W3LL People Bio Correct Multi-Action Concealer: When a Product You Like Does You Wrong

W3LL People is a brand that I really want to like but have had mixed experiences with.  I want to like it because of the company ethos and their focus on natural ingredients.  I've got mixed emotions because out of the 3 products I've tried from them, only one has worked form me - their Expressionist mascara, which I also received from Birchbox.

The Bio Correct Multi-Action Concealer in Light ($22.99) came in my May Birchbox, which I never got around to posting about.  Bio Correct actually started off on a really good foot as it packs some serious pigment and a little goes a long way.  I used it to conceal dark spots and blemishes on my face, and I was happily chugging along until a few weeks later when I noticed a larger than normal amount of blemishes on my face.

Hmm.  My skin had been looking pretty darn good prior to this outbreak, so I had to take stock and figure out what was different.  I also noticed that the blemishes were in more than one location.  They were on my chin, the left side of my face, my forehead....oh wait, pretty much all the places I had been using the Bio Correct concealer for the last few weeks.

Now, determining what causes an outbreak is not really an exact science, but I quit using the concealer and my skin cleared up, so I'm pretty sure it was the culprit.  And that makes me sad, because I liked it.  I liked the ingredients, but something obviously did not like me in return:

Caster Isostearate Beeswax Succinate, Coco-Caprylate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Silica, Isostearyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Glyceryl Behenate, Butylene Glycol Cocoate, Ethylcellulose, Alaria Esculenta Extract, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceral Undecylenate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ceramide NG, Palmitoyl Hexapaptide 12, Coffea Arabica (Coffee) Seed Oil, Punica Gerantum (Pomegranate) Seed Oil*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin) Seed Oil*, Water Camellia Oleifera (Green Tea) Leaf Extract*, Glycerin, Ginsing Root Extract*, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract*, Chamomila Recutita (Matricaris) Flower Extract*, Algae Extract*, Trihydroxystearin, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthum Gum, triethoxycaprylylsilane, Tribehenin. [+/- Titanium, Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI77492, 77491, 77499)] *Certified Organic

I plugged the ingredients into CosDNA, and most of them returned a non-offending low score of 1, but Cocos Nucifera Oil (coconut oil) brought back a score of 4 for acne.  So maybe that's the culprit.  Obviously, everyone's skin is different so Bio Correct could work like a charm for you.  I've gone back to my trusty Estee Lauder for now.

Perfectionist Youth-Infusing Brightening Serum + Concealer by Estee Lauder

Disclaimer:  I purchased this.

Being a fan of  Estee Lauder's concealers, I was intrigued by the eye serum included in the Perfectionist Youth-Infusing Brightening Serum + Concealer ($34), so added it to my March spring beauty haul. Multi-tasking products are great when they work or twice the disappointment when they don't, so let's see where on the spectrum this one fell.

First off, I picked well with the 2W Light Medium (Warm) shade, which is always dicey when shopping blind online. I tend to look at a lot of swatches before purchasing, but there weren't many available on this product so I went more by the shade description.

The serum is supposed to improve the moisture level of under eye skin within 4 weeks while making the skin appear smoother with fewer lines and wrinkles, all while color correcting uneven skin tone and brightening dark areas.  I've been using it for over a month now, and I like it. A lot.  It does brighten my under eye area without emphasizing the fine network of lines I have.  I don't tend to use concealer in this area as I don't have dark circles, but I do like using a lightweight brightener such as this. The serum is meant to be used as the last step of your skincare regimen, and I would like to know what the ingredients are, but that ingredient list is proving elusive.

The other end contains a hydrating cream stick concealer to cover skin imperfections wherever you may have them. You can even use it as a foundation in a pinch, which I discovered on a 3 day work trip last week. The foundation I packed mysteriously disappeared (I still haven't found it), and after a moment of panic I congratulated myself on having brought this new dual-tasking product with me. I prefer it as a spot concealer, but it does sheer out nicely with a damp beauty blender and when set with a translucent powder, performed well as my johnny on the spot foundation.

You get .17 oz of the serum and .19 oz of the concealer, and considering I used the concealer as foundation for 3 days, I may end up finishing both at the same time now. Bottom line, this dual-tasker is a win for me!

Brightening serum

Double Wear Brush on Glow BB Highlighter in 1C Light (Cool) by Estee Lauder

I've been a big fan of Estee Lauder's Double Wear concealer, as it is one of the few I've tried that does not emphasize my fine lines yet still provides good coverage.  So, the idea of the Glow BB Highlighter ($28.50), which brightens as well as conceals with a purported 8 hour wear, was quite appealing.

There is no visible shimmer in this formula that I could detect, but Photo Optic™ Technology is supposed to brighten shadows and help erase the look of fatigue while highlighting facial features.  It was a challenge picking the right shade online, but I lucked out with 1C Light (Cool), which works well for me as both an under eye concealer and as a highlighter on the bridge of my nose/cupid's bow.

The click pen brush applicator is not my favorite way to dispense product, but I'm not experiencing any problems such as too much product gushing out with this one.

The product darkens a bit as it dries down, and 1C Light is on the light-medium end of spectrum of the 8 available shades. 

The BB Highlighter has many of the attributes of the Double Wear concealer, in that it does not emphasize fine lines and has a realistic looking finish.  It's not as pigmented as the concealer, which I prefer using on dark spots and reserving the BB Highlighter for my eyes and to highlight high points of the face.

Realistically, would you need both?  I don't think so, as they seem rather interchangeable to me.  Given that the Double Wear concealer (see review here) is less expensive at $24 and has a longer wear time of 15 hours, it remains my favorite!

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Julep DD Creme and Concealer: Review, Swatches, and Comparison

There was lots of hype and not a little angst regarding Julep's recently launched DD creme.  The hype came from Julep extolling the wonders of the first ever DD (dynamic do-all) creme, and the angst from Julep Mavens wondering "what color do I chose?!?!".  The colors appeared to lean a bit dark based on online swatches, but I decided on medium and rolled the dice.

DD creme, concealer

So was the hype warranted?  Not really, in my opinion.  The DD creme performed along the lines of a tinted moisturizer and provided less coverage than the Asian BB creams I've tried.  It did a decent job of smoothing skin and evening out skin tone, and the SPF25 is adequate in light of some of lower levels (or none at all), in American BB creams.

Blended

The color was definitely warm with yellow undertones, but is sheer enough that it worked fine with my fair but warm skintone.  The creme itself, however, did not work well with my oily skin, as it was a bit too "dewy".  After a few days of wear I noticed more skin eruptions than usual, which makes me not inclined to use it going forward.

The concealer was the lightest shade, but was fairly dark and I doubt would work for those with fairer skin tones.  It was nicely pigmented and did a good job job of covering flaws.  The tube felt mostly empty, however, which was disappointing considering how small the tube was to begin with.

Tube size comparison

Which brings up the the main failing with Julep's DD creme and concealer launch:  there appears to have been great inconsistency in the amount of product contained in tubes.  I've read numerous online accounts of people who say their tubes were almost empty.  My DD creme felt about half full, but I attributed that to the size of the packaging vs. the amount inside - 1 ounce.  However, some people weighed their tubes using a food scale and they were indeed "light" in content.

Julep DD Creme, UD Naked Skin, Skinfood Peach Pore Saki, L'Oreal Magic BB Cream

Blended

Now, I'm not sure what Julep will be doing going forward regarding carrying the DD creme and concealer, but at least one person was told by customer service that the lightest shade of the creme was no longer available and they would not be restocking.  Did Julep decide to scrap what has quickly become a problem product that was generating a fair amount of dissatisfied customers?  The ratings on Julep's site for the DD creme is 1.5 stars, with the concealer receiving an abysmal 1 star. 

I guess only time will tell, but I'm at least hoping Julep does something regarding quality control for forthcoming products, considering they are committed to expanding beyond nail polish into makeup and other beauty items.  The DD creme is $36 ($28.20 for Mavens) and the concealer is $32 (25.60 for Mavens).  Fortunately, mine were part of the June Maven upgrade so I paid a fraction of that.

Disclaimer:  I purchased this.

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Bold Volume Lifting Mascara and Double Wear Stay-in-Place Flawless Wear Concealer

My most used item thus far from the Estee Lauder Lilly Pulitzer Summer Nights gift set has been the dual ended mascara and concealer.  The Sumptuous Bold Volume Lifting mascara in black is a solid performer with a brush that I really like.  The formula has lash-thickening fibers while the brush thickens like a brush while defining like a comb - hence the trademarked name BrushComber™.

The Double Wear Stay-in-Place Flawless Wear Concealer in light medium was a perfect match for my skin tone, so I lucked out again.  This has become my go to under eye concealer, as it is richly pigmented, creamy, blends easily, and does not accentuate the fine lines under my eyes.  I've used concealers that blend out to nothingness, but this is not one of them.  I'm really impressed!

It's too bad that the dual ended mascara and concealer is not part of the regular catalog of items, as I would totally buy that as opposed to separates.  The regular sized mascara and concealer both retail for $22.

Disclaimer:  I purchased this.

e.l.f. Oil Free Maximum Coverage Concealer in Nude

e.l.f.'s Maximum Coverage Concealer Oil Free formula is billed as a perfect cover for hiding tattoos, birth marks, dark circles, blemishes, scars and more.  I've got some brown spots that my foundation does not completely cover that would benefit from a concealer, plus I'm always trying to find a holy grail under eye concealer.  So, for $3, I decided to give e.l.f.'s concealer a shot and see if it could deliver.

Oil Free Maximum Coverage Concealer in Nude

The pigmentation and coverage is indeed very nice!  I chose Nude, which turned out to be a good match for my fair but warm complexion.  Using a concealer brush, I find that I can completely cover my brown spots.  It is recommended to set these with a powder, and for extended wear to use a setting spray.  I haven't tried a setting spray but do either use a mineral foundation or some type of powder over the concealer.  I'd say wear time is average, but I've got oily skin, which can be pretty rough on almost anything I use on my face.

It also works well as an under eye concealer.  I do have some fine lines under my eyes so there is some slight settling, but nothing too terrible.  Once I smooth out anything that has settled into lines, I'm good to go.  Overall, I'm pleased with this budget concealer!

Disclosure:  I purchased this.