September 19th, 2017
From pinpoint touch-ups to masking the wild events of the previous night, there is a concealer for every eventuality. While we don’t expect foundation to create blanket coverage, we do hold a strict remit for concealers worth mentioning here – decent shade ranges, workable texture and true colour pigmentation to get the job done. Everyone knows the classic concealer picks, but what else is out there?
Image Source – Make-up by Alexis Swain
If your client has been neglecting sleep and is beginning to resemble a racoon then we’d instantly be reaching for the IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye (£22.50). They’re not messing around with their marketing as a ‘full coverage’ concealer – the tiniest amount of this concealer is enough to cover just about any dark circle you’re faced with. It’s quite a thick texture for under the eyes, so we’d recommend warming the product on the back of your hand, or working it into a small brush to easier distribute rather than directly applying to the face.
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer has won legions of fans and cult status, but we’d wager that their newest concealer gives it a solid run for its money. The NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer (£23) comes in 16 shades, and is the consistency that cream product dreams are made of. A little goes a long way again, and we love the natural finish these concealer pots give the skin.
If a fluid concealer which is a bit more lightweight while still offering decent coverage is more your taste then the Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Concealer (£19) is one of our favourites. The flat paddle applicator delivers a healthy amount of product in one use, but not enough to go overboard. The shade range is good, and the fluid, thinner texture complements whatever work you’ve done to the base thus far – it doesn’t leave foundations cakey, the allowing the texture to come through while still covering what needs to be covered.
Dior’s new DiorSkin Forever Undercover Concealer (£19) does have a fair amount of shades, although we feel the usual disappointment in fashion houses catering far more to paler tones than darker ones. This waterproof, high-pigment liquid concealer apparently offers 33% more pigment than the corresponding foundation and we believe it, although it still blends out like a dream.
Image Source – L’Officiel Australia, make-up by Marc Cornwall
The concealer range from Benefit had a serious makeover this summer; the different products have been transformed into the new cohesive Boi-ing Concealer Collection comprising of Boi-ing Industrial Strength Concealer (the original heavy-lifting cream), Boi-ing Brightening Concealer (formerly Erase Paste) and the stick-shaped Boi-ing Hydrating Concealer (formerly Fake-Up). The formula re-jigs have helped to update the products, and we also love the brand new additions in the form of the Boi-ing Airbrush Concealer (£17.50), which blends the best aspects of each of the others, and the pairing with the creamy Watt’s Up highlighter.
Turning to the high street, we’re big fans of the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer (£5.99) for giving the option of undertones as well as (albeit limited) shade depths – for yellow undertones try numbers ending in 0 or for pink try 5. This liquid concealer does a comparable job to the Urban Decay Naked Skin and NARS Radiant Creamy Concealers for a fraction of the price, although it certainly won’t last quite as long as either of them – but if touch-ups are possible, it’s a solid contender.
L’Oreal’s classic True Match concealer is also getting an update alongside the revamped foundations – look for the cuboid tube rather than the original cylinder. The shades are impressive for the high street and the formula has us predicting them to become a kit favourite at just £7.99, especially if you’re just starting out with limited funds.
When it comes to pro brands, we’re going to highlight the oft-overlooked Cinema Secrets for their Ultimate Corrector 5-in-1 Pro Palette (£30). It pairs five blendable, creamy shades so you can create the perfect shade for your client’s every eventuality. With a silicone-wax formula they are ideal for blending, mixing and applying like a second skin. They’re so good that actress Salma Hayek has taken to using them off-set apparently.
Finally, for the most lightweight finish which still delivers on pigment, look no further than Stila’s Aqua Glow Serum Concealer. Fairly affordable at £13, this formula is hydrating, glowy and a real skin perker-upper – not everyone needs or wants a heavy duty concealer, and this one feels light as air on the skin.
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