Kate Stick Concealer

kate stick concealer was my second concealer. maybe my third. this was a repurchase not because i think it's absolutely the best i've ever had, but simply because it worked fine for me. this is one of those purchases i did a long time ago before i know much about make up.

IN A NUTSHELL
1. not the most creamy concealer
2. light to medium coverage, may cake if too much product is used
3. brightens pretty well
4. good for spot concealing
5. can be used for concealing dark circles if the shade was darker


this is the old packaging where the inner metal tubing is silver. the newer ones are black, and seems to be made of plastic.

the cap is held loosely by a little wedge on the plastic case, which will wear down over time. pretty soon, the cap will just fall off freely.


there are two shades available, i've gotten the shade "light beige".


image source: kate official website
the other shade is "natural beige" and is slightly darker than what i've got.

this stick concealer is meant to cover slight blemishes and dark circles naturally, according to the official website.


swatched on the back of my hand, a comparison of the unblended and blended product under different lighting.

light beige is a light peach shade that brightens my skin pretty decently. it blends out to give a matte finish.

IMHO

the coverage of the concealer is light to medium, while the texture leans on the drier side despite being creamy enough to blend. it's not the creamiest concealer i've owned (the canmake is probably much more blendable), but its texture gives the product a little more coverage than my other concealers. but i will caution against using it heavily as it tend to build up quickly.

it does crease under my eye, as with all the other concealers. it does last me throughout my day when i set it with a powder. i don't feel like it accentuate dryness, nor make my eye area look dry.

the lightness in shade makes it perfect for brightening of the face instead of actual concealing of flaws. if i were to use this under my eyes, it may make my dark circles appear ashy/greyish. however, if i pair it with a darker concealer with a peachy tone, the two will work perfectly to conceal my dark circles.

i think the formula will work very well for people who require spot concealing to cover up small blemishes on the face, as the drier texture allows the concealer to cling onto the skin better. i've had success in covering up small red spots with the help of a small brush.

all in all, i seldom use it for concealing my under eye area ever since i bought other concealers, because i usually use either my sonia kashuk hidden agenda palette or my canmake colorstick, both of which are easier to blend. for spots, i'll reach out for this stick concealer because it formula seems to fit my needs.

i bought this for about HKD$60 many years ago.

Canmake Color Stick Concealer (09 Skin Beige) Swatch and Review

in an attempt to search for another concealer that can perform what the sonia kashuk hidden agenda concealer is doing for me, i picked this up when it was on sale at a sasa event. i got this for $5!

IN A NUTSHELL:
1. lightweight, creamy and super blendable
2. light to medium coverage for natural look
3. colour most suitable for hiding dark circles
4. not long wear formula, but stayed on for at least 6 hours on my skin with a proper foundation and setting powder

read on if you'll like more details.


the tube is in a colour that's similar to the content - a slightly darker beige with orange undertones.


on the tube it did suggest that this colour is meant for covering dark circles, and it has a natural skin colour.


swatched on bare skin, the left side is unblended while the right side is blended out slightly.

09 is a dark peach colour.

IMHO

the coverage isn't full coverage, in fact it sheers out quite a lot after blending into the skin thanks to the lightweight formula. the coverage is buildable although i won't recommend it as this is a very creamy product, the chances of it creasing and enhancing the lines around the eyes are very high.

what i like most about this product is its colour and spreadability. it is lightweight and creamy at the same time - making it very easy to sheer out. the colour is very suitable for covering dark circles under my eyes, i'm not sure if it's because of the slight orange tone (which isn't that obvious once it's on my skin), i think it's most probably due to the slightly darker colour that made it work better than the brightening concealers i own.

the best way to use this concealer is to layer it over a brightening foundation. brightening foundations tend to make the under eye area look greyish, this concealer will return some natural skin tone to the area to make the dark circle less glaring, what you get is a very natural look at the end of the day - no more tired look eyes, but people won't be able to notice that something is weird because this lightens the appearance of dark circle instead of eradicating it altogether.

as the consistency of the concealer is thin, don't expect it to work wonders like achieving full coverage.

this is not a long wear formula, so it's best to set it with a powder after using. to prevent creasing, it's best to use just a thin layer of it.

i'm really surprised at its blendability as my experience with drugstore concealers told me they tend to be slightly stiffer and thicker. this defied my expectations. now, if only it's more pigmented..

i purchased this for SGD$5 when it was on sale.

Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Concealer Palette 07 (Swatch and Review)

look at that concealer hitting pan and you know how much i use this concealer. well, to be fair, i only have one concealer palette that contains that much loved peachy colour that i really need (for my under eye circles), that's why it's the first to hit pan.

sonia kashuk is an american brand that's sold exclusively in target. i got this from an online seller. i think i saw this product on lisa elridge's video. looking at their price tag and packaging, i thought it suited my needs and wants very well!


i got it in 07, it's the lighter palette out of the two (08 is darker) colour choices.


the top two are concealers, while the bottom left is the "neutralizer" shade (with a tinge of green), the bottom right is a translucent powder.


swatched on the back of my hand:

the top left is a very fair cream shade,
the top right is a darker peach colour,
the bottom left is a light greenish shade,
while the bottom right is indeed a translucent powder.


IMHO:
let's talk about the coverage first, since this is a concealer after all. the coverage is medium for a concealer - after blending out the product sheers out, so it's necessary for me to use about two layers of the darker peach to colour correct my dark circles before using the brightening shade (top left) to brighten my undereye area.

the formula is very creamy and blends very easily. it does crease, so it's important to not use too much products. i always set it with a thin layer of powder.

i find the green neutralizer shade (bottom left) very useful for covering red spots that i do have occasionally.

i seldom use the translucent powder because i don't have a fluffy brush that's small enough to fit the pan size yet.

i really enjoy using this concealer palette because it contains everything that i need - all in one place! i can't comment much on the lasting power since i don't usually pay attention to it, but i suppose it probably stays on my skin pretty well since i don't notice the case of the missing concealer after the entire day. just don't expect it to have magical staying powers considering it's a creamy product. it does crease under my eyes due to a case of lines, then again, what product doesn't? (actually, a thin layer of revlon colorstay foundation seem to be the only magical item i've tried so far).

the only draw back: it's hard to get hold of. it cost USD10 in america, but by the time it's in my hands it's SGD28. :( i've seen alternative concealer palettes before, i'll give them a try next time. actually, i just need that dark peach colour to cover my dark circles :P

IN A NUTSHELL:
1. medium coverage, can be built up
2. creamy formula, will crease.
3. convenient palette that can cover up any blemishes
4. not a long lasting formula, but stays put on my face after setting with a powder
5. crease lesser when used over colorstay foundation.