20161110

The Concealer Showdown


I honestly feel like I'm on an endless quest to find the perfect concealer; no matter how happy I am with my routine, I just can't help but wonder if there's something better out there... Today I have 4 very hyped up concealers I'll be reviewing and comparing. So if you're torn over which one to check out hopefully this will help you make up your mind!


Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer

This was the first of these kinds of tube concealers I'd ever tried, and although I've kind of moved on to other products, I do still rate it. It is a pretty full coverage and I can see how it might be a bit caky on very dry skin. However if you pick up a shade that's close to your skin tone, it works really well as a blemish concealer (as it covers any redness or imperfections). Otherwise, if you go slightly lighter (which I have with my shade Ginger), it works well under the eyes or to highlight with if you blend it out with a damp beauty sponge. My main negative is the applicator - it's just a standard doe foot but the slightly thicker, drier consistency of this concealer means it can sometimes feel like you're scraping it across your face. It also makes it tricky to get that last bit of product out (which is annoying given that this is the most expensive of the bunch). I don't have any complaints about the wear-time of this on my combination skin.
Price: £22.50
Amount of Product: 6ml
Number of Shades: 15
Best For: highlighting or covering imperfections
Probably Not Great For: people who have dry skin under the eyes

Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer

Before I even start on this one, I must declare it's still my favourite out of all of these! Firstly, I'm a huge fan of the applicator; it's like a wide, flat doe foot with indents on both sides which capture the product. This works really well with the formula and makes application so quick and easy. I love that the texture is neither too hydrating and dewy nor to dry and caky; it sits perfectly in the middle. This means that it works both on blemishes and underneath the eyes. What's also amazing about this concealer is how lightweight, fluffy and easy to blend the texture is, whilst still giving great coverage. If you want something that looks natural but is still long-wearing and high-coverage then I'd definitely recommend this. The only negative is the shade range - I have Medium Dark Warm for my face and whilst it isn't that warm-toned, it works well enough but as we head into winter it's definitely going to be too dark for me. I also have Medium Neutral (the darkest of all the shades in this post) because there's no Medium Warm - the tone isn't quite right but this lighter colour works well enough under the eyes. They have released more shades in this since it's launch so I'm just hoping they expand the range again soon!
Price: £17.50
Amount of Product: 5ml
Number of Shades: 8
Best For: an all-in-one for under the eyes and blemishes
Probably Not Great For: I think the formula would work for most skin types but I can imagine a lot of people struggling with the shade selection

Too Faced Born This Way Naturally Radiant Concealer Concealer

This has to be one of the most hyped-up recent beauty releases so of course I snapped it up. I have the shade Medium, which is warm-toned and works well under my eyes (I can also just about get away with this colour on blemishes too). It does have a bog-standard doe foot applicator but, as the consistency is much runnier than that of the Nars concealer, I don't find this an issue when I apply it. It's a very hydrating formula so, although it doesn't slide off blemishes, I do find it creases under the eyes. I have to set this with powder the second I apply it and generally will re-apply powder at lunchtime to ensure my concealer doesn't go anywhere. I do have combination skin, however, so if your eye area is very dry you will probably appreciate the extra dewiness of the formula. Having said that, it does give the most amazing, radiant look to the skin, which kind of makes it worth it for me. It has such a natural finish and a very lightweight texture, yet somehow gives a good medium-full coverage that never looks caky or heavy. I love how it looks on the skin, even if it's a bit of a faff to apply. 
Price: £20
Amount of Product: 7ml
Number of Shades: 10
Best For: dry skin in need of radiance
Probably Not Great For: oily skin, especially around the eyes

Kat Von D Lock It Creme Concealer

This is probably my least favourite but I don't not like it, I actually think it's pretty good (I just felt I had to spell that out because people can be quite black-and-white in their assessment of what I'm saying!) It actually has the most incredible complete coverage out of all of these so if I can get to a counter to swatch the shades, I'm going to get a slightly darker shade so I can use it on blemishes. I did give it a go (with a lot of blending, as this is the lightest colour out of all the concealers here) and it does provide incredible coverage over blemishes too. However, as I said, due to Medium 27 being quite light on me, I reserve this for under the eyes. You really don't need much product and I blend it in with a damp beauty sponge. I actually really like the slated, spade-shaped applicator and think it's perfect for the consistency of this product and ensures you don't end up over-applying it. I don't find that this creases on me or wears away throughout the day. It's amazing at masking my dark circles and whilst it doesn't look caky or crease (as it's neither a dry formula nor especially hydrating), the only reason I'm not more in love with this product is because it just seems like a lot of makeup for everyday wear. There's nothing natural or lightweight about it, so whilst it gives that bit more coverage than the Urban Decay, I think this is one I'll be reserving for nights out when I want that completely flawless full-coverage look. It's purely personal preference though, I just like something that allows my skin to breath more for everyday wear.
Price: £20
Amount of Product: 6.25ml
Number of Shades: 21
Best For: flawless, completely full coverage
Probably Not Great For: a natural look


So, which is my personal favourite? If I had to rank them the Urban Decay is still my #1, followed by the Too Faced, then the Nars and finally Kat Von D's is my least favourite (though even then I don't actually dislike it!)

Have you tried any of these concealer? Which is your favourite?


Don't forget to follow me on:
Share:

40 comments

  1. I loved this! So helpful for me and i will defo go check out the kat Von D because i have been lookin for one that's super high coverage! :) x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Fab post Jasmine, I did something similar yesterday - great minds think a like ;) I got really excited about trying out and testing the high end concealers together for some reason, I think finding the perfect concealer is so important. I have similar views to you, I love the Nars radiant creamy concealer but I wish it came in the same shades as Urban Decay. I didn't get on well with the Too Faced concealer xx

    Jodie / jodiemelissa.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've only used Nars one and it's good, however, it wasn't something I was reaching all the time, especially in winter. UD one has been on my wishlist for so long, it sounds like it worths all the hype :) x

    Ela BellaWorld

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I literally just repurchased it this weekend and am in love all over again! Xx

      Delete
  4. I haven't tried any of these yet - currently loving the colour-correcting concealers from NYX. Thanks for the suggestions for my next purchase!

    Angela / Blush & Pearls

    ReplyDelete
  5. The NARS concealer used to be my favorite. I used it for years because I liked the coverage and the shade vanilla was the perfect match for my skintone. I stopped using it because of the same negative points you have about it. I'm currently alternating between the Maybelline Fit Me concealer and the Bare Minerals Bare Skin concealer. I was interested in knowing how the UD and Too Faced compare to the NARS so I'm glad you wrote this post. :) xx

    JoJo | mademoisellejosee

    ReplyDelete
  6. I like the Nars concealer but my all time favourite is the Essence stay all day concealer x

    Heather | Of Beauty & Nothingness x

    ReplyDelete
  7. I just can't get on with the UD concealer, no matter how many times I try. Admittedly, I got completely the wrong shade so it's too light for me, but even when I've tried using it anyway it shows up as white bumps under my eyes which I don't get from other concealers. I want to love it because I've never heard a bad word said about it but I can't : (

    Rhi x
    www.rinkydinkyrhi.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. I have tried the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer before and I honestly didn't like it. Everyone seems to love it but me :(. My favourite concealer would have to be LA Girl Pro Concealer!

    Lee | www.thatbellemakeup.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  9. The only one I've tried of these is the Nars concealer. I really like it, it's a good all rounder!
    Philippa x

    ReplyDelete
  10. The only one I haven't tried is the Too Faced one. The NARS one is my favourite. I just find it covers my dark circles so well and mine are really bad! I actually prefer the Kat Von D one over urban decay because I need that full coverage for my dark circles haha xx

    LPage Beauty

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I personally prefer using a corrector so I don't have to put on as much concealer but whatever works for you is good :) xx

      Delete
  11. Too Faced is one of my favorite beauty brands so I'm glad it works decently for my skin type. I love your honest review on the Kat Von D Concealer. Thanks for sharing. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I loved this post! The Urban Decay is my all-time favourite :)

    xo, Liz
    http://lipstickandconfetti.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. Ive used the Urban Decay and the NARS, UD is winning it for me too, it is so good with the colour correctors too, LOVE IT! I do want to try the other two though, but I am desperate to get my hands on the Tarte Shape Tape!!

    Erin || MakeErinOver

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks for comparing these, I've heard so much about them! I love the NARS Radiant Creamy so far but I'd love to give the Naked concealer a try x

    www.beautyfromkatie.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. Very helpful list- Love my NARS. Been wanting to try the UD one. its between that and the Tarte shape tap for my next concealer.
    http://www.mytwopence.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I quite want to try that one though sadly you can't get Tarte in-store in the UK and I think there are only limited shades online so I'm a bit iffy about picking the right colour! xx

      Delete
  16. I have NEVER used concealer haha oops! I think Too Faced Born This Way is the one for me! The foundation works perfectly for my skin so I'll have to pick it up!! <3
    Tahana
    www.tahanalee.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. YEEEEESSSSSSSS!!! just the post i need! i'm in the hunt for concealer and it's so hard to find one that tick all of the boxes T_T will read everything again thoroughly later on. thank you so much, jasmine!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I've been so curious about the KVD one but I had a feeling that it would be drying for some reason. I will deffo need to try the Too Faced one once my Nars one is used up. Not that the UD one isn't the best xxx
    Sal | UmmBaby Beauty

    ReplyDelete
  19. I recently used up my nars one and is considering buying the UD, but after reading this I'm not so sure, esp about the shade. But I guess i have to try them in store, first. Thanks for the helpful infos!

    Selene Addicted

    ReplyDelete
  20. NARS Ginger has been an all-time favorite of mine ^_^

    Laila from Townhouse Palette

    ReplyDelete
  21. UD sounds like the concealer for me. I'll definitely give that one a go once I've gone through a few of the ones I own now. Great post! :)

    Nicole | The Glam Surge

    ReplyDelete
  22. I've just finished my Nars Creamy Concealer, although I loved it, I found that a lot of product seemed to get stuck at the bottom which was annoying as it's not exactly cheap. I think I'll give the UD one a try next but I've also heard amazing things about Tarte's Shape Tape, I wish it was easier for me to try.

    Roxie | The Beautiful Bluebird

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Agreed - at least with my Urban Decay I feel like I get all of the product out! xx

      Delete
  23. I need to buy the Too Faced concealer. I love the Urban Decay one and have just recently tried a sample of Charlotte Tilbury The Retoucher and I'm hooked! xx

    Beautylymin

    ReplyDelete
  24. I haven't actually tried any of these yet (no idea how!!) but the UD one sounds incredible! My faves at the moment are the IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye (higher coverage) and the Bare Minerals serum concealer (medium coverage). Love them both!

    She Likes to Shop

    ReplyDelete
  25. I love Urban decay concealer..great article!!!
    Also check my latest review in the blog - http://www.floridmaven.com/
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  26. Great read!

    http://www.myclusterofthoughts.com/

    ReplyDelete
  27. I'm interested that you find the Kat Von D to be too much, from your swatch it looks really thick as well

    Mel ★ www.meleaglestone.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, although it blends out nicely with a damp sponge, it just seems a bit heavy for day-to-day wear xx

      Delete
  28. I loooove UD concealer and totally agreed with everything you said, I've seen a lot of people raving about tarte's shape tape and saying it's better than the UD, I think it would be a nice option to try

    Instagram | Blog

    ReplyDelete
  29. The UD concealer is my alll time favorite! Nars radiant is good too and was my favorite before I met UD concealer. I'm dying to try the shape tape concealer and the KVD. But I agree with you that the KVD is too thick for everyday wear. I think her entire line is always really heavy and dramatic. I still love her products though!

    Xx
    Http://www.inthegreyonline.com

    ReplyDelete
  30. I have quite dark circles and I find that if I use a really heavy concealer to cover them it always ends up creasing. I also use the Nars radiant one and I love it - haven't really experimented with lots of other concealers but I might try the UD one next!

    Arianna x
    https://www.ariannachatz.com

    ReplyDelete
  31. Thank you for your comments! I really hope this comparison was useful :) xx

    ReplyDelete
  32. I love collecting concealers - they all have their own strengths and weaknesses. I love the Urban Decay Naked concealer - it is a definite must have concealer xx

    www.monniiblogs.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comment - I read and appreciate every single one :)

There's no need to spam - I will check out your blog if you leave a click-able link under a genuine comment!

If you have a question please check back for my reply or tweet me @jasminetalksblg

xx

© Jasmine Talks Beauty | All rights reserved.
Blog Layout Created by pipdig