Happy Friday, everyone! We're kicking off the holiday weekend, and I'm super excited. Just a heads-up, there's a sale happening over at Nikol Cosmetics, which was announced to my newsletter subscribers this morning. If you're not on the list, you might miss out on first notifications for sales and new launches. My newsletter is curated and intentional, so you get the right information without being spammed. It's a great way to get content you won't find on YouTube, my blog, or Instagram.
Today, we're trying out a makeup tutorial featuring a four-dollar concealer that actually works. It offers medium to full coverage and long-lasting wear. I've been on the hunt for affordable products that perform well, because honestly, if it doesn't work, it's a waste of money, no matter the price.
First, I'm applying a little Vitamin E lip treatment to keep my lips hydrated. When I start these videos with no makeup, I always notice my pigmentation. It really seemed to start around 2020, and I'm just going to blame it on that year!
Prepping the Skin
I'm starting with the Bobbi Brown Face Base, a really nice moisturizing primer. It's packed with essential oils and smells like orange, which I love. It gives a great moisturizing base without being greasy or slippery – that's a big deal for me. Makeup needs to look radiant and stay put, not slide around.
Next, I'm using the Bye Bye Under Eyes Serum. It's an advanced wrinkle smoothing concentrate. While the "anti-aging" term is still on packaging, we're all about being pro-aging here. We just want to enhance and help our skin look its best. I always show you real skin, imperfections and all.
Now, for sunscreen. I'm using the Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40. It's completely transparent, which is great if you don't like that white cast. It feels velvety and glides on beautifully. It is a chemical sunscreen, so if you prefer mineral, I also love the La Roche-Posay SPF 50 Mineral Serum. It's a beautiful, serum-like option.
Eye Makeup First
I always do my eye makeup before my foundation. It just makes sense to me. I'm using an eye primer to even out the pigmentation on my lids, from the lash base all the way to the brow bone. This brightens things up and makes you look more rested. It neutralizes blues, reds, and discoloration, which is especially helpful for my fair skin where everything shows.
Key Takeaways
- Always prime your eyelids to create a smooth, even base for eyeshadow.
- Doing eye makeup first allows for easy cleanup of fallout or mistakes without disturbing foundation.
- Cream eyeshadows can offer a beautiful, radiant finish that melts into the skin.
I have a few cream eyeshadows I love. The Tom Ford Cream Color & Highlighting Duo in Opal (a champagne) and Platinum (a soft taupey bronze) are lovely. I also have the Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise in Pillow Talk (rosy bronze) and Chocolate Bronze. And the Chanel Stylo Ombre et Contour in New Moon is a great topper for a subtle sparkle.
Today, I'm layering the Tom Ford Opal and Platinum. Opal gives a beautiful, lighter wash of color. Then, I'll add Platinum to the outer half of my lid for a bit more depth. These cream shadows are so easy to apply with your finger and they just melt into the skin, giving a radiant look. They're perfect for a quick, polished spring or summer eye. You can add liner if you want, but they look great on their own.
The Star: The $5 Concealer
Now, for the main event: the Wet n Wild Incognito Concealer. It's about five dollars and offers mega-lasting, matte, medium to full coverage. It's still lightweight and blendable, with no detection, meaning it shouldn't be visible even in bright light. It contains shea butter, licorice root extract, and mango seed butter, making it creamy and richly pigmented.
I picked up two shades: Light Beige and Light Honey. Light Beige is what I've been working with. I apply it in a triangle shape under my eyes and down the sides of my nose. It feels creamy and provides good coverage without being heavy. Light Honey seems a bit warmer. I'm blending it out with a buffing brush, and it works beautifully. It feels nice on the skin, not greasy or slippery.
This concealer can also be used as a highlighter (go one to two shades lighter) or contour (go one to two shades darker). That's a great bonus!
For spring and summer, I'm going to try using this concealer as my foundation. I'll spot treat areas of hyperpigmentation and any blemishes. I'm using the Light Beige shade and stippling it onto the areas that need coverage, like around my nose and on my chin. It evens everything out and gives a lightweight finish. This is perfect for humid climates like South Florida, where heavy foundation just melts off. It's surprising how well a concealer can work as a foundation, and this one is doing a better job than some foundations I've tried.
Finishing Touches
I'm applying Palm Beach Cream Blush to my cheeks for a pop of color. The cream formula works nicely over the concealer base. My skincare routine is what allows me to get away with this lighter coverage; I work hard on exfoliating, using Vitamin C, and wearing sunscreen.
For mascara, I'm using Chanel Mascara. The wand is beautiful, and it's important to find a mascara you love, rather than just buying into hype.
I'm also using the Chanel Stylo Ombre et Contour in shade 20, not as a blush, but as a soft bronzer to add a little dimension. It's very velvety and blends nicely.
To set the concealer, especially in this climate, I'm using a translucent pressed powder under my eyes. It's lightweight and doesn't add extra weight or color.
For lips, I'm lining with Graceful Waterproof Lip Liner. Then, I'm applying Revlon Lipstick in Pink in the Afternoon, which is famously the shade Audrey Hepburn wore in Breakfast at Tiffany's. It's more of a peachy pink. Finally, I'm topping it off with Champs Lip Gloss for a little extra shine.
To set my makeup, I'm using the Supergoop Defense Refresh SPF 40. I used to sell this in my studio years ago; it was a top seller. It works as a makeup setting spray, a refresher, and an SPF. It's great for reapplying sunscreen throughout the day, especially when you're already wearing makeup.
My hair is a bit wild from being clipped up last night, but that's okay for the holiday weekend! I'm really enjoying this simple, polished look, especially using a five-dollar concealer as my foundation. It's beautiful and I'm thrilled with how it turned out. Until next time!
