Mother of all concealers...

So I recently did a post on BB cream and said I would go into concealers so here it is!

My requirements for a good concealer are:

1. Adjustable coverage from light to heavy
2. Waterproof or smear resistant
3. Assorted colors and undertones (yellow and pink)
4. Affordable
6. Non comedogenic
7. Gentle on the skin, hypo allergenic
8. Lightweight
9. Travel size

After testing and trying on all different concealers, I narrowed it down to two products.

Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer in Light Golden large size, .5oz  for $42

and

Dermablend Cover Creme in Natural Beige, 1 oz for $35

I found Dermablend through my dermatologist as I was using it mainly to cover up my eczema and freckles. I wanted something was adjustable, durable and yet natural looking. Dermablend is great for people who are older, have dry skin as it's super moisturizing. For people who have oily or combination skin, you definitely need to set this with a heavy duty powder or it tends to slide off during the day. When you do this, it tends to give you a very matte and made up look which I didn't like. However, for my Mother she loves this product and it comes in a travel version that is .25 oz that she loves. For her she does not need to set it with a heavy powder,  just a standard loose powder and the coverage is adjustable depending on her needs and look completely natural. Therefore, this is something I would only recommend to people with dry or elderly skin.  Two things to note are they have a good range of colors and undertones so most skin colors can be matched properly. One other bonus is that is comes with a handy spatula to eliminate contamination in your product.

So for people who are younger, have oily or combination skin, I would recommend Amazing Cosmetics. It comes in a handy tube the size of your standard lip gloss. I know it seems pricey for such a small tube, but keep in mind how much product you will actually need. I have had my tube and with daily use and two applications over the weekend, it lasts me about 6-7 months. However, if you are using this all over your face since you have a lot to cover up...the product duration will vary. I use it above my eyelids and below my eyes and to cover up various moles on my face daily. I probably use about 1/8 of a teaspoon or about a dollop the size of a standard straw opening. It covers all my imperfections perfectly and last all day without a touch up. I usually put it on after my BB cream but before I put on powder to set everything. I rarely touch up my makeup except for the occasional oil blotting paper. My best advise on using this product is to tap and not blend it into your face to waste the least amount of product and allow you to build coverage as needed. The best part of this product is that is comes off easily with your standard face wash at the end of the day. Fabulous!

Two thumbs up esp. since the large size is still okay for your carry-on luggage. I personally keep in my gym bag, carry-on toiletries bag and at home. It's amazing what a little concealer do in the morning :) Let's admit, everyone needs a little help in the morning to look their best "naturally."

BB cream...it's all the rage!

I've noticed that BB cream is all the range. Everyone from the big expensive cosmetics company to the drugstore brands are coming out with different BB creams.

What is BB cream? It's a moisturizer, primer, sunblock and foundation in one.

Since I've started to use BB cream, I've stopped using foundation and my skin is significantly healthier and softer. I love BB cream.

Just as a note, a lot of the drugstore BB creams or BB creams from American cosmetics company such as Clinique are too pink for me. If you are Asian like me, I would strongly recommend a Korean brand BB cream as the yellow will match your skintone the best. After all, Korean people are very into beauty and tend to make the best beauty products. The one that I like that is mid-range in terms of price and is from Dr. Jart+.

I use the Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Beauty Balm with SPF 25 from Sephora that is $34.00 for 1.7 oz.

A tube will last me about 6 months with daily application and two applications every weekend. My advise when using this is to apply this heavily. This is not a product that you want to apply a thin layer on your face. Once you let it "set" or dry for about 30 second to 1 minute, I set it with either pressed powder or loose powder. After that your skin will look natural and completely flawless.

If however, you have a blemish or spot you want to cover you can put that on after your BB cream, but before your powder. My recommendation for concealers will be in another post :) Stay tuned.

Overall, my advise is that BB cream is not a fad. I think it's here to stay. It's better than a tinted moisturizer since it provides more coverage without feeling heavy. It's lighter than your traditional foundation which is great for those of us who want to wean ourselves off the heavy foundation look. It's a primer for your nights out you can still put foundation on top of the BB cream and it makes it stay the entire day and/or night. The best thing? It's got sunblock, SPF 25 which is great for daily use! Given that we need to protect our skin, what easier way is it to have a product that is all-in-one?

Two thumbs way up esp. for the SPF built in!