LANCOME: Effacernes
Lancome Effacernes
I’m a big fan of Lancome’s Maquicomplet, but I’ve never really mentioned its popular waterproof undereye concealer, Effacernes. One reason why is because Effacernes contains Talc and Titanium Dioxide, both ingredients that I personally can’t use because they seem to irritate my skin. I’m also beginning to wonder if Hexylene Glycol, a mildly comedogenic ingredient also found in the Maquicomplet, is causing problems for me.
Another reason I never got into this concealer was the limited shade range. When I was thinking of purchasing Effacernes a few years ago, there wasn’t a shade that would work with my skin. Lancome seems to have addressed that by adding Bronze IV and Suede to the lineup. But as is always the case with Lancome, the new darker shades have heavy orange undertones. Those who can find a shade that works should give Effacernes a try. This concealer wins raves from those who use it.
Ingredients: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Sorbitan Isostearate, Propylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Talc, Ozokerite, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Hexylene Glycol, Honey, Tocopherol, Urea, Stearic Acid, Glycosaminoglycans, Sodium Hyaluronate, Silica, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Aluminum Hydroxide, Magnesium Sulfate, Disodium EDTA, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Polydihydroxyindole, Acrylates Copolymer, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Diazolidxidesinyl Urea. May Contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides.
Cost: $27.50
YVES SAINT LAURENT: Touche Eclat
Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat
Some women rave about this legendary concealer while others fail to understand its allure. One of the frustrating things about this product is it only has four shades: Luminous Radiance, Luminous Ivory, Light Peach and Luminous Toffee. It basically comes down to two shades for pale skinned women, and one each for medium and dark skinned women. I think YSL’s thinking behind this product is that it’s meant to be a highlighter used in addition to a foundation. It’s not necessarily supposed to blend into your skin. But the high price point makes a lot of women want to successfully use this product on its own (and there are some women who do).
I love the fact that this concealer has a very short ingredients list. Unfortunately for me at least, the ingredients include many items that I know I can’t use on my skin, including Talc, Mineral Oil and Squalane. For those who don’t have similar skin sensitivities, it’s worth a try – at least to find out what all the ruckus is about.
Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Cyclomethicone, Glyceri, Talc, Paraffinum Liquidum (Mineral Oil) , PEG/ PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Magnesium Sulfate, Trideceth-3, Methicone, Methylparaben, Squalane. [May contain : CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77019 (Mica), CI 77492 (Iron Oxide), CI 77491 (Iron Oxide), CI 77499 (Iron Oxide), CI 77007 (Ultramarines), CI 77510 (Ferric Ferrocyanide), CI 77742 (Manganese Violet), CI 75470 (Carmine)]
Italics=potentially comedogenic or irritating ingredients.
Cost: $40
SUE DEVITT: Camouflage Concealer
Sue Devitt Camouflage Concealer
I tested this concealer awhile ago because its simple ingredients list appealed to me. Reviewers seemed pleased with the product and it came in shades that would complement my skin color and undertone. The line actually includes a nice range of shades. Great Sandy Desert, Granite Downs, Nullarbor Plain, Summer Monsoon and Kimberley Plateau will work for women with light to dark skin.
While I don’t think this concealer broke me out, I had trouble with it because of its shade. Or perhaps it was the formulation. The product seemed to sit on my skin, standing out rather than blending in.
Ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Paraffin, Nylon 12, Polybutene, Ozokerite, Tocopherol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Ascorbyl Palmitate. May Contain: Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide, Ultramarines, Mica, Yellow 5 Lake, Bismuth, Oxychloride, Blue 1 Lake, Carmine, Manganese, Manganese Violet, Red 40 Lake, Zinc Oxide, Aluminum Powder, Chromium Hydroxide Green, Chromium Oxide Greens, Ferric Ferrocyanide, Orange 5 Lake, Red 21, Red 21 Lake, Red 27 Lake, Red 28 Lake, Red 30, Red 6, Red 6 Lake, Red 7, Red 7 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake
Italics=potentially comedogenic or irritating ingredients.
Cost: $21
BENEFIT: Play Sticks
Benefit Play Sticks
I’ve always been curious about Benefit products but have never tried them because, judging by the vast array of products available, the company targets an audience that’s paler than I am. Yet I recently discovered that a few of their foundations do have shades for women in the medium to dark skin color range. One I am considering trying is the Play Stick. Shades such as Paperdolls, Hide & Seek, Jump Rope, Hopscotch and Teeter Totter offer a lot of options for women of color.
The formula is very silicone heavy, yet aside from the Hydrated Silica, doesn’t contain ingredients that are particularly comedogenic. Some women do have reactions to silicone-based products like this one however, so tread carefully. Unfortunately, it also contains fragrance, which I didn’t notice when I sampled the product at Sephora. Fragrance can sometimes irritate skin.
Ingredients: Phenyl Trimethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Octanoate, Polyethylene, Polymethyl methacrylate, Cetyl Dimethicone, Dimethicone Copolyol, Hydrated Silica. Contains Less Than 1% Concentrate: Silica, HDI/Trimethylol hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Green Tea (Carnellia Oleifera) Extract, Chamomile (Anthemis Nobilis) Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, BHT, Bisabolol, Ginko Biloba Extract, Lecithin, Fragrance. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Bismuth Oxychloride.
Italics=potentially comedogenic or irritating ingredients.
Cost: $32
PRESCRIPTIVES: Custom Blend Concealer
Prescriptives Custom Blend Concealer
Prescriptives has long offered customizable foundations. Recently they added a few other customizable items, including concealer. I love the idea of getting a concealer custom made to suit your skin color and tone. Women often have an extremely hard time finding makeup that matches.
Prescriptives already has a number of concealers available; the custom blend concealer simply fills in the gaps. It does contain Steareth-10 which has a pretty high comedogenic rating. But this ingredient is towards the middle of the list, so intrepid users may want to try it.
Ingredients: Water, Butylene Glycol, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, TEA-Stearate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Glyceryl Distearate, Steareth-10, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Bisabolol, Cholesterol, Tocopheryl Linoleate/Oleate, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, TEA-Isostearate, Cellulose Gum, Xanthan Gum, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Sorbic Acid, Methylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Butylparaben, Isopropylparaben, Phenoxyethanol [May contain: Titanium Dioxide (ci 77891), Iron Oxides (ci 77491, ci 77492, ci 77499), Ultramarines (ci 77007)]
Italics=potentially comedogenic or irritating ingredients.
Cost: $32
MAKE UP FOR EVER: Full Cover Extreme Camouflage Cream
Make Up For Ever Full Cover Camouflage Cream
This was one of my rare impulsive purchases. I had been looking for foundations and concealers at Sephora and ran across this concealer. The shades really impressed me. This French company offered a wide range of colors for medium- to dark-skinned women without the strong red or orange undertones that usually mar makeup products. Plus although the formulation was light, it provided enough coverage to hide dark spots.
Instead of researching the ingredients list, I decided to impulsively get two samples in the shades that seemed to work for me. I may have even purchased a full tube after a temporary try-out. Within weeks however, the product had broken me out. At that point, I decided to research the ingredients. The second one, Polyglycery-3 Diisostearate happened to be a highly comedogenic ingredient. Sodium Chloride is also a major skin irritant. Lesson learned!!
Ingredients: Water, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane, Glycerin, Polyethylene, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Magnesium Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Carbonate, Propylparaben, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Capparis Spinosa Extract, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Chlorphenesin, Methylparaben, Allantoin, Terasodium EDTA, [+/- (MAY CONTAIN): CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491 (Iron Oxide) CI 77492 (Iron Oxides), CI 77499 (Iron Oxides)]
Italics=potentially comedogenic ingredients.
Cost: $30
LANCOME: Maquicomplet Complete Coverage Concealer
Lancome Maquicomplet concealer
This is one of the rare concealers that doesn’t seem to break me out. The formula contains honey, which has antibacterial properties and chamomile, known for its soothing, yet moisturizing nature. Yet Maquicomplet does also include irritants such as Urea, Sorbitan Isostearate and Hexylene Glycol.
This concealer wears well. It covers discolorations while keeping the skin looking natural. The product isn’t heavy at all.
The reason Maquicomplet doesn’t reach Holy Grail status is its color. The shades Mocha, Suede and Bronze have very unnatural orange undertones. And unfortunately, I’ve read reviews by people using the lighter shades who complained about the same problem.
Ingredients: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Sorbitan Isostearate, Propylene Glycol, Ozokerite, Hexylene Glycol, Honey, Urea, Glycosaminoglycans, Sodium Hyaluronate, Silica, Chamomile Extract, Magnesium Sulfate, Disodium EDTA, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Cornflower Extract, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Polydihydroxyindole, Acrylates Copolymer, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Diazolidinyl Urea, Tocopherol. (May Contain: Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide, Mica)
Italics=potentially comedogenic ingredients.
Cost: $26.50
BOBBI BROWN: Blemish Cover Stick
Bobbi Brown Blemish Cover Stick
BB’s warm honey, deep almond, and rich chestnut shades will complement a range of skins with yellow or orange undertones. But it’s a pity the line doesn’t have a wider selection of concealers. The product also tends to look a bit shiny. Depending on where you use it it could either give you a nice glow or make you look like you dotted your face with oil.
Acne-prone beauties beware. The rather innocuous sounding ingredient Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2 is apparently vegetable oil, according to the Organic Consumers Organization. That pore clogging ingredient may encourage new blemishes rather than combat them.
Ingredients: Glyceryl Triacetyl Ricinoleate, Octyldodecanol, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Polyethylene, Kaolin, Ozokerite, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Barium Sulfate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Stearyl Glycyyrhetinate, BHT [May contain Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Mica]
Italics=potentially comedogenic ingredients.
Price: $20
Write your own review of this product in the comments section.
BECCA: Compact Concealer
Becca Compact Concealer
The concealer has two sides. One half provides medium coverage for the under eye area. The other thicker, heavier half covers skin discolorations. Unfortunately, this concealer also contains plenty of pore clogging ingredients. If you’re not acne-prone, go for it; but if you have a tendency to break out, you may want to skip it.
Ingredients:
Medium cover: Mineral Oil, Paraffin, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Octyldodecanol, Wax, Magnesium Myristate, Tocopherol, Cetyl Palmitate, Beeswax, Carnauba Wax, Oleth-10, BHT, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Fragrance [May contain: Titanium Dioxide, Yellow 5, Iron Oxides, Chromium Oxide Greens, Red 36, Ultramarines, Yellow 6.]
Extra Cover; Mineral Oil, Paraffin, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Octyldodecanol, Wax, Magnesium Myristate, Tocopherol, Cetyl Palmitate, Beeswax, Petrolatum, Carnauba Wax, Oleth-10, BHT, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Fragrance, [May contain: Titanium Dioxide, Yellow 5, Iron Oxides, Chromium Oxide Greens, Red 36, Ultramarines, Yellow 6.]
Italics=potentially comedogenic ingredients.
Price: $35
Write your own review of this product in the comments section.
STILA: Perfecting Concealer
Stila Perfecting Concealer
Another American line with great shades for skins of color. No pumpkin colored foundation here, just a natural looking concealer that disappears into the skin. This line works because they developed a wide range of shades for women with yellow and red/orange undertones. Coverage is decent too, for those concerned with covering dark spots.
Unfortunately, this concealer also has a surprising number of red flag, pore clogging, skin irritating, ingredients. Although I REALLY wanted to love this product, I started getting breakouts from it when I used it daily.
Ingredients: Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Talc, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate/Hexastearate/Hexarosinate, Hydrogenated Styrene/Isoprene copolymer, Nylon-12, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Boron Nitride, Tocopheryl Linoleate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Propylene Carbonate, BHT, Phenoxyethanol [May contain Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Ultramarines]
Italics=potentially comedogenic ingredients.
Price: $22
Write your own review of this product in the comments section.
MultiFACEted Cosmetics 