Thursday, January 2, 2014

product spotlight // battle of the concealers

I recently splurged on something I swore I never would.  $70 for a concealer seemed a little absurd, but the more I heard about the Clé de Peau concealer, the more I just had to have it.   I have tried concealer after concealer after concealer (try me.) and the Cle de Peau was the one left lingering.  I bit the bullet and purchased it in shade "beige" (I was color matched with this shade previously.  It has warmer undertones in it, which are what you should look for when trying to cover the blue in under eye circles.).  It came in, I tried it for about a week, and I really liked it.  
Was I a little underwhelmed with such a high priced item?  Yes, probably.  Mainly because it has been hyped without end and I expected a miracle.  Did I try different ways of applying it?  Yes.  I applied it with a brush and also with my fingertips.  The latter seemed to work best because the warmth of your finger helps to spread the product evenly.  Are there better products?  Probably... which brings me to the next product worth mentioning.

The more I used the Clé de Peau, the more it reminded me of a concealer I had used in the past - MAC Studio Finish (shade NW125). Now, before I get into the specifics, let's do a little comparison at first glance.  Cle de Peau is $70 for .17oz.  Mac Studio finish is $18 for .24oz. (it would cost $99 to get that much of the Cle de Peau!).  But let's not dwell on my price antics.  I would gladly pay the $70 for the more expensive option if it promised to cover my under eye circles like no other. 
To put the two concealers to the ultimate test, I used the Cle de Peau under one eye and the MAC Studio Finish under the other.  I wanted to test a few things; longevity, color match, and texture.

After one full day at work and the gym, I even quizzed Brandon and asked him which under eye area looked better.  At first he looked at me like I was crazy, but when I made him look really reallly hard, he chose the MAC Studio Finish side.  I agreed.  Here are my findings.  The color match of the MAC was so much better - so much brighter.  This is attributed to the fact that MAC has so many shades to choose from and the Cle de Peau has what, four or five?  Second, I found that the under eye area on the MAC side was much smoother and natural looking.  The side with the Cle de Peau had formed uneven patches (the color was consistent, but the texture was rough in areas).  The only factor the Cle de Peau won out on was longevity.  I did find that more of it was left under my eye than the MAC under the other eye.  But not too noticeably different.


In summary, I had such high hopes for the Cle de Peau concealer, but it let me down.  On my skin - to cover those stubborn under eye circles, the MAC Studio Finish is a much better option (I don't really use concealer anywhere else on a daily basis).  I used it years ago and don't know why I ever left it sitting in the corner of my makeup case collecting dust.  I've now returned to the bright side and can honestly say it is my favorite under eye concealer.  Hands down.

Before I go, I must say that the application of both concealers is key.  Use your fingers to warm the product up.  Apply it in light patting motions.  Build up thin layers - don't try to gob it on all at once.  This will look much more natural.  Also-  these opinions are my own.  What works for me may not work for you.  The Cle de Peau has been voted Best Concealer so many years in a row for a reason. Just because it didn't impress me doesn't mean it won't knock your socks off.

12 comments:

  1. So glad I read this! Had been contemplating the CdP and currently use MAC--I'll save my pennies, thanks!

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  2. I love and swear by the MAC Studio Finish concealer! It works great for concealing blemishes but I do find it's a little too heavy for under my eyes..

    xo,
    Sincerely Miss Ash

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    1. I apply it VERY thinly under my eyes - same as I did for the Cle de Peau. Building up the thin layers keeps it from being too heavy. I love it!

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  3. I love when I "rediscover" a favorite makeup that has been hiding in plain site. I also love how Brandon played along with your comparison what a good sport!

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  4. I recently 'rediscovered' my MAC concealer as well! Nothing like an old standby :)

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  5. I love my CdPb and usually swear by it for my under eye circles (I don't use foundation so it's just this every day) but now you've made me want to try out MAC!

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  6. I'm addicted to that MAC under eye concealer - have been using it steadily for 6 years now and have converted multiple friends to it too! The beauty SAs always say that it's too heavy for the under eye and try to steer me to the wand concealers - but the heaviness is what appeals to me - it covers up and brightens like no other...and more importantly - it stays there!

    One of my main tricks to using it is to make sure and apply eye cream before I use it - otherwise it makes the skin look flaky and dry.

    So glad you reviewed the Cle De Peau - I always thought it was worth trying - good to know that I'm not missing out :-)

    MY BLOG: ♥♥♥ Ella Pretty ♥♥♥

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  7. I will have to try the MAC concealer. Have you tried Laura Mercier's under eye corrector?? It is pretty amazing as well! I used to use Bobbi Brown's and switched to LM b/c it looked and felt significantly better. I swear if there were plastic surgery for dark circles, it is hands down the 1 plastic sx I would pay for!

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  8. Have you ever tried La Mer's concealer? It is a miracle worker...and it is in the 70buck range.

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  9. I love the clu de peau and while it is expensive mine lasts me a full year. But now you have me wanting to try Mac's version. I used to use Mac products all the time and for some reason I have veered away but now I need to try them out again. Great post love the comparison as I am always looking for new make-up tips!

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  10. I need to try this concealer!

    I have probably tried so many concealers over the years. I hate my undereye circles. Even when I cover them, I notice them (no one else might not, but I do). People have thought I was anemic- I am not! People also thought I did meth because of them and because I'm skinny--I don't do drugs. After I heard that, I probably went out and spent $100 worth of undereye products. All the ones I have tried are ehh.. I need to look into Mac.

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  11. SO happy to read this review, I've been considering buying Cle de Peau, but just didn't know if it was worth it or not. Thank you for the review, definitely going to check out the MAC concealer - currently using Make Up Forever, and I do like it as well.

    XO

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