Summer is a time for wearing brighter colors and sheerer face bases. Yes, you heard it right - sheer! The thicker and heavier your base is, the more likely it is to melt noticeably under the heat. So if you're out for a few hours (or all day) everyday, stick to foundations, concealers, and powder that cover your issues juuuuuuust enough, but no more. This is the secret to looking fresh even when you sweat and oil up! 

Now one of my favorite ever concealers is the Shiseido Shiseido Natural Finish Cream Concealer. This offers heavy coverage and amazing staying power, plus the formula can be used for covering up blemishes and under eyes. There aren't many concealers that can do that! Nonetheless, I still love using sheer, brightening products on my eye bags. They appear more natural while still making my eyes look totes fresh (you'll see a pic later!).

That said, I am so happy I got a tube of the new Shiseido Sheer Eye Zone Corrector (P1,500+). This is a sheer, watery concealer that only offers light coverage yet seem to lift up my eyes with just one layer. It literally feels like nothing when worn! It also looks invisible as soon as you've blended it on. Your eyes will just look like they were lit up by ~magic~.

Smart people who are nice are the best kind. They know when you're lying, being incompetent, stupid, or malicious, yet they can look past that and still be nice to you. Like, really be nice to you without being fake. How? Because in spite of your worst qualities, they're smart enough to understand why you have them and can't seem to let go of them. Maybe they'll try to change you, or maybe they'll let you do whatever the hell you want. Whatever they choose though, they'll be kind to you because they know you need it.

Stupid people who are honestly nice, on the other hand, are nice because they can't see past the surface of your words and actions. That said, which kind of person would you rather be nice to you? Does it matter?

Anyhoo, here's my last post for my Benefit Cosmetics Week. If you haven't joined my giveaway though, please do, as it's ending in 24 hours. Okay! Here's a review of an interesting concealer, the Benefit Fake Up Crease-Control Hydrating Concealer (P1,300). This promises to conceal your undereyes while thoroughly moisturizing them at the same time!

If you're terribly lazy at applying eye cream before makeup, Fake up is exactly what you need. Its main ingredient is castor oil. It rather smells like castor oil, too, but I don't really mind as it's extremely effective in trapping moisture around my eye bags! The oil makes the concealer super smooth so it glides on the skin with zero tugging.

I was a bit worried that such a heavy oil will clog the pores around my nose and eyes, but it didn't. I didn't get breakouts or anything. 

I was also apprehensive about it staying on and not creasing while i'm wearing it. Thankfully, it stays put for about 5-6 hours when set with powder. It also barely creases as it settles onto my skin.

I never did get into the habit of regularly scheduling posts here on my blog. I do schedule them when I'm out of town or when I have a huge job that'll take up the whole day; otherwise, I more or less blog whatever feels right for the day. Oh believe me, I've tried coming up with posts in one day as if they're from an assembly line! But it just feels so forced. The content I end up finally vomiting sounds fake to me. 

There are bloggers who do scheduled posts and I admire them (it's more efficient, truly). It's just not for me.

I have a couple of meetings today so I'll make this review quick. ;) I've already mentioned purchasing the INGLOT Freedom System Cream Concealer (P475) during the brand's launch here, and have been using it on and off for a few weeks now. How is it? It's okay. It's weird, but okay enough.

This cream concealer is only semi-solid, unlike other pan concealers I've tried before. It almost feels like paste to me, thick, sticky, and wet. I imagine that this formula would belong better in a tube - and INGLOT does have a concealer in a tube - but if you wanna fit a concealer in your Freedom Palette, then this is the way to go.

I've been blogging for a while now, and in that time I've seen a nurse become a shoe designer, a web designer become a stylist to celebrities, and fresh grads into businesswomen. Blogging can change your life - I know this from first-hand experience. It can unlock your potential and turn your talent into something that earns money and a certain amount of fame. 

However, that all depends on how badly you want something. It depends on what you're willing to do to get what you want. I know it all sounds so ruthless, but that applies to pretty much any area of our lives. It's easy enough to want something; it's a totally different thing to want it badly enough to steadily work towards it for months or even years. Random thought. :) 

So! Here's a review of the latest concealer in my kit: the Shiseido Natural Finish Cream Concealer (P1,550). I bought this because I wanted something that's completely light and seamless on my skin. I'm used to heavy, opaque concealers that can cover anything I throw at them, but lately I've been enjoying better skin than usual. My usual concealers just look too thick on me even when I blend them the usual way!

This Shiseido liquid concealer has a very thin, buttery texture. The coverage is light to medium, although it can be layered to achieve complete opacity. The finish is a natural matte; no sheen, but it's not a dull matte either.

Hi Miss Liz! I have a birthmark on the face and while I know that sometimes, confidence is the key, people looking all the time can get to you. And I want to try going birthmark free for the first time! How do I cover it? What do I buy? Heavy concealer? Heavy foundation? I'm pretty much willing to go until the MAC budget, but no high-ends such as Chanel, etc. Thank you! :) - Hannah

Hi Hannah! Thanks for your question. I know how debilitating it is to walk around with marks on the face. We want to tell ourselves that it shouldn't affect our self-esteem, but they still exist and people look at them. I've been struggling with blemishes most of my life. They're not quite the same thing as a birth mark, but the principle of concealing them should apply.

The trick is concealing only the problem spot/s instead of your whole face. The finished look would be more natural, showing more skin than makeup! You also have to be careful about the concealers you use. They should be able to stick for hours, even after a lot of oil and swear - maybe even water if you're out for a swim. 

In this tutorial, I used a light foundation (actually, it's just a cc cream) as a base, applied a thick, opaque concealer to completely cover the blemishes, and then applied a thinner concealer to blend in the thick concealer. Then, I set the whole thing with powder to seal the makeup in place.

Light reflecting concealer, what? This type of concealer excels at softening fine lines and lifting up dark eye bags. It is able to do that with shimmer and a feather light coverage - not enough to cover up dark circles, but enough to make them look presentable if they aren't that dark. I prefer to use a light reflecting concealer on a normal day out. I don't think I have super dark eye bags, and in any case pen concealers are fast to work with!

I haven't tried many LRCs, but my favorite is the Clinique Airbrush Concealer. This stuff is awesome! It stays put, never feels heavy, and lightens my under eye area prett well even though it only has light coverage. :) Today I'm going to review something similar yet slightly more affordable - the Make Up Factory Light Reflecting Concealer (P1,180).

Make Up Factory is a German cosmetics brand that you can find in Bonifacio High Street and SM Aura Department Store. Its pricing is just right - not cheap but not overly expensive either. It's a brand that makeup artists will surely enjoy using. ;)

So! The MUF Light Reflecting pen concealer delivers a bit of coverage and shimmer. It's a bit difficult to spread if you're not wearing eye cream, but I do like that it sets completely unlike many cream/liquid concealers.

I first heard about the Vichy Dermablend Foundation (P1,390) three years ago when Lisa Eldridge, celebrity makeup artist, used it on a girl with severe acne. You'll see in the video how Dermablend magically hid the spots with only the tiniest amount of product! It was just the thing I needed since I had serious acne scarring at the time. Unfortunately, Vichy wasn't a popular brand back then. It was practically impossible to get it in the Philippines short of shipping it from the UK.

Thankfully, Digital Traincase brought it in early this year. *cue trumpets* I just had to get it when I visited the store in Ortigas a few weeks ago! It's out of stock at the moment but expect fresh stocks to arrive next week.

So how was it? It's every bit as amazing as shown in Lisa's video - as a concealer. My shade, Nude, matches me perfectly when it's just on spot patrol, but when used all over my face it looks quite, erm, pink. I suppose I could still get away with wearing it as foundation (did it once) but only if people don't look too closely! My face looked light and pinkish in comparison to my neck and shoulders.

Even if I can't use the Dermablend as a proper foundation, it's still a great find. Here's why!

What I love about the product

• It has heavy, full coverage. It can cover very dark blemishes in a couple of layers, and normal blemishes and under eye circles in one dab. Redness is easily banished even if you have fresh pimples and rosacea.
• Even with that coverage, it feels weightless on skin due to the watery, easy-to-spread texture. It's also non-sticky and non-greasy.

I've read good things about the L'Oreal Lucent Magique Liquid Foundation (or Lumi Magique in the US) and I'm so happy to announce that it's finally here in Manila! Lucent Magique is all about "light-infusion" or brightening, but without the obvious accompanying shimmer. I immediately used the foundation as soon as I got it, and mark my words, I sniff a new favorite low-cost base! 

The liquid foundation is only P845. Very, very affordable yet it feels so high end. It reminds me of the Lancome Teint Miracle, actually. Same finish but the Lancome I think is more long-lasting.

Another interesting product is the Lucent Magique Concealer Pen. It's only P545 and works much like my favorite Clinique Airbrush Concealer, although the peg is the YSL Touche Eclat.

The Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer (P1,200/5ml at Stuff in Style) has completely done away with modesty and went straight to being blunt. "The world's best concealer", it says on the box. That's quite a hefty claim! It's a tiny tube of concentrated concealer that's so pigmented, you must use it with a pencil eyeliner brush. It's also incredibly pigmented so you can cover pretty much anything.

I heard about this concealer when beauty bloggers abroad started raving about it. I didn't know it was even available in the Philippines, so it's a nice surprise to know that Stuff in Style carries it.

Here's my review and demo!

What I love about the product

• Covers all manner of dark marks and imperfections, including eyebags. It's pigmented and opaque. You only need a small dot to cover everything. Yes including dark circles.

Whoever formulates and makes K-Palette cosmetics should get a medal. Seriously. All their products are amazing! Well the ones I've tried so far that is. Remember their Real Lasting Eyeliner? The Lasting 2-Way Eyebrow pen? These are staples for me!

It's no surprise that ended up loving their under-eye makeup as well. The K-Palette Zero Kuma Concealer (P895) is a heavy coverage, heavy duty concealer that can zap the darkest eye bags. It comes in three variants, three shades with different skincare and color-correcting purposes. You can also use them for skin discoloration and blemishes!

Here are my thoughts on this gem of a concealer. 

What I love about the product

• Coverage is opaque yet very smooth - perfect for really dark eye bags. It looks like skin when blended properly; no cakiness here.
• It is water and oil-resistant. You can cry with this and it won't budge. It's also great for girls with oily under-eyes.

The Artdeco Camouflage Cream Concealer (P450 at Beauty Bar) is one of the first concealers I ever bought. I remember dithering about it because ~P400 was a lot of money for me, me being a student then. Thankfully I didn't waste my hard-earned savings! I ended up buying two more pans before Artdeco finally left the country.

As soon as the brand opened here again, I immediately bought another one of these. Here's why!

What I love about the product 

• It's a heavy coverage, almost opaque concealer. It can cover pretty much anything.
• Impressive staying power. The hard texture makes it difficult to rub or wash off. It also doesn't melt or fade much during the day - perfect for oily-skinned/sweaty people!

Concealers and foundations rank high in my list of beauty must-haves because I am prone to pimples and their unfortunate progeny - blemishes. Why else would I wear so much makeup if not to cover them up? Thankfully my blemishes are less bothersome now thanks to a consistently good skincare routine, but I still have a few left over. Recently I am letting the Cinema Secrets Foundation Palette #2 (P1,998) handle them.

This palette is quite expensive, but it is literally everything you need for your face if you're looking for full coverage. It's an all-in-one palette, which makes the price tag look cheap compared to buying separate products for your face base.

It's a great palette, and here's why!

What I love about the product

• It's as opaque as you get, but the texture is surprisingly thin! It adheres like second skin and covers even the darkest blemishes.
• Different shades allow for different functions. It has a blemish concealer shade (I use a slightly lightened #607-19), undereye concealer (#603-21, a beige salmon), and of course all the colors can be used as foundation (I either use a mix of #605-61 and #606-26 or just #602-65). So it's all-in-one face makeup, basically. I think it's a better buy than the single-color pans.

Jane Iredale is one of the few brands that offer truly 100% mineral makeup. It costs a pretty penny - up there with Colorescience, just less expensive - but unlike cheaper MMU the efficacy and convenience of the products are compararable to high-end traditional makeup. If you have super sensitive skin, true mineral makeup is definitely the way to go.

I've heard so many good things about Jane Iredale way before, so I was psyched to try out their Starter Kit in Golden. It has everything a girl can need for a full face of makeup - tinted primer, foundation, concealer, blush, lip color, and even brushes! However, it's not something you should get for daily use since the products are in sample sizes. It's really more for people who want to try out JI makeup without paying full price.

After using it for a few weeks, here's my review of and recommendations for each product in the kit. You can buy them separately so you don't have to shell out the P5,000+ this Starter Kit costs. ;)

Pressed Mineral Powder with SPF20: This light coverage mineral powder is da bomb. It has a nice glowy finish that looks like skin, just better!

I'm a huge, huge fan of Lisa Eldridge. She's a celebrity makeup artist based in London, who has done the faces of Emma Watson, Katy Perry, and Nicole Richie to name a few. Even with a successful career in makeup artistry, she still took the time to go into vlogging on YouTube. What sets her apart is how clearly she explains and demonstrates makeup techniques and trends with the experience of a true professional.

So, when she posted this video of her top makeup favorites after twenty years of using tons of products on herself and her clients, I got interested in the Clinique Airbrush Concealer (P1,300). If you've watched a number of her videos, you'll notice that this concealer is one of very few products she constantly uses. It's practically her default undereye concealer. Of course I had to get one for myself!

What I love about the product

• This concealer was not designed to be opaque like, say, the Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit. Its coverage is quite light, working more as an undereye illuminator than as a traditional concealer because of its light-reflective properties.

Blemish-prone women on a budget, rejoice! Now there's no need to save up for MAC, Makeup Forever, or Cinema Secrets concealers with a cheap substitute in town: the Revlon PhotoReady Concealer (P725).

This concealer is THE BOMB. It's highly pigmented, almost opaque, creamy, and has pretty good staying power in our humid weather. The best part really is the P725 price tag. Even with a quality similar to high-end concealers, the price is still friendly to those who are always looking for more affordable alternatives to expensive brands.

What I love about the product

• Medium to heavy coverage in a couple of swipes. 
• Didn't break me out - always a major plus. I was worried that it will but my fears were for naught. It's fragrance and paraben-free.

I'm a long-time user of the MAC Studiofinish Concealer. In fact, I'm about to finish my third pot already! On average, each pot lasts me for around 4-5 months of heavy use. That's not bad for a P1,000 concealer, eh?

I know there are more opaque concealers out there but I always go back to MAC because of an almost perfect shade match with my skin (NC30) plus how natural it looks when worn. It marries the right blend of opaqueness and naturalness for covering blemishes, and it comes at a reasonable price point too! And I never break out with it.

So! While I love the Studiofinish, when the time came to buy a new pot, I decided to try the MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer (P1,000) for a change. I wanted something creamier, a little bit more emollient than the harder Studiofinish. Actually I was just sawa (tired) of seeing Studiofinish after two years of using it, hehe. Do you ever do that, buy something else even though what you have is already perfectly alright?

Coverage and finish. Coverage of the Studio Sculpt is the same as Studiofinish. Both don't go completely opaque though, so for really dark blemishes, I use something super heavy duty like the Makeup Forever Full Cover Concealer.

It doesn't matter how great your skincare system is - if you're not careful about the other junk you put on your face, you will. Still. Break. Out. I've made quite a few mistakes these past few weeks so lately my face looks like a blemish exploded on the surface and made little babies while shitfaced with alcohol. Terrible imagery, I know. But that's how my face looks like at the moment.

My recent FOTD photos show no blemishes, but that's because I use two heavy concealers to cover them up. They're like magic or (if we're must be more prosaic) Photoshop in a tube/jar. I love the MAC Studio Finish Concealer but sometimes a blemish is too dark or fresh that I need something more opaque and absolutely budge-proof. This is where the Makeup Forever Full Cover Concealer comes in.

Ta-dah!

This MUFE Full Cover concealer is pretty awesome in covering up ANYTHING on your face. It could be a mole, pimple, blemish, anything will disappear when you wear this and it will not rub off even if you sweat or oil up. It's truly waterproof - it just dries and stays put much like how an Urban Decay Primer Potion would (you know what I mean if you've tried UDPP).

So let's do it!

What I love about the product 

• Completely opaque. It's perfect for covering up very dark blemishes, moles, angry zits, or discoloration. It meant business when it said "full cover, yo".
• Waterproof. When it dries, it's a lot like how the UDPP primer is. You can't make it budge anymore unless you rub very, very hard or use a cream/oil makeup remover. Perfect for oily and sweaty skin.