Bid Tired Eyes Goodbye with MAC Pro Longwear Concealer.

October 17, 2010 | 9 Responses

When it comes to beauty concerns, these are what I’d consider to be my top three:

My awful dark and puffy under eye circles.
Yucky, gigantic pores reside on my nose.
My fine, limp hair rarely holds a style.

Needless to say, a quality concealer is an essential part of my daily makeup routine. My old standby — theBalm Time Balm concealer — gives great coverage, but it lacks convenience. Time Balm needs to be set with powder; otherwise, it seeks out my fine lines like I search for shawarma at 10:30 in the evening (true story).

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC35

That’s where MAC Pro Longwear Concealer ($20) comes in. MAC’s newest concealer packs a wicked punch with its incredibly opaque coverage and matte finish without the need for setting powder. I have been using it for a few weeks now and the verdict is in: I am so. in. love. Seriously, I might marry my MAC Pro Longwear Concealer. (Don’t tell BF!)

The lightweight liquid formula is very quick to spread out and blend using a brush or a finger. If I am really pressed for time, I find that using my fingers is the fastest way to work with this concealer. Once it dries (and it dries fast, roughly 20-30 seconds), it stays on until I take it off.

Here you can get a feel for its formulation (very lightweight). This was a half pump.

One caveat: this comes with a stupid pump that doles out way too much product for one use. If I’m careful, I can get 1/3 to 1/2 of a full pump, which is enough to conceal my under eyes and redness around my nose. That’s another thing: if you just have a few trouble spots, this’ll take all of your troubles away. I always felt that my Time Balm is best suited for my under eyes, but Pro Longwear works well as an all-purpose concealer. Oh, and for moderately oily eyelids, this works amazingly as an eye primer, too! Fab, right?!

Before, a.k.a. my dark circles in all its glory

Wearing MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC35

No concealer (left) / MAC Pro Longwear Concealer (right)

What can I say? I think the Pro Longwear Concealer is now my favourite MAC product, and I don’t think I can live without mine. Now if it can only style my limp hair too, we’d be eloping right at this moment. Totally belongs in my holy grail. Rating: A+.

Glitter Geek’s Top 10 Products of Summer 2010.

August 22, 2010 | 39 Responses

10. MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Invisible Cover Concealer #350.

When the weather is hot, my cream concealer just won’t do because of caking issues. Instead I have been using this great click pen liquid concealer by MAKE UP FOR EVER, and I really like this one. It takes care of dark circles without the need for setting powder. It dries completely without any stickiness, so it is excellent for minimal makeup summer days when I just don’t want to fuss with too many products.

9. Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge.

Sonia Kashuk is my #1 reason why I am annoyed that Target is still not in Canada. The Sonia Kashuk blending sponge is an essential tool in my makeup bag for perfecting the skin on my face and under eye area. Used wet with my MAC Fix+ Rose, about 10 swipes of my tinted moisturizer or foundation all over my face and I’m done. Flip it over to the pointed side and blend out under eye concealer in a jiff. It is really that easy.

8. MAC Eyeshadow in Arena.

Many a summer day my eye makeup was very minimal. Some days eyeliner was not even used. When I felt like putting on a “me but better” face, 9 times out of 10 I wore MAC Arena. This shade is so versatile on my skin tone (about NC35 – NC37) because I can use it as a light lid colour or as a highlight. If I am really pressed for time, I just highlight my eyes’ inner corners and brow bone and I instantly look more awake.

7. MAC Lipstick in Viva Glam V.

Here I am again, telling the world about my undying love for MAC Viva Glam V lipstick. Seriously, if I were to have a BFF in lipstick form, Viva Glam V would be it. The shimmery mauve is oh so easy to wear, and the Lustre finish makes it more comfortable to wear than other MAC formulas. Oh, and did you know proceeds from all Viva Glam products go towards MAC AIDS fund to support those living with HIV and AIDS? Now I won’t feel so bad getting backups of this amazing lipstick.

6. Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Oil Free in Almond.

On days when I want to even out my skin tone more than usual, I reach for this instead of my usual foundation. Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturizers are well-known in the beauty universe, and rightly so. This one provides a heavier coverage than your regular tinted moisturizers, so it covers your minor imperfections while still letting your skin show through. I find the oil free formula is great for oily skin like mine and it has never broken me out. This was a great buy!

5. MAC Hipness Blush.

This has become my default blush. The almost-matte coral is incredibly flattering on any complexion. It’s not the most pigmented blush I have, but it can be built up to a super intense colour when layered. The nice thing about Hipness is that it works with a warm look as well as cool colours. So if someone were to ask me which one blush I would take with me on a deserted island — obviously this someone is not in their right mind! — I would definitely pick my Hipness blush. Because we’re tight like that.

4. Dior Addict Shine Eau de Toilette.

This is the latest addition (I almost typed addiction, ha!) to my small perfume collection. I like to switch to a lighter scent in the summer months and this is what I’ve been wearing this scent all summer long. I’m not fluent in perfume-speak, but it smells like a fresh floral on me. It starts off more citrusy, but as it wears through the day, it begins to smell like a fresh field of flowers. It is always a nice surprise whenever I catch a whiff of this scent. It is summer in a bottle.

3. Annabelle Zebra Bronzing Powder in Haute Gold.

What a great bronzer and a great price! Everyone I know who has used this — fair and tan — shares my love for this bronzer. Fact: I totally cracked up when some Glitter Geek readers were fooled into thinking I wasn’t wearing bronzer in my original review. I looked like I had naturally glowing skin like I’m not wearing any makeup. That is all.

2. Pure + simple All Natural SPF 30 for Oily/Impure Skin.

I don’t know why I haven’t yet posted a review on this, but it has seriously saved my face from those horrible itchy patches I got last summer. It’s a physical sunscreen, which means that I look like a powder-face geisha after I put it on, but it works. On most days I just wear my MAC Mineralized Skin Finish Natural (Medium Dark) over it and everything looks as it should. Non-greasy and doesn’t smell revolting. It can be found at Pure + simple spas in the Greater Toronto Area or online.

1. Cover FX ClearPrep FX Matte Foundation Primer and Anti-Acne Treatment Gel.

My favourite primer continues to save my face from turning into a greaseball every day I wear it. It is pricy, but if you have oily skin and think there is nothing out there that’ll help you, you should really give this ClearPrep FX a try. And normal to dry skinned beauties, be not afraid! I didn’t find ClearPrep FX to be drying, either. I tell everyone about it, so tell your friends!

Now That I’ve Shared Mine, What Are Your Go-To Products This Summer?

Disclosure: The bronzer was sent to me for review, and I bought everything else. Wow, that’s a lot of new products!

Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge Turns Makeup Newbies into Pros.

June 19, 2010 | 18 Responses

I have used the Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge ($8.99 at Target) several times now. I can wholeheartedly say that it has now surpassed my aDesign pointed foundation brush as my preferred tool for “putting on my face.”

Quick Sponge Tutorial for the Newbies.

Because it is such an unfamiliar tool to many (including me, I had to look this one up), here’s a little bit about how I use this.

Before application, I dampen the sponge by either
- running it under water and squeezing the excess,
- spritzing it with water until damp, or
- spritzing it with MAC Fix+ Rose
I place some liquid foundation or tinted moisturizer on the back of my hand, and pick it up with the round end of the sponge.
After dotting on blobs all over my face, I then swirl it all over my face. There is no real technique to how I do this; it is usually just a “spread here, swirl there” ordeal.
For concealer: I apply it to my under eye area first, and then use the pointed end to blend it out.

I find that spritzing with MAC Fix+ Rose produces the best dewy finish, and so that’s how I like to use mine.

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy.

Maybe it’s because the damp sponge allows a sheerer application of face products, but this is makes foundation application a breeze. With a traditional foundation brush, my foundation starts off streaky and I have to work it around to blend. The blending sponge minimizes the need for blending out streakiness.

The finish I get with this is flawless. If I don’t get a desired coverage with one pass, I can keep on layering my foundation without looking caked on. Also if I use just my fingers, I have a tendency to overuse my theBalm Time Balm concealer under my eyes that cause some creasing. I have yet to experience this when I’m using my Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge.

Amazing eh? However…

You Dirty Thing!

One drawback to using this and any other foundation sponge is that it gets dirty. And I’m not just talking about a dirty surface, but it gets soiled deep within. It’s probably okay if you’re a diligent brush washer (can you wash mine too?). But if you’re a lazy girl like me, you’ll probably wash it every 2 days, so then you end up with this:

This photo makes me so sad! So unsexy!

I’ve tried a few things to wash the sponge.

Baby shampoo? Still dirty.
Quo Brush Cleaner? Still dirty.
The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Cleanser + Baby shampoo? Still dirty.
Sunlight Dishwashing Detergent? Hells yeah baby!

In the several weeks that I have been using it, the sponge hasn’t yet crumbled during or after washing.

The Low Down

If you love liquid foundation, you will fall in love even more after using it with the Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge. I think this is an amazing tool for someone who is looking to perfect their face makeup application. It is absolutely fool-proof and you’ll love the results. If you’re lazy like me, I would pick up two. I know I will buy another when I’m back at Target in Buffalo, NY. Rating: A+.