creamy concealer Archives - Let's talk beauty

I thought I would share a few new products that have made their way into my beauty stash, some of which I’ve been using for a couple of months and one that just came through my letter box last week (but I’m already head over heels in love) can you guess which product that it?

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG 30ml

I have a post coming up in a few weeks talking a little more in depth about my favourite products from Deciem but I wanted to put this particular product in this post mostly because I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a product as much as this one or seen such incredible results as quickly. I have been using this Caffeine Solution everyday since I received it back in April & I simply adore it. I would say the best way to describe it is as a lightweight serum that has a slight tackiness to it which once applied feels weightless yet hydrating and soothing on the skin.

You apply it to around your orbital bone (around your eye area) and it helps reduce puffiness, reduce dark circles and it has actually reduced a patch of pigmentation I had to the edge of my eye.

Caffeine – Constricts blood vessels to reduce discolouration and swelling.
EGCG – Sourced from green tea, EGCG has strong anti-inflammatory properties, and is also proven to reactivate dying skin cells.

It is without a doubt my favourite product from The Ordinary & that is saying something because I’ve tried quite a few amazing products from this range but this solution has visibly reduced uneven skintone and my eyes have never looked as healthy. It is like liquid sleep. I can’t sing it’s praises enough but if you did need any more convincing to try it yourself the price tag might just sway you – this 30ml is only £5.80! Now all I ask is that you don’t buy it in bulk, leave me a bottle or two.

Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara £21.00

This is the latest mascara release from Lancome & I am usually a huge Lancome Mascara fan but this didn’t really cut it for me. I get that Lancome (I think) are trying to appeal more to a younger market with this Monsieur Big Collection as the packaging isn’t as sleek or luxurious as you’d expect from Lancome and the promise of up to 12x volume and 24 hour wear is a little far fetched. I found the formula too wet and hard to apply to coats without it looking clumpy. One coat gives you a good amount of volume and it is a very ultra black formula but for £21, I think I will stick to my beloved Hypnose or the Doll Eyes.

Batiste 2 in 1 Dry Shampoo & Conditioner

To be honest I prefer the stand alone dry shampoo, I wasn’t entirely sure how to use this for the best results. I found that if I put too much on my roots it made them look a little greasy & If I sprayed too much through the length it made it feel icky. With it costing more than the actual dry shampoo I would say stick to that don’t over complicate things with adding a dry conditioner to the mix. The only plus of this product for me was the fruity, Summery scent, which I really liked.

Giorgio Armani Eye & Brow Maestro £28.00

I’m quite happy with my brow routine at the moment so I haven’t actually been using this on them, I have been using it as an eyeshadow primer & also on it’s own all over the lid. So the Eye & Brow Maestro comes in 8 shades and it has a cream formula which is also waterproof so for me it has been working so well on the eye. This formula doesn’t crease and it stays put all day long. I have the shade 05 Auburn which is a gorgeous as a soft taupe / brown shade. I do love a cream shadow simply because they are lightweight on the lid, this formula does not crease and their effortless to apply (I tend to use my finger to blend). I am smitten with this.

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye Concealer

I bought two shades of this in a blog sale and OMG I’ve never (ever, ever) tried such a full coverage concealer. This stuff is seriously full coverage and waterproof. That being said you’d think at first glance that it would be too thick to use under your eye, worrying that it would gather in all those pesky fine lines (which you do not want to draw attention too). If use use just the smallest amount and I mean a slither of product and really blend it in you have yourself a concealer that will cover anything and last all day without accentuating fine lines or looking cakey. It’s infused with high-performance pigments and anti-aging peptides, vitamins, hydrolyzed collagen, hyaluronic acid and antioxidant.

This concealer is great at covering anything you could name, blemishes, redness, dark circles and even help reduce the appearance of wrinkles. It has changed my life. I have found myself just using this in the areas that need coverage and not even reaching for a foundation. My makeup routine just got a whole lot quicker.

Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette £.39.50

The internet has been going crazy for this new release from Urban Decay, I really like that they’re always adding to their Naked range and some of my most worn and best loved palettes are from the Naked Collection. I adore the Naked Ultimate Basics (all matte) and the original Naked Palette is still my absolute favourite (apart from the fuzzy packaging. So this new addition to the Naked family is a beauty, I feel like it has been very well thought out, you get 12 warm toned shades that are perfect for every season. You get a stunning selection of warm earthy shades with everything from amber toned neutrals including warm browns and burnt oranges to deep red browns and glimmering coppers.

Chaser – light nude matte
Ounce – ivory shimmer
Sauced – soft terracotta matte
Low Blow – brown matte
Lumbre – copper shimmer w/gold pearl shift
He Devil – burnt red matte
Dirty Talk – metallic burnt red
Scorched – metallic deep red w/gold micro-shimmer
Cayenne – deep terra-cotta matte
En Fuego – burgundy matte
Ashes – deep reddish-brown matte
Ember – deep metallic copper-burgundy

Ember / En Fuego / Dirty Talk / He Devil / Lumbre

As with all the Naked Palettes, there is a nice mix of finishes and textures including mattes, micro shimmers and two smooth buttery light base shades. Urban Decay eyeshadows are always fantastic quality, richly pigmented and easy to blend as this palette does not disappoint. So say that I’m thrilled to bits to have this in my collection would be an understatement.

So what is new in your makeup bag lately? Let me know if you have tried any of the products I’ve mentioned.

*This post contains PR samples

Even if I am not wearing a base (foundation, tinted moisturiser) I do like to wear a little concealer, just to cover a few blemish scars & make my dark circles look a little less dramatic. So here are my current concealers, I store them in a MUJI drawer & that fits them all in just perfectly.

Seventeen Phwoarr Concealer – LOVE this, the quality is so good for an affordable full coverage concealer. I use this to conceal spots, imperfections and some redness on my nose & chin, I wouldn’t use it as an under eye concealer. Only because its a little heavy and tends to gather in my fine lines. I have to say it rivals my beloved Benefit Boiing the only thing separating them is that the Seventeen one is a little more creamy & at a push the Benefit one lasts slightly longer.

Benefit Boiing – I have repurchased this so many times,This stuff covers imperfections like a hero! I’ve used it for years and can always rely on it to cover redness, blemishes and dark spots. It stays in place a heck of a long time, this stuff is heavy-duty. It’s a full coverage concealer but it doesn’t look heavy on the skin, you can blend it in so it looks even and not cakey at all. The formula is creamy and I find it works best if applied to the skin with your finger and blended out with a brush. A little goes a long way so start with a small amount and build up if you need too.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer – This only has a couple of uses left in it & I have enjoyed it but wouldn’t repurchase it. I used it as an under eye brightening concealer & think it did a good job of making my dark circles look brighter & my under eye area more awake. The reason I won’t be repurchasing is I found the product dried up quickly in the tube despite the lid being on very tight.

Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Brightening Illuminating Concealer Love this – it is that perfect combination of concealer and highlighter. I bought it whilst in America This is really hydrating, which I need and that means it doesn’t crease. It’s quite lightweight but still offers good coverage. It isn’t heavy duty coverage but if you’re looking for a light to medium coverage I recommend trying this. I took the sponge applicator off as I didn’t like it & thought it was quite unhygienic.

Yves Rocher Radiant Youth Corrector Pen* – This is a clicker pen style concealer, which I like, I have the shade 1 which is a peachy pink colour and this works well to brighten and diffuse the darkness under my eyes. It is by no means a full coverage concealer and when my eyes look particularly dark I like to use my Bobbi Brown corrector as an extra step and use this on top for a little extra coverage. The formula is lovely and creamy and feels hydrating too.

Bobbi Brown Concealer Kit – It took mw ages to get this to work for me, the product used to sink into my fine lines but if I make a real effort to hydrate my under eyes the product looks OK. It is a creamy concealer so it is going to crease a little throughout the day but combined with the Bobbi Brown Corrector (which I LOVE) they make a really good combo & make my under eyes look bright and healthy. I tend to use this more in the evening as its quite heavy coverage & it is expensive so I like to keep it for special occasions.

Miss Sporty Liquid Concealer – This is a very budget friendly product, it is very creamy and hydrating, I have the shade Light & I use it under my eyes to brighten & make it appear that I’ve had 10 hours sleep. It does a pretty good job. I like it more than the Collection one (a lot more) as I find this blends better and is less drying. I have the shade 001 Light.

Seventeen Stay Time 18 Hour Concealer – This is quite a blogger favourite & it was recommended to me so many times, I’m very glad I bought it as it is a very very good concealer for blemishes. It gives good coverage without being heavy or looking like you have tried to cover up imperfections. The staying power of this is up there with high end concealers. If you buy one product from this post make sure it is this one!

Sheer Cover Conceal & Brighten Trio* £24.95 – I only really use the concealer shades in the trio and they’re good at counteracting dark under eyes and concealing flaws. I like to use them together and think they work much like the Bobbi Brown kit. They’re not as creamy as the Bobbi Brown ones but they are easy to blend and they don’t dry out the area. I think this kit is a little pricey but it is handy to travel with as it has a decent mirror & its perfect for having in your handbag to reapply / touch up on the go.

Rimmel Match Perfection Illuminating Concealer – This is good for brightening the under eye area, its not the best at covering blemishes or imperfections (as it does have an illuminating quality to it). It is quite creamy but looks fresh and bright and if you use a lightweight powder over the top it stays in place nicely all day.

Sleek MakeUp Corrector & Concealing Palette – This doesn’t get as much love from me as it deserves, I think thats because I have an abundance of similar concealers. I think when I have used up a couple of the others I will use this more. You get a peachy correcting shade, a concealer shade & a yellow toned powder (good for highlighting and keeping concealer in place). This is really well packaged in a slim sturdy palette with a nice sized mirror. I might take this with me next time I travel. Oh & this also has SPF15 in which is unusual for concealers.
Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

Let's talk beauty

Unbiased beauty product reviews & tips