Last year, Maybelline launched a camouflaging concealer called Master Conceal by FaceStudio (Camouflaging Concealer). Reviews of the concealer quickly surfaced online and because opinions have been so mixed, I decided to take the product for a test drive myself. As with any product, what works for one person may not work for all and this particular product is no exception. Concealer is used for a variety of reasons (i.e. to “conceal” blemishes, counteract discolourations, even out skin tone, etc.), so when choosing one for yourself, there are a number of important factors you’ll want to keep in mind. Ask yourself:
- What shade will work best with my skin tone?
- Do I want a liquid, stick, cream or colour-correcting product?
- Do I need light, medium or full coverage?
- Do I prefer a dewy or matte finish?
I use concealer mostly under my eyes (that’s where I need it most!) to mask unsightly darkness and signs of fatigue. I also use concealer to spot-treat issues that I have with hyper-pigmentation and discolouration. I usually don’t need it to conceal any acne or blemishes but I have used lighter colour variations for highlighting/brightening purposes as well.
Master Conceal is a fragrance-free concealer that comes in 5 different shades ranging from quite fair to medium deep. There is not an extensive shade range available so overall selection is a bit limited, especially if you have a darker skin tone. The concealer has a highly concentrated formula that comes in squeeze-tube packaging. A little of this product goes a long way so expect it to last you a very long time (making it a great value!). I would have to disagree with advertised claims, saying that this is a full-coverage concealer. It is closer to a medium coverage – if that at all. The good news is that you can build the coverage up to a fuller one without it looking cakey or creasing. The finish is beautiful…..very natural looking, creamy and easy to blend. When set with a powder, the product is long-wearing but I did experience the need to re-apply it on days that I just applied the concealer alone without setting it.
This concealer worked extremely well for me as an under eye concealer. None of the product settled into any creases or fine lines around my eyes and it covered what I needed it to cover. I loved the formula and the finish but wasn’t lucky enough to find a perfect shade match so I needed to combine #20 Light & #30 Light/Medium, which when mixed together created a shade lighter than my actual skin tone (choosing a shade lighter than your skin tone is recommended for under eye use). I also enjoyed using the lightest shade, #10 Fair as a spot highlighter.
Because coverage fades a few hours after application, I would strongly recommend using this product WITH a setting or finishing powder. Not only will this improve the concealer’s wear time but it will also prevent it from transferring if you have combination or oily skin. The only issue I have with this product is that it is not full coverage as advertised, but as mentioned previously, it is easy to build up to your desired coverage needs. Swatches pictured below are shown from L-R: #10, #20 & #30.
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