Three Things Thursday 4-02-15

Hello Lovelies, welcome to Three Things Thursday! This is a new feature that I'm trying out,  where I give you a little scoop on three things I'm loving each week! Let me know what you think about it :)

The three things I'm loving most this week are:


Benefit Fake Up Concealer

Source

 I received a sample of this from my sister, and then another in one of my subscription boxes, and I can't stop using it! Fake Up is touted as an "ultra-hydrating crease-control concealer" infused with  vitamin E and apple seed extract. It claims to cover dark circles and diffuse fine lines for a "silky smooth, ultranatural look...that won’t cake, crease, or settle". This concealer comes in three shades, light, medium and deep, and I use light. I love this concealer because it actually lives up to most of its claims: it's super hydrating, it covers up dark circles (disclaimer: mine dark circles are not that bad, so I cannot say how it will work on more noticeable dark circles), and it does not settle into the fine lines under my eyes. However, I do have to go super light on the setting powder when I use it, because it does look a bit cakey when powder is applied too heavily on top. Some days I even skip setting it because IMO it doesn't really need to be set. It has a slightly dewey finish, but that is fine by me since that finish is what seems to diffuse the fine lines. Even though I have oily skin, my undereyes tend to become a bit dry, so this concealer really helps to eliminate that. I swipe a little bit under each eye, tap it in with my finger or a Beauty blender, and I am good for the day! Surprisingly, the tiny samples I have are lasting me quite a while, but this is an item I will definitely be purchasing a full size of!

Infatuated: NYX Dark Circle Concealer

Hi Lovelies!

Infatuated is a new series in which I will tell you about a product that I am either currently obsessed with, or that I use regularly and couldn't live without.

I've been having trouble with darkness around my eyes lately, and have been on the hunt to find a product that will cover up the blue tones without looking cakey or fading away. My darkness is not in the traditional under-eye area - oh no, nothing can every be "normal" when it comes to me - but in the inner eye area, where my eye meets the bridge of my nose. This is a tricky area to cover, as it is hard to reach and it is an area that is often in shadow.  At this point, you may be asking yourself: what's a girl to do? Enter: NYX Dark Circle Concealer.

NYX Dark Circle Concealer, $6.00

One day, when I was at Ulta looking at expensive solutions to my problem, my friend suggested I try the NYX Cosmetics Dark Circle Concealer. It had the main component I was looking for - orange/peach undertones that cancel out the blue tones of my dark circles. At $6 it was much better priced than the majority of products I was considering, so I figured I had nothing to lose, and lots of brightness to gain!

One of the many fabulous things about this product is that it does not have just one universal shade that is supposed to be flattering for all skin tones but really only works for one; oh no, the Dark Circle Concealer comes in 4 shades: fair, light, medium, and deep. This means that almost anyone with dark circles can get the help they deserve! I use the shade light, and it is a perfect match for me.

Before - note the blue discoloration on the inner corners of my eyes

After using NYX Dark Circle Concealer on the inner corners only - the blue is gone!

Now, there are many peach colored concealers out there developed to cover the dreaded under eye circles, such as It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Corrector, $29 and Eve Pearl Salmon Concealer, $39. I've heard wonderful things about these products and I am sure that they are amazing (I do intend to try them out myself, just to compare, and I will let you know what I think); however, if it comes down to paying $6 or $39, and the $6 product does the trick, you know which product I'm choosing!

Fully concealed eye

My current eye concealer routine is to dab the NYX Cosmetics Dark Circle Concealer on my inner corners and pat in with my finger or a small brush (the E.L.F. Flawless Concealer Brush is awesome for this). Next I apply Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Concealer in the shade light on my under eyes and blend, followed by Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil to set everything in place; this is a super fine, light powder that does not crease under my eyes, and I highly recommend it for this area.

Another example of a completed eye

 I want to note that I only apply the peach colored concealer to my inner eyes, where the darkness is the deepest. NYX Cosmetics Dark Circle Concealer is pretty thick, sort of like a creamy paste, and because of this it is able to fully cover the circles and last throughout the day. However, my dark circles are not too bad directly under my eyes, so if I can get away with a concealer that is lighter in coverage,  then that is what I do. I know people who use the product underneath their entire eye and get great coverage without the cakey look, so do what works best for you. Keep in mind that a little goes a long way with this product, so apply sparingly and build up to the desired coverage.

Eh, just one more example of what my eye looks like after I'm all made up!

I am loving NYX Cosmetics Dark Circle Concealer - I think just adding that little bit of brightness to my darkest area makes a huge difference! I use this every single day, and I would die  go into a black void never to return be so lost without it!

Do you have problems with dark circles? What do you use to keep the darkness at bay?

Thanks for reading - live a beautiful life!

~Jessica