I’m not always successful at getting enough rest at night. My mind has a habit of turning on as soon as I turn out the light, and I’m left lying awake and buzzing until I can finally will myself to stop thinking about everything that needs to be done and just sleep already. While I work on improving my sleeping habits, I’m left with under-eye circles to contend with, the telltale sign that a restful night was not enjoyed. To combat the luggage beneath my lids, I turn to that one little miracle product that fixes most problems: Concealer.
After July’s post about cruelty free mascara, a number of you requested that I tackle concealer next. As this is a staple product in my makeup repertoire, I was more than happy to oblige. Once again, I’m pitting two CF drugstore finds against each other – read on to find out which one wins.
Above: Me, sans makeup
This is my personal tube of NYX HD Photogenic Concealer. I like this brand’s line of vivid lipsticks and balms, so I was curious to try out this product. I’ve been using the HD concealer for a couple of months, and I’ll be honest, it’s not my favorite. While it does provide substantial coverage for both the under eye area and scars, I find it to be a bit too thick, and by the end of the day the areas where I’ve applied it tend to look chalky and seem to accentuate the small wrinkles at the corners of my eyes. I’ve had the best luck with this concealer when I’ve used a damp blending sponge to apply it, and while it may not be the best for everyday, light coverage, this would be an excellent product to use for a more dramatic look paired with foundation. It’s important to note that while this brand is certified cruelty free, it is not billed as natural or organic.
Next up is Pixi Wakeup Concealer, a gel concealer formulated to soften lines and brighten the overall eye area. I had high hopes for this product, especially because the founder, Petra Strand, started the company with a mission to create a fresh-faced, well-rested look, which — now you all know — is my end goal. The applicator of this concealer is a small brush from which the product is dispensed, which I preferred compared to the NYX wand applicator, though it took some time to figure out (an embarrassingly long time, actually). Once I did figure it out, the concealer went on smoothly, provided ample coverage, and still felt light. Compared to the NYC concealer, which settled into lines after just a few minutes, Pixi Wakeup Concealer still looked dewy after a few hours. My one complaint with this product would be the smell, while it doesn’t have a fragrance, the product did give off a clay-like smell, which could bother some. It seemed to dissipate after a few minutes though.
Pixi on the left, NYX on the right
So, what’s the verdict? This round goes to Pixi Wakeup Concealer, which didn’t turn chalky and stayed looking fresh throughout the day. However, I’m still not completely satisfied and will continue my hunt for the perfect — preferably natural — CF drugstore concealer. Do you have a recommendation? Let me know in the comments!
Hey Julie! I really love this beauty battle series as I am trying to move into the world of natural makeup. That being said, could you please include more makeup options that are not just cruelty free but maybe more natural too?
really enjoying these beauty battle posts!
I’m on the same journey, slowly switching my makeup collection over to natural products one by one. Physician’s Formula BB Cream Concealer is a pretty nice drugstore solution – the best I’ve found yet :)
I have such dark circles, naturally :)
I’ve have some luck with Physicians Formula Conceal Rx Physicians Strength Concealer.
A pricier option is Tarte’s Maracuja Creaseless Concealer. It’s great, very smooth, stays on for most of your day!
if your looking for a non natural one (which may be a ridiculous suggestion) this Armani one is like magic
http://www.inallofhersplendor.com/2014/03/21/armani-makeup-obsessed/
I LOVE Bobbi Brown & Benefit concealers. My go to drug store concealer is either CoverGirl or Hard Candy. I’ve been playing with an Urban Decay concealer – really creamy, I like it so far.
I’m so glad you did a post on concealer! I’ve recently switched from mineral powder makeup to liquid makeup, and I’m looking for a concealer that gives really good coverage because I always have bags under my eyes (it unfortunately runs in the family). I have Benefit’s Fake Up concealer, and I like how smooth and creamy it goes on, but it doesn’t provide enough coverage for me. I’ve read in the comments that Physicians Formula is a good option so I may try that, but I’m also a fan of Tarte makeup so I may follow Luna’s advice.
This stuff changed my life:
http://www.skinfo.com/skinfo-wise-disguise-concealer—natural-products-1082.php?page_id=283
I totally recommend concealer by Tarte Cosmetics (well actually all of their products)! The stuff is a little pricy but you barley need to use any with each use and it stays on all day. No parabens, gluten or a lot of other bad chemicals.
It’s not natural but Nars Radiant Creamy concealer changed my life! It covers up under circles and blemishes and lasts all day without caking or melting. Life changing!!!!!
I like Makeup Forever’s concealer! Despite my very fair skin, they have the perfect shade for me. Plus, it’s full coverage, without being caky.
Hi, Julie. I wish I could say I’m switching to all natural products, but only when I find one that equals the performance of what I’m using, which I haven’t yet in concealers. The one I keep going back to for every day is Lancome Effacernes. And then if I need photo perfection, I’ll dab a bit of Benefit Erase Paste in a skintone-matching color on any dark spots that might sneak through. thnx for the great article! E
It cosmetics has won lots of rewards and has great reviews.
So many recommendations! The two best drugstore concealers I’ve found are: Maybelline Age Rewind (comes in different shades and a brightening variation). This one works GREAT for under the eyes, has a fun applicator, is a thin formula and lasts forever! Definitely need to try this!
I also really like the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting concealer (comparable to Dior Skinflash and YSL Touche Eclat) for the under eye area as well. It’s more of a brightener but can be applied alone or over concealer. (Loreal also has a product JUST like this, Magic Lumi, but I haven’t tried it). Unfortunately, I can’t say if these are cruelty free but considering how well they work, it’s worth looking into!
Finally, worth mentioning although not drugstore, my all time favorite concealer is this one >> http://bit.ly/Narscrmycnclr
Hope this helps!
Megan
http://www.tbtblog.com
Hey Julie! I’ve actually recently discovered this brand called arbonne. I was a little skeptical at first but it proves to be down right amazing. I got their light concealer, which isn’t your cheapest drug store makeup, but it lasts forever and it stays on forever! It also gives you a very clean and bright look without being caky and thick. I highly recommend this stuff to anyone! Arbonne’s products are never made with animal ingredients – instead they use organic and natural elements with barely any chemicals. I LOVE IT.
I have been loving Benefit’s “Boi-ing eyebright compact”! Comes with both an amazing concealer and a light pink eye brightener to put on the inside corners of your eyes and brow bone. While I don’t think they are 100% o natural, they do utilize raw materials and do not test on animals. $12 for a little compact.
I love these posts, I’m on a similar journey and these are very helpful posts. I downloaded a couple apps that discuss products, their ingredients, and their company. One of the most natural/least toxic concealers was bare minerals concealer. I haven’t tried it but I’m excited to see if it works.
I also find it hard to find a perfect concealer. I prefer a natural concealer, which goes along with the rest of my natural skin care products. There’s are lot of different brands around, one that works for me is soap and salve.
My undereye area is my “problem” area. Although others tell me they can’t notice a less than ideal sleep night or work overload undereye bag syndrome, I can. I have been using Duross and Langel (based out of Philadelphia) nighty night eye cream. It’s amazing. My eyes stay hydrated even after I wash this off. In the AM, I found the Garnier Rollerball that’s tinted is a life saver. It’s about 10 dollars but will last you 6 months or so. My friend got hooked and started concealing her whole face with it (she does her T zone, undereyes, highlights cheeks and under chin) My mom and sister now use it, both of whom are pretty leery on drugstore makeup or trying new things, but it does work! You can even keep it in the freezer for an extra wake-me-up in the morning as the rollerball is metal so it can reduce inflammation under the eyes.
Hope this helps! Here’s to youthful eyes…
Try out the Collection- Lasting Perfection Concealer, sadly its not all natural but so far the best concealer i’ve ever tried. And its also very cheap
Hi Fp community!
Tarte high performance naturals, ( my favorite brand!) is vegan, cruelty free , all products are free of
parabens • mineral oil • phthalates • triclosan • sodium lauryl sulfate • gluten
Urban decay- cruelty free
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics – vegan and cruelty free
Nyx is cruelty free and inexpensive
Eco-tools- cruelty free makeup brushes, hair brushes, false lashes and inexpensive
Here is also a website that I found pretty informative when I made the swtich a few years ago
http://www.logicalharmony.net/cruelty-free-vegan-brand-list/#axzz3B99tOsJ6
Thank you so much for suggesting my site, Bethany! <3