blue purple in the corners.

You can visibly see in the after photo that it has completely covered any darkness and redness and evened out my skin tone. It has also brightened the area.

It is very visible that the finish is slightly dewy.

Review: Let me start out by saying that this concealer is amazing for full coverage. Like I said, I purchased a sample on a complete whim.. I've never heard of it and didn't research it. When I first swatched the concealer, my eyes literally lit up because I didn't expect it to be so creamy and so pigmented. I'm not going to say "typically".. but often times "full coverage" concealers tend to be dry in texture and don't "smooth" that easily on your skin. Often times it's required to moisturize your under eyes first. This concealer is so different. The texture is so buttery smooth.. The closest comparison in consistency is the Bobbi Brown Corrector.. the finish is actually like the Corrector as well.. but it covers more. The first few days wearing this I would moisturize under my eyes and then apply it with my MAC 224 brush. It provided a complete full coverage without looking heavy or thick. One day I just put a little under my eyes and on a couple of blemishes and went to run a few errands and because of the creamy consistency, it settled in my fine lines & was slightly "wet" looking? This didn't happen on days where I wore foundation & powder. With most of my concealers.. I need to "build" the coverage.. so naturally, I was applying more product than I needed. The past couple of days I've been using my finger to apply it.. and it has been working fantastic, as I'm not applying as much. I haven't noticed any creasing. It claims to be waterproof and from what I've noticed.. it lasts all day on me without fading. It brightens under my eyes and covers blemishes 100%!! I am so amazed with this concealer and I believe that this is HG material and everything I've been looking for in a concealer.

If you're looking for a moisturizing, full coverage concealer and you feel you've tried everything.. I highly recommend you to give it a try!

The only downside for me is that it's very expensive. It's $42.. but it's said to last for over a year because of the high pigmentation.

If you check out the website (http://keromaskmaskingcream.com/) you'll see on the front page that they have a video showing how it can cover up a tattoo.

Have you heard of this brand or tried this concealer? Let me know your opinion in the comments!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

So, Does MAC Pro Longwear run Light or Dark?? I've got Swatches & Photos Inside!


I've read several reviews for the MAC Pro Longwear foundation and concealer and half of the reviews I was reading said that it runs light and the other half said it ran dark. I'm sure many of you may be confused.. just as I was. When I went to the MAC counter and asked how the foundation color runs in comparison to Studio Fix Fluid, the employee said it runs slightly light. I was very hesitant to get NC42, because both times I ever purchased NC42 (For Studio Fix Powder and Studio Tech - both run light), NC42 was too dark/orange. So, I swatched NC40 on my hand and it looked fine.. so I purchased NC40. She also agreed it should work fine for me and it wasn't much of a difference. I also purchased my usual shade of concealer NW25.


Below, I swatched a few of my other MAC NW25 concealers for color comparison. From L to R: MAC Pro Longwear NW25, MAC Moisturecover NW25, MAC Select Cover-up NW25 and MAC Studio Sculpt NW25. From the looks of the tube, I thought it ran dark. But, compared to the others.. it wasn't a big difference. Moisturecover was the darkest of them all, Studio Sculpt was slightly lighter than Pro Longwear and Select Cover-up. The Pro Longwear and Select Cover-up were pretty much almost identical. Blended.. they all looked the same.. and I could barely tell the difference except for the fact that Moisturecover was the slightest touch darker.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Review: Coastal Scents Camo Quad - Medium + Before/After Photos & Swatches!

Coastal Scents Camo Quad in Medium

Hey Guys! I have another Coastal Scents review for you guys. It's for their Camo Quad Concealer in the shade Medium. They have four different Camo Quads in the shades Light, Medium, Dark and Color Corrector. You can view all shades here.

Before ordering this quad, I made sure to look up swatches and read some reviews. I also watched a review video by one of my favorite youtubers, Lisaz09. You can click her username and it will take you directly to her review video. Anyway, the majority of the reviews seemed very positive so I thought I would give it a try.

The shade Medium contains four (4) shades. They don't have specific shade names or numbers. There is a White, Light Peach, Med. Beige and a Dark Pink Beige. Prior to receiving this quad in the mail I thought these colors were going to be more yellow toned because of all of the swatches I have seen. I would say they kind of look more like NW shades than NC shades. The Med. Beige shade looks a little bit like my NW25 concealer.. but less orangy. Which is absolutely fine because peachy & pinky shades seem to camouflage dark circles very well. Then, once my yellow toned foundation is applied over.. they should be completely covered. 

I would say that my camera captured the color very accurately in both the quad by itself and the swatches (it may depend on your computer, because not every computer will obviously capture color the same way).


Coastal Scents Camo Quad in Medium

Coastal Scents Camo Quad in Medium


READ MORE!

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Review: Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer!

Product Description:
  • Air-whipped mousse texture feels lightweight on skin and builds opacity for settle-free coverage
  • Completely covers dark circles, imperfections and redness
  • Blends and smoothes away imperfections instantly
  • Oil-Free, fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, dermatologist tested, safe for sensitive skin.
 My Review:  This is the first "mousse" product I've ever tried and didn't really know what to expect. The consistency is very light and airy and has a silicone-like feel to it. It's super soft and blends with no effort needed. I've tried applying this with my fingers or with a concealer brush and I didn't like either application method. The only way I like applying this is with my Sigma 224 or MAC 224 brush. I just dab the brush in and swirl it around my under eyes and build it to the desired coverage. This has a light - buildable to medium coverage. It's definitely not full - or full enough for what I prefer. I like using this on blemishes.. it covers them pretty well. I like to use my fingers for that and pat some product on it. Definitely can build it to a pretty heavy medium coverage on blemishes and it covers redness very good. The only thing I don't really like about this is the matte finish it gives. I've never used a matte concealer.. and this just makes my under eyes look dull. I don't think this is something I would repurchase once I run out.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

NARS Duo Concealer Review!

nars duo concealer review

Nars Duo Concealer

Nars Duo Concealer is a cream compact concealer containing two shades in order to create your perfect color match. I have the Custard/Ginger Duo, which contains Custard (yellow-undertone for light to medium complexions) and Ginger (golden undertone for medium complexions). It's the perfect duo for my MAC NC40 skin tone. I believe it's best suited for NC30-NC40 skintones. 

*The lighter shade (left) is Custard and the darker shade is Ginger (right).
Two complementary shades suit variations in skin tone: The lighter shade brings brightness to the eye area, while the darker shade can be blended directly onto the skin to obscure imperfections and dark spots. 
All-day, crease-proof wear; easily blendable for a flawless finish. 
Long-wearing Enriched with moisturizing Vitamin E
The texture different than any of my other cream concealers. Because it's a cream, you'd expect it to be dense, creamy and thick. It's creamy - yes, but it's very lightweight and has a powdery feel once applied. A very familiar texture if you use silicone based products.

nars custard ginger concealer swatches

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Bare Minerals Well Rested Eye Brightener Review, Photos and Swatches!

Bare Minerals Well Rested

"This eye-brightening shadow base is a favorite among the sleep-deprived for its ability to magically diminish the morning-drowsiness that results from too little sleep or a long day's journey. Well-Rested works as a beautiful, eye-brightening shadow base, and can also be used to brighten dark shadows around the eyes, nose, lips and anywhere you feel you need an extra pick-me-up." -Bare Escentuals


It's a luminecent beige with a hint of yellow..

It's very pigmented and you can control how you want it to look.

1st photo: Applied Heavily 2nd photo: Blended Out

See how pretty and luminous it is?

I think this stuff is great. I've been using it mostly to set my concealer and add extra coverage. You can also wear it as an eyeshadow (since it is an eyeshadow anyway) or a natural highlight!

Overall, I'm very happy with this product. Since my under eyes are always so dark, this REALLY helps me. I purchased it on ebay for around $10.

I originally heard about this from Jacqueline. Her under eyes always look SO bright and concealed and it's because of this product. This is what it looks like on her under eyes.


Isn't this a gorgeous look, btw!?

Have you tried this? What are your thoughts?

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Bobbi Brown Light Peach Corrector Review, Photos and Swatches!

bobbi brown light peach corrector review

 Bobbi Brown Corrector

For very dark circles and extra coverage, Bobbi Brown's secret is her Bobbi Brown Corrector ($23). 

Bobbi Brown Correctors are super creamy pink and peach based creams that are designed to be layered under your regular concealer to neutralize darkness for maximum coverage.

There are twelve shades in total. The shades are as follows: Porcelain Bisque, Light Bisque, Porcelain Peach, Light Peach, Light to Medium Bisque, Bisque, Peach, Medium to Dark Bisque, Dark Bisque, Deep Bisque and Very Deep Bisque.

I originally purchased Peach, which is actually a really good match for my skintone when I'm tan (MAC NC40), but I prefer my concealers to be a little bit lighter than my skintone (even though this is a "corrector", not a concealer, I still couldn't bear using something as dark as my skin). So, with that said, I exchanged it, and purchased Light Peach.

Light Peach is a pale, milky peach. It's probably best suited for light to light-medium complexions - a very good match for MAC NC20-25.

bobbi brown light peach corrector swatch
This swatch shows the color very true to life.

bobbi brown corrector light peach swatch
For color comparison, here is Light Peach swatched next to MAC Select Cover-up in NW25.

The consistency of this product is very, very creamy and slightly tacky. I initially thought it would have a similar consistency to other cream concealers (MAC Studio Finish for instance), but it's completely different. Cream concealers are very dense, while Bobbi Brown Corrector is very soft.

Something I've really realized with using this product is that you only need the tiniest bit. When I first purchased it, I realized I was using too much product (the same amount I'd use of concealer). It covered very well, but by the time I applied my concealer, it felt too moist under my eyes. I've come to realize that you really only need a tiny amount for it to get the job done and I shouldn't go back for seconds. 

My favorite way of applying this is with my ring finger and tapping it into the areas under my eyes where it's the most purple. On days where I'm in a rush, I'll quickly sweep it under my eyes with my finger and it works just as well.

In conjunction with my concealer, my dark circles are completely covered. More covered than they'd be with the concealer alone.

before after bobbi brown corrector

Although I don't really need too much additional coverage, I always apply a little concealer on top. In the photo below, I applied a little Physician's Formula Conceal RX Concealer in Light lightly with my fingertips.

bobbi brown corrector after

All I need is a little powder on top, and I'm all set for the day!

I really like this product and recommend it to those who suffer with severe dark circles, or those who want to just look a little more awake in the morning!

I will be repurchasing this product when I run out, and I'm interested in trying some of their pinker (Bisque) shades to really brighten up my under-eyes.

Have you tried Bobbi Brown Corrector? What'd you think? I'm also very interested in trying Bobbi Brown Concealers. Do you recommend any??

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

YSL Touche Eclat Radiant Touch Highlighter Review!

ysl touche eclat review 

YSL Touche Eclat #1 Radiant Touch

Item Description: Light, luminosity, radiance. The award winning, must-have, take anywhere instant highlighter that banishes shadows, erases signs of fatigue and leaves your skin looking radiant. Touche Éclat is 8 hours of sleep in a pen - the one item no woman can be without.

Touche Éclat is ideal at any time of the day over bare skin, under or over foundation, crème or powder. Use this best-selling pen-brush around the eye area, the hollow of the chin, the contour of the lips and the sides of the nose. Just slip it into your bag to ensure a brilliant glow, anytime, anywhere. Suitable for all skin types.

Touche Eclat comes in four shades to suit your individual skin tone:
ysl touche eclat swatches
1) Luminous Radiance (for fair/ light/ medium complexions with pink undertones)
2) Luminous Ivory (for fair/ light/ medium complexions with yellow or golden undertones)
3) Light Peach (for warm and golden beige complexions)
4) Luminous Toffee (for deep complexions)

ysl touche eclat swatches
Here are swatches of all of the shades, courtesy of Karla Sugar.

YSL Luminous Radiance

This is an item I've been wanting to try for the longest time. While I was waiting in line to check out, the rack with miscellaneous travel items caught my eye. I immediately picked up the touche eclat and swatched it on my hand. The only shade available at that Sephora location was shade #1 Luminous Radiance, which is a universally flattering light, peachy-pink shade.

It has a very creamy, milky consistency. The brush is actually very soft, and isn't exactly useless like most of the brushes of similar applicators. I use 1-2 clicks and dot it under my eyes after I've already applied concealer and foundation, and smooth it out with a small concealer brush or I pat it in my skin lightly with my ring finger until it's blended.

I also like to run it down the bridge of my nose and under the arch of my brows for a subtle highlight.

Some people argue this is not a concealer, but it does conceal a bit. The coverage is very minimal, so if you have severe darkness, it should be used in conjunction with a concealer. It's like a light concealer and highlighter all-in-one. In contrast to Benefit High Beam which is also a pearly pink highlighter, Benefit only highlights, it doesn't conceal, and its also a lot more luminescent than the Touche Eclat. Touch Eclat is a lot more natural.

It really does make me look more awake and it does an awesome job brightening so no darkness shows through. I was looking at a tutorial on the YSL site which was very helpful. You can also apply this around your lips to make them more defined.

Overall, great product. I'd love to try shades 2 and 3 as well.

Price: $40, 0.1 oz.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Review: Lancome Effacernes Waterproof Concealer!

Lancome Effacernes Concealer

I've been looking for a good, heavy-duty liquid concealer that will provide as much coverage as my cream concealers for quite some time.

The current concealers I use are MAC Studio Finish Concealer, MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer and Ben Nye Concealers. All three concealers are cream based in pot form. I always opt for these types of concealers because they tend to provide the fullest coverage. The only problem I have with these types of concealers is, they sometimes tend to cake.

After looking up reviews on makeupalley.com for a liquid concealer, I stumbled across Lancome Effacernes. It is one of the highest rated concealers with a rating of 4.1/5 based on over 300 reviews, with a repurchase rate of 76%. The rating is about the same for the much higher end Cle de Peau Concealer, which has a 4.2 rating with a 76% repurchase rate.

Lancome Effacernes Concealer is promised to provide a complete, natural-looking coverage, even out the skin tone, covers dark circles and minimize fine lines around the eyes. The result is a soft, matte finish that is long-wearing and waterproof.

There are 12 shades in total: Ivoire, Porcelaine I, Light Buff, Light Bisque, Clair II, Camee, Medium Buff, Beige (Neutral) III, Medium Bisque, Dore, Bronze IV and Suede.

I originally tested out the shade Beige III Neutral, but it gave my under-eyes a gray cast. So I ended up going with Light Bisque.

 Lancome Effacernes Concealer in Light Bisque swatched on my hand.

You can see that it almost fully covered the freckle on my hand, which is visible in the first swatch photo.

The consistency is light and creamy - somewhat similar to MAC Select Cover-up. I like applying it with my ring finger in light, patting motions. I sometimes use a concealer brush, but I actually prefer using my fingers with this particular concealer. I feel that with my finger, I can build the most coverage. 

The coverage is very good. It provides a medium, buildable to an almost full coverage without looking heavy or cakey. Even though I don't have a problem with fine lines, sometimes heavier concealers can accentuate fine lines that barely even exist, and this one doesn't at all for me.

Also, I found that the claims for this concealer to be long-wearing very true. I don't notice any fading or creasing by the end of the day.

I definitely recommend picking up a sample next time you're near a Lancome counter!

Monday, August 17, 2009

Overview: MAC Concealers! (MAC Studio Finish, MAC Select Cover Up, MAC Moisturecover & Studio Stick) Lots of Swatches!


I'm going to briefly go over MAC concealers and which are my favorites...

MAC Select Moisturecover Concealer - A luxurious, blendable moisturizing concealer in a tube with a doe-foot applicator. Has a natural satin-smooth, ultra-moisturizing finish. Layers for added coverage. Line-softening, Skin-perfecting.

MAC Select Cover-Up Concealer - Liquid camouflage for the skin. Texture-free, virtually invisible. Comes in a tube. Blends in. Brightens and lightens dark areas, erases spots, evens-out skin... Makes skin flaw-free. Use pre-foundation, or on its own. Don't reveal it, conceal it!

MAC Studio Finish Concealer - A lightweight, creamy, discreetly opaque concealer. Provides a smooth, long-wearing invisible coverage for all skin blemishes. Water-resistant, fragrance-free and non-acnegenic. This emollient-based, lightweight concealer is so concentrated that a tiny amount can provide opaque coverage of the skin's imperfections and discolourations. It effectively covers dark circles, blemishes, moles, tattoos and birthmarks. Enriched with antioxidants (derivatives of Vitamin A and Vitamin E), it also contains Silica to help adsorb the skin's oils. Concealer has an SPF of 35 and is available in a wide range of colours. It can be applied with a medium to firm fiber brush (try the 242 Brush), a latex sponge, or the fingertips.

MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - A creamy concealer that provides full coverage with a natural matte finish. Brushes on with enough blend time to conceal any size of blemish. Rich formulation allows you to use a micro-amount of product to even out skin. Water-resistant and long-wearing.

MAC Studio Stick Concealer - Discontinued.

MAC Studio Touch-Up Stick - Discontinued.

Overview: My favorite concealers from MAC remain to be MAC Select Cover-Up & MAC Studio Finish. MAC Select Cover-Up is your basic liquid concealer that gets the job done. It has a good medium coverage which you can build to almost full, and it conceals blemishes very well. It also lasts me throughout the day and doesn't seem to cake and settle in my fine lines. I've been using this concealer since 2006 and continue to repurchase it every time I'm out! MAC Studio Finish concealer is my favorite full coverage concealer. For a lighter coverage, I use my finger to apply it.. and for fuller coverage.. I like using a concealer brush and patting it under my eyes. I recommend moisturizing your under eyes before applying this so it's easier to spread. Despite the fact that this is a creme/cake concealer.. it's not too thick under my eyes and doesn't feel heavy. It's quite possibly my favorite concealer of all time. I like MAC Select Moisturecover, but I think the color is terrible and is probably the main reason I don't use it. I purchased a NW25, because it's my shade in all MAC concealers.. but in Moisturecover, it's very dark (darker than my skin) and very orange. I would like to try it in NW20 and see if I like it better. The coverage is a light/medium and has a nice radiant, satin finish. I don't find it to be long lasting though. MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer is an alright concealer.. The coverage is similar to Studio Finish, but the consistency is completely different. Studio Sculpt is much more creamier. But because of the creaminess.. when I build it to my desired coverage it tends to cake. MAC Studio Stick (discontinued anyway..) is an okay concealer.. I didn't find it to be anything special. I would compare it to any stick concealer you'd find at your local drugstore. You may be able to still find this at a CCO.

Swatches (indoors, flash)
From Left to Right: MAC Select Moisturecover Concealer NW25, MAC Select Cover-Up Concealer NW25, MAC Studio Stick Concealer NW25 and MAC Studio Finish Concealer NW25.

Moisturecover is definitely the darkest and most orange of the four, Select Cover-Up and Studio Stick are almost identical peachy toned and Studio Finish also comes very close to Select Cover-Up and Studio Stick except it's a touch more yellow.

Unfortunately, I misplaced my Studio Sculpt Concealer and is not included in the swatches.

I hope you found this post/swatches helpful!

Ben Nye Products!

I wanted to do a post today about one of my favorite brands - Ben Nye! I get questions regarding Ben Nye products fairly often as I use my Ben Nye Concealer & Neutral Set Powder in many of my FOTD's.

I don't own many Ben Nye products, and the main reason is because the only way I can get Ben Nye products is by ordering online and there aren't many reviews and swatches out there to really see what many of their products actually look like.

Throughout this post, I'm going to briefly go over the products I have and my thoughts about them.


Ben Nye Neutral Set Colorless Face Powder and Ben Nye Banana Visage Luxury Powder

 Neutral Set Translucent Powder is a great, cheap alternative to MAC Blot Powder. I would go thorough Blot Powder so quick, that I switched to this. I don't even go through a whole shaker bottle in one year. I use it under my eyes to set my concealer and then I use a fluffy powder brush and swipe or buff my face to keep the shine away. By the end of the day, I don't need to touch it up. It doesn't change the color of your makeup, it blends in perfectly. If you apply it too heavy though, you will have a temporary white cast. I like to put it thickly under my eyes to brighten the area up a bit.

Banana Luxury Powder is similar to Neutral Set as it's a setting powder with little pigment. It has a yellow/peach tone so it's great for my warm, yellow skintone. I like using it under my eyes to aid in counteracting my dark circles. The consistency is a little softer/finer milled than Neutral Set. I actually like mixing the two!

*TIP to save a mess and wasting product, put a piece of tape over the holes.. except for one or two of them. I do this with all of my powders!



Swatches of Banana Visage and Neutral Set (not blended)

I love Ben Nye's concealers. They are extremely pigmented and provide full coverage. Apparently, you can even cover tattoos with it. I would say they are comparable to MAC Studio Finish Concealer, but a little more creamy. They smell like Halloween/Costume makeup, which is pretty much expected as it is "theatrical" makeup.



Cover All Wheel in the shade SK-1. This is a concealer wheel that consists of 4 different shades: A medium beige, peach, olive yellow and a ruddy tan. This works really well for under the eyes as well as any blemishes or redness. I've even used it all over my face with a great result. You can make it look flawless, yet natural by applying with a damp sponge. The darkest color is a little useless for me, but I sometimes use it to contour.



Blue Neutralizer in the shade NB-2. This particular shade is almost identical to MAC Studio Finish in NW30. I don't have NW30 at the moment to compare, but below I swatched it next to MAC Studio Finish in NW25.



Cool Pink Blush is a vibrant pink, that surpringly isn't really cool. I would actually consider it a warm pink, as it doesn't pull blue or purple at all. It's a little reminiscent of MAC Dollymix (a matte version). When applied lightly, it gives a nice natural flush to the cheeks. What's a bit annoying with this blush though is the texture. It's very, very dry and any moisture will cause the surface to harden, so I'll have to scrape the top layer with a q-tip after I use it a few times. Very annoying and I'm not sure if I'd purchase any other Ben Nye blushes for that reason. Anyone else experience this?


Ben Nye Cool Pink


Swatch of Cool Pink

One of my favorite products that I always re-purchase is Final Seal. If you ever used Benefit Shelaq, its like Shelaq for your whole face (similar to Model in a Bottle). Once you apply your foundation, spritz this on your face and your makeup will stay put all day long. It will withstand heat and sweat. I will usually spritz it on my face after I applied my foundation and use my 187 brush and stipple the product across my face, then spritz it once more. It is alcohol based, so it smells kind of like hair spray. This will not leave your face sticky or stiff. HG product! I didn't take a picture of this, it goes on clear.



Lastly, another one of my favorite products is the Ben Nye Bronzing Tint. This stuff is amazing! I bought it on a complete whim. I first tried it and didn't like it.. had it sitting in my drawer for months and then I tried it again.. and finally figured out how to use it. This is a product I keep continuing to purchase. What it is, is a liquid bronze body tint. Have you ever applied self tanner to your body and your neck/chest isn't as dark as you wanted it to be? This happens to me a lot, so this stuff is my little bronze savior. If I'm going somewhere and I need to touch up on my tan and don't have time to let a new layer of self tanner develop, I use this. All I do is.. pour a little in the cap and dip a bronzer/blush brush and swipe it all over my neck and chest.. and then buff it. It's exactly like applying self tanner. You can control how dark you want to be. You can put a thin layer.. mix it with water or moisturizer.. or apply it thickly for a darker look. it blends great with no streaks. It looks exactly like vanilla extract and doesn't have much of a scent. Throughout the day, it doesn't budge. Its like a temporary dye for your skin! It washes off easily with soap and water.

Do you have any Ben Nye favorites?