A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Invisibility.  Now there’s a superhero trait I wouldn’t mind playing with for a couple of days.  The places you could go, the pranks you could pull, the high-end makeup you could steal… just thinking about it warms my kleptomaniac cockles.  Out of all the paranormal abilities available to supreme beings, I think that it must rank up there in the top 3 alongside x-ray vision (you know you would) and teleportation (Seychelles anyone?)

Seeing as I’m not going to be receiving my superpower anytime soon, I’ll turn my attention to this little pot of marvel (gettit? Marvel? Oh nevermind) instead.  Daniel Sandler’s Invisible Radiance Foundation and Concealer* is, like many superheroes, part of a duo crime-fighting team, fighting the evil that is, a rubbish complexion.  The duo consists of 30g of foundation and 3g of concealer, housed neatly in the lid.

Starting with the foundation, an incredibly light formula which moves around fluidly on the skin.  It’s thinly-textured and remains tacky to the touch for a good 15 minutes or so after application.  The colour match on my skintone for Porcelain (the lightest of four shades) is near-enough spot on, but the coverage is very sheer so I would imagine that the next shade up wouldn’t be too horrendous a mis-match once blended.  Talking of the coverage, I’d liken it to that of a tinted moisturiser but with more “set” once it does eventually dry down.

At no point will this foundation look powdery or cakey, I don’t want to say that it has a gel texture because, well, it doesn’t… but it reminds me of a gel texture in the way that it behaves on the skin.  It’s buildable but I have my doubts that you could ever build it enough to mask discolouration or rosacea, for that, you would need a little help from its skin-perfecting companion…

The concealer is neatly hidden under the flip-top lid of the bottle… cute it is, gimmicky it certainly isn’t.  The dual-packaging works extremely well and makes for perfect portability.  Having said that, I’m not a fan of the spoony-spatula inside the bottle, it doesn’t retrieve enough product and I managed to ping the flexible end, splattering foundation on myself.  I know… I should probably be more careful but I was dip-dipping to get more product and getting impatient!

With the Invisible Radiance Foundation and Concealer, I apply my foundation first… with a dampened brush (as Daniel suggests) before applying a second layer of foundation across my cheeks and nose.  Before this has set, I use the same foundation brush (I favour the paintbrush style with this foundation) to apply my concealer.  I won’t call the finished effect “airbrushed” but it does look naturally-improved rather than foundation-improved and the radiant effect definitely makes my skin look healthier, which is something I’ve never really expected from a foundation.

Overall, I’d say that this duo is perfect for more mature skin, particularly if you’re looking for lighter coverage.  It’s ideal for day-wear but will probably be a little too dewy for me in the heat of the Summer (chance would be a fine thing), although nothing that a dusting of powder over my t-zone won’t resolve.  Longevity is average, good for such a dewy-finish, I’d estimate that I was very happy with how this concealed for around 8 hours.

If you’re sick of seeing your foundation sitting in dilated pores, gathering around fine lines, or giving already dull skin a death-mask appearance – this is one for the shopping list.  My only caveat is whether coverage will be full enough for you, in which case, this product does respond well to a dusting of mineral foundation and you won’t lose too much of the luminosity aslong as you use one with light-reflecting particles.

Daniel Sandler Invisible Radiance Foundation and Concealer in Porcelain is priced at £28 and available to buy online from www.urbanretreat.co.uk

* press sample

** Kleptomania is bad.  Also, don’t do drugs.

This past week has been an absolute horror for trying to get some blog photos taken, I’ve had to push a table directly in-front of a huge window in an attempt to capture at least, some light. Apologies if the photos seem a little grainier than usual, that’s me whacking the ISO up higher than I would want to. But anyway…

I told you about Bare Minerals new range of concealers a couple of weeks ago, and featured one of those brightening under-eye type pens that add luminosity to the more shadowy areas of the face. I also told you how, on me, it didn’t make a difference… thanks, in part, to not actually having too much in the way of under-eye discoloration and shadows. Yay me!

However, what I lack in the way of under-eye circles, I totally make up for in redness. Across my cheeks and my nose. It’s not full-blown rosacea or anything as serious as that, I just like vodka too much. I’m kidding!! In my case, it’s just the curse of a celtic complexion and general diffused capilliarires under the surface of the skin. Nothing a bit of makeup doesn’t tone down… but will Bare Mineral’s latest correcting concealer do the job?

I’m gonna get the comparison out of the way… texture-wish, it’s similar to Bobbi Brown’s Creamy Concealer, there’s a lot of slip in that there compact.  This makes it super-easy to apply with your fingers or a brush without dragging across your skin – perfect for under the eyes.  Another similarity is in the level of coverage, this provides very good, almost full coverage where it’s needed most and a little goes a long way.

It’s all good so far!

Colour-wise, this is Light 01, which is indeed pretty pale and cool-toned, the pink has a touch of peach to it in my opinion… bringing some great colour-correcting tones to the table.  Peach is great for concealing that bluish-grey hue that under-eye areas can often present.

You can see in the photo below that coverage is indeed, pretty impressive.  It all but cancels out the redness and gives me a more even complexion upon which I can apply my foundation.  Indeed, by the time my foundation had warmed upon my skin, there was literally no redness left.  My only negative with the Bare Minerals SPF20 Correcting Concealer is that despite its emollient texture, it clung a little to some flakes on my nose… flakes that I wouldn’t have even noticed before putting the product over them.  This is not a good thing, clearly.

Having said that, I think that I’m going to persevere and try some different application/prepping techniques.  The coverage is too good (whilst feeling so light) not to put some real effort into getting the very best from this product.  I can’t say how it would fare on oilier skin tones, but I would definitely recommend setting it after application if you are prone to watching your makeup slide off your face by lunchtime.

Bare Minerals SPF20 Correcting Concealer is available now, online and on counter – priced at £21 for 2g.

* press sample

Remember Rimmel’s Hide The Blemish? Surely a handbag staple for teenagers around the world if ever we saw one?  Well, I have to admit… this is what I was reminded of when I received this concealer sample through the post.  I would call the packaging ‘charming’ but honestly, it just looks a little bit dated/only-three-kids-allowed-in-the-shop-at-the-same-time (our local chemist and Rimmel counter was on the school route home!)

But that’s where the similarities end.  Completely.

Essential Care’s Mineral Concealer is really hydrating and offers a lot of slip during application.  Infact, I was positively convinced that it would slide straight off any blemishes that it initially concealed, but it didn’t – at least not for the couple of hours that I was able to test it.  The shade was sadly a little too dark for me so I couldn’t leave the house with it on and had to reapply my usual liquid concealer before picking Leila up from the nursery.

Application is precise and full, you can blend out the edges with your ring finger, as I normally do but because this formula is so soft, I used a brush in this instance and it worked beautifully.  I’m very tempted to pick one of these up in “fair” for the winter as my usual bugbear with blemish concealers is that they cling to all my dry bits… ultimately rendering themselves less useful than a solar-powered torch in a black hole.

Ingredients

COCOS NUCIFERA OIL*, RICINIS COMMUNIS OIL*, CERA ALBA*, OLEA EUROPAEA OIL*, ZINC OXIDE, TAPIOCA STARCH*, CANDELILLA CERA*, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS SEED CERA, HIPPOPHAE RHAMNOIDES FRUIT EXTRACT*, CALENDULA OFFICINALIS FLOWER EXTRACT*, ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS EXTRACT*. May contain +/- CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77891, CI 77007, mica, silica *Organically grown/produced (minimum 76%).

It’s pricy (in my opinion) at £17.50 but I may try mixing it on the back of my hand to create a customised tinted moisturiser.  I’m really quite enthusiastic about how utterly non-drying it is.

Essential Care Mineral Concealer is available to buy online from essential-care.co.uk

Do you have a favourite hydrating concealer?

BareMinerals have launched some new “retouching” products to their lineup of mineral-based cosmetics.  One of their latest introductions to the range is their Stroke of Light Eye Brightener which, to put it simply, is supposed to work in the same way as something like the legendary YSL Touche Eclat – it’s not a traditional concealer folks, it’s a brightener.  And years of disappointment (Y U NO CONCEAL?!) has led me to understand the importance this subtle nuance makes.

The Stroke of Light Eye Brighteners are available in 4 shades ranging from the very lightest – which I have here, through to a level 4… described as “luminous dark”, whether or not that’s dark enough to cover the full spectrum of skin-tones, I don’t know.  The packaging is a doe-foot style applicator in a simple tube – I always appreciate being able to see how much product I have left in the tube, so the unfussy design works for me.

The shade is a lovely match for my skintone and the formula feels very light indeed, with a lot of slip and a sheer consistency.  Don’t expect this thing to conceal darkness, blemishes, pigmentation or actually, anything at all.  You’ll be disappointed.  This is simply supposed to work as a luminosity-giver, delivering light into the shaded areas of your face that could do with ‘perking up’.  The main area, where most people use this type of brightener is under the eyes.  You apply directly from the doe-foot and then blend gently with your finger, ring-fingers are best – they apply less pressure and are less likely to blend the product into oblivion.

There’s not a huge amount of difference is there?  Infact, I’m struggling to see any.  Perhaps it’s because the photos were taken in such a well lit room (my dungeon was out of operation), perhaps it’s because I’m perfect and need no additional eye-brightening (unlikely), or perhaps the product simply doesn’t achieve anything.  The jury is out.  What I will say though is that for an under-eye product, it’s beautifully textured.  It sat on my skin without creasing or seeping into my fine lines and I feel that it gave the area some additional hydration.  Whether it’s supposed to actually do that, I’m not sure – but it felt almost skincare-y (totally a word) as opposed to makeup-y (also a word) when used in that delicate area.

BareMinerals Stroke of Light Eye Brightener is priced at £22 and available on counter and online from bareminerals.co.uk

What say you?  Eye Brighteners… do they work for you or are they simply a case of the Emperor’s new pants?

* press sample

** I should point out that, in fairness, I don’t see a hella lot of difference with any eye-brightening products.

We all know that concealer is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal to create the illusion of a more well-rested complexion, it’s also the most misunderstood and mis-used of tools in our arsenal and the one product that I enjoy the biggest love/hate relationship with. But when is a concealer not just a concealer?

When Perricone MD debut their No Concealer Concealer of course! This new product launches next month online at perriconemd.co.uk and johnlewis.com, it’s priced at a none-too-shabby £37, so just what does it offer to justify that price tag?

Perricone MD’s No Concealer Concealer* builds upon the brand’s previous success: No Foundation Foundation, taking a fresh look at how our makeup interacts in the long-term with our skin. It promises the kind of multiple skin benefits that you’d expect from a high-end cosmeceutical line including:

~ Vitamin C Ester for brightening and collagen boosting
~ Hyaluronic Acid to boost skin’s natural moisture throughout the day and hep minimize wrinkles
~ Phospholipids to deliver essential moisture while creating a barrier to further protect the skin
~ Neuropeptides to address wrinkles, firmness and smoothness
~ Microcirculatory agents to help treat dark circles, making them less visible over time
~ Mineral-based, non-chemical sunscreen to protect against both UVA and UVB damage

It obviously makes sense to combine some of the most potent anti-aging ingredients into the products that spend the longest amount of time in direct contact with our skin and although this theory has often been employed in the form of foundation, less so when it comes to concealer and even more enticingly, this one works nicely in that most time-sensitive of areas, the eyes.

The packaging is unpretentious and simple, a self-assembly pump system that works well and allows full control over how much product you dispense. The brand recommend to dispense a single pump for use on both eyes, with any excess applied over other parts of the face that need concealing. I found this encouraged me to pile too much on in the eye area, which in turn, led to some settling into my fine lines. You really don’t need much at all to create a more even appearance. The formula is rich without feeling sticky and despite my dry skin, it left the delicate area feeling nourished throughout the day – that in itself, a bit of a miracle. I usually have to use the lightest of textures in this area to avoid settling and clumping and this one works well despite a heavier texture than I’d usually use.

I’d suggest dispensing half a pump, warming it between the ring fingers and first pressing it to an area of your face (other than the eye area) that needs concealing. Then move immediately to the eye area (without further concealing or blending) to press the product onto the dark circles, socket bones and inner contours.

You can see that the shade is fairly forgiving despite my pale skintone, unlike the No Foundation Foundation (which was too dark for me when swatched). It’s perhaps still a hint too dark to be ideal for the under-eye area but it works particularly well to conceal my redness across the bridge of my nose. I’ll leave you with a picture of the concealer applied on a foundation-less face. I think I applied it a touch too heavy in certain areas, and I’m sure that (as with most things), there’s a learning curve to get to grips with but I’m really impressed with how this both conceals and feels on my skin.

Perricone MD No Concealer Concealer SPF 35 is priced at £37 and will be available to buy online from perriconemd.co.uk and johnlewis.com.

* press sample

£20.50 makes for an expensive concealer.  It needs to live up to the hype.

I bought the Make Up For Ever Full Cover concealer in shade #1 a few months ago.  I was looking for a great all rounder that I could use under my eyes and to cover blemishes.  On paper at least, this seemed to fit the bill.

It’s fragrance-free, non-comedegenic and suitable for sensitive skin… blah, blah, blah.  All I really care about is this…  Does it cover?  Does it cake?

Yes and No.

There, review done.

Yeah… you wish…

For such a professional brand, I was hoping for a touch more longevity from this concealer.

I apply just the tiniest amount under my eye and it spreads out beautifully without dragging or settling into fine lines.  I set it with a touch of powder and hope for the best.  It gives a beautiful finish.  Though not brightening, it will disguise any obvious dark circles really rather well and a little goes a very long way.

The shade range is marvellous, I usually opt for the lightest, and unfortunately for me…. #1 is a touch too light and gives me a slight ashy look under the eyes, I should have gone for #2 or #3 but for paler gals than me, I know this will be great news!

It covers blemishes nicely, though I find that 2 thin coats works better than one thick one (doesn’t it always?).   This also tones down redness on my nose, though I do occasionally find that it clings to the dry patches there if I’m not well-moisturised enough.

So back to my longevity issue.  This lasts about 4 hours on me… so it sadly doesn’t see me through a working day.

Would I recommend it?  Yes, I think I would… despite the price tag, I think it’s a pretty lovely full coverage concealer that gives great results without looking like you’re using a full coverage concealer.

See how nicely it blends out and how a teeny amount pretty much covered the back of my hand?

You can purchase MUFE Full Cover Camouflage Cream from Guru Makeup Emporium instore or over the phone (0207 731 4646)

Do you own this or any of MUFE’s other concealers?

I found this amongst my other Star Gazer goodies that I was sent last week and immediately my eyes went into a bit of a roll.

I can be a bit of a foundation snob.  Eyeshadows… I’ll buy and happily use from all price points… but foundation is the base of everything right?  If your base ain’t right… you ain’t coming in.

I have to say though, this Star Gazer Pro Paint Stick is pretty brilliant!  Don’t get wrong… there’s plenty of stuff about it that I don’t like.  For one, it kinda pongs… it smells chemically and cheap.  That’s probably because it is.

For two, the ingredient list is massive… there’s lots of unpronounceables in there.

And for three, well… it’s Star Gazer and not Chanel.  I’m gonna have to hide the packaging. SORRY!  But it’s true, this won’t be taking pride of place on my dressing table.

But snobbery aside; Stargazer Pro Paint Stick is a truly effective full coverage, creamy foundation.  In a stick.

It glides on without drag, #1 Light Flesh (sexy) is a great neutral colour match for me (don’t get this one if you’re darker than a NW/NC15 though) and blends seamlessly with the warmth from my fingers.

I’ve been working out the best way to use it, and for me… I’m loving it as a giant concealer stick.

I swipe the tube over the tops of my cheeks and down the bridge of my nose and blend.  It evens out my skintone beautifully and once set with some translucent powder, doesn’t want to budge.  It means that I can happily coat the rest of my face in tinted moisturiser and be all “la la la I’m wearing tinted moisturiser, isn’t my complexion LOVELY!”

I’ve worn it all over too, but I tend to be a little heavy handed and I get that full-cover slightly sticky mask thing going on.  Here’s a before/after shot.  You should be able to see how well the redness and uneveness is covered?

Priced at £4 each and available from Stargazer online, though the online colour swatches look a bit rubbish.

ON the 15th January, Garnier released the long-awaited update to their original Eye Roll-on which has accumulated fans across the globe.

Garnier 2in1 Tinted Eye Roll-On.

I don’t count myself a fan of the original non-tinted version. Despite finding it refreshing and a pleasing object to use, I just didn’t notice enough difference to justify a £10 price tag.  I was sent the new tinted version last week and have been excited at the prospect of a comparison!

I don’t have a particular problem with eye-bags, but dark circles are pesky nuisances that appear frequently thanks to late nights and early starts and concealer in that delicate area is something tricky to get right – especially on-the-go.  I’ve used many products and am currently favouring Bobbi Brown’s Creamy Concealer Kit (kindly gifted to me by LondonMakeupGirl) – it’s a fantastic product, but it’s not something I could use to touch-up with during the day.  I’m also not a fan of YSL’s Touche Eclat, I hate how it photographs and think it’s a particularly overrated product.

Like it’s counterpart, Garnier’s 2in1 Tinted Eye Roll On, comes in a purse-friendly tube, ergonomically shaped to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand.  It promises two things:

1. Immediate Coverage

2. Reduce the look of fatigue

Well, does it deliver?

Yes and Yes-ish…

It has the same roll-on application system as the original.  That roller ball is a joy to use, it’s smooth… never drags and is cooling to the touch.  Innovation at it’s absolute best.

It delivers a steady stream of product and in my (limited) experience, hasn’t blocked or clogged on me.  I put the original version in the fridge in the Summer for an extra-cooling experience, but I’m not sure how that would translate now that it contains coloured pigments.

Available in 2 shades: Fair and Medium, I received it in Fair.

As you can see, it’s a little darker than my (very pale) skin tone and a bit warmer aswell.  It claims to be able to “perfectly adapt to your skin tone”… I was unconvinced upon swatching.

Once rolled onto the eye area, it looks a better fit.  It blends easily and smoothly.  I use my ring finger to blend gently, I want to blend it with my skin… not rub it away!

Once blended, I’m pretty happy with the effect.  I don’t think it will replace my Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit (which is more heavy duty) – but I’ll definitely be carrying this in my makeup bag for touch-ups throughout the day.  It needs precise blending on me thanks to being a little too warm for my skintone, so I wouldn’t dare use it without a mirror… but I’m always gazing at my reflection in various shiny objects, so I’m sure I’ll be ok 😉

Oh, also! Very important and hugely positive.  No creasing!  I even layered it for more coverage and didn’t notice it seeping into the fine lines at all.  It has the same cooling effect as the original, but I still don’t notice any significant hydration of the area or anything that would suggest I’ve had 14hrs sleep… maybe I just need 14hrs sleep?

This is currently a Boots exclusive in the UK. Get it online here, priced at £9.99

This is gonna be a long one, lots to review and talk about… so grab a cup of tea and come straight back (milk and 2 sweeteners for me please).

Elemental Beauty are a British brand of mineral makeup.  I’m already a big fan of their mineral foundation.  I generally struggle to find shades that are pale and cool toned enough to be a match for me, but I get great results using their shade “English Rose”.

I had been wanting to feature a British mineral makeup brand on Lipglossiping for a little while.  I do love US Brands for their teeny baggies of eyeshadows and blushes that they’re willing to send all over the world for not much more than the price of the stamp… butwhen I want something a little more subdued, a little more suitable for everyday wear… then I tend to look a little closer to home.

I was pleased to receive some samples from Elemental Beauty and wanted to share my thoughts… Nicola at EB had been pre-warned that if I didn’t like something… I was gonna tell it like I saw it and to her credit – she was still completely game.  Confidence in your own products is something that told me I probably wouldn’t be too disappointed – and I was right!

I was sent: 3 Mineral Eyeshadows, a Mineral Illuminator & a Mineral Healing Concealer

How pretty is the packaging?

Very shabby chic, but um without the shabby.

I’d first heard of Elemental Beauty on the forums of MoneySavingExpert, where many forum-ites hold the soft-focus and healing foundations in extremely high regard.

The packaging twists open to reveal a sifter.  I’m in two minds about this sifter…

The holes are quite large, so I have to be careful when opening the jar as a lot of product is usually sitting ontop of the sifter and if I travel, I’d definitely have to sellotape over the holes.  But… I also hate sifters where the holes are so small it takes half an hour to tap out any product (The She Space sifters drive me to extreme frustrations).  I think I do prefer the bigger holes but they don’t come without that caveat.

Anyway, onto the products…

Lasting Mineral Eyeshadows:

I received three of these eyeshadows in shades: Sunbeam, Taupe and Vamp.  Here’s a swatch of how they looked foiled (applied with a wet brush) on my skin.

Beautifuly pigmented no?

Taupe for me, is the problem child.  It’s described as “softly sparkling” which I’d agree with although compared to the other two it looks positively matte!

What I’m not keen on is the name.  If I ever created my own line of cosmetics I would completely eschew the word taupe from my colour descriptions!  It’s overused… and doesn’t have any set definition or benchmark.

Taupe is a vague, unscientific color term which may be used to refer to almost any grayish-brown, brownish-gray, or warm gray color. It often overlaps with tan and even people who use color professionally (such as designers and artists) frequently disagree as to what “taupe” means. There is no single, generally recognized authority for such terms.

Taken from Wikipedia

Now when taupe is done (in my subjective opinion) right… I adore it.  for me, taupe should be a mid-toned mix of grey and brown and if it has a little shimmer or metallic edge to lift it from drabness, then even better!

Elemental Beauty’s version of taupe to me is ‘orrible.  It’s too warm and orange.  It’s a decent colour in it’s own right, but it’s not the taupe I want! *and breathe*

I freakin’ love Sunbeam.  A perfect pale gold with a spectacular amount of micro sparkle which somehow manages to stop short of looking like a glitter bomb has exploded in my face.  So far, I’ve used this with great success as an all-over lid colour (foiled), a highlight  under the brow (dry) and a highlight near the tear ducts (foiled).  It’s beautiful and really lifts my complexion.

Vamp is a tricky one… it looks like an out and out purple from my swatch no?

But let me show you something….

This is Vamp foiled on the lid… the red-undertones in the shadow are far more apparent here than the metallic purple shown in the swatch.  It’s a colour shifting-shadow!  Great!  But I fell in love with the metallic purple in the swatch!  Gimme back that vibrant purple!

The above 2 images show Sunbeam on the lid with Vamp in the crease.  See how lovely Sunbeam is?  Again, Vamp looks more red-brown than purple.

I have no issues with pigmentation and the product is nicely milled which ensures a smooth, even application.

Mineral Illuminator:

This is the Illuminator in Rosy Apple.  I wanted to capture the micro-sparkles, so although the above photo isn’t the best.  I think it demonstrates them clearly!  They’re fine and not at all chunky.

A little goes a long way!  I apply this to my cheekbones (avoiding the apple of the cheek) and I have found that using a loose bristled brush or fan brush is perfect for a rosy glow.

Above: Illuminator in Rosy Apple, Vamp on lids, Taupe in crease.

Healing Mineral Concealer:

This is the Healing Mineral Concealer in shade “Bright Eyes”

They say:

A pale yellow concealer to conceal dark circles and give you a wide awake look! Bright eyes can also be used as a blemish concealer for very pale skin tones.

I’ve been mixing this with a tiny amount of my Body Shop Vitamin E Serum to create a fairly thick paste (you only need the tiniest amount of both products).  Then I’ve been patting it with my ring finger all over the eye area.  It really gives the whole area a lift and makes my eyes look brighter and fresher.  I also love the even base it creates on my eyelids for days when I just want to wear a slick of eyeliner and mascara.

I’ll be doing a further review with application pictures on this soon.

Are you still with me?

All EB products are Bismuth Free which is essential for me as Bismuth makes my face itch.

“Our healing foundation range – containing allantoin – has been very popular with people that have difficult or sensitive skin types and we have also created mica-free foundations for people that have found themselves to be allergic to mica.”

Nicola at EB has assured me that they create and custom blend all of their shades in-house.  I thought that was worth clarifying due to recent revelations of a certain mineral makeup company repackaging wholesale shades without declaring that they’re not custom blended.

Not only that, but check out what Nicola had to say when I asked her if people could email for shade advice:

“As we are a manufacturer, we are able to offer a bespoke service providing custom foundation shades for any of our customers that are struggling to find their perfect match in our standard shade range.

We can also make special eyeshadow and blusher shades for people who want something for a special occasion to match their outfit or lipstick etc so we can offer a very personal service.”

Shades to complement a special outfit? Awesome.

She also said…

“We often receive e-mails from customers that use specific shades of foundation in other non-mineral brands and are looking for us to make a mineral foundation equivalent for them so that they can switch to mineral makeup.”

Which I think is pretty decent service as shade selection from online mineral makeup selections often involves a leap of faith, I should know… I have binned many orange mineral foundations from bad choices!

Have you tried Elemental Beauty? What do you look for in a mineral makeup company? Like what you see here?  Need a lie down after that mammoth review? (I know I do!).

So after loving a Joe Blasco concealer I’d recently hit pan on and lemming the Ben Nye concealer wheel palette for about 100 years but not having the willpower to save up for it, I hit a dead end in my search for an industrial strength concealer.

I don’t really bother with many high street concealers nowadays, although I still carry my trusty stick of Rimmel Hide The Blemish in my glove box.  Having said that, seeing as I literally can’t remember the last time I used it, I probably shouldn’t get within 10 feet of it without wearing full on hazmat gear.

Where was I?  Oh yes, Grimas…

Grimas are a Dutch company who as well as being founded the year I was born are also sharing enough to let us know that they employ 3 mentally disabled members of staff.  I kid you not, check here – it really does say that.  Equal opportunities rock!

Anyway, back to the products…

I picked up a camouflage concealer in shade G0 and a creme make up base/foundation in G1.

Camouflage Concealer:

Creme Base/Foundation:

The texture of the concealer is quite hard, but very pigmented (as you would expect from a stage makeup brand) – a little goes a very long way!

When I swatched the concealer I thought it was going to be wayyy too pale for me, but it actually blended in really nicely and although I wasn’t expecting it, I found that it neutralized redness better than anything I’ve ever tried before – including various specialized green and yellow concealers.

The foundation is a little dark for me to be honest so I may end up going back for shade G0… I need some honest opinions from my husband and some good light to see if I’ve tangoed myself so I’m reserving judgement at the moment.  The texture of the foundation is a lot thinner and oilier than the concealer making it easier to blend.  However, it’s still highly pigmented and a light touch is the order of the day!

The foundation applied nicely with my stippling brush which I was pleased about as I’m loathe to use sponges which always seem to make cream foundations streak terribly on me.

On to the swatches…

G1 Foundation on the left/G0 Concealer on the right – note* my face is a shade or two darker than my hand!

Considering they’re supposed to be 1 shade different from each other – that shade difference is a yawning chasm and I’m blatantly somewhere in the middle of it.

As I said, I’m not completely convinced that despite this, it doesn’t still work for my skin tone.  However I’ll let you be judge, jury and executioner with another of those hideous before/after shots.

The concealer (like most thick concealers) will settle in fine lines, so I’d avoid the undereye area with this stuff.  I was also impressed by the fact that it didn’t seem to need setting with powder.  Before I’d had a chance to set it – the doorbell rang with my Asda food shop so I was distracted for over half an hour and when I remembered that I hadn’t powdered and looked in the mirror expecting to see huge amounts of shine and slip – it still looked as matte as it had when I first put it on.  Not massively high maintenance then!

I purchased Grimas from Facepaint UK as they were the only company I could find that charged a reasonable £2 p&p within the UK.  I’m also pleased to report that delivery was super quick (1 working day from ordering).

Overall, I’m really pleased with my experiences with Grimas – especially at how good the concealer neutralizes any redness.  My only disappointment is with the shades on offer – I’d love there to be something inbetween G0 and G1.

[starreview tpl=14]