Beauty Purchases: Brand New Benefit Concealer & 4 Fabulous New Nail Inc. Shades!

At the Harvey Nichols Beauty event, I made two cheeky purchases!

The first was a brand new product from one of my favourite beauty brands Benefit. It was being sold exclusively at the Harvey Nichols Beauty Spectacular, 3 days before its actual release. So I managed to snap it up early which I was really pleased about! The product is called Fake Up Crease-Control Hydrating Concealer. It is essentially an under-eye concealer to combat dark circles and fine lines that appear as a result. I have to confess this is an area of my face that definitely needs attention! With such a busy schedule I am often up and about very early and don't make it back to bed until very late which results in tired looking circles under my eyes.

I have previously been using Garnier Eye Roll On: Anti Dark Circles, which has been an absolute hero product, but was interested in seeing what else is out there! The problem I have with the Garnier Eye Roll On is that I do not think the coverage lasts long enough, however the product itself seems to last forever! I have had it now for almost a year and it shows no signs of running out, which is perfect for anyone with a low budget!

So I have switched the last couple of days to the Fake Up, and have to say I am impressed! It wins against the Eye Roll On in the coverage department, being more creamy and thicker, it lasts longer and does not settle into any fine lines. The concealer is surrounded by a moisturising balm, which is rubbed directly onto the eye-bags with application, which is also supposed to improve the appearance of the bags as it contains Vitamin E and Apple Seed extract to intensely moisturise and smooth fine lines away. The concealer than covers over any dark circles and diffuses the light to allow for smooth looking clear skin. According to the Benefit website 100% of customers agreed that Fake Up was hydrating to the skin and 94% said it was long lasting.

I have to say I have found it to be an extremely good cover up, it does not budge all day and I have found that my eye area is much more hydrated than before. However, as I have only used it for 3 days it is a little early to see any massive improvement to the area. I also find the balm a little greasy and heavy on first application. This wears off after a little while and I do not think the appearance is greasy on the skin, but it definitely has a waxy texture to it and has smudged my kohl eyeliner a couple of times (not a great look!). I have gone for the lightest of the shades as I am fair skinned (01 Light) and I think this was a good choice as it matches my skin tone well and blends in nicely.

The packaging, as always with Benefit, is fab! Fake Up comes in a metallic stick form, which you twist just like a lipstick to reveal the concealer making it really simple and easy to use when it comes to application. It is small enough to be thrown in your handbag along with other daily essentials for any little top-ups needed, however, it is quite long-lasting so this may not be necessary anyway!

I would recommend this product, I do think the coverage it gives is amazing! It has made a noticeable difference to my face, which I found lacking in other concealers.

Benefit's Fake Up Crease-Control Hydrating Concealer is out today and retails at £18.50.

My second purchase was a multi-buy! Four fab nail varnishes from Nails Inc. for just £22! This offer was only on for the evening of the event, and is usually 3 for £22, which is still a great bargain!!

I love Nails Inc. as they have a great array of colours and inspirational varnishes to create unique and exciting looks, which resulted in them being named Best Nail Varnish by the Style and Beauty Awards in the Sunday Times last year. They have a lather effect varnish which looks amazing on and can be styled with gold and silver skull studs for a rock chick nail effect. My sister purchased this varnish so I will review this in more detail at a a later date (as soon as I can get my hands on it!)

I chose a little mixture of shades to brighten up my look whilst the weather outside is still miserable and cold! (Saying that, perhaps my nails inspired the sun to come out a little as it hasn't been too bad since!)

From L-R: Porchester Square, Shoreditch, Graffiti in Camden Lock & Royal Botanical Gardens

£11 each.

So the mix I went for was:

1. Graffiti in Camden Lock: I have been eyeing this up for a while, a fun and bright Top Coat, perfect for any party occasion!

2. Shoreditch: A bright Neon Pink shade, perfect for hot summer days (fingers crossed!)

3. Royal Botanical Gardens: A brand new shade from Nails Inc. It is a bright minty green shade, another one that is perfect for the summer season.

4. Porchester Square: A more understated nude shade, simple and sophisticated, it will be ideal for the transition into nicer weather and a lovely everyday shade. 

As always let me know your thoughts! What do you think of the shades? And has anyone tried a concealer that they think can beat the Benefit Fake Up?

Kate xxx