Must Haves: Top 5 Concealers!

Cover Up Dark Circles & Blemishes!

Concealer is one of the products that I MUST have, once I run out I rush to my nearest drugstore to get more. I suffer from really dark under eye circles so concealer is my best friend. I wouldn't mind leaving the house with a bare face unless I wear a bit of concealer. Now that we've established how important this product is to me (haha!) I wanted to share my Top 5 Concealers that have helped me a lot throughout the years. Whether its dark circles or blemishes taking over my face these have performed so well at covering my imperfections. It's the best way to get that boost of confidence to face the world! :-)

Mac Pro Longwear Concealer in NW20-  This is the best concealer to cover your dark circles! I tried so many concealers before but nothing compares to this one. And... it makes me twitch just saying it because it's pretty pricey, $19 each but totally worth it! Its a lightweight formula with full coverage which is why I love it. It covers you dark circles completely with looking like too much. I use my Beauty Blender sponge to apply it for a more natural look. They have a bunch of shades and undertones to choose from so you'll definitely find the right shade for you. It has a pump which is a HUGE plus but beware; lightly push down on the pump to get just enough concealer. If not, too much will come out and you'll end up wasting product.

NYX Concealer Wand in Light- This concealer is great for someone on a budget. It's medium to full coverage so it's the perfect formula for under eye circles. It's about $5 at your local drugstore and they also have a nice range of shades. It has a doe foot applicator so application is a breeze. It's not thick at all so you don't have to worry about it looking too obvious.

E.L.F Studio HD Lifting Concealer in Brightening- So here's a concealer that I use everyday! I recommend this one in a heartbeat! It's only $3(50% with a coupon code!) on eyeslipsface.com and it's the perfect concealer to make your under eyes looks bright. It's a creamy opaque yellow based concealer that counteracts dark spots/dark circles. I wouldn't recommend to use it alone because it doesn't provide enough coverage but it's the perfect topper to your daily concealer. I apply it on the area that's closest to the higher points of my cheeks and it works perfectly! It's a key point to my makeup routine!

CoverGirl truBLEND Concealer in Light 5 6 7- This is the perfect concealer to cover up redness! On days that I just want to use a powder foundation for a more natural look I use this concealer to cover up the redness around my nose. It also works for spot concealing any blemishes! It lasts all day too! I don't like to use it under my eyes because even though it's a creamy formula, it's on the drier side so it makes my eye area look like it needs some moisture. This one will cost you about $6-8 at your local drugstore.

L.A. Girl Pro Concealer in Natural-  L.A Girl is a very affordable brand so it never really crossed my mind to try their products before. Normally we associate cheap with bad but this concealer is really amazing! Its about $2-$3 at your local beauty supply store and has dozens of shades to choose from. It has a brush tip application which is perfect for control. You just squeeze out the right amount each time without having to worry about wasting product. It's also a light weight formula providing more of a medium coverage. It's the most creamy out of all the ones I mentioned and covers really well. It's comparable to a higher end concealer from Makeup Forever so definitely give this one a try!

So these are my Top 5 Concealers! If you have any other recommendations feel free to leave a comment down below!

Dupe Alert: Drugstore Versions Of Mac Lipsticks!

As Close As It Gets!

So today I wanted to show you guys a few dupes I found for some of my favorite Mac Lipsticks! If there's anything I would always see myself purchasing it would have to be Mac Lipsticks. I don't know what it is... maybe the sleek packaging or just how GOOD the lipstick smells haha. But since they're $15 each it gets super pricey super fast. My method is: buy the Mac lipstick once but find a drugstore dupe of it so you have a back up once you run out. So I wanted to find some duplicates for you guys (within my collection) so you can decide if you should just purchase the drugstore one to save some money! Now... there's many definitions for the term "Dupe". For me, I consider a dupe to be a product that is super identical in color compared to the original. It might have a different finish or texture but the color is the same. I'll go ahead and show you the original and the dupe on my lips so you can see for yourself how close they are! I'll actually be wearing both lipsticks on my lips so its easy to compare; Mac will be on the bottom lip and the dupe on the top! ( Except for the honorable mention!)

Lets begin!

 Mac Heroine & Revlon Matte Balm in Shameless

Heroine is such a beautiful color! It's a bold purple color which isn't too common at the drugstore so I was super excited to find a dupe for it. Heroine is a Matte lipstick and so is Shameless. They are very similar in texture. Shameless is just a pinch darker than Heroine but it you apply it with a lighter hand you wont notice the difference. Shameless is about $6-7 at your local drugstore.

Mac Craving & Milani Color Statement Lipstick in Plumrose

Craving is one of my favorites lipsticks because it's such a nice neutral plum color. I was a tad upset because the camera and lighting washed it out a bit. *Sigh* I'm working on it! haha.  The color does appear a bit darker on the lips and its so beautiful. Craving is an Amplified finish so it's creamy but still has wonderful lasting power and pigmentation. Plumrose is identical in texture. They both leave your lips with a nice shine and they both smell amazing! Plumrose is about $5-6 at your local drugstore or you can also order from Milanicosmetics.com.

Mac Plumful & Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain in Cranberry Crush

Plumful is one of my most worn lipsticks from Mac! I find that on a day that I don't know what to wear I always end up using this one. It's a Lustre finish which is sheer and glossy. It's a color that you can build up but doesn't really last too long since it is so glossy. Cranberry Crush is super similar in colors. They're both a wearable plum shade that isn't as dark as Craving so it's perfect for everyday. The Jordana option does leave a stain behind once the shine fades so it will last a lot longer than the Mac lipstick. Cranberry Crush is about $3-$4 at your local drugstore. I mainly see them at Walgreens and Kmart.

Mac Twig & Wet n Wild Lipstick called In the Flesh

Everyone needs that perfect nude color and Twig is mine! I really don't like those concealer nudes so I find that this one is perfect for me. It leans more brown which I love. It's a Satin finish which means it's a more of a matte color without being drying. The Wet n Wild shade is super similar! It's close in color and also texture. I'd say that In the Flesh is a bit more drying on the lips to the point where you need to tug a bit to when using it. But... its only $2-$3 so you save so much money when choosing the drugstore version!

 

Mac Vegas Volt & ELF Moisturizing Lipstick in Coral Cutie

This color makes me hate the winter time! haha. It's perfect for spring and summer and I'm so excited to wear it! Vegas Volt is new to my Mac collection and I was happy to find such an affordable dupe for it since I plan on wearing it very frequently. It's a bright coral shade with an Amplified finish. This color is super pigmented and creamy, it's just so smooth on the lips! Coral Cutie from ELF is just the same! I have a review on these ELF lipsticks so definitely check it out if you're wanting to know more about them or see some swatches. These ELF lipsticks feel amazing on! I would recommend them any day! They're only $3 on Eyeslipsface.com and $1.50 if you find a 50% off coupon code. You can't go wrong with that!

Mac Riri Woo & NYX Butter Lipstick in Mary Janes (Honorable Mention)

Alright....I have to admit that Riri Woo was an impulse buy! haha. I really thought it looked cool and since I wanted to add a red lipstick to my collection I thought this one would be perfect. The color is super pretty, a bright blue based red. But it's so hard to apply and so drying on the lips. It's a Retro Matte finish which is my least favorite finish. As you can see in the picture, my top lip looks so dry! I decided to include it in the post anyway because I found an alternative for it that I like even better. Mary Janes is also a blue based red and goes on super creamy! It's such a delight to apply that I rather use this one rather than the actual Mac lipstick! They are not alike in texture or finish at all. They're just really similar in color. Mary Janes is about $6 so it's a really great deal for a nice red shade. If you weren't able to get Riri Woo when it launched don't sweat it. I kinda regret buying it and Mary Janes is such a better option!

 

So these are the dupes that I have for you guys today! I hope you guys enjoyed and if you have any of your own dupes please leave them below as a comment. I'd love to know the less expensive alternatives for your favorite Mac Lipsticks! :-)