After my recent Tarte Shape Tape failure I wanted to write a review on a concealer that I really love - Clarins Instant Concealer.
Clarins is probably one of my favourite, if under-used, brands. I'm a huge fan of their Extra Comfort Toner - it's hydrating, softening and smells divine - Eau Dynamisante, Beauty Flash Balm, HydraQuench mask - the list goes on. It's a French brand that's been around since Jacques Courtin Clarins opened the first spa in Paris in 1954 - having a facial at the Clarins Spa in Paris is on my skincare bucket list!
Clarins products all have an understated luxury about them - they smell gorgeous, do exactly what they claim to and the packaging is simple and chic, which I far prefer to some of todays over-blown nonsense. It's the kind of brand that makes you feel grown-up and stylish when you use their products. They also have an emphasis on natural, plant-based ingredients which is fab.
I had this concealer a couple of years ago (I imagine the only reason I didn't repurchase was because in typical me fashion I was on the hunt for something new and more amazing) and recently when I realised that I couldn't go one more day using Shape Tape I found a sample of Instant Concealer in my samples stash. I quickly finished it and ordered a new one from FeelUnique.
So, the concealer.
'This skin-smoothing formula visibly conceals dark circles for a brighter, even and refreshed look throughout the day. Medium to full coverage'.
Typical of Clarins products the description is simple and straight to the point, no ridiculous claims or bells and whistles. And as I said, it does exactly what it claims to.
The formula is very creamy - and it is definitely medium to full coverage, which I love. Generally speaking I prefer a light to medium foundation/BB cream and a heavier concealer - this way I can conceal any problem areas while leaving my skin relatively natural on the areas that don't need much coverage. My skin is probably the best it's ever been at the moment, by no means perfect, and I prefer to only cover what I need to rather than coating my whole face. If you are someone that prefers a full coverage everywhere, you will probably love this too. The consistency is extremely blendable and doesn't set immediately, but has great staying power. The finish is natural with a tiny hint of glow. My undereye area can feel dry but I find this concealer to be quite hydrating. I've gotten full days coverage out of this concealer with no caking or creasing - 7/8 hours. One of my main gripes with other concealers is creasing - I have some fine lines under my eyes and a lot of concealers exaggerate them, by the end of the day I have huge crows feet and it's not a good look. This concealer doesn't do that, it doesn't disguise my fine lines but it doesn't exaggerate them either and the area under my eyes looks even and smooth - so I agree with the description of 'skin-smoothing' to some extent. I use this concealer with a brush for a more blended, lighter finish and with a sponge when I have extra darkness to hide. It doesn't move around throughout the day and I find that a quick dust of powder locks it in place. The shade range is maybe the only drawback as it is quite limited with only four shades. I bought No.1 which is the lightest and is perfect for my light/medium skin tone - it gives just enough brightness without that headlights on a dark road look that you see some people going for (if this is your thing this concealer won't be light enough for you. It's not my favourite look but that's only my opinion - as I say, you do you). No.2 is a lot darker, too dark for me even with a tan. The darkest No.4 would be too light for most darker skins, which is a shame.
You get 15ml of product which is standard, the packaging is great - a simple squeeze tube. I do like big doe foot applicators for under-eye concealers but at the same time they are really unhygenic, so this is just fine - you can control how much product you squeeze out.
This is definitely one of the best concealers I've used. I've tried to find a good drugstore price concealer and over the years have tried ones from Cattrice, Essence, Rimmel etc but honestly all of them pale in comparison to this one. I have however tried some nice Korean ones that are reasonably priced (Missha Under Eye Brightener, 4/5 dollars on BeautyNetKorea) but colour selection can be a problem as many of them are yellow based or too light.
If you are looking for a good coverage, natural finish, mid price concealer then I can't recommend this one enough - the price differs but it seems to be around 25-28 euros (I paid 28 on FeelUniqueFr)
What's your favourite concealer? I'm always looking for a new favourite!
Have a fab day everyone
A x
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