Although I wasn't much of a fan of Rimmel's packaging it did a good job. Nothing fancy, light, well maybe the formula was a bit too light but still it was ok once set with powder and so I would have gone on using it. A good concealer at under $8.00 is a good thing in my book.
Since last year I wasn't too lucky with my makeup purchases from the drugstore I skipped the brands available there and started to look at Sephora. I swatched several and finally settled with this one...
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla Light 2...
This is the second lightest shade available and once home I realised I could have gone with Chantilly which is a smidgen lighter but the lighting at Sephora is just horrible for color swatching, especially for foundation and concealer and so it makes it real hard to pick the right shades. Still it's a pretty good match and the difference between Chantilly and Vanilla is really barely noticeable once on the skin.
Thank you concealer Gods for inventing the little sponge applicator! No really I bow to you!
This is my kind of concealer as far as packaging is concerned. I don't like sticks! In fact I think the last time I purchased one was in my teens! Creams? Not so much of a fan although I remember loving the one Dior had in my 20s. Little jars are super cute but my Laura Mercier Secret Concealer is slowly dying... It's too much work! I have to put a bit on my hand to warm it up with my fingers and even doing so I end up having to rub the delicate skin under my eyes to apply. A brush doesn't do much except to finish up and pick the little extra product that ends up in my many, many little wrinkles!!! :(
I'm getting old people!!!
The formula...
Beautiful coverage but you have to work fast because it sets rather quickly, in fact once it's dry it does not budge and it can even feels a little "stiff". Due to the cold weather my under eye area is slightly dryer these days and so I think, well in fact I know I'll appreciate NARS Radiant Concealer a lot more once the mercury goes up a bit and my skin gets back to normal.
Be gone winter! Now!!!
A nice plus, it has just enough illuminating pigments to make it look natural. None would make the eye area look flat and too much would only emphasize tiny lines/wrinkles.
Do I recommend NARS Radiant Concealer? Yes.
If you have normal to oily skin it gives beautiful coverage with little effort due to the sponge applicator, sets in no time and you may not even have to use powder over it. At the moment I don't but like I said my skin is dryer at these days.
I personally don't have that issue but if you have dark circles I think this concealer with it's opaque formula will do an honest job at hiding them.
If you have dry or extra dry skin then you better skip this one for your under eye area because you may find it drying. I used it on a very cold day and it wasn't comfortable to wear.
NARS Radiant Concealer comes in 10 different shades from the very light Chantilly to the darkest Cocao so everyone is sure to find their perfect match whether it's for under eye or for hiding imperfections. For the sake of experimenting I used a little of in on my forehead which is on the oily side and it lasted a good 6 hours so that's pretty good I think.
Getting the perfect color...
If you don't have a perfect match you can mix two. I know it's not the best option but for some it's the only one. You could even get Chantilly to mix with a little bit of your foundation to make it just enough lighter for your under eye area. It will of course modify the formula/texture but if you have a good long wear foundation you like it can work nicely. I used to do this a lot back in the day with another brand's super light concealer. It was the fastest way to get a match when doing a makeup.
Remember that for an illuminating/natural effect you have to go one shade lighter than the rest of your face. Too light and you'll look like you wore goggles while skiing and too dark, well, that truly doesn't work.
As NARS Radiant Concealer become a favorite, an HG?
I just don't know yet. It's an excellent formula that as mentioned I will surely enjoy more once the weather gets warmer but at the moment it's just ok because my under eye skin is on the dry side. Since it's thicker than Rimmel it takes a bit of getting used to an I do have to be careful about the amount I apply.
Here I thought I would show you the color difference between Rimmel and NARS. On my skin it's not that noticeable but I just might get Chantilly anyway and keep Vanilla for summer or for hiding imperfections when I get them.
Make sure if you use it to hide blemishes not to dab with the sponge. Apply on a clean finger first to avoid putting bacteria in your tube.
Reviews:
Makeup Alley: 4.3 / 5 lippies for 208 reviews.
Beauté-test: 4.2 / 5 stars for 78 reviews.
Ingredients:
Aqua (Water), Dimethicone Hydrogenated polydecene, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Peg-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Glycerin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Peg-10 Dimethicone, Polymethyl Methacrylate, BIS- Butyldimethicone Polyglyceryl-3, Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Isostearic Acid, Polysilicone-2, Aluminum Hydroxide, Maltodextrin, Trisodium Edta, Lecithin, Silica, Tin Oxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Magnolia Officinalis, Tocopherol, Vitis Vinifera
This product may not be for everyone. Created for the eye area it could still cause allergic reactions. If you use it to hide blemishes make sure it's not making them worse because sadly this could happen.
Have you ever mixed 2 concealers or foundations to get the perfect match?
