Celebrate Earth Day with Kiehl's: Label Art Series (to benefit Recycle Across America) & In-Store Extras/Samples & More!

 Affiliate Link Press Sample

Have you stepped into a Kiehl's store lately? Well, now is certainly the time! Kiehl's has a ton of fun stuff going on in honor of Earth Day: Their Limited Edition Label Art Series to benefit Recycle Across America, their ongoing in-store recycling program (extra perks for Earth Day!), complimentary products with purchases, and in-store facials! Check out the scoop below...

Here is the scoop:

Kiehl's is continuing their commitment to the environment with their seventh annual Limited Edition Label Art Series for Earth Day, this year, partnering with Elizabeth Olsen and Maggie Q, to benefit Recycle Across America.

In collaboration with artist/sculptor Fernando Mastrangelo, Elizabeth and Maggie have each designed a limited edition label depicting their vision of social responsibility for our .95 oz. Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado, which will be available April 14, in Kiehl’s stores and www.Kiehls.com/EarthDay. 100% of net profits, up to $50,000, from this series will benefit Recycle Across America™ (RAA). Amazing!!! The funds will be used to create 65,000 standardized recycling labels to 650 K-12 schools in the United States, to encourage and simplify recycling.

What is Recycle Across America?

RAA is not-for-profit organization dedicated to delivering society-wide solutions that eliminate public confusion, stimulate the environmental economy and expedite progress. I hope you’ll visit www.recycleacrossamerica.org to learn more!

Kiehl’s retail stores (find your nearest Kiehl’s store at www.kiehls.com/storelocator) will also be celebrating Earth Day with the following activities:

• Recycle & Be Rewarded!: From April 22 through April 26, at all Kiehl’s retail stores, customers can receive 5 stamps for every 1 Kiehl’s empty returned (normally, it’s 1 stamp per empty), AND customers who bring in an empty skincare jar or bottle from ANY brand will receive a deluxe sample of Kiehl’s skincare. That is so awesome!!! Typically, the Recycle & Be Rewarded program works by getting a stamp on a card for every empty you bring in. 10 Empty Kiehl's product bottles= 1 free product.

• Complimentary Lip Balm!: From April 14 through April 27, while supplies last, customers spending $65 or more will receive a complimentary Lip Balm #1. 
• 20-Minute Seated Facials & Dehydration Skin Tests: From April 22 through April 26, at all Kiehl’s retail stores, customers can experience a 20-minute pampering facial, and full healthy skin check, including skin analysis with Kiehl’s new Dehydration Analyzer Tool.

I know that I am super excited to try out the specially-packaged Creamy Eye Treatment for the Recycle Across America benefit! This buttery cream sounds amazing with the nutrients from and fatty acids found in Avacado are such effective moisturizers and a great gentle source of Vitamin A. Plus, the cream contains shea butter for extra moisture. Retails for $47.00.

Are you planning on stopping by Kiehl's for their Earth Day treats? Let me know if you do! :) This special edition Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado, which will be available tomorrow! Go check it out! 

Update:
I have been using this Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment for the past few weeks and have completely fallen in love with it! It is completely unlike any other eye cream that I have tried! The texture is really what makes it so unique. The cream's look and feel reminds me a lot of an ultra rich body butter in that it goes on super creamy but then completely melts into your skin. I love how this absorbs. My skin seems to just drink this cream right up! :) I find that I prefer to use this eye cream at night only since it does leave my eye area looking a little bit too dewy for daytime. I feel that in just a few weeks time, this eye cream has helped to plump my eye area and decrease the appearance of my fine lines. Plus, my skin around my eyes just feels super soft and hydrated and fresh. I am just in love with this eye cream and know it will be a staple product that I always return back to in-between other product testing (hey- I am a beauty blogger so I can't resist trying new things...but always love finding a product that I will always return to! ). 

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Benefit Gimme Brow: Tame those Unruly Brows!

 Press  Sample Affiliate Link/Referral Link Blogger Ambassador

My brows strugggle. Really. They are super thick, they constantly need trimming and plucking, and they never seem to naturally go in the right direction. Brow gels were invented for unruly brows like mine. So, when Birchbox asked me to review their new product Gimme Brow by Benefit, I was happy to try it out!

Benefit's Gimme Brow at Birchbox:

I love the ease of this brow gel! I use the light shade. While I am blonde, my brows are on the dark side. The light tint shade is a light cool-toned taupey-brown. Gimme Brow features a water-resistant fiber gel that adheres to both your skin and brow hair. It holds my brows in place very well and it gives them a nice tint, too.  The color looks very natural on and it seems to automatically "fill in" those sparse areas. Plus, I love that the brush is super small! I find that it is easy to control and very precise. The gel holds my brows in place all day without giving them an overly stiff feel like other brow gels tend to do.

Special Offer and GWP at Birchbox: 

This product retails for $22.00 in the Birchbox shop. Plus, this month, Birchbox subscribers get 50 extra Birchbox points when you purchase this product *and* if you enter the code BADGAL in at checkout you will also get a deluxe sample size BadGal mascara!

What do you do to tame your brows? Are you a brow gel user, too? If so, be sure to scope out Gimme Brow! :) I love it!!!

Falll 2012 Beauty Favorites!

Fall 2012 Beauty Favorites!
with OPI, Shiseido, Wet 'n Wild

It is time for a favorites post! I am so excited!!! I am especially excited because I am featuring the cute graphic above from Beautysets! Have you guys had a chance to play around with Beautysets yet? So fun! I hope to create more lists there!!!

In the past, I featured Monthly Favorites. In the future, I think I will fluctuate between monthly and seasonal favorites. It seems that I went a couple months where I was literally just using the same products. So, I skipped a few months in favor of doing a seasonal Fall Favorites post instead! I just don't want to be too repetative. With that said, if ya'll really want to read favorites posts here on a monthly basis. Please let me know! I would be happy to do it monthly if ya'll really love reading these types of posts.

There are a ton of products that I am *totally loving* right now. Some products I stumbled upon recently and some of them are long-term faves. Buckle in ya'll as this is a long list! I seriously love everything mentioned here!

If you are curious to find out what my Fall Favorite items are, please keep reading!

My Latest Sephora 500 Point Perk: BeneFit's Next Big Fling!

Oh how I love shopping perks! Ulta rewards points, GWPs, and Sephora Beauty Insider points...you get the idea. I don't know why, but there is something about "earning" these points that makes you just feel less "guilty" about spending money on high-end makeup. LOL, I am sure that this is the idea here! Regardless, I do appreciate that these companies reward their frequent shoppers. From a marketing standpoint, there is no doubt that it increases brand loyalty and certainly brings you back into the store.

For the Sephora Beauty Insider Points Perks, I tend to let those accumulate over time. Then, when there is a really good perk gift, I finally redeem them! It seems as if I have been waiting around forever for a really great 500 Point Perk gift. Every single time that I am at the Mall, I stop in Sephora and check out the 100 and 500 points perk gifts. Sure, I would probably stop into Sephora anyways since I am a makeup fan(atic)...but, there is no question that I have been stalking the 500 Points Perk Gifts! Well, I finally found "the one", the gift I had been waiting for, with BeneFit's "Next Big Fling" 500 Point Perk gift pack! Sure, Sephora usually has nice little deluxe samples; but, the 500 Points Perk gifts only seem to be "worth it" when they feature full-sized products from a personal favorite brand. I picked this up last month, so I am not sure if it is still available in stores.

BeneFit's "Next Big Fling" 500 Points Beauty Insider Perk:
Includes:

• Full Sized (I believe?) POREfessional Pro Balm
• They're Real Mascara (deluxe sample size)

I am so excited to try out both of these products! Actually, I have been using a small sample of BeneFit's POREfessional that my Mom made me (she is a huge fan of this product!). So far I have really liked it! I have huge pores. So, I need all the help I can get! Also, I have heard great things about the They're Real Mascara. So, I am super excited to try that too!

You guys might remember what I got when I redeemed my last 500 Points Perk? If not, then check that out that post here: Sephora Beauty Insider 500 Points Perk Gift. Hint: It was another gift pack from BeneFit!

Did any of ya'll redeem your points for this "Next Big Fling" BeneFit perk gift? Or have you tried these products? I would love to hear if you like them! What types of products do you usually hold out for when saving up your Beauty Insider points?

I purchased items at 
Sephora which allowed me
to get this free gift.

Get Good Karma with BeneFit's Hervana Blush

There is just something about a blush from BeneFit. The adorable packaging design, the clunky box container, the lovely scent of the product. Each BeneFit blush almost seems to have a personality. The box design evokes a feeling. My mood determines which BeneFit blush I might want to grab. Feeling natural or classic? Dandelion. Looking for the wow factor? Grab Bella Bamba. You get the idea. These blushes were designed to be worn and to be collected. So many blushes in my collection end up going out of use over time, collecting dust. Not my BeneFit blushes though. BeneFit blushes beg to be worn and loved. I *heart* all the blushes in my makeup collection reguardless of brand or price. But, all my blushes are not loved equally. Somehow my BeneFit blushes seem just a little bit more special. They just have that extra "something" that makes them stand out.

I have mentioned many times before that I am a "blush girl". Somehow blush seems to "do it" for me more than almost any other type of makeup. Blush is my next-to last step when I am getting ready. It is the step that makes me go "ahh, now thats more like it! I'm ready!" So, when you combine my love of blush as a product with my love of the BeneFit brand with its cute packaging, lovely scented products, and great quality, you get one excited makeup shopper: Me!

My latest BeneFit boxed blush acquisition? BeneFit Hervana!

BeneFit Powder Pop Palette

BeneFit Powder Pop Palette

This little blush/bronzer palette is adorable! 3 GREAT BeneFit powders in one box!!! Great for on-the-go or travel! True to BeneFit's style, the packaging is adorable!!! This kit contains small/travel sized pans of "best sellers" from BeneFit including: Hoola (bronzer), Dandelion (blush), and Dallas (blush/contour).

Hoola is a medium matte bronzers. Perfect for those who don't like shimmer and use their bronzer for contouring. Tip: Apply in a "3" shape with a light-hand on your face hitting the top of your forehead, down your nose, and the hallows just under your cheekbones. I like this for contouring.

Dandelion is one of my "top 5" blushes; and, certainly my favorite pale blush. It shows up as a baby pink color on my uber-pale skin. It is just one of those face powders that makes my skin look "naturally healthy" (yet, not overly "made up"). But, I could see how this might not show up much on darker skin tones. It has an ever-so-slight shimmer that just looks beautiful on the skin (no noticeable sparkles, just a "glow"). I reach for this blush when I want a very natural look. So super pretty!!!

Dallas is a pretty bronzy-berry color with a slight shimmer that can be used as a contour or a blush. I love it as a blush. It gives a nice rosey-bronzy glow. I apply this with a light hand on my fair skin. I think this would look good on a variety of skintones.

One down-side to this product is that the pans are so small. So, depending on what bronzer/blush brush you use, it might not fit into the pan. The brush that comes with this set is pretty useless (I prefer a fluffier blush brush and use a kabuki for bronzer). Luckily, I have a small travel-size kabuki from my Ecotools travel kit that fits perfectly into these small pans. These blushes and bronzers apply great with that tool. But, the small-size is also a plus when you consider this item for travel. You get 3 products in a size just slightly wider and flatter than a normal BeneFit blush/bronzer package. So, I certainly plan on traveling with this!

I lucked out and found this for a steal on ebay! I believe it is discontinued???, but you can still find it at places like TJ Maxx and online (ebay). Hopefully BeneFit will bring this back with a new assortment of shades!

I admit, with BeneFit, I do fall for the cute packaging...but, the products are really fantastic too!

Love this little blush/bronzer palette! Super great for travel!
Hope you enjoyed this little review!

XOXO!
Pammy

BeneFit Ooh la lift "instant under eye brightening boost": Product review

BeneFit Ooh la lift "instant under eye brightening boost"

Here I am with another BeneFit review for an "eye brightening" product. Unfortunately, this product was just "meh"/"so so" for me. So, for eye-brightening, I am going to stick with my beloved BeneFit Eye Bright pencil (LOVE!) which I find works MUCH better than the ooh-la-lift (see my previous review/rave for BeneFit's Eye Bright). 

BeneFit's Ooh-la-lift is a light pink liquid product in a tube with a doe-foot applicator. BeneFit recommends using this on bare skin or over makeup. Because it is liquid, when I apply it over my concealer and in my inner eye corners I find that the "liquidness" of the product causes my carefully applied concealer to smear/slide. So, for me, it does not work well as an inner corner highlighter, nor under eyes...and this was the specific use that I purchased it for. Perhaps if your dark circles are less apparent than mine (and need less concealer under your eyes) then liquidness of this product over your concealer would not be an issue. I suppose you could also use this product *under* your concealer if you were using a more "sheer" concealer. This product used on its own does not have any real "coverage" (so it wouldn't work for me on its own, nor would the color look natural all over my under eye area). Or, if you didn't have dark under-eye circles (lucky!), then I suppose you could use this under your eyes, if you didn't need concealer at all, for brightening.

But, luckily, I did find another use for this product: You can use as a "brightening" eyeshadow base on the lids. The product has some subtle light diffusing pigments in it. It works pretty well in this capacity for my generally normal-dry eyelids. Not sure how this would hold up as a primer on ladies that apply eye primer to control oil. I will be using this occasionally as a eyelid primer until I use it up, but will not likely repurchase. Also, it could be used for a highlighting effect on eyelids for days that I do not wear shadow, but want a highlighted look.

So, overall just a "so-so" from me! Don't love it and don't hate it...just "meh"! BeneFit certainly has other/better products on the market for eye-brightening. I am pleased that I found another use for it: as an eyeshadow base. How are you ladies out there using this product? Are you getting any better results? If so, I would love to hear your tips!

What do you ladies like to use for under eye-brightening? As you readers know, I am always on the look-out for products to brighten the eye area. :)

Thanks for reading!
XOXO!
Pammy

Coming soon:
-Too Faced Enchanted Glamourland Palette Review (yay!)
-Protein Treatment Series (continued)
-How to tone down brassy color
-Fitness Post: my workout routine

BeneFit Eye Bright "instant eye brightener" pencil: Total Rave!

BeneFit Eye Bright "instant eye brightener" pencil

Hello lovely readers. Here I am with the next installment in my BeneFit "reviewathon"...BeneFit's Eye Bright pencil.


I love, love, love this pencil! The Eye Bright pencil creamy super light matte pink (with a very *slight* purplish cast)fat eye pencil. This pencil is designed to "brighten" your eyes. BeneFit's website states that it "is like a coffee break in a stick"...and, for real ya'll, this helps you look instantly more awake! And, with how early I wake up...boy, do I need all the help I can get!

The how-to:

After your eye makeup is applied, finish off your look by swiping this in a "v" shape in your inner eye corners. You can also apply along your waterline or under your outer lashes as well. I usually just do the inner corners with this pencil.

I always keep one in my purse for touch-ups and one at home in my makeup collection. Even my husband notices when I use this product (to quote him "I like what you did to your eyes").

So, a total rave! BeneFit really seems have a product-line focus for brightening the eye area (lemon aid, ooh-la-lift, just to name a few). I have not tried them all; but, I hope to try some more.

The Eye Bright pencil is such a unique stand-out product. I really have found no drugstore or high-end (HE) dupes for this (if you know some, please post them in the comments below). So, for now, I will never be without this product!!! I have purchased this many times over.

Hope you enjoyed reading this review! Have a good day!!! :)

Coming soon:
-BeneFit Ooh-la-lift review
-Cover Girl Lash Blast Fusion review

Ecotools Brushes: Environmentally friendly, economical, good quality, and affordable! Total Rave!

Hello my lovely beauty-readers!

Here I am with another product "total rave" review! I am so impressed with Ecotools makeup brushes. Seriously, they are the *softest* brushes that I have ever felt, they are inexpensive, and they just feel so good on your skin! You are going to *want* to reach for these brushes!!!

The line tags itself as "Earth-Friendly Beauty". The products are made from sustainable and recycled materials, are cruelty-free, and come with reusable packaging. The brushes are made of bamboo and are very lightweight & have an attractive design. The more I learn and read about earth-friendly product lines...the more I want to support them! I mean, who doesn't want to be environmentally conscious and a friend to the earth! So, if a product is good quality *and* environmentally friendly, then Kudos!:)

My first introduction to the line was this summer. I was doing a lot of traveling and figured it was time to get some travel-friendly/smaller brushes...instead of schlepping around my huge brushes. I stumbled upon Ecotools travel Mineral Brush set at Ulta...

Here is the "low-down" on Mineral Brush set:

• It comes with a travel pouch (which was actually way too small to fit the brushes that it came with? So, that did not make sense to me...but the hemp pouch is super cute...it would work for holding a kabuki maybe), a mini kabuki, a mini powder brush, a tapered shadow brush, and a concealer brush
• These brushes are so incredibly soft!!! I mean, for real, you must feel to believe. None of my other brands of brushes even come close to this softness. 
• These brushes do not shed hairs. At all. Seriously, I have not even seen even 1 single hair stray from these brushes after repeated use and washings. That is impressive! 
• The brushes are small (which is expected, I mean, this is a travel kit). 
• The mini powder brush is much smaller than my "normal" powder blush; so, I used it as a travel blush brush instead, works great for that!.
• The mini kabuki is great. For travel, I use it for bronzer. Otherwise, I use it for my blushes and bronzers that come in smaller pans or for travel. Also, great for picking up a single color from some products that have many colors in one pan (does that make sense? Like my Essence Mosaic powder)
• The concealer brush from this travel set has become my go-to brush that I use every day. It is so soft plus it is tapered; so, it applies the concealer very well to all the nooks and crannies around my eyes. The eye area is an area where you really do want a gentle brush. 
• I use the fluffy shadow brush to apply my setting powder for my under eye area on a daily basis. I use BeneFit Powderflage powder for this (see previous review). 
• So, while I bought this set for travel...the brushes are so good, that many have become daily-use brushes for me! Highly recommend this great set!

Retractable Kabuki:

I just recently purchased the ecotools retractable kabuki brush (from Ulta, with a $5 off coupon, score!) to keep in my purse for powder touch ups. I am loving it so far! This will for sure become my travel kabuki as well. It retracts into a recycled aluminum case. It is dense and fluffy. So, it is perfect for applying powder. It is so good, that I might use it to apply powder every day (and not just keep it in my purse for touch-ups). It is so incredibly soft and blends powder very well onto your skin. Gives a flawless finish!

Love these brushes! Recommend highly! And, can't wait to try more brushes from this line. They are so soft that you will find yourself reaching for them just because you love the feel of the brushes on your skin! :) You can find ecotools online, at Ulta, Target, and at Walgreen's. Ulta seems to carry the whole line, while my Walgreen's  and Target had a limited selection. The next brush I want to try by them is the bamboo bronzer brush. It looks fabulous!

Hope you enjoyed reading! Would love to hear about brushes you like in general or from the Ecotools line. :)

XOXO!

BeneFit Powderflage: review

BeneFit Powderflage

Review time! Had to write about this *totally* unique product that I absolutely adore! I have super-dark under eye circles (I blame heredity, allergies, and getting up way too early for work); so, I am always on the quest for products to cover up/correct dark circles or treatment products for the under eye area.

Powderflage is marketed by BeneFit as a concealer "powder". But, honestly folks, this powder on its own is *way* too sheer to cover anything. So, I don't use it for a concealer, but as setting powder for my usual concealer under and around my eyes. For this use...the product is perfect!!!! I hope that BeneFit makes it forever!

The packaging is totally adorable, in a typical beneFit style. It comes in this Camouflage-design cylinder that I now use as a storage container for some of my extra makeup brushes. Inside the container is the powder itself, which is packaged in a cute clear and light pink "ball" (which is a screw top container with a powder sifter inside). Powderflage also comes with a "flager" brush and instruction/tips for use. The "flager" brush is like a mini fan brush. But, really the "flager" brush is useless. I find that a regular fluffy eye brush works *much* better than the "flager" brush for application (I use the shadow brush from my ecotools mineral travel set). The hairs on the "flager" brush are very sparse and do not pick up enough product to be useful.

The powder itself is a sheer and very slightly shimmery fine milled pink silica powder. Because Powderflage is a silica-base powder, it will not settle into fine lines as much as a normal setting (talc based) powder. For this reason and because of its "brightening" properties and sheer pink color...it is ideal for use in the eye area.

Here is how I use Powderflage in my everyday routine:

• apply eye cream (and let it sink in for about 5 mins)
• apply under-eye concealer (see my previous post on concealer application)
• tap out some powderflage from the shaker into the containers lid (or can just shake product a little). swirl a fluffy brush into the powder in lid to pick up product
• tap brush on lid to remove excess powder (there is a "fine line" between just the right amount of powder, and "too much" powder...you will need to experiment here)
• lightly dust powder under the eye area...take excess on brush and brush over lid and inner eye corner. 
• That's it!!! You will notice an immediate brightening effect over your concealer...AND, the powder sets your concealer so it will be long lasting. 

Hope you love this product as much as I do! I know that I have not seen anything similar in other brands. I think Bobbi Brown has an under eye setting powder...but, it is yellow based. I prefer peach or pink to counteract my blue/purple dark circles. Neutrogena has also (recently?) come out with a concealer/powder combo; but, I think it is skin-toned (and I love it that powderflage is light pink) So, for now, I am totally sticking to Powderflage for as long as they make it!

Hope you liked this review!



Coming soon:
-more BeneFit reviews
-Fun Halloween Lashes

Covering Dark Under-Eye Circles: My Top 5 Concealers:

I am on the constant quest to find the *perfect* under eye concealer. I have terrible dark circles due to my fair skin tone (thin skin?), allergies, heredity, and general lack of sleep (I have to get up *so* early for work). I mean; seriously, without makeup, I look like I have black eyes! I really never leave the house without at least some under eye concealer. Since there is no "miracle cure" for dark circles (although, I sure do try a LOT of eye creams and treatments with hope that something will help), I focus my efforts on finding the best concealer possible.  Most concealers on the mass market just don't provide enough coverage for my dark circles; and, generally drugstore concealers are too dark for my ultra-pale skin. I need to whip out the "big guns" for my uber-dark circles!

Here is what I am looking for in a concealor:

• Opaque coverage (buildable)
• non-cakey
• texture: creamy (but not "too" moist)
• long lasting (needs to not "melt" in the GA heat)

I find that I rotate concealers depending on how much coverage I need on certain days (and how much time I have to get ready in the morning). Sometimes my dark circles are less apparent (when I am getting more sleep and allergies are not being bothered).

So far, here are my front runners (and I do apologize that some are discontinued! So, please help me in my search for more alternatives): Also, note: I listed the colors I use, for very fair skin (for reference, I am a NC 15 in MAC).

• Sheseido Optimal Cover Concealer in C2 Beige Yellow: This one is the best! But, unfortunately discontinued. It is amazing. This product comes in a little jar and is HIGHLY pigmented. A very very TINY amount provides FULL coverage, blends well, and lasts all day without any caking. Also, the color is ideal for dark circles...it is a peach/yellow color that completely neutralizes under-eye darkness. I do not apply this to the whole under eye area...just the areas that are the darkest. So, I layer this over other more sheer concealers (like MAX factor Erase stick in Fair). So, I consider this a 2-step concealer. I believe the testure of this would be too heavy over the whole eye area. But, for those super dark areas...perfect! It took awhile to get the hang of application. If you put too much, it is way too cakey. The key is to apply a SMALL amount. A little goes a LONG way. This was my HG ("Holy Grail") until I found that it was discontinued. I have had my little pot of this product for a long time, and it will likely last for years (I know...I am sure it will eventually go bad, but the product is still working just fine and has shown no signs of "going bad"...I always check it for signs that I need to toss it). If anyone from Shesideo reads this...please bring back this concealer!!!

• NARS stick concealer in Vanilla: This is one that I have repurchased about 5 times. I wish the color was just slightly more peach and the texture just sightly more creamy. But, it does work very well. It is quick and easy to apply this product. And, gives coverage in just one step. Very buildable. Good color for my fair skin. Will likely repurchase yet again. I have also noticed that this concealer wears VERY well in the heat...no melting. Totally covers my circles. 

• MAX Factor Erase stick in Fair: I love this one as it is VERY inexpensive and gives nice (but more sheer that the ones listed above) coverage. The color is slightly peach-ish which works well to counteract the dark circles. I use this when I need lighter coverage...OR when I have time to do my 2-step coverage with this all around the eye and the Shesido just in the super-dark areas. *While adding links to this blog post...I am very happy to discover that Amazon.com sells this concealer!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!! Edit: One of my readers told me this one is no longer sold in US, Europe only; BUT, it is available online (and inexpensive) at Amazon.com and drugstore.com. 

• Benefit Erase Paste: Fair: This is one of my fav "new" concealers that I am trying. So, far...I love it!!! It is a great one-step concealer. I use it in the fair color. As always with BeneFit, it comes very cutely packaged in a little purple jar. This concealer is specifically formulated for the under eye area. It is extremely moist and blendable. Very easy to apply and spread/blend with a concealer brush. It really just melts into your skin. No need to worry about this one settling into any fine lines...the product is so moist. But, you definitely need a setting powder with this otherwise it will not last all day. Coverage is buildable so you can really apply more to those super dark areas. Overall a winner! You get a ton of product so this will last me a LONG time. 

• Amazing cosmetics Amazing concealer in Fair: This one I just recently purchased and have been trying out. It comes in a squeeze tube and is HIGHLY pigmented (the high pigmentation reminds me somewhat of the Sheseido). You only need a very tiny amount for full coverage. Takes some practice to get the application just right (too much would be cakey). With the full coverage, you do sacrifice some spreadability. Therefore, I really recommend using a silicone based primer or silicone based eye cream before applying this product. The silicons will help this blend/melt into your skin. So, that really makes this a 2-step concealer. Very promising as a future HG for me...especially on those days that I really need the heavy coverage. This is for sure the concealer (non-discontinued) that I am the most excited about!

Tips for good concealer application:

• Moisturize eye area first (any eye cream that you like)
• let moisturizer "set in" a few minutes
• Optional: apply a serum to eye area if your skin is extra dry or if you have fine lines (especially if you are applying a very "heavy-duty" concealer like Dermablend or Amazing Cosmetics. I like MAC's mattifying serum
• apply concealer with concealer brush (I use ecotools concealer brush)
• blend out with fingers or cosmetic "wedge" sponge. You dont want your concealer to look cakey and obvious. Blend so it becomes "one" with your skin.
• set with a loose powder (I like Sonia Kashuk transparent loose powder or Benefit Powderflage: FYI review for Powderflage coming soon!)
• pat cosmetic sponge over the concealer +setting powder to keep powder from settling into any fine lines

Concealers I use for other areas of the face:  (just a little bit around my nose area where it can get slightly red): Maybelline Mineral Power concealer in Fair or Bobbi Brown Stick foundation in Porcelain: and FYI: when I am in a hurry I use the Bobbi Brown stick under my eyes too...but, it wont completely cover the circles, but will do in a pinch). I keep the Bobbi Brown Stick in my purse for any touch ups that I might need during the day.

What concealors do you all like? Would love to hear what is working for everyone. Especially those with dark circles. I know that my best friend swears by Dermablend Smooth Indulgence (which I imagine is similar to the Amazing Cosmetics as they are both highly pigmented and in a squeeze tube).

Coming soon:
-BeneFit "review-a-thon"...have quite a few products from this line that I will be reviewing...starting with the Powderflage that I mentioned in this post.

Hope this helps my fellow dark-circle challenged gals out there! Be sure to share your tips in the comments below! :)