Products Purchased by Me Press Samples
Most people don’t have perfect skin. Genetics are tricky like that. Not even amazonian supermodels can avoid those annoying red bumps called pimples. Luckily for them, before photo shoots, they have a team of make-up artists there to make their skin look like perfection. Unfortunately, we mere mortals don’t have that privilege. Who has the time or the money to sit in a chair for two hours just for make-up? But fear not, thanks to today’s cosmetics brands, there are new and inventive concealing products and helpful tricks out there that will make you look flawless!
Concealers
From red blotches to under eye circles, there are a lot of places on you face that can always use concealing. However, there are so many brands out there, that its hard to find the perfect product for your problem places. Here are a few of my favorite concealing products for a variety of common face complaints...
Under-Eye Circles
Under-Eye Circles can make you look tired or worse, like you got in a fight last night and came back with a shiner. So when attempting to conceal that puffy, purple stained skin, it can be hard to achieve a total coverage. Some under-eye circle concealers can leave creases after you smile or fade through out the day. One concealer that I love is
Maybelline Cosmetics' Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer (+/- $7.99 for 0.5 fl oz) for this particular problem. The cream is light reflecting, so it brightens your under eye area while covering discoloration, and it is fine enough that it blends into your skin perfectly. I use this in 'Radiant.' At first, it seemed like it was a shade too dark for my skin tone but in turns out that the deeper peach color helped diffuse under eye darkness even more.
Another great much raved about product is the
Yves Saint Laurent Touch Éclat Radiant Touch Concealer ($45 for 0.1 fl oz). Either you love this stuff or you hate it. Personally, I love it but it is extermely pricey considering the dupes available (see above). However, if you want the original, it's the best. It comes in 12 shades; I use 'Luminous Ivory.'
Blemishes/Red Spots
Pimples are one of the most difficult things to conceal on your face. Not only are they raised out from you skin but they are usually a very different color from the rest of your face: bright red. One concealer that both camouflages problems and
lasts is
Keromask Camouflage Cream ($23.97 for 0.5 fl oz). This creamy concealer is super pigmented and will cover just about anything. It blends wonderfully into your skin and is a must have product for most makeup artists. I use it to conceal some hyper pigmentation around my facial scar and it is fabulous for covering blemishes as you only need a little bit to get full coverage. I do find it quite creamy, however, so if you have oily skin, I recommend mixing it with a more matte concealer. My favorite is the long wearing
MAC Cosmetics Select Cover-Up concealer ($18 for 0.3 fl oz).
Wanna cover those blemishes without breaking the bank? Well, for well under $3, you can head to your closest drug store and pick up
Wet n Wild’s CoverAll Stick (0.8 oz). Though this brand is on the cheaper side, this concealer stick is one of the better products out their when in comes to covering annoying blemishes and pimples. The lightweight formula blends into skin in a creamy matte that provides medium to full coverage. Its definitely the best bang for your buck.
Helpful Tricks and Tips
When covering a blemish or a pimple, try applying the concealer with a small brush rather than your finger. Oils from your hands can make the concealer more greasy and your skin too.
After applying your concealer, use another small brush and dip it into a loose powder (or regular compact) foundation. Apply a small amount over the concealed blemish. This will help the concealer last longer throughout the day.
Have a stubborn blemish that just won't accept being covered? Don't pack on the concealer all at once! This can look heavy and make the skin look uneven.
Instead, layer your concealer in thin light-handed layers until it's covered. The result blends better into your skin and doesn't look cakey.
In the winter, try and avoid only powder concealers and foundations. The cold weather tends to dry out your skin and the powder will negatively enhance the dryness of your skin. Vise versa for the summer; try and avoid thick, oily liquid foundations as the heat will cause you to sweat most of it off during the day.
You don’t need to always use foundation. Try just a tinted moisturizer and concealers for a fresher, cleaner look.
Avoid applying foundation powder underneath your eyes and go lightly with the powder near the edges of your mouth. When you smile, squint or perform any other face expression, powder tends to crease into fine lines.
Try out a concealer on your hand, not for skin color matching, but to see how the concealer will blend into your skin.
For extremely oily skin, use blotting papers and a matte-ifying primer to help keep shine at bay. Blotting papers won’t take off as much make-up as tissue paper, so pat them on the problem parts of your skin to absorb any excess oil and keep it looking flawless. As for primers, matte-ifying types help smooth skin and keep oil from showing up as fast, thus prolonging the wear of your makeup. Personally, I haven't found one I like at all (though
please let me know your favorites in the comments) but I have tried Milk of Magnesia. While the use of the liquid laxative as a primer is debatable, as it can mess with the
pH balance of your skin and cause more problems than it solves, I haven't had any issues.
However, my oily spots are just around my nose and I do not use MoM every day. So
please, use at your own risk and do your own research before you try it. If a reaction occurs, please seek medical help and discontinue use.
Any tips, tricks or concealer products you love? Let me know about them in the comments! I am always on the search for great, long wearing concealer!
DISCLOSURE: Some of the products mentioned here were purchased by me, others were samples sent. All opinions are my own and were not paid for. Click here to see my disclosure policy.
