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Armani Power Fabric vs Hourglass Vanish Airbrush vs Pat McGrath Sublime Perfection Concealer Review

March 24, 2020 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hi there, who’s all dressed up and got nowhere to go? 🙂 Oh, what a time we’re living in right now. I hope you are all doing ok. In this downtime, I’ve been testing three concealers, which are the ones from Armani Beauty, Hourglass, and Pat McGrath Labs. These three are my current concealer faves although I also have some other holy grail concealers in mind and I will mention them to you guys in this post. For these concealers, I will be comparing them against each other and I will tell you which one I think is the best.

On a side note, I tend to apply and blend my concealer using the beautyblender most of the time. However, I do have a special liking of the Sephora #80 Pro Contour Highlight Brush which is a small, tapered, rounded, soft brush that is not only great for contouring and highlighting the nose but can also double as an undereye concealer brush. Anyway, check out my three current concealer faves that I’ve tested and compared.

Armani Power Fabric Concealer in 4.5 (0.2 oz: 34 USD) – I first got a sample of this concealer months ago and I really like its consistency and coverage. Per Armani Beauty’s description, this concealer is meant to be long-wearing, color-correcting, and has a high-coverage. Its finish is matte but with a second-skin feel that won’t crease or cake. While those things are all true except for being “high-coverage”. This concealer does cover the redness and blemishes, but only to a certain degree. If you have very dark spots, this won’t do it. However, for good-to-slightly-problematic skin days, you can definitely rely on this concealer. What I really love about this concealer is that this is so easy to blend which is somewhat similar to the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer, although this concealer tends to set faster than Nars’. Because this is easy to spread or blend and is very light, I like to put this on my undereyes and this gives a more awake look that seems natural. Also, I love that this never creased on my undereyes, and on top of that, I love that this comes in a lightweight tube with a signature Armani logo on it.

Armani Beauty recently released a very interesting concealer, which is the Armani Luminous Silk. I can’t wait to test it and will report to you all soon.

Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer in Sepia (light-medium, neutral undertone 0.2 oz: 34 USD) – This concealer comes in a beautifully-designed sleek tube complete with an H-logo on top. I like that this also feels lightweight like the Armani Power Fabric and that one side of this concealer is flat, so you can store this horizontally, which prevents the product from rolling and falling on the floor. The coverage of this concealer is meant to be full and the finish is natural. This does have a weightless feel and is definitely waterproof and totally crease-resistant as well. Also, this concealer is made of clean ingredients. When it comes to the coverage, I find that this is also great for good skin days and for those days with mild to moderate breakouts, but just like the Armani Power Fabric Concealer above, this won’t do well for dark spots. I also think that this sets a bit faster than the Armani Power Fabric which makes this concealer a bit difficult to blend. However, this does feel like a real second-skin and is definitely pigmented but for dark spots, you’ll have to look into the next concealer I’m about to review below.

Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Concealer in LM8 (light-medium with yellow undertones 0.16 oz: 32 USD) – This Paraben-free concealer has a natural finish that looks quite radiant and with a creamy consistency. This also has a full-coverage, which means this will really cover your age :-). Although this doesn’t feel as lightweight as the Armani Power Fabric and Hourglass Vanish Concealer above, this doesn’t feel heavy either. I would describe the feel of this as similar to the Tarte Shape Tape and perhaps the It Cosmetics Anti-Aging Concealer which are both my holy grail concealers. What I also love about this concealer is the way it adheres to the skin, which has that sort of sticky and flexible property that you only need a little bit of it and you’ll be good to go. Furthermore, this concealer won’t crease, won’t break, and is very reliable overall. I may not like its heavy glass tube packaging which feels like it could fall and shatter anytime soon, but it hasn’t happened yet.

TLDR: If you ask me which of these three concealers I prefer, I would say that it depends on your current skin situation. Personally, on a good skin day with minimal blemishes and marks, I typically use the Armani Power Fabric or the Hourglass Vanish Airbrush. These two are really quite very similar to each other, and so is the Nars Creamy Concealer which is still one of my favorite concealers out there and it still holds as the creamiest overall well-performing concealer in my opinion. However, on problematic-skin days, I like to use the Pat McGrath Sublime Perfection Concealer. I did have a hard time finding the shade match with this concealer, compared to the Armani and the Hourglass ones where I could pretty much fit with almost any tones in their light-medium spectrum. Other than that, if you’re looking for a concealer that will cover your blemishes, post-acne marks/scars, dark spots, and will not only cover your age but will also cover your sins and possibly skeletons in your closet (kidding), then you will enjoy this PMG Sublime Perfection Concealer.

Have you tried any of these concealers before? What are your holy grail concealers?

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Samples of The Week

April 22, 2019 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

This week, I’m again featuring some samples that’s been sitting on my desk waiting to be tried. Been curious about these minis but I didn’t have the time to test them, until recently. Some of these are the ones I’ve always wanted to buy but for some reason, they kind of had given me some mixed feelings. So, let’s check out these samples once and for all and see which of them are worth having.

Lancome Click & Glow Highlighting Skin Fluid ($23) – I really love how subtle these highlighters are. I thought they’d be just like any other highlighters out there, and I also thought that they won’t really show on my face, but actually, they do. Their effect is so natural and yet very buildable. I really like that they give such a nice healthy glow without looking too dewy.

Marc Jacobs Shameless Youthful-Look 24H Foundation SPF 25 (1.08 oz: $46) – I had high hopes for this foundation, but on my skin, it just looks horrible. It feels really drying and it emphasizes my pores. No matter how I moisturize my skin prior to applying this foundation or even after applying its Under(cover) Coconut Primer, this stuff just looks cakey and weird on me.

Stila Stay All Day Foundation + Concealer ($40) – I’m so surprised to have fallen in love with this. I really like the way this is formulated, kinda like a foundation/concealer hybrid that really covers blemishes, dark spots, dark circles, and any other imperfection on the skin. This doesn’t cake and this lasts a long time. I definitely need this foundation in its full size.

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer (0.22 oz: $30) – Always a favorite and one of the best concealers out there. This blends well into the skin because of its nice smooth creamy consistency that doesn’t cake or move around even when you sweat. Custard is my shade.

Sephora Collection Lipstick – These lipsticks have different finishes and I think they’re all good. I love their formulation and they’re really pigmented. Some of the colors may no longer be available now, but I do believe that Sephora got these lipsticks right especially in terms of lasting power, texture, and scent. My favorites are Rebel Chic and Enchanting Blush.

Rouge Creme (0.14 oz: $13) in R49 Belly-dancing (Cream)
Rouge Brillance (0.13 oz: $7) 14 Love Spell (Shine)
Rouge Baume (sold out) Enchanting Blush (Balm)
Rouge Mat (0.10 oz: $13) M11 Rebel Chic (Matte)

Urban Decay Meltdown Makeup Remover Dissolving Spray (mini/1 oz: $12, 3.38 oz: $26) – I like the concept of this spray-on makeup remover, however, it is kinda messy to apply, and it does feel oily or it has a silicon feel to it even though it says it doesn’t. It does remove the makeup well, including the eye makeup but it kinda left my face feeling oily. So, I think I’ll just stick to my favorite makeup remover for now.

Dr. Brandt Needles No More 3-D LIP PLUMPFIX ($39) – This lip cream has two formulas – one for AM and one for PM. The AM one has a nice fruity lemon scent that gives a tingling sensation on the lips, thus making it look and feel plump. While the PM one just feels creamy (like a lotion) and did nothing to my lips. I don’t find these to be extremely moisturizing, so I think it’s better to stick to my favorite lip balms, as those will probably do a much better job than these 2-in-1 lip creme/conditioner.

Giorgio Armani Neo Nude Ecstasy Balm (0.10 oz: $34) – This untinted lip balm has a fruity scent and it feels lightweight on the lips, however, it’s not really moisturizing. I expected a lot from this balm, especially because I love Armani Beauty, but I think I won’t be changing my favorite lip balms any moment soon.

Patchology FlashPatch Night Restoring Eye Gels (5 ct: $20, 30 ct: $60) – These are so fun to use and I love the earthy scent. The patches are soft, gel-like, and are super-drenched which really moisturize the undereye. Not sure if they melt afterward or not, but mine did disappear overnight. I’m pretty sure they weren’t on my pillowcase either.

Pinrose Pillowtalk Poet Eau de Parfum (1.7 oz: $65) – I like the light powdery musky scent of this towelette sample, but the scent is a bit too light and it does disappear within a few minutes of wear on me.

Cartier L’Envol de Cartier Eau de Parfum (1.6 oz: $90.00 – 2.7 oz: $115.00) – This masculine scent comes off as way too strong and kind of overpowering at first, especially because of its intense musk and alcohol scent. However, its dry down is really romantic and overall irresistible and seductive.

First Aid Beauty Coconut Water Cream (1.7 oz: $34) – This is such a nice lightweight moisturizer that is perfect for any skin type, especially for those with sensitive skin. This moisturizes well and it has a nice mild scent to it.

Erborian CC Crème High Definition Radiance Skin Perfector in Clair (1.5 oz: $44) – I really like this two-tone CC cream which goes on white at first, then it transforms into some kind of a creamy beige shade that surprisingly blurs the pores very well. It makes the skin look really even, smooth, and young-looking. I feel like I could use this on good skin days (doesn’t cover the dark spots completely) and just set it with a very good setting powder as an everyday foundation.

Korres Greek Yoghurt Smoothie Priming Moisturiser (1.01 oz: $42) – This smells just like its Yoghurt Cream Cleanser which I love, reviewed HERE. It does seem to be doing a good job as a moisturizer/primer hybrid because it holds my foundation well and it also moisturizes my skin, not to mention, saving you the time of applying a separate primer on your face.

Sisley Paris Double Tenseur Moisturizing Gel (1 oz: $192) – Dubbed as the Rolls Royce of all face primers, I could tell there’s a lot to love about this product. This feels light and gel-like, almost like a lightweight cream/gel moisturizer, and it preps/smooths the skin well for just about any type of foundation. It isn’t super sticky but it holds the makeup nicely for the whole day, preventing any cakeyness. The result is a glowy fresh face. The only caveat really for this is the price.

Have you tried any of these items before?

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer VS Tarte Shape Tape Concealer Review

April 3, 2018 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

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 (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 (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.

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.

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.

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.