...for the perfect undereye concealer, that is.
I haven't been blogging lately because I've been super swamped with work and my thesis. I don't get to sleep as much too so you can just imagine the horror my eyes have become. If you, like me, suffer from undereye circles then you'd understand my need to find just the right concealer. I have these undereye circles that can make me look like tired and stressed all the time. I sleep really late, like sometimes I don't get to sleep till four or five in the morning, so when I wake up, hello Uncle Fester! Even when my sleeping habits do return to normal and I get seven to eight hours of sleep, I find I still have these dark circles that just won't go away. Hence, my seemingly unending search for the perfect concealer that can banish these ugly dark circles to kingdom come. Stick concealers, cream concealers, liquid concealers, bring them all to me! Undereye shadows, begone!
Here are some of the concealers I've tried:
1) YSL Touche Eclat #3:
I chose number 3 because it seems to suit my morena skin tone most. Numbers 1 and two seemed too light. YSL Touche Eclat is a liquid concealer comes in a sassy gold pen-like case which is really handy for quick touch-ups. Just open the cap, pump the liquid and presto! Instant concealer and highlighter. I loved this at first, but now whenever I put this on, I get these unappetizing-looking orange streaks that won't fade even when I top it with loose powder. I suppose I got lighter, but when I tried the #2, it was too light! Plus, over time it kind of develops this smell that's well, not exactly a heavenly scent. While I like YSL Touche Eclat overall, I find that it works better as a highlighter and not so much as a concealer. It does nothing for my undereyes and nothing for my blemish spots. However, when I applied it as a highlighter on my nose or around my lips, it did a rather swell job. I really wanted to love it as a concealer, as I've heard so many raves about it. Alas, not even its ultra-chic golden packaging can help its lackluster performance as a concealer.
2) Watercolors Concealer
I'm a fan of cream concealers so I decided to pick this one up. While not as creamy as other cream concealers, Watercolors concealer does its job well. It brightens the undereyes and manages to hide the little imperfections without caking. The drawback is that it only comes in about four shades so choosing the right shade can be a little tricky. As for me, I got the one in neutral medium and it works just fine.
3) VOV
For just 395 bucks, VOV is just about the cheapest concealer I have. It's a cream concealer that also acts as foundation, so you get two for the price of one. However, finding the right shade for my morena skin wasn't that easy as VOV comes in only four shades. I ended up getting #3 since it's yellow-based and it's the closest I got to my skin tone. Closest, but still not the right match. I use this when I'm just going for a quick trip somewhere and I want to save on other concealers.
4)Cinema Secrets
I've been using Cinema Secrets since high school (let's just say that's a long long time ago!) and I love this product until now. It's creamy, probably the creamiest out of all my cream concealers, glides onto the skin very well and it doesn't cake or streak. Plus, it comes in sooo many shades which can make choosing the perfect shade for you quite difficult. Cinema Secrets is also a cult fave, used by makeup artists everywhere. For morenas, I suggest checking out #62, or #15. One of the best places to try out Cinema Secrets is in PCX at Powerplant. You get to check out all the colors you want. For a hefty price of 1k plus, you really need to test the colors first before purchasing them. Cinema Secrets also comes in a palette which makes concealing even easier.
5) MAC Studio Finish Concealer This is another cream concealer. For some reason though, I have to use a concealer brush to get the coverage I want. Unlike with Cinema Secrets, which I can just use with my fingers, getting the right coverage with this one takes just a little bit more effort. You have to be more careful with this one. If you get it right, you get a flawless finish. If you don't, it will tend to crease and settle in the fine lines. I like that the little itty bitty pot holds so much stuff that you can use it for months on end.
My favorite is still Cinema Secrets but I'm always on the lookout for cheaper alternatives. Plus I heard Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage and Bobbi Brown Concealer are good too. Will update when I get to check out those products!
I chose number 3 because it seems to suit my morena skin tone most. Numbers 1 and two seemed too light. YSL Touche Eclat is a liquid concealer comes in a sassy gold pen-like case which is really handy for quick touch-ups. Just open the cap, pump the liquid and presto! Instant concealer and highlighter. I loved this at first, but now whenever I put this on, I get these unappetizing-looking orange streaks that won't fade even when I top it with loose powder. I suppose I got lighter, but when I tried the #2, it was too light! Plus, over time it kind of develops this smell that's well, not exactly a heavenly scent. While I like YSL Touche Eclat overall, I find that it works better as a highlighter and not so much as a concealer. It does nothing for my undereyes and nothing for my blemish spots. However, when I applied it as a highlighter on my nose or around my lips, it did a rather swell job. I really wanted to love it as a concealer, as I've heard so many raves about it. Alas, not even its ultra-chic golden packaging can help its lackluster performance as a concealer.
2) Watercolors Concealer
I'm a fan of cream concealers so I decided to pick this one up. While not as creamy as other cream concealers, Watercolors concealer does its job well. It brightens the undereyes and manages to hide the little imperfections without caking. The drawback is that it only comes in about four shades so choosing the right shade can be a little tricky. As for me, I got the one in neutral medium and it works just fine.
3) VOV
For just 395 bucks, VOV is just about the cheapest concealer I have. It's a cream concealer that also acts as foundation, so you get two for the price of one. However, finding the right shade for my morena skin wasn't that easy as VOV comes in only four shades. I ended up getting #3 since it's yellow-based and it's the closest I got to my skin tone. Closest, but still not the right match. I use this when I'm just going for a quick trip somewhere and I want to save on other concealers.
4)Cinema Secrets
I've been using Cinema Secrets since high school (let's just say that's a long long time ago!) and I love this product until now. It's creamy, probably the creamiest out of all my cream concealers, glides onto the skin very well and it doesn't cake or streak. Plus, it comes in sooo many shades which can make choosing the perfect shade for you quite difficult. Cinema Secrets is also a cult fave, used by makeup artists everywhere. For morenas, I suggest checking out #62, or #15. One of the best places to try out Cinema Secrets is in PCX at Powerplant. You get to check out all the colors you want. For a hefty price of 1k plus, you really need to test the colors first before purchasing them. Cinema Secrets also comes in a palette which makes concealing even easier.
5) MAC Studio Finish Concealer This is another cream concealer. For some reason though, I have to use a concealer brush to get the coverage I want. Unlike with Cinema Secrets, which I can just use with my fingers, getting the right coverage with this one takes just a little bit more effort. You have to be more careful with this one. If you get it right, you get a flawless finish. If you don't, it will tend to crease and settle in the fine lines. I like that the little itty bitty pot holds so much stuff that you can use it for months on end.
My favorite is still Cinema Secrets but I'm always on the lookout for cheaper alternatives. Plus I heard Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage and Bobbi Brown Concealer are good too. Will update when I get to check out those products!
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10 comments:
another helpful blog post. thanks!
I wanna try Cinema Secrets pero wala yata dito sa Singapore. :-( Do you think I can order it online?
Hi Liz! Thanks! Yeah I think you can have it shipped. Try this. It's their website. They have all the info you'd need to order their products. =)
http://professionalsecrets.stores.yahoo.net/
wow.. thanks! :-)
Hi,
I love your blog! :)
For concealing dark circles, I think choosing the right color matters. If you're familiar with the concept for the color wheel, it will be easier to understand.
Colors that are are on opposite ends of the wheel are complementary colors. When mixed together, they neutralize each other.
Example: Red and green = brown/neutral
For bluish circles, use peachy concealers (blue and orange neutralize each other. but for makeup, find a peachy concealer).
For purplish circles, use yellow concealers.
If you apply concealer on your undereye area and it becomes gray, the shade of the concealer is too light.
For that, peachy concealers work for more people than yellow concealers. But that depends on the color of your undereye circles. Hope this helps!
Hi Crissy! Thanks for dropping by! And thanks so much for your comment, it definitely helps! =) For reddish spots I use a green corrector, like Smashbox's corrector. That, or the Face Shop's. Yeah, sometimes I use a concealer that looks too light and ack, I end up looking like a raccoon. Haha! Hence the neverending search for the perfect shade. Thanks again! I'll insert your helpful tip when I put another entry on concealers!
Mia
yes for me the best also yung cinema secrets. i've tried so many other brands but this is the best talaga. and you can buy from their office in quezon ave (i think they have a slight discount there).
way before i tried cinema secrets, i was using city base (clinique) which was also good (even if foundation siya and not concealer)
i've never used a concealer before, just because i don't know how and what kind to get. but after reading this i guess it's about time. i hope Cinema Secrets isn't expensive... is it?
legallychef: Hi! Thanks for dropping by the site. =) Really? Cinema Secrets has an office here that you can get you cheaper stuff? Great! I'd love to check that out! I wanted to try Clinique's All About Eyes Concealer, but when I check the counter, they didn't have it in my shade. Oh well.
Saab: Hi! Thanks for dropping by too! How much is your budget? One pot of Cinema Secrets costs 1,100 I think and a palette is about 1,950. It's worth it if you ask me. If you have dry skin, it's best to use cream or liquid concealer. However if you're on the oily side, you might want to go for a stick concealer. =)
Mia
thanks for the tip! i got cinema secrets and it works wonders!
where can i buy that watercolors one?
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