Every morning we wake up and we see our faces in the mirror. We do this every single day of our lives and somewhere through it all we get to know our faces. For me, I know the cut above my eyebrow, a few leftover scars from chicken pox , the red dot on my nose, the mole on my chin and a couple others. I know these well enough that when I look at the mirror they blur out and my eyes see an overview of my face. And I like the face that looks back at me. I'd like to think I know it well.
But somewhere along all this back and forth with my mirror, the overview just got zoomed out so much I failed to notice a lot more things. We all go through this - we overlook a few things here and there and then one day - Bam ! You realize the face you see in the mirror is very different from what others see.
I hadn't noticed the dark circles until I took a picture of myself for the blog. Dark circles are notorious for making one look stressed out, dull, tired and unhappy. I wasn't feeling any of those things but my dark circles decided to make an appearance getting me the " Are you okay ?'s"
Raise your hand if this sounds familiar to you.
I use concealers regularly and found a few that work well for me. At least they did for the me I was seeing. But it wasn't till I took this after picture that I realized I looked so different. There was a marked brightness. Like my eyes that were hibernating two inches behind my face were suddenly out and bustling with happiness. Like someone had reached in and pulled them out. They were no longer hiding behind a hollow dark space. I looked so different even to my own eyes. Eyes that see me every single day.
The Orange Dark Circle Primer
This is what I had used - The Khuraira Dark Circle primer + Khuraira Age Control Concealer. Since then I have tried the primer with couple of my other favorite concealers and they seem to do this pulling out and shine through thing very well. The real star is here was the bright orange dark circles primer. I understand why they chose to call it a primer - you apply it (sparingly) on your dark circles prepping them for concealer. The more common term for it is a corrector. I have seen a few correctors but none this strong. On using it I also realized why so many readers write to me saying the very popular Bobbi Brown correctors weren't doing much for them. I guess we just need a strong dose of correction.
Why Orange ?
After trying the product I requested for a mini interview with the founder, Khuraira to ask a couple of basic questions - Why orange and what does this do ? She told me it helped by "neutralizing discolorations through the breakdown of the blue caused by broken capillaries. Worn under your concealer, this prevents the darkness from penetrating through". The last few words resonated with me - the one about not letting the darkness seep through. That is what was going wrong for many of us - our concealers just weren't designed to be strong enough to make a barrier of sorts.
Left - dark circle primer applied directly over skin. Right - Smashbox HD Concealer (medium) applied over the dark circle primer
Reasons Behind Dark Circles
This article here from the New York Times speaks about how finding a remedy for dark circles is one of beauty industry's top concern today. The reason for a relative lack of success in this field, I think could be the myriad of reasons that lead to dark circles - everything from hormonal changes, obesity, diabetes, stress, lack of sleep, alcohol can lead to dark circles. But for many of us, it doesn't end there - " Chronic dark circles, dermatologists say, is excess pigmentation in the skin. Dark circles are prevalent on all skin colors and types, but they especially trouble African-Americans, Southeast Asians and Southern Italians " .
Its in (some of ) our genes now ? I guess with that I can just about forget a cure for dark circles. My only option for now, is to slather stuff on to make them invisible. For now I am happy I found this heavy duty corrector for my industrial strength dark circles. With this I now join the league of stars like Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, Karina Smirnoff (Dancing with the Stars) and Nicole Scherzinger who at one point or another have depended on this product to get rid of that nasty stuff called dark circles.
Other Choices
Since trying this corrector I did some research and found a few other brands that make orange color correctors - Georgia Armani Master Corrector, NYX Orange Corrector, MAC Pro Studio Finish Skin Corrector , Laura Mercier Under Eye Perfector. These are a few options other than the one from Khuraira that I tried. If you have had a history battling dark circles and havent been satisfied with anything yet - I'd highly recommend finding one of these bright orange correctors and giving them a try. Chances are you'll love what it does !
Argh, all this depressing talk about you know what. Time to go grab some oatmeal raisin cookies.
Oh make that cup cakes with cream cheese frosting. Whoz comin along ?
No. Wait.
Heaven forbid, donuts.
Wait - donuts - obesity - dark circles. Dadgummit. It keeps coming back.
Love,
Indian Girl
This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.
Good Morning Ladies !
Hope you had a great weekend ! If you are a Mad Men fan, I'm sure it was. So good to get back to knowing what Don Draper has been up to.
I am in a really sunny mood today. I think, finding quality products at the neighborhood drugstore does this to me. Its the Milani HD Advance Concealer ($6.99) y'all. I not only love this product, I feel so good about it that I am recommending it to everybody !
Yellow Yellow Sweet Little Fellow
The Miani HD Concealer comes in a click pen model looking all bright and blingy in its gold packaging. One of the biggest concerns I've had with drugstore concealers has been the lack of yellow pigment. Most of them are pink or just plain beige. You pat it under your eye and they sit there staring into space ...doing nothing to hide your dark circles. This is why Milani gets much of my love - its truly yellow based. Check that out !
Nobody can complain about the lack of warmth. Its exactly what a warm skinned person like me needs to look bright and fresh !
Key Ingredients :
• Rona Coated Pigments that disguise dark shadows
• Invisaskin moisture base which keep the eye area hydrated,soften expressions lines and wrinkles
• Grant X Gamma Amino-Butyric Acid that plumps out creases, lines and imperfections
• Granactive RD 101 to help brighten and gently resurface the most delicate skin
Alicia Keys & I - Concealer Best Buds
I saw that the shade Medium Honey was used in Alicia Keys so I decided to try the same. Its perfect on my NC 40 (medium tan) skin tone. I almost feel like Alicia and I are best buds ! We use the same concealer , that's got to mean something !
One more major good thing about the concealer is the formula. I can never wear concealer and head out without applying some foundation because I feel like the concealer is too obvious. But with Milani HD one the formula sinks into your skin and merges with the top layer so well that I look naturally dark circle free. So now I don't have to add foundation just coz I did the concealer ! And for someone who likes to keep it as less as possible with makeup - this racks up huge points in favor of the concealer.I am not the biggest fan of the click pen but really this isn't a complaint. I assume many women love it given that one of the best selling concealers of all times YSL Touche Eclat is a click pen.
Now all I want from Milani is to add a lot more shades so my deeper toned girlfriends get to try this too.
Love,
Indian Girl
This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.
For Spring 2010 Bobbi Brown came out with these nifty little things called Tinted Eye Brighteners. The mantra for Bobbi Brown's Spring 2010 is - Look Your Best Under Five Minutes. The collection includes eye brow pencils, lip glosses and this under eye brightener.
If I had five minutes to do my makeup my routine would be :
Moisturizer
Eye Cream
Brows
Concealer
Lipstick
Bronzer
But then sometimes if I'm having a bad under eye circles day - then I run overtime with the concealer. Like ten minutes over time.
Never a good thing.
But wait , it gets worse when ten minutes later I still look like a girl who had solid dark circles, is trying her best to cover it up and failing miserably.
One word - Dadgummit .
Today is one of those days. My eyes look dull and the circles are a 7 on 10. Ten being the darkest they've ever been.
Ola caterpillar brows ! Not their best angle.
And this is my eye today with the Bobbi Brown Tinted Eye Brightener in Dark Peach applied all over my eyes and under my eyes. The inner corner are my biggest trouble spots. If I could I'd throw them in the naughty corner until they apologize and go back to being good.
Cant do. Super Nanny is of no help here.
But Bobbi is. Check that out !
I am ecstatic about the effect this brightener has. I look like I was born with zero dark circles. I look like people can envy me for my lack of dark circles. Oh its been a long time since anybody envied me for my zero dark circle eyes...
All it took was 30 seconds to apply. For a medium skin tone ( MAC NC 37 - 40) like me Dark Peach was an excellent shade match for a very natural finish. The formula is creamy but not thick. Its feels like I'm just applying a regular eye cream - easy and light !
The tinted eye brightener comes in eight shades. It costs a huge $38.00 for .05 fl. oz./ 1.5 ml of product. Bobbi Brown's Creamy concealer costs $22.00 for .06 oz./1.7g of product - almost same amount of product but much cheaper. So if you plan on checking this miracle worker out, make sure you find a MUA at the Bobbi Brown counters and get yourself matched in day light. If you're paying $38 you better get the right shade !
In Other News...
I'm obsessed with this JT + Timbaland song. Its super cute in a lyrics written by a five year old obsessed with Tacobell stuck in a thirty year old's body kinda way ...
What are you grooving your Wednesday to ?
Love,
Indian Girl
This article contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR. For more details on the disclosure policy please refer to it at the bottom of the page.
Its the Holidays !
Well, technically not yet but we're almost there ! I know we're almost there because it smells like cinnamon and other holiday spices around my apartment building. I get out and I'm like...
Oh No You Didn't. Oh No. They bust out their Holiday home fragrances, man !
I don't have the holiday fragrances yet. So, I am busting out the value kits. Today its Sally Hansen Natural Beauty 's turn with their 5 Minute Face Kit. I have loved this brand since it came into being a couple of years back. Almost everything has worked well for me and the price is almost always right.
This 5 Minute Face Kit has gotten me more excited than the bulls at the Rodeo !
I said bulls not cowboys. Nothing is more exciting than cowboys. *Drools* TX cowboys !
The Kit has 5 items. A minute per item. And they come in three shades - Light, Medium and Dark. Each kit has products that should help enhance features of skin tone in that range.
Luminizing Face Primer
Concealer
Blush
Eyeshadow Trio
Lip gloss
The primer is brilliant stuff ! It is a bit shimmery but all shimmer is forgiven during winter. So I say, Go for it. Thelma. Go for it !
Concealer , I'll write a lot about it soon.
The eyeshadow I have talked about them here. Almost a year back ! But they are still making them good !
The lip gloss in Sparkling Champagne is perfect for light - medium skin tones. A beautiful flesh toned shade with a hint of shimmer. Some of my other favorite shades are here with swatches .The blush ( Cherub) is a peachy pink "I-am-an-angel. Don't believe me ? Look at my cheeks " kinda color. That is the exact description that would be on he box had I made it.
But wait. So you think they put a items in a kit call it 5 minute kit and I'll get excited over it ?
No. Absolutely not. Check out the receipt below to know the most exciting part about the kit and the deal I've set up for y'all !
Its worth $45 but the CVS guy knows you read AIMB and he'll give it to you for $12.99. Just for you ! No Jokes. All true story.
Okay I had nothing to do with the deal. But if you give it a try, it'll still $12.99. AIMB reader or not !
Love,
Indian Girl
Over the years I have tried several concealer brushes but always came back to this
my ring finger.
It is soft, bendable, reaches every corner, helps me blend the concealer into my skin just as much as I want.
That being said I am still an Indian who eats spicy food with her hand - the one thing I always take into consideration before I put my finger anywhere on my face. The spicy ring finger is something I am predisposed to and as a result I have had to continue my search for a better concealer brush.
I expect the concealer brush to be everything my ring finger is - soft, bendable, reach every corner, help me blend the concealer into my skin just as much as I want.
In my search I found several types of concealer brushes. Some were beyond my comprehension. Ones that were rigid, made of weird fiber like material and did not blend or bend were all throw out. After seeing a few too many similar looking brushes that did not work I eventually found one that fits all my requirements from a concealer brush - the Smashbox Concealer brush #4.
Apart from the lovely black / red design, the brush is made of soft synthetic hair that gives excellent control for blending and layering the concealer. It bends into every contour of the eye without a need to apply too much pressure on the delicate skin.
What can I say - I am loving the non spicy version of my ring finger ! I only hope its as durable too ! If its not, you'll see a PS stating just that.
If $26 seems like a whole lot to spend on a single brush, check out the Wish For The Perfect Tools Brush Kit - $49 ( original value $ 134) The kit contains five brushes -
travel angled blush brush
travel blending brush
travel crease brush
travel shadow liner brush
travel angled precision liner brush
According to Smashbox's website the blending brush works double duty as a concealer brush !
What is your favorite way to apply concealer ? Is there a brush that does the trick for you ?
Love,
Indian Girl
I know you guys loved the EOTD that I put up with the Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner Post. Though the liner worked out well, the real unsung hero was my concealer - The Cover FX Camouflage Concealer.
To show how awesome these are let me show you a pic of me without the concealer
There you go ! The things I do for the blog...
Notice the evil inner corner of my eye. Its darker than the Dating in the dark room.
I need to pay extra attention there and somehow most concealers just crack and look dry in the inner corner. Y'all know I am dead serious when it comes to concealers. Throughout a year and a half of blogging how many concealers have I recommended to you - one. Just one. Does not mean I didn't test any . I tested plenty but none were good. None worthy of my time and space on this blog. That's how serious I am about concealers.
After so long I came across another one that was great enough to be recommended to y'all.
The Cover FX Camouflage Concealer is the newest product from Cover FX. This is what Cover FX has to say about their new range of concealers - " Conceal FX Camouflage Concealer, an instant, flaw-erasing concealer cream with a lightweight velvet finish. Conceal FX is not just perfect for your skin but also great for HD film/video, seamlessly covering anything you want to hide, providing opaque, long-lasting, water-resistant coverage and can be used to instantly erase under eye circles, redness, dark spots, sun damage, blemishes, tattoos, birthmarks, fatigue or skin trauma. "
Here is a list of the shades available and the corresponding foundation shades in the range.
| Conceal FX Shade | Ideal for Foundation Shade Range |
| X-Light | 0-20 |
| Light | 20-40 |
| Light-Medium | 40-60 |
| Medium | 60-90 |
| Deep | B0 - 25 |
| X-Deep | B25-65 |
Having had a very good experience with their foundations I was so looking forward to trying out their concealers. I got in Light and it worked very well with my skin tone. The shade is very warm and has a touch of peach to it which is extremely important to cover up the bluish purple tinge that dark circles have. Another reason why peach correctors are recommended for severe dark circles.
The concealer comes in a tube with a teeny tiny hole. You need extremely little amount of the concealer and you get just that much at a time. Absolutely no wastage. The tube seems a lot more sanitary to me than pans coz I am not dipping my finger into the whole product at a time.
The Camouflage concealer has a creamy texture but isn't very creamy. Very creamy concealers tend to crease easily, disappear faster and do not provide extreme coverage. At the same time if its not creamy, the concealer remains as blobs because it becomes very difficult to apply and spread. With this concealer there is good balance in the texture so as to make it creamy enough to spread easily but opaque enough to cover up everything with very little product.
I tried the shades Light & Light to Medium. Light is bit more peachy than Light To Medium which has a little more yellow and looks lighter than the shade Light. I found that Light suited me the best and looked great in pictures so I decided to stick with it.
Word of advice : Always use a hydrating, oil free eye cream under concealers.
Price - $25 (0.5 fl oz / 15 ml)
Purchase - Sephora, Nordstrom
Purpose - Water resistant concealer for under eye circle, tattoos, birth marks
Position
Love,Indian Girl
A couple of weeks back, everybody at AIMB had a chance to submit their burning concealer questions, so the pros at Three Custom Color Specialists could answer them for us. The answers are in and there is SO much that I learn't reading them ! You will too ! BIG thank yous to all you guys who submitted your questions and a BIG thank you to Trae Bodge, Co - Founder and Creative Director at Three Custom Color Specialists for her patience and for taking the time out to answer all our questions.
1. Don't you think it would be an awesome idea for under eye concealers to be loaded with SPF? To prevent them from the harmful sun and from darkening?? (HI)
We actually believe that SPF should be accounted for in skincare, rather than makeup. Because concealers can generally be used for multiple areas on the face (eyes, around the nose, chin, etc.), the SPF distribution on the face would be uneven. In addition, high SPF's have a tendency to throw off concealer and foundation colors, often making them appear ashy, especially in the darker range.
2. I'm very pale and have transparent skin... unfortunately, that means I have dark circles. Whenever I use a concealer under my eyes though, it either slides off or cakes up. How can I avoid this/ do you have any product recommendations? I'd like to keep the skin around my eyes dewy-looking and fresh, but want a concealer that stays put. Help! (CONSIDERMYLILLIES)
We recommend that you give your eye cream some time to absorb before applying your concealer, because the oils in rich eye creams often cause concealers to slide. Caking, on the other hand, generally happens when the skin (or the concealer formulation) is too dry, so moisturize well, allow the moisturizer to absorb and then apply a rich, creamy concealer (like ours! http://www.threecustom.com/home.php?cat=276). Set with translucent powder (http://www.threecustom.com/home.php?cat=277) to enhance the wear.
3. What is the best way to conceal dark under-eye circles for fair skin, and have it last ALL day? Any products with SPF that they could recommend? (JESSICA)
The best way to conceal dark circles on any skin tone is to use a concealer shade a touch lighter than your natural skin tone. This should be applied after any foundation or tinted moisturizer. Set with translucent powder for extra long wear. See above for SPF question.
4. I applied concealer once and when I took a photograph with flash on ...I could see the spots where I have applied..although without flash you would not make out and looks like a smooth skin..where am I wrong. (SONAL)
Concealers that have light reflecting properties, i.e. a pearlescent shimmer that gives the appearance of smoother skin, tend to glow a bit when photographed with a flash. Try using a concealer that does not have these properties - words to look out for in the product name "light reflecting, highlighting, glowing", etc.
5. I noticed that when I apply concealer on blemishes or old acne scars, it looks fine in doors but becomes really obvious when I step out in the sun. What can I do to avoid this? Thanks! :) (HUINEE)
The best way to cover blemishes or scars is to use a shade that matches or is slightly darker than your natural skin tone. This is a softer approach that should appear less obvious than if you approached the spots with a lighter color (like you would use under your eyes).
6. To add to some of the questions above, I always find that indoors my make-up works fine and acne doesn't show so much. However, the minute you put me under natural sun light, the colouring of my skin is uneven and scars, acne etc, not to mention the fact that I've tried to conceal it, is in plain view. What am I doing wrong? (HIBA)
You're not doing anything wrong, per se, you're just not doing your makeup under the best light! Halogen bulbs are the closest to natural sunlight, so I would recommend investing in a makeup light with halogen bulbs so you can get the truest sense of the colors you are using. At our Color Studio in NYC, we use very bright halogen lights. When someone looks gorgeous here, she will look gorgeous under any light source.
7. Do you think a primer is necessary if I only use concealer and face powder? (HUINEE)
I think primers are a great solution for people who have trouble with makeup wearing off very quickly or have an uneven skin texture that they wish to address. Some primers also have sunscreen and treatment properties so they can make up for qualities that your skin care might lack. Here are my favorites: http://www.alisonraffaele.comsearchresult.aspx?CategoryID=72
If you do not have these issues, using concealer and powder should be just fine!
8. I have combination skin (oily t-zone, dry sides of the face), what kind of concealer would be best for me?(ARPITA)
Our Creme Concealer/Foundation is great for all skin types, so of course I would firstly recommend ours! But, there are a lot of wonderful products out that, including options specific to skin type. I would read the labels and see what skin type certain formulations are recommended for. In addition, if you have personal preferences for formulation and delivery systems, i.e. cream in a compact vs cream in a stick, liquid, mineral powder, etc., so you should take your preference into account.
9. I have acne and oily skin....so what’s the best way to get the best from concealer? (NYRA)
See above on formulations. If you are specifically trying to treat your blemishes, you should seek out a formulation that is specific to that concern and then use your formula of choice for the rest of the face.
10. Is face concealer supposed to go on before or after foundation? I've gotten mixed advice on it. What's the reason behind doing it either way? (ARPITA)
Concealer should go on after foundation/tinted moisturizer if you are using two separate products. Foundation tends to be rubbed on in a thin layer and concealer is patted or dabbed on more thickly, so the thinner formulation should go on first. If you patted on the concealer first and then rubbed on the foundation, you would likely cause the concealer to dissipate somewhat, undoing some of the work you had just done!
11. Which eye concealer would be best for dark circles? (ARPITA)
See above
12. I've been blessed with a noticeable crease under my eyes. How can I stop concealer from settling in that crease? Or better yet is there a product (primer or something) that I can use to fill or smoothen the creases so they don't look obvious (MISHA)
There are a lot of eye primers out there, but I have to say that I haven't found one that really works for this issue. I haven't tried them all though, so it's worth experimenting! Another solution is to use the tips that I've given above about how to extend the wear of your concealer. That alone might solve the crease issue.
13. What's a real good concealer for blue purple circles?
Dark circles are all generally blue-ish/purple. The best way to combat this is with a shade that is slightly lighter that your natural skin tone. To get more aggressive, you can "tone" the area first, with a peach-toned concealer, then apply regular concealer on top. Another trick is to use a light reflecting concealer, or to simply sweep a soft powder shimmer over your concealer to create light reflection.
14. Could you please give us a basic concealer guide on how to choose concealer shades for a particular skin tone?
I can only really assist you as it pertains to the Three Custom Color concealers. Click here (http://www.threecustom.com/home.php?cat=321) to choose the model who's skin tone most closely matches yours. Click on that model to see what shade she is wearing.
Click on the links below for other concealer posts that you might find helpful ...
Three Custom Color Creme Concealer Shade Swatches
How To Apply Concealer in 5 Easy Steps
My Favorite Concealer - Review & Swatches
Love,
Indian Girl
Lovely reader Pita wrote to me telling me all about her haul and how much she loved the Make Up For Ever 5 Color Concealer Palette($36). This is what she had to say about the product :
"I wanted to suggest a concealer for you to try. Make Up Forever's 5-Colour Concealer Palette! It finally, FINALLY came in here and although I just got back and am not leaving the house tonight I had to try it on. It is wonderful!!! :D :D <3!!> It's a fantastic consistency, because it's so, so creamy and spreads well. I've tried Bobbi Brown, MAC, other Make Up Forever concealers, etc. and this is by far my favorite because it's a concealer for EVERY ISSUE you could possibly have. Being Indian, etc. I bought No.2 (It comes in different types for different skin tones). The purple will counteract redness on the skin, the 2nd from the right is for eyes, and the other 3 are for the face. I'm in love and uber excited! Go check it out!"
I sure will have to ! Any one else tried this palette ? Read more here. If any of you have fallen in love with a product, do write in and tell me all about it. I would love to share your discoveries in the beauty aisle with all other AIMB readers !
Love,
Indian Girl
This is a one of a kind opportunity to get all your concealer questions answered by the Co - founders of Three Custom Color Specialists !! Of all the wonderful emails I get from my readers, more than 50 % of them have to do with concealers. That is why I am so excited about this chance to get all your questions answered by pros ! A big Thank You to the wonderful folks at Three Custom Colors for organizing this !
You can email me your question at makeupgirl007@gmail.com or you can leave a comment under this post stating your question. You have until Friday, April 3 to send in your questions. I will then put them together and send it over to the co founders so they can answer them all !! Ask anything - how to choose a concealer, do we need a base for concealers, what are color correctors ...the questions are endless, aren't they !! Nothing is silly, nothing is complicated ! All concealer questions are welcome :)
Looking forward to see what questions y'all have !!
Love,
Indian Girl
My favorite concealer makers are having a Concealer Sample Fest !!! This is your chance to get samples of three creme concealer shades with any online purchase at Three Custom Color Specialists !! All you have to do is write the shade names in the " Customer Notes " area during check out.
This is an amazing offer for those of us who have a difficult time finding a concealer that matches our skin tone perfectly. Most often a mix of two or three shades works great ! With this offer you could choose three shades, mix it up in the comfort of your home , in proportions you will feel comfortable in ! You can then order all the three shades or use Three Custom Colors Custom Blending option and get it made in the proportions of your choice. You can read more on Custom Blending for concealers here and here
How to choose shades ?
You can take a look at the swatches of all the 10 available shades below. They will give you an idea of the color and what might suit your skin tone. For reference I use #6 shade and sometime mix it with #3 or #5. But mostly its just #6.
Another useful tool will be to check this page on their website. It talks about warm vs. cool and has pictures of women with the corresponding skin tones ! Click on the woman's picture to find the shade used on her. And if you are a Makeup Artist who works on large range of skin tones, you should so check out the Professional Concealer Palette ! It contains all the 10 shades and a tiny concealer brush ! It also works great for makeup parties ;)
Go on try some samples ! Who knows you might land on the magic formula !
Love,
Indian Girl
We are always dying to know what celebrities use to look as good as they do on screen. And one such product is this - The Beauty Ammo Kit by M.B. York. It is used on various sets including Desperate Housewives, Dancing with the Stars, Dreamgirls, Regis & Kelly and many more ! Why is this so popular you ask? Because it is a easy , 3 step kit that helps mask all signs of aging around the eyes. Younger looking eyes are the key to an overall younger looking face and that's exactly what this product promises to deliver.
What does the kit contain?
The kit consists of a Collagen Eye Mask, a Line Putty , a Camouflage Eye Disguise ( concealer) and two sponges.
How do you use it ?
Step 1. "Pump it Up, Leave it On " Collagen Eye Mask. Apply the mask under both eyes with your fingers, you should see the product all the way across under your eye. DO NOT BLEND! Use a lot more than you would normally.
Step 2. Line Putty. Sweep the line putty right over top the eye mask. Now, take one of the enclosed sponges, and press the product into your skin. It will all appear to disappear. Don't blend, PRESS.
Step 3. Camouflage Eye Disguise. Sweep all the way across under your eye, and on your lid. Use a lot, paint it on!!! Now, with the same sponge, blend in the concealer. It makes a great base for your shadows, and gives great coverage under the eye. If you use your fingers, you are going to think it is too yellow.
The Collagen Eye Mask can also be used at night under the eyes, but just use a normal amount. Always leave it on, it is meant to hydrate all day and night. The Beauty Ammo Kit should feel really good, not too heavy, just soothing and hydrating. The results last all day, or until you wash your face
My Thoughts :
I think its a great kit for special occasions like stage performances and such when you want to look your best and for a long period of time. It also makes for a great gift to bridesmaids or to any of your friends. For $85 you get a lot of product in a cute pink box. The only gripe I have is with the concealer, it comes only in one medium toned color. I am still wondering how this can be used on everybody. It looks okay on me, though I would like it to be a little more warmer but it may not suit many other skin tones. This apart , its a very useful kit to invest in if you are beginning to show some fine lines around the eyes and would like them to disappear without having to try too hard.
If you happen to visit them on their site, do check out their other kits. The eye shadows in their Paint by Numbers kit are super soft and so easy to work with.
Love,
Indian Girl
A New Concealer - How To ? tutorial with a much better concealer ! Its an easy tutorial and the only thing you need in abundance is patience, if you are new to concealing. Use very little concealer to begin with, let it settle onto your skin for 3 - 4 minutes and apply more only if need be. With time this whole routine should take a minute or even lesser. Let me how you how I go from 0 to 100 in 30 seconds :)
Start with clean moisturized eyes
Step 1 : Take a small amount of concealer on your ring finger. You can use a concealer brush, but I prefer my finger.
Step 2 : Dot the concealer all over your eyes and under your eyes. Don't forget the inner corner.
Step 3 : Spread the concealer in small dabbing motions all over your eyes. Use very little pressure. We don't want it to sink in like a moisturizer.
Step 4 : Using a fluffy brush load up some translucent powder or any other oil free powder onto it. Tap the brush to remove excess powder.
Step 5 : Dab the powder all over your eyes and under the eyes. This helps keep your concealer in place.
Thats it !
Love,
Indian Girl
TODAY I am going to give the secret away. I am gonna tell you about my Favorite Concealer. Yes, gorgeous ladies the day is finally here. One month. One whole month, I use this concealer, every single day and I still cant find a fault with it. What concealer is this, you ask ? It is the Cream Concealer from Three Custom Color Specialists.
This destroyer of dark circles comes in a compact similar to the cream blushes from Three Custom Color Specialists. It is soft and creamy and you need very very little for your whole eye. The ready made concealers are available in 10 colors. Why did I say ready made ? Because Three Custom Colors will make shades on your request too ! I have all the details of it below. I use Shade #6 for my under eyes and sometimes mix in a bit of #3 . For my face # 3 with a touch of #6 works very well with some moisturizer to cover any blemishes. It has just the right amount of yellow, orange , green blue what ever is required to make me look like I have never had panda eyes. If you are unsure about the color that might suit you, get a few samples and try them on. It is better to invest in a few choices with the samples than buying full sizes.
I have never been this satisfied with any concealer ever. Every time I am at the mall, I rush to Nordstrom / Sephora and wait in line to try out the concealers at every brand's counter. I go with a bare face hoping for some face magic to happen. But alas, it never did. Somehow I hardly even left with samples because I out right hated the look and feel of most of them. Some concealers like MAC Moisturecover worked well temporarily but at the end of the day, they creased so bad it looked like my eye was divided into two...above and below the concealer marked crease.
I don't have the crease issue with my Three Custom Colors concealer. Yes, it does try to enter that fold under my eye but its very superficial and one swipe of my finger/brush gets it outta there keeping me crease free for hours ! My lids are pretty oily so I have to set my concealer with powder. Even otherwise setting the concealer with bit of translucent powder helps keep it in place. I am going to follow this post with another on how I do my concealer. Hopefully you'll find it helpful.
I wont say that I will stop looking into other concealers because searching for one, has become a habit. But what I do know is now is that I have a much higher and better concealer to match the rest against. I am not sure how many will beat this one, let alone match up to it.
1. If I tried a couple of concealers from Three Custom Colors and found that a mix of both was great for me.Would you then be able to custom make that blend for me? Yes. Three Custom Color Specialists can match that shade from a sample you send in (or just tell us half of 6 and half of 7, for example).
2. How much would you charge for making this personalized concealer? The price for a single compact of custom blended concealer is $36.50 (each additional is $19.50) and after that blend is on file for you, we have a re-order discount of $5 on custom concealers.
3. Could I email you about the mix or should one visit Three Custom Colors at their NY color studio to avail this opportunity? Both – if you are visiting NYC, make an appointment at our Color Studio to meet with one of our Color Specialists and create your perfect concealer. Or, mail in a sample. Blend the concealers together to your desired shade, enclose a dime-sized amount in a plastic baggie (like Ziploc), and send it to us at:
Three Custom Color Specialists
PO Box 28
Times Square Station
New York, NY 10108
Overall, I am now one happy camper ! I tell you, a good concealer makes all the difference !
Do you have a favorite concealer ? You know, I wanna hear all about it !
Love,
Indian Girl
PS : Three Custom Colors also ships to the UK. For a list of Three Custom Colors stockists in the UK visit their store locator page here
Leave it to Bobbi Brown to come up with the best concealer ideas !
Talking about concealers I have been having the worst dark circles ever. I usually don't have em very bad but I don't know why they are getting darker by the minute ! Now you know why I am prowling on the Internet trying to bring you the very best in concealers ;)
The Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit should be the one to try if you are suffering from deep dark circles. The kit consists of a creamy concealer on top and sheer finish loose powder on the bottom. The cream concealer is yellow based ( duhh...its from Bobbi Brown ...the queen who founded yellow based cosmetics) and is sure to hide even the darkest of these monsters. The kit costs around $32 which is a great price to pay since you get both the powder and the creamy concealer!
Oh wait I haven't told you the best part yet. The kit comes in 17 SHADES !! Yes, you heard me right - its 17 different shades of concealer !!! Hallelujah to that ! Now with 17 shades there is something there for each one of us. Don't you hate it when most companies makes three or four shades of concealer - Light, Medium, Tan and Dark ! Whoever let them get away with that. I am a type 13357854 in the Medium shade range ;) What do you have for me ? Nothing !
But no worries, I am off to try out Bobbi Brown !
Love,
Indian Girl
This past weekend I hit the mall to find my HG concealer. With this being my goal, I hit MAC , LM, Dior and tried out their best concealers. I have given a comprehensive review of these 2 products, which hopefully helps you girls make a better decision!
From MAC I wanted to try MAC Moisture Cover coz I've heard a lot about it being great for people who do not have very dark circles and who are not in the habit of using an eye cream. Also, fellow blogger and my make up consultant ;) Iheartmake-up recommended Moisture Cover, so I had to try it out !!
I love my MAC Makeup artist (MA) and always go to her even if I have to wait for a while. The color that suited me best was NW 25 - it is always best to go a shade or two lighter and warmer with your concealer.
Texture : Liquid
Cost: $ 15.50
Pros :
Liquid, hence best for beginners
Super easy to apply.
Super easily blendable.
Wide range of colors.
Easy to travel with.
Hygienic wand
Does not dry out the under eye area.
Gives very good coverage and the coverage is buildable.
Cons :
It does crease. Hence better to use a very good primer and should set with powder.
The Laura Mercier (LM) concealer I tried was Under cover (Secret Concealer) in #5. The color was too dark for me, but the MA though very sweet, was convinced that this was the right shade for me, so I shut up.
Texture : Creamy
Cost: $22
Pros:
It is creamy and hence will not dry out the under eye skin.
Easy to travel with.
The Under cover concealer comes with a part of secret camouflage - which can be used for blemishes on the face!
Looks very natural.
Great for people with dark - dark circles.( Gonna have to recommend it to mom!)
Cons:
Hard to apply because of the creamy texture. It takes some getting used to.
Not easily blendable.
Not very hygienic if you are using your fingers to dip into the compact.
Not many shades available - only 5
It creases quite a bit.
Got the wrong shade :(
The deciding factors would have to be :
How much time do you have in the mornings to get done with your make up?
How much are you willing to pay?
How deep / dark are your circles?
Do you prefer wand/ compact case?
How difficult is it to find your shade?
Overall, I guess I will buy the MAC concealer mostly because its cheaper and easy to apply. I like to get done with my face in 5 or 10 minutes flat. Besides this, the NW25 shade goes perfectly with the MAC select foundation sample I got in NC 40.
The LM one is good too but takes very long to apply and I tug at my skin to apply it. It is more expensive than MAC but its a good deal getting both the concealers in one compact case.
Lemme know what you think. Did you have better experiences with any of these concealers?
So I bought this ELF bronzer and a Revlon concealer from Big Lots last weekend and had to share how they look on me. BigLots is a great place for cosmetics on bargain prices. Though its rare to find what you need, you can always pick up something ...just cause ;)
I dont have a lot of dark circles but I had to try a concealer to see what it does! This one was Revlon Colorstay Stay Natural Concealer in Medium 4. It is great for hiding tiny scars on the face. The tip of my face looks reddish even after foundation, but this helped my poor ol nose look much better ! Finally I wont be Rudolf the red nose reindeer anymore ! Its not anywhere close to the best for dark circles though :(
Lot has been said bout Luminous by many of my fellow bloggers and lovely MUAers but I think its time ELF gets its praise! For less than $2 , I thought this was a steal. It also comes with a long handle brush - for better control. The brush is not the best in the world but definitely manageable (Key words - Two Dollars). Me likey!!
ELF :
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