Reviews and Other Stuff

beautyblender micro mini

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer VS Tarte Shape Tape Concealer Review

tarte shape tape concealer compared to nars radiant creamy concealer

 

I get these questions a lot, “What’s the difference between the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer versus the Tarte Double Duty Beauty Shape Tape Concealer? or “Is there even any difference at all?” Those questions also intrigued for quite a while. I’ve always been using the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer and just sort of didn’t even bother to try the Tarte Shape Tape mainly because it’s always sold out, at least for quite some time, until now (I think). A lot of people said that it’s the best concealer ever, while some also claimed that the Nars ones are the real bestsellers. Hmm, that’s kinda confusing, isn’t it? so let’s take a closer look at these two very popular concealers.

 

nars radiant creamy concealer review

 

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer (mini/0.05 oz: $13, 0.22 oz: $30) – I bet that everyone owns this concealer or at least are very familiar with it. It’s a reliable creamy concealer that hides redness, dark spots, blemishes, dark undereye circles and any other skin imperfections. The best thing about this concealer is that it is easy to blend and it has a buildable formula. It is creamy and easy to work on the skin and it has very good pigments that set well for several hours of wear. Because of its creaminess, it doesn’t make the skin look dry and cakey, however, for the same reason, you still need to set this concealer with a setting powder, like the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder to extend the life of this concealer and minimize the chance of creasing. Also, this Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer comes in a vast range of shades to choose from, so you’re definitely guaranteed to find the shade that’s right for you.

 

tarte double duty beauty shape tape concealer review

 

Tarte Double Duty Beauty Shape Tape Concealer (0.33 oz: $27) – What I said about the Nars Radiant Concealer is almost also true with the Tarte Shape Tape Concealer. In fact, I find it to be quite surprising that these two concealers are so similar to each other. The Tarte Shape Tape is also smooth and creamy and it blends well into the skin. It also has a very good coverage that conceals any imperfections, and its formula lasts throughout the day but you still need to set it with a setting powder as well.

 

With all that’s being said, here are some key points about the two concealer’s main similarities and differences, with some pros and cons.

 

difference between nars radiant creamy concealer and tarte shape tape concealer

 

Packaging: The Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer has a slimmer tube with a much slimmer brush/wand compared to the Tarte Shape Tape. Because of that, it’s much easier for me to use the Nars Radiant Concealer since I can control the amount of product I need to use with just a few swipes of the brush. With the Tarte Shape Tape, I definitely need to be careful with the way I apply it because the brush is large and wide so you might run the risk of using too much product. I have to literally just put one or two dots of the concealer on my face.

 

Blendability: Both concealers need to be blended properly and they do spread and blend well using the original Beautyblender or the Beautyblender Micro Mini. The Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer seems to be slightly easier to blend compared to the Tarte Shape Tape, although both concealer immediately sets on the skin after a few seconds.

 

Pigment: I find the Tarte Shape Tape Concealer to be slightly more pigmented than the Nars Radiant Concealer, and that is the reason why it takes a few more dabbing and blending for the Shape Tape concealer to blend very well on the skin. Yet that difference of pigment strength is very very subtle and almost hard to discern for some.

 

tarte shape tape concealer in light-medium swatch

 

Fragrance: There is a slight and pleasing floral fragrance of the Tarte Shape Tape, while the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer does not have any scent at all.

 

Price: The Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer comes in two sizes; the mini, and the regular size, while the Tarte Shape Tape seems to come only in one regular size and it’s $3 cheaper than the regular size of the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer.

 

Lasting Power: Even though both formulas are not really prone to extreme creasing, they still require a loose setting powder to set them for hours and hours of wear. However, I find that the Tarte Shape Tape holds its pigments and concealing ability slightly much better than the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer. I could get a good 12 hours wear with the Tarte Shape Concealer and it never creased on me. My dark undereye circles were thoroughly concealed, it didn’t accentuate my fine lines nor my dry undereye areas, and even though I have oily-prone skin, the Tarte Shape Tape Concealer held through.

 

nars concealer vs tarte concealer

 

Verdict, I like both concealers and I feel like it’s good to have both. I like the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer for an everyday use or at times when you don’t really need to have hours and hours of perfect makeup. I’m giving it more points for its easy to use brush applicator and also because it comes in a ton of shades to choose from. However, for that same reason, I feel like it’s a blessing and a curse. Having a ton of shade range adds more dilemma to the consumers in finding the right shade for them, that’s because having too many similar shades might confuse and deter people from buying a certain product, not to mention, time-consuming. On the other hand, it’s also a good thing since that means potentially finding the right color for you. Anway, it was much easier for me to decide which Tarte Shape Tape Concealer to buy and I didn’t have to get confused. The Light-Medium shade is the best for my skin tone. Its closest Nars Radiant Concealer shade match would be the Custard color. In this review, you’ll find the Macadamia shade which I’ve been using nowadays. Back to Tarte, I actually like the light floral scent of the Tarte Shape Tape, but I don’t like its wand. Too big, too much product to apply, it’s a challenge to work around, but if I want my makeup to last and be on point, I’d definitely grab a Tarte Shape Tape Concealer. Bottom line, get both, or either of the two will do, they’re pretty much almost identical anyway and you won’t be disappointed with any of them.

 

 

Sephora Play! August 2017

Hi Guys! Time for another “What’s In My Sephora Play! Box” this August. It’s all about unique products with innovating formulas that may become a big trend in the future. Sephora calls this month’s products as “The Innovators”.

 

sephora play august 2017 review

 

Well, as far as I could see in my box, there’s definitely some interesting products in there, and some that were always on my wish list or watch list that I’ve always wanted to try. You guys ready to examine each one?

 

beautyblender micro mini

Kopari Coconut Melt (2.5 oz: $18, 7 oz: $38) – A multi-purpose unrefined organic coconut oil that can be used as a moisturizer, balm, makeup remover, and more. This smells like toasted coconut or like a coconut macaroon. While this product may smell like pure coconut oil, this actually does a good job at really moisturizing the skin, especially if you live in a cold or dry climate, where moisturization is a necessity. The thing about coconuts is that they can be really oily, and they melt like butter easily. This product is not that different. It solidifies inside an AC room, but it turns liquid easily if you take it outside under the heat. It still works the same though, but I prefer it in solid form. I like to use this as a makeup remover, especially on the lips to remove the matte liquid lipsticks which can be a challenge to take off. I like this because it not only erases your makeup, it also moisturizes your skin at the same time, which minimizes irritation from constant rubbing. It’s also vegan and au-naturel.

 

Beautyblender Micro.Mini (2x: $18) – This cute little sponge works the same way as the original Beautyblender that we’ve all loved and used. I’ve always wanted to buy this for my inner eye area because I find that this really blends the concealer almost accurately, and also to blend the highlights around the inner eye. This is great if you have small features as this is easy to work around. It’s even great for applying contours and illuminators.

 

kat von d lock it concealer creme

1. Too Faced Mascara Melt Off Cleansing Oil (0.23 oz: $17) – This was on my wish list and I’m so glad Sephora included this in my box this month. This is such an innovative product as it prevents mess when removing regular or waterproof mascara. It’s pretty much easy to use, just swipe the lashes with its precision wand from base to tip, wait 60 seconds, wipe off with a damp cotton, or even a dry one, and voila! saves you time from soaking your lashes with makeup removers, which might irritate your eyes. This mascara melt off is really gentle and it doesn’t sting.

 

2. Kat Von D Lock-It Concealer Creme in Medium 19 (0.22 oz: $26) – This concealer is definitely a full-coverage one with a natural to matte finish. It isn’t as creamy as I wanted it to be, but it does a great job at covering undereye circles, blemishes, and it even color corrects. It blends well despite it being highly pigmented and it really makes you look naturally awake. I haven’t noticed any creasing so far, which is good, but I would have wanted it to be a bit creamy though.

kat von d lock-it concealer creme review

 

3. & 4. Kat Von D Saint & Sinner Eau de Parfums (Travel Size/0.34 oz: $22, 1.7 oz: $65, 3.4 oz: $85) – Two opposing scents yet they’re quite similar to each other. The Saint fragrance is a fresh daylight blend of jasmine and mandarin with a very nice dry down, while the Sinner scent is a fall to winter musky and earthy tune. Further reviewed HERE.

 

sephora play august 2017 living proof perfect hair day dry shampoo

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo (1.8 oz: $12, 4 oz: $22) – This dry shampoo smells really great and the scent is quite long lasting. However, when I sprayed this on my hair, it leaves a white residue that made my hair looked gray even if I tried to shake it off several times. It does a good job of absorbing oils from your hair and making it look presentably clean, but I’m not sure about the whole residue thing. Other than that, I really like the volumizing effect that this does on my hair.

 

sephora play august 2017 Kopari Coconut Melt

 

Verdict: I wouldn’t say that I’m crazy about the products for this month, but there’s definitely a few that truly stood out for me. It’s the Too Faced Mascara Melt Off, Beautyblender Micro.Mini, andย Kopari Coconut Melt that really suit my fancy.

 

Did you enjoy what’s inside your Sephora Play! Box this month?

 

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