Let's Talk About Concealer

 

For the longest time, one of my biggest insecurities has been my dark under eye circles. My bags are puffy, purple and just a bit bleugh. For years I have been trying different combos of eye creams, concealers, and under eye brighteners in the hope of making my eye area look a bit more fresh and awake. I haven't yet found my perfect combination, but along the way I certainly have found some great, and not so great concealers. If like me you've been battling with your under eye bags, you may well find this post handy.

 

So here they are... my under eye bags in all their glory. In fairness, I'm not even entirely sure this picture portrays just how dark and droopy they are in real life, but hopefully it helps give you some idea of what my eye area looks like before and after each concealer.

 

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer - £22.00

 

So let's start with one of my favourites, the NARS Radiant, Creamy Concealer. It took me so long to decide to purchase this concealer, which considering how good it is, is just a bit ridiculous. Before I decided to buy it I kept trying lighter shades like vanilla, which still left my purpley-shadows shining through and bleached out my under eye area. So instead, I went for the more peachy shade Light 3 Honey which works a treat! Not only does it conceal, but brightens and plumps up the eye area too (in a good way of course!) It's a super creamy, rich formula which is so  nourishing under you eyes, and gives great coverage on bags and blemishes that can be layered up when your eyes are looking extra sleepy. If my eyes are looking particularly tired, I like to apply just a curve of lighter coloured concealer over the most purpley/dark area of my bags (just at the outer rim) for an extra brightening effect. It glides on beautifully, doesn't look too heavy and lasts well. Does it last all day? No... But it can be reapplied when required for instantly refreshed and reawakened eyes.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer - £5.49

 

 

 

The Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer (and foundation) were two make up items I found positively reviewed time and time again online, but left me so disappointed. Don't get me wrong, when you first apply the concealer it's fine. It covers well, and it has gorgeous brightening particles that help lift the eye area. At around a fiver it's also a bargain. It's a real shame that it wears off after five minutes...

 

 Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer & Corrector - £19.00 Each

 

Here is the Bobbi Brown dream team. Firstly you apply the corrector which neutralises any discolouration, and then you apply the concealer to lift and brighten the eye. Once again the corrector is peachy toned, which I've found that I love for concealing the blues and purples under my eyes. It offers fabby coverage that doesn't weigh down the delicate eye area, but could do with being just a bit more long lasting. For girls who can set their concealer with powder I think this would be just perfect, but sadly for me any powder under my eyes just looks way too cakey and ruins the finish.  They're both lovely and creamy to blend, and the formula is just light enough to avoid creasing.

Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhances - £38.00

 

 

 

Although this Kevyn Aucoin product can double as a foundation and concealer, I only use it on my under eye area. Initially when you apply this product it's like photoshopping out all your blemishes and bags, it's amazing. It's also one of  the most long lasting concealers of the bunch. It has a really thick consistency which does mean that it requires a lot of blending, and it is prone to creasing. For me personally, the colour selection with KA is also a bit tricky. Everything seemed either a little too dark (not good if you're already dark under the eyes) or too light - but in the end I chose SX07. As it is a quite light (erring on the Kim Kardashian side of things) I do feel the need to pop a bit of foundation on top. Another major downside to this product is that if I wear it for a full day, I do notice it can turn a bit grey and cakey. Something I have to come to refer to as the foosty stage...nice. It's really the kind of product I apply when I know I need to look good for a few hours, and not necessarily a full day.

 

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer - £4.19

 

 

This is indisputably my favourite budget concealer, and it wasn't long after purchasing it that my mum and sister ran out to buy one too. For the money you really couldn't ask for much more... it conceals really well, and it lasts pretty much all day. When I fancy a simple make up day without too much fuss, I always go grabbing for this concealer because its so quick and easy to apply, and is always guaranteed to look good and last well. My only real bugbear with this product is that over the course of the day it can be a little drying on the eye and begin to look a bit powdery. The product description says that it lasts 16 hours...now I don't know about that, but it does have super staying power. For that reason it's probably one of my favourites to use on blemishes. There's also quite a small colour selection (most of which are quite light/beige toned), so once again I do feel the need to go over it with foundation at times.

 

Benefit Erase Paste - £20.50

 

 

 

I really like Benefit's Erase Paste. For some reason this just isn't one that I pick up for every day use...and I'm really not sure why. It's a gorgeous peach toned concealer, great for neutralising all the horrible dark colours under the eye. It's lovely and brightening, and almost has a glow to it. It's a nice formulation that remains clean and fresh over the course of the day with maybe just a little creasing. The only real issue as with most, is it's longevity. I think it's just one that I need to give another go for a little while...

As I mentioned before, I have my favourite but I wouldn't say I've found my HG concealer. Sooo as my search continues I would love to hear all your recommendations for eye creams/serums and concealers in the comments section below!

Verity x

 

 

Review: Beauty Blender

 

The Beauty Blender - £16.00

 

I sort of hummed and hawed over purchasing the Beauty Blender for a couple of weeks before I placed an order with BeautyBay. I think I just kept questioning how big a difference one little sponge could make... Two Beauty Blenders later I can say with confidence the answer is a BIG difference.

 

The Beauty Blender is an egg shaped make up sponge that helps you to blend your base and achieve a gorgeous, flawless finish. Before using the sponge you soak it in water, and then gently squeeze out the excess water so that its damp but not drenched.

 

When you wet the Beauty Blender it swells to double the size - maybe I'm just really easily pleased but I find it so satisfying to watch! It's uniquely shaped so that the rounded edge can be used in a bouncing/stippling motion to blend foundation into the larger areas of the face, and the pointy edge can be used in hard to reach areas around the eyes, mouth and nose.

 

I really like using the Beauty Blender. Especially with my higher coverage foundations such as NARS Sheer Glow, as it helps to achieve a lighter, more natural finish.  However, as it does sheer out the coverage a little I probably wouldn't suggest using the Beauty Blender with anything too light.

 

I've always been one of those girls who could never get away with layering my make up or using a lot before it begins to look cakey. But when I use the sponge after I've cleansed and exfoliated my skin, my make up looks so seamless. In fact, with the right base you can achieve that 'I'm not wearing any make up I swear!' look.  

 

I've heard a lot of people accuse the Beauty Blender of being expensive, but I think when you consider that MAC brushes are priced at around £30 (and compare the results) its actually really affordable... There are a couple of cheaper versions on the market which I can't honestly say I've tried, but I think the general vibe amongst bloggers is that they don't really compare.

 

And here are my results.... I really do think it helps you to achieve a gorgeous, airbrushed finish with your make up.  I love that it can be used to help give fuller coverage foundation a more natural look, and that it can be used with lighter bases for seamless no make up, make up days. It also helps makes blending so easy!  Even my most un-blendy (new word for you there) make up like my Kevyn Aucoin concealer, blends like a dream in a fraction of the usual time with the help of my Beauty Blender.

*For the purposes of giving you guys reliable and trustworthy reviews ,that enable you to formulate your own opinion as to whether a product is worth buying, or if its right for you I do not edit any of my photos. However, for that reason you'll have to excuse my dark under eye circles - I was feeling a bit poorly today!

 

Have any of you tried the Beauty Blender or one of the cheaper alternatives? If so, I'd love to hear your thought on them and how they compare!

Verity x

 

 

 

 

 



#YoutubersMadeMeDoIt

 

 

Ever since discovering the world of beauty blogging, I've come to respect and trust the opinions of so many of my favourite YouTubers. In truth, I think the likes of Tanya Burr, Amelia Liana, Fleur De Force and Essie Button (to name just a few) have influenced countless purchases, but in particular they've inspired many of my higher end beauty buys. Here are a few of my favourites...

 

Clarisonic Mia 2 - £125.00

Blogger: Tanya Burr
 
As soon as I discovered Tanya's YouTube channel, I was like what does this girl uses on her skin!? It's ahh-mazing. It wasn't long before I came across her glowing review of the Clarisonic Mia, an electronic cleansing brush that uses fancy sonic technology to deep-clean your skin. You simply apply your favourite cleanser to your face, and then use the Clarisonic to massage it into your skin, and then rinse. But what benefit does the Clarisonic bring above normal, manual cleansing? According to Tanya, it cleanses your skin 6x more efficiently. It's also super quick and convenient. As its waterproof, the Clarisonic can be used in the bath or shower, and it only takes 60 seconds. It also has a pulsing T-timer, that lets you know what area of your face you should be working on and when. This prevents you from over scrubbing your face, something that can do more harm than good for your skin. Sure enough, the Clarisonic makes my skin feel clean and clear every time. It also gently exfoliates and lifts away dead skin, getting rid of any dry patches and leaving my skin soft and smooth. It's also great for controlling oily skin. The brush heads need to be replaced every 2 months. Priced at two for £35 they are verrrrry expensive, although I have bought mine a lot cheaper on eBay.   Clarisonic advise that its gentle enough to use twice daily, but for me personally this would be seriously overdoing it. Once or twice a week is more than enough to see the benefits!

 

 

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation - £35.50

 

Blogger: Vivianna Does Make-Up

 

The other day when I wore this foundation, my sister remarked that my skin looked like velvet, and that's pretty much the best way I could describe the finish. This foundation is up there alongside NARS Sheer Glow, as one of my favourites. It has the most gorgeous texture. Its weightless, silky, and it just glides on your face beautifully. Anna described this foundation  as being 'not too matte, nor too dewy – it sort of sits in the middle of the finish spectrum,' and I couldn't have put it better myself. When I wear this my skin just has a healthy and natural 'lit from within' glow. It's a medium coverage foundation, that somehow manages to perfect your complexion, whilst still leaving your skin looking like skin. It's one of the few products that maintains its luminosity on my skin all day, so I can imagine that girls with oilier skin types might need a little powder to stop their skin from having any disco ball moments.

 

 

Glam Glow Mud Mask - £25.00

 Blogger: Essie Button

The reason that I really enjoy using the Glam Glow mud mask, is that it feels like hitting the refresh button on your skin. I use my fingers to  apply some all over my face, and after ten minutes when it's all dried (and I resemble a scary swamp monster), I rinse it off with a muslin cloth. My favourite thing about clay masks like these, is that not only are they great exfoliators but also feel so rejuvenating and clarifying. When I was reading up on Glam Glow, all the bloggers kept talking about the gorgeous tingly sensation the product had on the skin. Maybe I just haven't been using enough, but I didn't notice any tingling in the slightest. I've been using mine quite sparingly because it's really expensive. It costs £25 for the smaller 15ml jar (from which I estimate that I will get around 4, maaaaybe 5 uses), and £50 for the 50ml jar. Although pricey, everything about Glam Glow looks and feels luxurious. If you fancy treating yourself,  it's an ideal product to use ahead of special occasions, or when your skin is in need of some intense pampering. If you want to see if the product is worth the hype but are feeling hesitant to pay full price, Glam Glow now offer 'try before you buy' tester sets that you can find here.

 

Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer - £38.00

Blogger: Amelia Liana

As soon as I heard Amelia say 'this concealer will literally cover everything,' I wanted it. When I told my sister I was contemplating paying £38 for a concealer, she did question whether I'd ever considered just sleeping more instead, but no matter how well rested I am my horrible, purpley dark under-eye circles won't budge. No concealer has ever really been able to give me lasting coverage without the dark shadows re-emerging five minutes after application. So eventually, I talked myself into buying it (although I did have to practically look away as I handed over my card). The actual product is a super thick, creamy formula. Most would probably consider it too heavy for the under eye area, but it can be mixed in with an eye cream or moisturiser to lighten the formulation. When applied, any bags or blemishes are gone to the world, and the coverage lasts for a good five hours before it begins to fade. Whilst in the short term the finish is fab, it doesn't provide the day long bright eyed and bush tailed look I'd hoped for. As I opted for a slightly lighter shade it also makes a really lovely highlight on the brow bone, and a little goes a long way...it's going to last forever. The lady at Space NK explained that the reason it's so pricey is that it can double as a foundation. However, it's so thick I personally wouldn't want it all over my face. Its thick texture also means that it takes a lot of blending... so, SO much blending. At first I'd written this concealer off as too time consuming and impractical for everyday use, until I started using it with my beauty blender. However, despite its consistency it barely settles into fine lines, (it does a little, but given the graveyard of just ok concealers within my collection I can take a little creasing in exchange for actual coverage).  Its not perfect, but its the closest to it I've found...

Sarah Chapman Skinesis Overnight Facial - £45.00

Blogger: Lily Pebbles

 

As one of the most hyped up blogger products ever, the Over Night Facial had a lot to live up to but it certainly didn't disappoint. My notes on this one are short and sweet! The product itself is like a serum-oil which is massaged into the skin at night. It's gorgeous, silky-smooth texture just melts into the skin and leaves your skin velvety soft to touch. Its hydrating and moisturising (without being even remotely greasy) and when you wake your skin is still beautifully soft with a healthy glow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bioderma: Dehydrated Skin

 

Last winter I purchased my first Bioderma product (the Sensibio H20), and I have just loved the French skincare brand ever since. If you covet a healthy, dewy Victoria's Secret style glow but your skin remains dull and lacklustre, the underlying problem may well be dehydration. For years I tried an endless list of primers, highlighters, shimmer bricks and illuminators, all of which promised luminosity...but fell totally flat. It wasn't until I learnt more about skincare, that I realised hydrated skin is the first and most important step towards a radiant complexion. Here are 3 of my best-loved products from Bioderma's Hydrabio line for dehydrated and sensitive skin...

Hydrabio H20 - £9.99

If you follow beauty bloggers, it would be pretty much impossible to have never heard of Bioderma's cleansing waters. One of these guys is reportedly sold every six seconds globally, and so its safe to say they've become a cult classic. This product promises to gently cleanse the face and eyes, remove make-up and moisturise the skin. Its a fuss-free non-rinse cleanser, meaning you simply apply some to a cotton pad and wipe your face. For me personally, this is a far better alternative to greasy feeling cleansing oils that have to be washed off at the sink, and result in you rubbing your eye make up all over your face.  Am I the only one who thinks that this is the last thing I want to do at the end of a long day!? Anyway... After using this product, I began to notice some pretty amazing changes to my skin. Instantly, my skin felt so much healthier and super squeaky clean (but without feeling stripped). As you use the cleansing water, it really feels like its drawing out all of the  impurities, make-up, grime and general grossness from the day that has been clogging up your skin. As a result, I experienced a serious reduction in breakouts. Occasionally, I'll even use this product in the morning if my skin feels a bit tired and in need of a refreshing boost. If you're in need of a product that leaves your skin feeling fresh, healthy and beautifully clear, the Bioderma cleansing waters are a  must.

Bioderma Hydrabio Rich Moisturising Cream - £14.00

This has been one of those rare products that has come into my life and left me wondering what I ever did without it. Over the years I feel like I have tried a million and one different moisturisers, all of which had promised to make my dull, dehydrated complexion soft and radiant, but failed to deliver. I've always been quite vocal about my general reluctance to splurge on expensive moisturisers. Unlike make-up, the results of skincare aren't instant - the only real way to test a moisturiser is to take a gamble and buy it. This could result in one very expensive mistake if its not right... That said, I was growing so frustrated that I almost caved and bought the Chanel Hydra Beauty Cream. But then I discovered the Hydrabio Rich Moisturiser. For me, it is HOLY GRAIL material. As the name suggests, the product is a very rich and creamy formula that I apply each morning and night. As soon as I begin massaging this into my skin, it looks plump and radiant. It also creates the perfect base for my make up, helping me to achieve a gorgeous dewy glow that lasts! However, given the richness of this product I would be wary about recommending this product to friends with oily skin-types. A better option for those blessed with a natural glow may be 'Hydrabio Light,' a less intense formulation that hydrates the skin without feeling too heavy.

 

 Bioderma Hydrabio Moisturising Mask - £14.50

 

Quite simply, this is just nourished, supple, glowing skin in a bottle! If you want all the hydration and moisture that the Sarah Chapman Overnight Facial has to offer without the hefty price tag, you'll love this product! Once a week I apply a thick layer of this to my skin, leave it for ten minutes and then massage in the remaining product until its fully absorbed.  After using the mask, my skin just feels super soft and deeply hydrated.  The mask is great at locking in moisture to the skin, and so not only is it fab for long haul flights, but its also a go to product during the cold winter months. In short, this product is perfect for when your skin is in need of a bit of extra TLC!

 

Unsure as to whether you have dehydrated skin? Take a little look here...

 

 

 

 

Have any of you guys used Bioderma before? I'd love to here your thoughts and recommendations!