Hide your "tired" and look younger, STAT!
Drugstore Picks: CONCEALER
Hey.
Hey you!
If you look in the mirror half-way through the day and think, "Barf...why do I look so tired?!" This might just be for you.
Concealer is the dreamy, wonder-product that has the ability to brighten your eye area, (and brighten your whole face for that matter!) HIDE YOUR TIRED, and trick people into think you're more rested than you actually are. WIN WIN WIN.
We all have discoloration around our eye-area. Black, purple, pink, blue....it's all blood. Sounds gross but the reality is that we've got tons of blood around our eye area. Whatever color you're fighting every monring, the right concealer can turn your whole face around and make your co-workers think you're aging backwards, had some work done, or are just naturally bright-eyed and youthful day in, day out.
The diagram above is a perfect picture of the conversation that I have with clients on the reg. In my opnion, there are three MAJOR mistakes that people make when it comes to concealer:
1. PLACEMENT: We've all seen people who have a weird white line under their eye. It can look racoonish, unnatural and frankly, a little amatuer. A line of concealer directly under your eye only draws attention to an area that we often want to look more subtle and softer! Blending, brushing or dabbing your concealer into a large triangle will brighten your whole face from the center, making those around you see a brighter, more youthful look. Serious.
2. NOT USING ENOUGH PRODUCT: I get that no one anywhere wants to be the person wearing way too much makeup. I get it. But when you don't use enough, THEN WHY USE IT? I tell my cleints "MAKE YOUR MAKEUP WORK FOR YOU." If you're spending $$ on something to make you look more rested, brighter, fresher, younger.....why not maximize it and let it do what it's supposed to do?? Most products can be blended out, softened and made much more subtle once it's on your skin. You won't rub it off if you keep softening it!! And practice makes perfect. But not applying enough out the gate is like paying for the whole pizza but then only eating the pepperoni slices. No thanks boo. I want the WHOLE thing in all its glory!
3. PICK THE RIGHT SHADE: You want your concealer to be a touch lighter than your foundation. Not crazy-bright yet not the same. The JOY of Drugstore products is that if purchased at Target, Walgreens, etc, you can always swap a color with your receipt. And it's WORTH it. The right color makes all the difference. If you wear a medium shade foundation, try a light-medium concealer.
I reviewed three concealers for Drugstore Month. Two I liked, one I didn't. Although I guessed it right out the gate. My general, non-spoken rule, (until now) is that it's ok to spend a little more $$ on foundation and concealer for me because it's my MAIN skin concern!! I can fudge on eye-shadow...I can fudge on liners. But my clear, great skin is always my priority. So naturally, the $3 concealer didn't do much for me.
Here we go!
1. Loreal Visible Lift Serum Concealer SPF 17
Visible Lift Serum Absolute Concealer features five age-reversing ingredients that ALL help to cover up imperfections, diminish dark circles, minimize lines, hydrate skin, and cover flaws. For anyone concerned about waking up their dull skin or under-eye, this is a GREAT product for you!! And it's good for ALL skin types. I used it on myself and loved how it looked first, but knowing there are a ton of anti-aging properties working on my skin WHILE I wear it?? No brainer. Available in 4 shades and have a BRUSH on the end so applying it is SO easy. Retails for $10-12 wherever Loreal is sold.
2. Maybelline Face Studio Master Conceal
I love this one. This is probably the closest to a full-coverage department store concealer that you can get!! It's long-wear, it has a great consistency, it blends easily and it covers great. Maybelline's tagline for this baby is "Maximum conceal. No reveal." I like that it doesn't look like a bunch of makeup once you've applied it. Comes in a squeeze-out tube in 5 different colors. I used light-medium and it is perfect for a medium skinned girl. This can be blended with a brush, a blending sponge, or your finger. Although I would HIGHLY recommend skipping a finger application to make it last longer. The oil in your skin will often begin breaking down the product right when you apply it, making it look barely-there by lunchtime. No thanks. Retails for $7-8 wherever Maybelline is sold.
3. e.l.f. Stick Concealer
Booooooooo. This $3 stick concealer doesn't last on your skin, looks greasy, and provides half of the coverage of the other two options. Elf does a few things right but this concealer does NOT seem to be one of them. Skip it. Spend a few extra bucks to get one that will last, work for you all day, and conceal your tired under-eyes.
Hope you learned a thing or two about concealer today. Use it to your advantage to look LESS tired, YOUNGER and brighter overall!!
Try it, love it, tag me! And SHARE this post with your friends!
Love you long-time. Xx
