THE CONCEALER TRIAD: LUMI TOUCH, FIT ME & STUDIO FINISH

Ah yes, concealer my old friend. Man’s relationship with concealer dates back almost as far back as the existence of the Earth itself. Alright, I’ll stop talking out of my ass now. In all seriousness though, concealer is a beautiful thing for those of us with imperfect skin. If I could only have one makeup product it would be this.

So you might think using three concealers is a bit overboard, and it is, but if you’re willing to go overboard I’ll explain why these three are a great combination. Starting with the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch: I love this concealer for under the eyes. It has enough coverage that it still feels like a concealer and not a highlighter. At the same time it does such a fabulous job of bringing luminosity to the area. I find using a concealer like this detracts from dark circles under the eyes more effectively than a highly pigmented, matte concealer. Sometimes I dab this concealer in with my fingers and sometimes I blend it in with the Real Techniques Domed Shadow Brush. Either way it looks beautiful. For pale girls they have a great shade selection. I have the shade Ivory and it is really light – probably suitable for as light as NC15.

For general redness in the skin I like the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer. Yeah, I hopped on that bandwagon. It’s got a decent level of pigmentation (on the higher end of medium) – enough to cover general redness, but probably not spots too well. The reason I like it is that I find it’s so creamy and bendable. The Mac Studio finish is a bit of a challenge to use over larger areas, especially if your skin is parched, because it’s such a dry cream formula. A moisturizing liquid concealer is definitely easier to use for general concealing. The shade range is a bit of a letdown however. I’m not sure if there’s a much larger shade range in The States, but in Canada there are only 6 shades available and they are not great for light skin tones. I have the lightest shade, fair, and it’s about an NW20 in MAC terms (not an ideal for those of us with a yellow undertone). After that the shades get a bit dark and orange.

Lastly comes the most beautiful of them all. Mac Studio Finish. I like the other concealers, but if you were only going to invest in one it should be this one. It is so pigmented and such a perfect texture for covering spots. The dryness of the product clings to the area you you apply it to and doesn't shift around much. It’s a bit more expensive than a drugstore concealer, but that tiny pot will last you so long. I don't know of a drugstore concealer with this level of pigmentation and the same dry texture. And of course, because it’s Mac they have an enormous range of shades. I usually use a tiny brush such as the Coastal Scents Detail Mini to apply it exactly where I need it onto a spot. I find that when it comes to covering spots, having the right brush is just as important as having the right concealer. If you’ve got a bigger, angrier situation to cover you can dab your Real Techniques Domed Shadow Brush into the pot and lightly push it onto the spot. This concealer needs to be set with a powder as cream formulas don’t set on their own.