Kat Von D Lock-it Concealer in Light 18

Hello dears!

I'm just sharing a short review of this product. I've been meaning to write this for a long time and when I finally decided to work on it, I learned that it was DISCONTINUED! Oh well. The review is pretty much useless now since it's not available in the market anymore, BUT I think that since there's a stick version that replaces this, then this post will be like a journal entry that I can go back to if ever I buy the new version and compare it with this one. So yeah, here's my short review of the...

Kat Von D Lock-it Concealer in Light 18

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Lift and Firm Concealer in Ivory

Hello dears!

Just sharing a short review of one of the random purchases I made...

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Lift and Firm Concealer in Ivory

Maybelline Fit Me! Concealer in Sand Sable

Hello dearies!

I like wearing liquid concealers under my eyes to hide dark circles and lessen the appearance of my eye bags. I just feel that liquid concealers feel more lightweight and easier to blend whether I use my fingers or a makeup brush.

Here's one that I'm currently using...

Maybelline Fit Me! Concealer in Sand Sable

Witch's Pouch Perfect Cover Concealer

Hello dearies!

I'm currently in the process of taking better care of my skin. So far, I have seen improvement but there are still a lot of scars from acne on my face. I want to hide them so I've been trying out different concealers lately. I already have my trust Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage, but I want a stick concealer that I can bring with me in my vanity bag for touch ups. I saw this concealer at AltheaPH that was very affordable so I bought it! Haha! I usually check reviews but I was just excited to try something new that I didn't bother to check reviews. Lol

Witch's Pouch Perfect Cover Concealer

Review : The Saem Cover Perfection Pot Concealer

Hey gorgeous!

Lately I've been having breakouts around the jaw area. I believe it's the hair oil I was using so I stopped using it and I think the breakouts have lessened. My problem now are the scars they left behind (sometimes I can't help myself and popped some of them... sorry). That's where my concealers come into the picture.

I have a different concealer for my under eyes and for my scars. The one for the under eyes are usually in creamy-liquid form, thinner consistency, usually a little lighter in shade, and lightweight. The one for the scars have medium-heavy coverage and has a thicker consistency.

One of the concealers I bought for the purpose of hiding my pimples and scars is the...

The Saem Cover Perfection Pot Concealer

I bought it from Althea for PhP180.00. It's originally priced at PhP 400.00.

The shade I have is the lighter of the two shades available. No. 01 is Clear Beige, No. 02 is Lychee Beige.

Info from The Saem website:

Reading the product description, it sounds like my dream concealer for my pimple and scarring issues. It says everything that I look for in a concealer!

Being that it is a pot concealer, I have a feeling that it's thicker in consistency, which I usually associate to better coverage. It's housed in a clear, plastic pot that makes the packaging look simple and clean. The cap is black that adds class to the overall look of the product. You can use a clean brush to get the product out so it's more hygienic. I put some product on the brush then apply on the area I want to cover and blend it by dabbing my fingers.

Here's the swatch. I'm surprised that it's creamier than what I first imagined but still thick. At first swipe, you can see how pigmented the concealer is. It glides smoothly too.

Here's how it performs...

1. as under eye concealer:

Bare under eyes

With the product

The shade is lighter than my skin. I think the No. 02 fits my skin tone better. But I think a brighter under eye looks good. Anyway, as you can see, the concealer is too thick that the lines around my eyes look more visible than I would have liked. It did, however, cover the dark circles easily.

2. As concealer for acne scar

That's a pimple scar at the middle

With the product

I was really hoping this would be a good concealer for my zits. Unfortunately, as seen on the photo, it looks patchy at the area that has dry bits. It makes dry areas more obvious. It also has a matte finish which I would normally like but I find it too matte that it doesn't look natural anymore. Plus, the coverage is medium to heavy, but when I layer the product to get more coverage, it cakes easily, even with primer and setting spray.

To summarize:

What I LIKE:

-Locally available via Althea PH

- Affordable at PhP 180.00

- Simple and classy packaging

- Medium to heavy coverage

- Glides easily on skin

What I DON'T LIKE:

- Too matte that it looks so unnatural

- Cakes easily when layered

- Only available in two shades

- Makes dry patches and lines more visible

Honestly, I'm disappointed because I had high hopes  since the brand's other concealer (the liquid type with the wand applicator) had good reviews. I still bought this because what it promised were more suitable for my skin issues and because it was on sale. Too bad it didn't perform as much as I wanted to. Oh well.

And that's my review. I hope that was helpful!

Cheers,

DAWN

StudioMakeup Eye Brightening Illuminator in Silk

Hi dearies!

Just doing yet another one of my swatch posts. Haha!

I've always had eye bags. If you see some of my pictures when I was young (like toddler young), you'd see those bags under my eyes. The good thing is that they aren't that dark. But it does make a lot of difference when I put concealer or illuminator on my under eyes. It lessens the size of the bags and at the same time, it makes me look more awake and my eyes brighter.

I'm currently using this product...

StudioMakeup Eye Brightening Illuminator in Silk

Got this from Beauty Bar. It normally sells for PhP 925.00. But I remember that I got it on sale.

Product info from the packaging:

Further info from the website:

The Eye Brightening Illuminator when applied to the right spots, can make all the difference. Enriched with diamond powder copolymer, it illuminates dull areas to bring youth and freshness to the skin. With its easy-to-use brush tip applicator, it is quick and easy to touch up makeup at anytime of the day.

APPLICATION TIP

After applying Perfecting Finish Foundation, twist the end cap of the pen until product starts to flow and apply a little bit of illuminator on shadowy or dull areas of the face. Think under eye circles, chin groove (the fold where the chin meets the lower lip), cupid’s bow, down the nose, etc. Blend the product so no lines are visible to create a natural and radiant finish. Do not hesitate to touch up your makeup during the day with a small application of illuminator, for an instantly brighter look.

Ingredients: Water/Aqua, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, Isocetyl Stearate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane,  Glycerin, Lauryl PEG/PPG-18/18 Methicone, Stearyl Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Dimethicone/PEG10-15 Crosspolymer, Silica, Polymethylsilsesquioxane/benzimidazole/diamond copolymer,  Phenoxyethanol, Hexyl Laurate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone,  Isododecane, Sodium Chloride, Alumina, Trihydroxystearin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Lauroyl Lysine, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Quaternium-90 Bentonite, Sorbic Acid, Boron Nitride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trisodium EDTA, Propylene Carbonate, Tin Oxide.   May Contain [+/-]: Titanium Dioxide CI 77891, Iron Oxides CI 77492 / CI 77491 / CI 77499.

I like the simple and sleek packaging. It actually reminds me of a UniPin drawing pen. :P This is a twist up brush pen. 

It has a synthetic brush and you twist the bottom to get the product out.

The bristles are soft and smooth that makes applying pretty easy. The amount dipensed when you twist it up is also easy to control.

Here's how it looks like.

When blended, it becomes matte and it provides light to medium coverage.

Here's how my under eye looks like bare.

I usually wear this around my under eye but for this post, I spread it up to my cheeks. I only apply this much when I want to look more glam and made up.

When blended it makes my eye look more bright and awake. It covered the dark areas pretty well and it looks very natural. I also use this to enhance the brow bone so that my brows look better. The shade is pretty close to my skin so I can't treat this as something that "illuminates" my skin.

It's a pretty good product, but I find it expensive. I just got it on sale that's why I bought it, but I think I can get under eye concealers that have the same effect that costs less.

And that's all I can say about the StudioMakeup Eye Brightening Illuminator in Silk. Thoughts?

Cheers,

DAWN

Review : Holika Holika Cover and Hiding Stick Concealer

Hey guys!

If you have oily and acne-prone skin like me, then you're probably familiar with what a concealer is and how important it is to our makeup routine (that is if you also like your blemishes covered like me). Before, I always buy heavy coverage foundations, but now that my skin is getting better and have less blemishes, I settle for more lightweight foundations or BB creams. It doesn't matter as much if they are sheerer than the ones I've used before. I just get a trusted concealer to help cover the darker blemishes. That being said, I do try to find concealers that work best for me.

Although I've tried good ones, my curiosity to try out other concealers from the different brands out there. One of those that I bought out of sheer curiosity is the...

Holika Holika Cover and Hiding Stick Concealer

I bought it for PhP 275.00. But now the price is PhP 315.00.

The shade I have is 02 Natural Beige.

Since the labels aren't in english, I looked for their website for the product description. Unfortunately, there wasn't much there. So I looked at BeautyMNL's website and here's what it says:

CLAIM TO FAME: A creamy concealer that helps create a flawless base

FAST FACTS: Covers and conceals dark circles, blemishes, and other imperfections; easy-to-use twist up stick gives you just the right amount of product; perfect for blending over dark spots and redness; long-lasting formula masks troubled areas for hours

PERFECT FOR: Hiding scars and spots for an even-looking face

SPECIFICATIONS

WHAT YOU GET: (1) Cover & Hiding Stick Concealer
NET WEIGHT: 3.5g
INGREDIENTS: Phenyl Trimethicone, Titanium Dioxid, Polyethylene, Caprylic/Capric/myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Ceresin, Triethylhexanoin, Bismuth, Oxychloride, CI 77492 (Yellow Oxide of Iron), Boron Nitride, Squalane, Silica, Nylon-12, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Hydrogenated, Rapeseed Oil, CI 77491 (Red Oxide of Iron), Jojoba Oil, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, CI 77499 (Black Oxide of Iron), Butylparaben, Fragrance, BHT, Pearl Powder, Coral Powder, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil, Allantoin

What made me buy this was it's shape and packaging. It's a twist-up pencil type so I don't have to dip my fingers or a brush when I use this. I do have to make sure my face is clean when I use it or else I still have to use a brush. Haha! Anyway, the point is it's easier and faster to use

Dispensing is easy because you get to just twist it up. And for it's price, you get a pretty good amount of the product.

Another reason why I bought it is that when I swatched it, I was impressed by how creamy it was but also provided good coverage.

The next few photos are of areas of my face using the product:

Under eyes

Bare 

I apply the product in a triangle shape to also help highlight the center of my face. Although I rarely do this because I usually just apply on the eye bag and dark circle area. :P

When blended

My eyes look brighter and I looked like I slept a full eight hours. Haha! It also goes well with my warm skin tone.

It can also help get rid of the redness from pimples as see on the before and after photos above.

Blending the product was easy because it was very creamy. It's also lightweight so it doesn't feel like you're applying too much product on your face.

It can be long-lasting but my oily face makes the product cake at times. I notice that the areas where I apply this cakes but I get to prevent it if I blot off the oil as soon as I get shiny.

What I LIKE:

- Good medium-heavy coverage
- Affordable
- Twist-up version is easy to use
- Creamy texture is easy to blend
- Lightweight
- long-lasting
- Warm, yellowish tone blends well on my skin
- Didn't experience irritations nor breakouts

What I DO NOT LIKE:

- It cakes
- It doesn't cover darker acne scars and even though it is buildable, it get's cakey if I pile it up

Would I recommend it? Yes, but only to those with clearer skin than I do. As much as I appreciate the coverage and how light it feels, the caking part bothers me a lot. It's still pretty good especially considering how affordable it is!

And that is my review of the Holika Holika Cover and Hiding Stick Concealer!


Cheers,
DAWN

Review : Pink Sugar Our Lil Secret Concealer in Light Medium

Hello everyone!

Many of you are probably enjoying the summer by going to trips and swimming at the beach. As much as I want to also enjoy the summer, my skin just does not. Having oily skin in this heat would result to breakouts! The heat makes me sweaty and oily faster and even the air feels stickier! I just never liked this season.

And because of all the breakouts, this is the time I use a concealer more often than normal. One of the products I currently have is...

Pink Sugar Our Lil Secret Concealer in Light Medium
PhP 299.00

It comes in four shades (from lightest to darkest: Light, Light Medium, Medium, Medium Deep).

Before I proceed with my review, here's the info from the labels:

Info from BeautyMNL's website:

CLAIM TO FAME: A creamy concealer that covers blemishes and other imperfections with ease

FAST FACTS: Delivers long-lasting full coverage; soothes and calms inflamed skin with cucumber fruit and chamomile extracts; nourishes with aloe vera and vitamins A, C, and E; applies smoothly and blends silkily

PERFECT FOR: Spot-free makeup coverage

How to Use: Apply under the eye or on other uneven spots on the face, blend well

About the brand: Pink Sugar is brand-new local beauty brand for Pinays of all ages. If you’re fierce, fun, and quality-conscious but on a tight budget, we dare you not to fall in love with this entire line. Marked by catchy names and creative packaging, each product provides good-for-you benefits in a wide selection of wearable colors curated by makeup experts to complement Filipina skin. Pink Sugar products are free of parabens and not tested on animals.

The concealer's packaging is just okay. I do like the fonts, but I find the design too dull. I know that they chose the beige color because it's close to skin tone and it is concealer... but it just doesn't catch my fancy. 

I do appreciate that it is in a squeezable tube. I don't have to dip my finger in a pot just like most cream concealers I've tried. It's easy to control the amount it dispenses. The thing that concerns me though is that it would be difficult to get the remaining product once I've used up most of it. It seems like I would have to cut the tube up. 

I can't really say much about the claims on the vitamins, but for the couple of months I've been using this, I have not encountered any irritations.

Here's the product. I like that it has a warm tone which compliments my skin.

Here's how it looks when smudged.

And when blended.

One thing that comes into my mind is the word THICK! It's coverage is thick and heavy. Check them out below...

(I used only a little bit of product here)

On my zit

As you can see, it covered the dark areas with ease, even the redness of the pimple! What I did notice is that it sets pretty quickly and if you have dry and flaky areas, it will surely make it more visible. I also noticed that too much of this product makes it too caky. I have a lot of dark scars around my jawline and I need a lot of concealing there. By the end of the day, when I get oily and sweaty, the product is still there but I can see some caky patches on the areas I applied the product on. 

I also think that it's too thick for the under eyes. It makes the area looks so dry.

I would recommend you use a concealer brush and blend really fast or use a beauty blender which can help create a better application and give you more time before the product sets.

To summarize...

What I LIKE:
- Local brand
- High coverage and buildable
- Easy, squeezable tube
- Affordable
- Long-lasting
- The shade Light Medium is close to my face's skin color
- Didn't encounter irritations
- Available in 4 shades that suits Pinoy skin 

What I DON'T LIKE:
- Challenging to blend
- Cakes easily when you apply too much on an area
- The design is too dull for me
- Emphasizes dry areas of the skin

Would I buy again? Right now I am leaning to no because I want to try other products. As much as I appreciate high coverage concealers, I do not like the caky part because I do have a lot to conceal and this cakes on those areas. But I would still recommend it if you only need to hide a few scars or zits.

And that is my review of the Pink Sugar Our Lil Secret Concealer in Light Medium!


Cheers,
DAWN