For the longest time I have been pining after these LA Girl Pro Concealers after seeing many rave reviews on YouTube and blogs. I have not come across this in any store here in the UK but you can purchase it online which is how I got my paws on it. I was not sure of what shades would suit me so I chose three shades based on some swatches and reviews I had read. I ordered it from BeautyJoint which ships internationally and it was affordable which is why I would definitely be repurchasing since I now know what shade suits me best.
Packaging
I have already mentioned how I am not a fan of the packaging on this post here. I just struggle to understand the thinking behind it. It comes in a small tube with a brush-like tip which is useful in spot application but I think it's a little messy. Personally, I find it difficult to dispense the product from the tube; sometimes I get a decent amount, sometimes none and other times too much. It's a bit of a hit and miss which for all we know it may just be my fault or maybe I have not learnt how to work it yet. Annoying packaging aside, the overall packaging is cute and travel friendly and the good thing is it comes in a clear/transparent tube so you can see what shade you need and the labelling is really good. I have some products that the inscriptions just fade off but this has remained intact which is good.
Formula/Coverage/Application
It has a pasty texture/formula but it's not too drying on the skin. I would say it sets really well and you can choose to further set it with a setting powder if you wish. I use it directly on my dark blemishes and blend it out. The brush-like tip helps target the application better and I blend it out with my Real Techniques Setting Brush. It is medium-full coverage concealer which pretty much covers any blemishes although you may need to build it up a little for really dark blemishes but for the most part, a little dab goes a long way and does the job well. In terms of longevity, it lasts for a pretty good while; I would say about six hours which is pretty good for a drug store or non-high end concealer. I tried using it as an under eye concealer and it was not great at all because I felt it was not moisturising enough and just looked very unflattering to me. I tried to work it in several ways but my under eyes were not having it at all.
Shades Purchased
Warm Honey: It is a peachy beige shade which is much lighter than my skin tone. I use this for highlighting my nose and cheek area. I tried using this under my eye as mentioned earlier but it just looked really dry so I use it exclusively to highlight the bridge of my nose and my forehead and it works really well that way.
Fawn: Fawn is a warm toned concealer with yellow undertones which is right up my alley. This is my favourite of the lot and it matches my skin perfectly and works well with my blemishes. I really like it. I use this around where I have blemishes and it sets and blends really well. Sometimes, I just blend it in with my fingers which helps warm up the product and improves its application. This is very handy on "No-Makeup" days as it evens out my complexion. I am on the verge of repurchasing these.
Toast: I was actually shocked at how dark this looked in person. It is a dark brown shade and I think it has neutral undertones which means it would suit many darker skinned ladies. I though I would not have any use for this...wrong. On application, it actually does not look too bad as it appears just slightly darker than my skin but looks okay when blended really well.. When I want a really, really flawless look, I use this on the darkest blemishes and then use the Fawn on top of it and trust me, you would think I was airbrushed...lol. I thought I could use it to contour as well but it was a fail as I am not very skilled in contouring so it's reserved for those dark naughty blemishes.
Cost/Where to Buy
I bought mine from Beauty Joint which is an online shop where they sell really nice cosmetics at an affordable price. Each one cost £1.50 or so which is roughly about $2.50. I think it's an amazing product for the price and shipping costs about $4 or so but all in all, I paid £9.50 for all three concealers including shipping which is really good. I am not sure where else they sell this in the UK apart from this website but I guess it may be sold on Ebay. Also, Beautyjoint has some discount codes (about 5%) not massive but every little helps so be sure to google for these codes which change frequently.
Personal Thoughts
Despite the dodgy packaging, I really like it because it offers good coverage, sets well and is inexpensive. Although it looks small (it is only 8g), it has lasted me for a while. I purchased this in June/July and it is still going on strong and I am definitely repurchasing although I would only buy the Fawn shade as it is my favourite. That's it folks!! Sorry the swatch pics were a bit blurry..better pix next time...See you in my next post...x
