Double Product Review: Skin Alison Raffaele True Concealer

(Toya and Melissa)

What They Say: "Thinner, more fluid formula provides weightless high-coverage. Blends easily, layers well, and won't cake, crease, or collect in fine lines."

Toya's Take: I tested this concealer in Skintone 5, which, according to Sephora.com is meant for medium-deep complexions with golden undertones, which sounds about right. It was a little too light for me, however. With my summer tan, I think I should have tried Skintone 6, for deep golden complexion with golden undertones. Still, it was good for covering up my under eyes circles and I was pleased with it in that respect.

However, when blended, the concealer goes from creamy to quite a bit powdery and when I used it to cover redness around my nose and to cover a blemish, the powdery effect made my skin dry and flaky and just drew attention to those places I was trying to conceal.

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: I tested Skintone 3, which is described for "fair complexions with golden undertones". I think this matched my skin pretty well.

Like Toya, I found this concealer to be really good at covering undereye darkness. The texture is hard to describe, but it's a super-creamy formula that sort of glides on. I noticed that it did settle in some fine lines a tiny bit near the inner corners of my eyes. I didn't find as much of an issue with the drying out quality on the eye area as Toya did, but that could just be our skin reacting differently or because the shade matched my skin better.

I did notice, though, that around the nose area or other places where you may want to use it for redness or blemishes, your skin needs to be very well-exfoliated first or it will definitely accentuate any dry patches.

Retail Price: $22.50 (Sephora.com or go here to find a retail location near you)

DeLush Rating: from EACH of us

Fall Product Review: Tarte Yellow Mellow

What They Say: "We call it yellow mellow…
…’cause this cool lemon-colored powder/cream duo helps to calm down angry red skin tones. Yellow Mellow is chock-full of ingredients that keep redness at bay:

• aloe vera & chamomile ease inflammation
  
• soybean oil reduces skin discolorations, including sun spots, age spots and redness
  
• vitamin E helps skin retain moisture and is one of the most effective antioxidants to prevent premature signs of aging
  
• Green tea extract has been shown to improve rosacea
  
• White tea extract protects skin from oxidative stress & immune cell damage

Directions:
Simply dab the corrective cream on any problem area, gently blend, and use your kabuki brush to dust over with the matching yellow powder."

Jen's Experience: Since I have sensitive skin, I've managed to develop quite the nose for products that don't cause inflammation, but every now and again I test something that just doesn't work with my skin and my skin lets me know about it. Believe it or not, I've never had a specific product to help correct those situations, I have always just piled on some foundation and hoped for the best. But now with Tarte's Yellow Mellow, that's all changed.

Applying it involves two steps, very reminiscent of Bobbi Brown's undereye concealer. The packaging contains the corrector itself, a yellowish powder and the fantastic kabuki brush that makes it worth getting the set alone. I apply the yellow cream with my concealer brush on the reddish areas (generally between my brow or on chin) and pat in with my fingers. Then, I apply the yellow powder by dabbing the area with the kabuki brush. The redness really disappears! I also find it to be effective on other skin discolorations, not just reds.

Don't get this mixed up with an undereye concealer. I admit it, I tried it, but it really just doesn't look natural or really even cover up in the undereye area. But what does work is to use the yellow powder and kabuki brush to set your undereye concealer. I found that to be extremely effective. Oh, and the corrector actually helps to fix the problem rather than just covering it up, so you may not even need to use it two days in a row.

I think I could make it by without having this product at my disposal, but now that I have it, it seems like an essential for anyone with sensitive skin or even light acne problems.

Retail Price: $25.00 (TarteCosmetics.com)

Rating:

Fall Product Review: Tarte The Eraser Concealer

What They Say: "Ever wish you had a magical eraser to obliterate all your beauty blunders? Well, look no further: whatever you’re trying to disguise, the eraser’s got you covered. The silicone & water based formula keeps skin hydrated and prevents creasing or caking… so no one will ever suspect you of hiding the evidence. (Now, if we could only invent a time machine…)

Dark circles? Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant, while safflower oil hydrates skin. Blemishes? Chamomile & Arnica extracts soothe redness & reduce inflammation. Puffy eyes? Aloe leaf & cucumber extract reduce puffiness & tighten skin."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: Ah, yes. Concealing those undereye areas can be frustrating. Any product that claims to help with the darkness and tiredness of the eyes is hard to not be intrigued by. That's why women seem to be on a constant hunt for "THE Perfect Concealer"!

I've seen some others designed in this form as well - in the click-up tube - and generally I don't know if I prefer them. In this case, there is quite a delay when you click the end to when the product arrives at the brush end. TRUST ME on this: don't click more than 4 times before waiting up to 30 seconds for some concealer to appear on the brush. If you keep twisting because you don't see anything, you will likely end up with a huge glob emerging out of it suddenly and no one wants that.

When it does come out, it seems to not emerge at the end so much as in the middle of the brush. I knew I'd have a hard time conveying this to you, so I took a picture:

This, while not the most convenient, is workable, especially if you don't go crazy with the clicks.

As far as the formula goes, I really like the consistency and coverage. It's non-drying and covers dark circles very well if you find the right shade for your skin. I even used it on some red areas and it worked really well at covering those up, too. It truly resists caking and settling into lines, which is a major plus as far as concealers go. I'm not sure I noticed a lot of decrease in puffiness personally, but that aside I think the formula is great. While I wish it was in a different applicator, I would still consider this something you might be very happy with. I'd say the thing I noticed most significantly about it is that it is moisturizing but doesn't get oily-looking. It stayed true and kept my eyes looking brighter for hours.

In this pic from some of the shots from the other day, I was actually wearing this concealer. Here's an example of how it looked on my eye (shade is Medium Beige - I thought I'd prefer the Light, but that was too yellow for my skin). This was taken in natural light on a macro setting (click to enlarge):

Retail Price: $19.00 (tartecosmetics.com or go here to find retail locations near you)

DeLush Rating: (for the applicator and because I didn't notice any decrease in puffiness as it described)

Laura Mercier Secret Concealer

What They Say: "Laura Mercier's Secret Concealer was developed specifically for use under & around the eye area. An emollient version of Secret Camouflage, the moisture-rich formula is specially designed for the dry, sensitive skin under the eye to conceal discoloration & dark circles."

Jen's Experience: This concealer has been getting a lot of buzz lately, and when I saw that it was designed for dry and sensitive skin, I thought, "Hey, sign me up!" I asked the Laura Mercier representative at the make-up counter if she had any good tips for usage, and she told me to be sure to use a good eye cream and to apply the concealer over my foundation.

And the results? Not what I had hoped for, really. I've been using Chanel eye cream (which I'll be reviewing next week), so I thought I had that part covered, but what I found was that in any quantity, a lot or a little, the concealer settled into the little fine lines under my eyes. It was surprising, because the concealer has a nice creamy quality that seems like it should just melt into your face. I used the powder from the Bobbi Brown concealer set to help make it look a little more natural.

The only way I was able to achieve a truly flawless look with this concealer was by applying over a pretty high coverage foundation. In the winter, this isn't as big of a deal, but in the summer when it's 100 degrees, I generally just use a tinted moisturizer. I didn't find it to be terribly long lasting over just the moisturizer.

For those without really dry skin (or no fine lines), this may just work for you. Of course, you'll also need to have fairly specific coloring, since this concealer is only made in 3 shades. For me, I think I'm still going to stick to the Bobbi Brown corrector/concealer.

Retail Price: $22.00 (Laura Mercier)

Rating:

Review: Benefit Boi-ing!

What They Say: "It's the world's best concealer. This industrial-strength concealing cream helps erase dark circles & imperfections. Lay it on... thick or thin... it looks natural and never heavy."

Jamie's Thoughts: They might not be exaggerating. Whether we want to admit it or not, some of us need a little help in the under eye area. As a redhead, my skin has a naturally translucent quality. This, combined with a lifetime of allergies, leaves me sporting some seriously dark, undereye circles. In a recent non-scientific poll of redheads (i.e. all the redheads I know), 100% of those polled reported a problem with dark circles. This concealer is so easy to use, it’s almost laughable. Benefit has hit a home run with Boi-ing!

Forewarned is fair warned: Have you ever seen a redhead without her makeup on? It’s quite a sight to behold, as we don’t have any color in our eyelashes or eyebrows. Please keep this in mind when viewing the following photos, which were taken in natural light (yes! I am either brave or crazy!). Be sure to forward them to a friend and have a hearty laugh at my expense.

Click to enlarge.

I apply this as the first layer of my make-up, after I’ve moisturized. Using a minor finger (ring finger or pinky works nicely), I gently dab this on to the crescent-shaped area of my under eye, you know – the darkest section. Be forewarned: if you rub it too vigorously, the concealer will spread too thin and you’ll be starting all over again.

Click to enlarge.

This first application may appear severe, but after you balance it out around the base of the eye (to your discretion), things will start to look normal again. One of the best features of this product is its range – it looks fabulous whether you’ve piled it on, or only spread a thin layer.

I use powder foundation which doesn’t interfere with the consistency of the concealer as much as a liquid might. I also occasionally apply Boi-ing on my eyelids when I want a fresh look without any eye shadow (too much of anything can turn a redhead from classy to trashy in mere seconds), and it also does a phenomenal job of hiding the red, blotchy areas near my nose.

Click to enlarge.

The obvious negative? It’s only made in 3 shades, so consumers with darker or hard-to-match skin tones might be disappointed with the coverage it provides. Otherwise, this stuff is knocking on the door of a perfect, 5-lip rating.

Retail Price: $18.00 (benefit.com - click here for international order info - and sephora.com; see retail locations here)

DeLush Rating:

Review: Bella il Fiore For Your Eyes Only Concealer and Double Oh! Eye Relief

What They Say: (About the Concealer) "Keep dark circles covert and banish other imperfections with Bella's clever concealer."
(About the Double Oh! Eye Relief) "Get rid of unsightly puffiness, while firming and brightening the entire eye area. Leaves eyes feeling fresh and looking youthful in seconds."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: I was told that using these two together would pack extra punch behind attacking my undereye area, and so that's what I did first. The Double Oh! Eye Relief (the pink one) has a very thin and light consistency. I dotted it under my entire eye area and patted it in gently. There was a subtle brightening effect immediately, and after a few seconds there was a very slight tightening feeling. The reduction of puffiness with this isn't incredibly noticeable, but I did see a bit of a reduction. The brightening effect was more noticeable.

Now, on to the concealer! It's a lemony yellow and a bit surprising out of the tube, but on it went. For me (and I've so far used this product combo three times), the result was just a bit too light in color. I also felt the need to dot my most extreme area of darkness with a different concealer afterward. The consistency is nice though, and if you're conservative with layering it, it won't cake in fine lines. I just felt like it was far too light under my eyes, even after I dusted powder over to try to balance it out with the rest of my face.

So basically, if you've got minor puffiness or undereye shadows, the Double Oh! Eye Relief might be worth a shot. If you've got darker, more consistent problems with undereye circles it won't cover them up on it's own. And if you've used yellow-toned undereye concealers before and find they work with your skin tone, go ahead and try the For Your Eyes Only Concealer. Otherwise, you'll probably feel the same way about it I did.

Retail Prices: Double Oh! Eye Relief - $16.00, For Your Eyes Only Concealer - $13.00 (available at bellabeauty.com, and they DO ship internationally for an extra charge)

DeLush Ratings:
Double Oh! Eye Relief
For Your Eyes Only Concealer

Review: Vincent Longo Cream Concealer

What They Say: "Makeup artists call this product their secret weapon and the best choice to conceal just about anything - without looking heavy or greasy. This cream-formulated concealer comes in an easy to use pot and provides full coverage for undereye circles, blemishes, discoloration, and minor flaws. Blends with virtually any foundation to help achieve a flawless looking complexion."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: Aside from the M∙A∙C Studio Touchup Stick which I recently raved about, this concealer comes in extremely close at the very LEAST in terms of quality coverage, blendable texture, and near imperceptibility. There is almost no way for this moisture-rich formula to ever look cake-y or dry. It's definitely worth a try, as long as you've tested and found your perfect shade.

Retail Price: $26.50 (at Sephora.com - sorry UK readers, I couldn't find a resource for you nearby, but for all readers, the Vincent Longo website will go live this summer! Go here to sign up to be alerted when it is complete!)

DeLush Rating:

Review: M·A·C Studio Touch-Up Stick

What They Say: "For spot-on camouflage: a sleek pencil-tipped concealer blending creamy formula and medium coverage with on-the-go portability. Applies precisely: blends away spots and blemishes in a flash."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: Say HELLO to your new Magic Wand. This soft, creamy pencil blends invisibly, never cakes or settles into fine lines (works GREAT for undereye area as well as redness and splotchiness), and is my new personal must-have. I was nervous about sharpening it, but it maintains its shape fabulously.

Get to a M·A·C counter and find your best shade (it'll be nearly impossible not to find one that complements your skin with all of these options). You'll love it.

Retail Price: $14.00 (maccosmetics.com or go here to find a select retail location near you)

DeLush Rating:

Stila Eye Concealer

What They Say: "Stila's specially formulated yellow-orange tones skillfully highlight and neutralize any uncomely blue or red discoloration. This creamy formula glides on easily for effortless application.
Tips:
Avoid concealer overload. Apply eye concealer using #2 eye concealer brush then layer and blend only where there is discoloration. Foundation applied under the eye is a great long-wearing base for eye concealer."

Jen's Experience: I will start by saying, the Bobbi Brown concealer/corrector combo is really a hard act to follow. I heard that Stila's concealer was a great product in a recent issue of Elle Magazine, and when I couldn't scrape any more Bobbi Brown out of the container, I broke down and headed to the Stila counter.

The product itself is very thick and requires a concealer brush for application. It works okay over top of moisturizer, but works better on top of foundation or even foundation base. I like using my Dior Base De Teint underneath because it does a little lightening and it also makes the concealer apply a little more evenly. The end result is that it looks a little drier, but for all practical purposes a lot like the Bobbi Brown. It just doesn't last as long, I'm sad to say. I would give it about 6 hours on a given day, and that's just not enough. I don't want to walk into a 3 PM meeting looking like I didn't sleep the night before.

If the last product that I used weren't absolutely fabulous, I would probably not be as hard on this one, but now I know: this one is just not the best concealer out there, at least for me.

Retail Price: $16.00

Rating:

It's a Concealer Miracle!

I've had a problem with dark under-eye circles since I was in college. It's a mixture of natural coloring, I think, and the amount of sleep I've been getting and how hydrated I am. Sometimes they get a little better, but most of the time (probably due to my general refusal to sleep for 8 hours each night), they're so dark I have to hide them before I walk out of the house every day.

I went to the Bobbi Brown counter looking for concealer because I'd heard theirs was phenomenal. I ended up buying their corrector, concealer kit and their concealer brush. All three were a hefty $82.00, but they were well worth it considering that they really work and the amazing advice their representative gave me for applying the concealer. It goes against everything I ever thought when it comes to concealer application, but it absolutely works. While I still have the dark circles, they're concealed so effectively, they're invisible for hours!

Want to know how?

** Warning: the following photos contain graphic material of Jen without her makeup on.

The Bobbi Brown representative told me to always start with a generous dose of a good quality eye moisturizer. I've been using my Shiseido Under-Eye BioContour Cream and have had excellent results. Make sure that the undereye is thoroughly moisturized before continuing.

The next step is corrector. This is the first time that I've ever purchased a separate corrector, and it's amazing. It does most of the heavy lifting. Use your concealer brush to paint on the corrector until you can no longer see your dark circles at all. Paint up the side of your nose toward your brow, and don't be afraid to use concealer well beyond the outer corner of your eye. If you're following along right now, you're thinking, "I look like a clown." Well, yes you do, but it will all be worth it soon enough.

Give that a few minutes to soak in. It will plump up the fine lines under your eye and very nearly cover any darkness under your eye, but mainly, we're going to use this as a primer for your concealer. You don't really need to blend the corrector into your skin, but you will want to smooth the corrector at the corner of your eyes so that it blends in with your skintone.

Now, apply a layer of concealer with the brush. Don't be afraid to use a lot. Sparingly doesn't conceal well. After you've completely coated your undereyes with the concealer, wait about 10 minutes before you touch your undereyes again. So go walk the dog or just style your hair, anything to allow the conealer time to soak in without any micro-managing.

When the time is up, go ahead and apply your foundation on the reddest areas of your face. Work the foundation line into the concealer line until completely blended. Don't smear the makeup or smooth it in. You want to press the foundation and the concealer into each other and into your face in order for your makeup to look like it's your own natural skin.

After you've pressed the concealer under your eyes lightly, you might want to follow with the light yellow powder that accompanies the concealer in the concealer kit. The yellow powder will keep you from looking shiny in pictures, but it also will dry you out. If you've got dry skin and you aren't going to be in any pictures, you can skip this step entirely. I generally do.

Voila! Flawless concealer coverage. If you see yourself in the mirror later in the day and it looks less than perfect, you can usually revive the look by pressing lightly on the concealer. The picture to the right was taken after I added foundation and blended with my concealer. See? No circles!

Hopefully this will change your life like it did mine. When I told a friend at work recently about my concealer miracle, she responded, "you don't even have dark under-eye circles!" That's when I knew beyond a doubt that this miracle was worth sharing with our DeLush readers.

By the way, the steps I've outlined work for any brand where a corrector and concealer are offered. I've used the same application technique with my Revlon concealer duo, applying the pink and then working in the more yellow shade and gotten very good results. While I may use other brands on the weekends, the Bobbi Brown really is superior and is always my choice for work.

Revlon New Complexion Concealer

What They Say: "Conceals imperfections with two shades that blend for an exact skintone match. Ideal for concealing undereye circles, blemishes and minor imperfections for a perfectly natural look. Oil-free, non-pore-clogging and non-irritating."

Jen's Experience: I've been looking for a concealer for quite a while now and just haven't found the right one. I never thought I find a drugstore concealer that worked for my dark undercircles, but when I saw this on sale at my local CVS store, I thought I would give it a shot. And I'm so glad I did! Like the Smashbox concealer that I reviewed a while back, this concealer comes with two shades. According to Revlon, neither of these shades is supposed to be a primer; you're supposed to just mix them together to form the right shade.

I've been having fantastic results with this product. I have to use a whole lot of it to really cover up my dark circles, but once they're covered, the look is very natural and it lasts all day at work. I generally apply the pinker color first as a corrector and then I apply the more lemony color on top to make it closer to my natural color.

I have a small warning though. I believe that this product may irritate my eyes when I wear it without an undereye cream. If you've got sensitive skin, I recommend trying this product in small doses with an undereye cream to make sure that it doesn't irritate your skin. Normally, this would be enough to make me swear off of a product, but as long as I am wearing my undereye cream during the day, I don't experience the irritation.

Overall, I think this product is a definite keeper, a concealer that actually works, for a fraction of the price of a department store brand.

Retail Price: $9.79 (available at most drugstores)

Rating:

Smashbox I Prime Undereye Primer and Concealer

What They Say: "A ground-breaking multi-purpose product that offers a primer on one side, a concealer on the other. this must-have product plays two leading roles: the primer smoothes skin and fills in fine lines and imperfections around the eyes, then the concealer hides dark circles while treating the delicate skin to a skin-protecting antioxidant of vitamins A, C, and E. packed into a portable little compact complete with a touch-up mirror and a convenient hide-away brush."

Jen's Experience:  At first, I hated this stuff.  The instructions didn't say which of the two vats was the primer and which was the concealer.  I think the yellowish one is the primer and the pinky one is the concealer, but honestly, it's hard to tell.  I wasn't sure what to do with the brush.  Use it for one?  Both?  I eventually settled for neither.  I use my fingertips instead.  My final gripe is that you really need to wear foundation or at least a good tinted moisturizer underneath to get a nice, smooth effect.  Otherwise, reverse raccoon eyes for you.  Other than all that, the effect you get is quite nice.  I didn't think it looked all that different from the NARS concealer in my home mirror, but when I get to work, I can definitely tell the difference.  Much less zombie-like, even into the afternoon.   I also think it looks more natural than the other concealers I've tried.  So after all my initial troubles, I think this product comes out being quite effective.  But I will still be searching for something better.

Retail Price: $24.00 (Smashbox.com)

Rating:

Revlon Age Defying Concealer with Botafirm TM

What They Say: "BotafirmTM infused formula helps minimize the look of fine lines and wrinkles as it conceals under eye circles. Moisturizes skin and diminishes the look of puffy eyes. Ophthalmologist tested."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: Who doesn't want to get rid of undereye circles? If you haven't the slightest clue what an undereye circle is, I hate you. I'm sure you're cool and all, but still.

So of course I gave it a shot, and purchased this formula in the Neutralizer shade. Perhaps that was the initial mistake. Aside from not really blending into my skin very well due to the color being so yellow, I felt that it really didn't do too much to camouflage my circles at all. Aside from these 2 issues, which may or may not have been because of me choosing that shade, the texture didn't impress me much. It felt very smooth but very thick going on, and settled heavily into tiny lines which just emphasized what little aging around the eyes I was trying to cover up.

Bottom line, I didn't find my little miracle worker here.

Retail Price: $8.99 (drugstores)

DeLush Rating:

Nars Concealer

Once again, I placed my trust in the woman at the beauty counter, and as often is the case, I think I bought the wrong product for me.  Aren't you glad you have us to try these things for you?

What They Say: "Crease-resistant, opaque coverage in a creamy yet lightweight texture. The long-lasting formula camouflages darkness under the eyes, redness and skin imperfections. Can also be used as an eyeshadow base. Packaged in a lipstick-like tube for easy application ."

My Experience:  Okay, so I should have thought about this before I spent my hard earned money on this product, but I generally have a problem with the thicker, solid concealers because I hate applying them on my eyes.  I mean, they already have dark circles underneath them.  I feel like I am breaking even more blood vessels every time I put this stuff on.  It does seem to work okay, but only if I've put makeup on underneath my eyes.  Even then, I still like to apply it mid-day when my caffeine high is wearing thin.  It provides good coverage and does seem to hide fine lines.  I am not sure that it really moisturizes though.  Also, I wear contacts, and I do seem to be having some itchy eye problems since I've started using this product, although I have not proved that Nars' Concealer is the only thing to blame for that.

Tips:  I like wearing moisturizer under my eyes, but I think this applies better when there is no moisturizer underneath it.  You will need to get a separate product to conceal acne problems.  This product only seemed to highlight a budding Mt. Vesuvius on my forehead rather than disguise it.

Rating:

Reviewed By: Jen

Clinique Soft Conceal Concealer

Described As: " Moisturizing cover to hide flaws, soften fine lines. Comfortable for dry skins. Use to hide undereye circles, spots, uneven pigmentation, dilated capillaries."

Jen's DeLush Downlow: My primary use for a concealer is to hide the dark circles under my eyes, and less to soften fine lines.  Unfortunately, this solution does a terrific job of disguising the circles but at the expense of showing every fine line that I never knew I had.  I've tried putting moisturizer on before the concealer (as they recommended at the makeup counter), but the concealer seemed to fade more quickly, leaving me looking like Morticia in the middle of the workday. 

Tips: Hydrate your undereye area with non-oily moisturizer early in your morning routine to give it a chance to soak in before applying the concealer.  You may still have to retouch during the day, but it will apply much more smoothly.

Rating:

Reviewed By: Jen