All about concealers

Hello my lovely readers!!!

I am back after a long, long time. I took some time off blogging to make some fundamental decisions about my blog. I am in the process of re-designing it (which will take some time) and I am ready to dedicate more time , energy and effort into creating good-quality, relevant and interesting content so stay tuned!!

Today, I thought we would talk about concealers. More specifically, my concealer choices and application advice for your summertime concealing needs.
After a lot of trial and error I have found some products that I think make the process of concealing easier and others which make it heat-proof and natural-looking.
Let's start with some tips on how to choose the correct shade and finish.

• Choose a shade lighter that your skin-tone for an under-eye concealer (maximum two shades lighter though, you don't want the reverse-panda effect).

• Choose a creamy and blend-able concealer for your under-eyes so that the process of blending won't require you to tug on the extra-sensitive skin under your eyes.

• If you want to conceal pimples then use the "Eldridge Technique" (Lisa Eldridge's concealing technique) which involves a tiny brush and spot-concealing with a heavy-duty concealer. 

• Concealers that are used to cover-up scarring, pimples etc should match your skin tone since lighter concealers will draw attention to the area you are trying to cover up.

• If you have very dark circles or a lot of discolouration then a corrector , followed by concealer will work wonders.  However ,using a colour corrector such as lavender, green or pink, requires a deeper understanding of how colours neutralise each other, so I would delve into that extensively before attempting to use such a product. 

Now, onto the products I have been using for the past couple of months and how I like to apply them.

Left to right: Bobbi Brown Creamy Corrector Light to Medium Bisque), Maybelline Age-Rewind concealer (Light), NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (Vanilla) and Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencil (DEA)

The NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer is my most used concealer and also one of the most expensive concealing products I own, and for good reason. I use it under the eyes(mostly) in a triangular shape to bring light to the area and conceal any dark circles. Other than the fact that you have to work quickly to blend it in, it is absolutely phenomenal. You can find a review HERE.

Application tools: 

For a heavier application/coverage I use a concealer or foundation brush. My current favourites are the Sigma P45 and the Bobbi Brown Full Coverage Face. If I want the application to be flawless and natural-looking I always use a damp Beauty Blender (I use Pro Black but any good sponge will do the trick). 

For spot-concealing I use a Sephora 12 Eye-liner brush.

Taking it to the next level......

The next level is setting the concealer with the correct powder for longevity and a creaseless/ sweat-proof look. Here are some of my powder picks.

On the left: Soap and Glory One Heck Of A Blot
In the centre: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light
On the right: Laura Mercier Loose Powder in Translucent 

I use Soap and Glory One Heck Of A Blot and Laura Mercier Loose Powder in Translucent in rotation, focusing more on my under-eye area (using a dense brush and a lightly pressing technique), as well as on my T-zone.
And the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light, I use to set my concealer on and around my nose because of its blurring properties(I use a fluffy powder brush to apply this product).

I hope all this has been helpful and interesting and I would like to hear from you guys in the comments, letting me know your tips for using and setting concealers.

Athina

P.S. I have included a link to a super-useful article from "Into the Gloss" if you guys are looking for info on a wider range of fabulous concealers. :D 

Random Post Monday : Italy edition.

Ciao a tutti,

I wanted to put this post up as soon as possible since I am off to the U.K. in less than 5 days which means back to work which in turn means very limited time for blogging.
As some of you might have guessed I spent this past academic year in the North of Italy. I met some great people, taught some interesting individuals and visited some amazing places. I took quite a few photos along the way and I thought I would share a snippet of this new adventure of mine with all of you...!!I hope you enjoy it!!

p.s. This is a collection of photos from Milan, Verona and some smaller places in Northern Italy :) 

xoxo
A.

Collective Spring Haul

Ahoy internet people,

The past couple of weeks I have been feeling a bit spendy. The truth is that we've been working quite hard and that fact, paired with general boredom and the moody weather has led me to visit Milan a few times and pick up some stuff. Of course, as the title suggest this is a collective haul...meaning I did not pick up everything in one trip.
But enough with the chitter chatter...let's get on with it.

Firstly, I picked up the beauty blender which I have been wanting to get my hands on for quite a while.
Then, I splurged on the AMAZING NARS Yachiyo kabuki brush.
I also picked up the Nails Inc "St' James square" nail varnish.
I also popped into MAC and got "Flamingo" lipstick.
Clarins was up next where I checked out a couple of things and I decided on the Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil.
Kiko was, of course, another stop where I swatched the new Cream Crush eyeshadows and decided on No6.

Here are swatches of the products mentioned above, under natural light.

Nails Inc "St' James Square"

     MAC "Flamingo" lipstick

 Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil

   KIKO Cream Crush eyeshadow No 6

And the tools...<3 nbsp="" p="">

I also picked up a try-out set from clinique featuring these three products in deluxe sample sizes. 

 

Now, here are some re-purchases of products that I have loved in the past or have been loving recently. 

Firstly, I went back to my Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel for make-up removing purposes. 

Then, the NARS creamy concealer repurchase was in order since I am running low of the other one(Read my review of this product HERE). 

Last but most definitely not least, I bought the magical Hourglass "Arch brow pencil" in soft brunette. This pencil has been my only brow product for the past 7 and a half months and I have only positive things to say about it. 

My last two shopping stops were Kiehl's and &Other Stories where I picked up the Ultra Facial Toner  & Moisturiser (in travel size) and the "Steel Garden" Body lotion, respectively(two of them actually since the second one is a little treat for my mom).

I hope you guys enjoyed this collective haul. 

Feel free to ask for reviews for any of the products mentioned above.

xoxo

A.