Author: Nikki

Some Background Information To Keep In Mind

I am in my early 40s, and my skin type is dry, sensitive, and eczema-prone. I look for medium to full coverage because I do have darkness both under and in the inner corner of my eyes, as well as the occasional acne scar that I want to cover. Like many people, I also have discoloration around my mouth and chin. If I wear a foundation that doesn’t cover that discoloration well, I rely on concealer to pick up that slack.

Creasing will happen, especially as we age and expression lines and wrinkles deepen. As I’ve mentioned in most of my concealer reviews, everything will settle into lines to some degree. For me, when the pigment starts collecting in the lines so much that I can see it from a distance, I’m not happy.  You may be surprised to see that most concealers crease a lot on me, and despite having dry skin, I need to powder the majority of concealers that I use. This may be due to the shape of my eye area or the fact that I use both a moisturizing serum and a heavy oil-based moisturizer. I have chubby cheeks, and when I smile, a lot of crinkle happens around my eyes. So, if your under-eye area is flatter than mine, you may not have the same issues with creasing that I do. 

I have a warm olive, medium-deep skin tone (sometimes medium or tan, depending on the shade range). For shade reference, my best matches are NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Tahoe and Estee Lauder Double Wear 4W4 Hazel.

This ranking is obviously totally subjective and unique to my own preferences. It will likely change over time. In this ranking, I prioritized performance on my skin type and issues rather than what I use the most. I have embedded Google Sheets with the rankings, including prices, shade range, notes, etc (one for full coverage and one for medium coverage).  I am new to this, so please let me know if you can not see the sheets.

One last note on the terminology I used for finishes other than matte formulas. I personally think that the terms natural and satin are used interchangeably, so that is how I have them listed. To me, a natural/satin finish looks slightly drier than my moisturized skin and lacks the more smooth/blurred look of a matte finish. A radiant finish looks like freshly moisturized skin, and a luminous/dewy finish looks wet and sometimes oily.

Update June 26, 2025: I recently posted a more concise list for individuals with dry skin who are seeking hydrating and non-drying concealers. You can read that post by clicking here.

Update June 28, 2025: While I can’t include it in a ranking since I have not tried it, I posted swatches of the MAC Studio Radiance 24HR Luminous Lift Concealer in the shades NC42 and NC45. You can see that post by clicking here.

😅 Ok, now on to spreadsheets. Click the continue reading link to see the ranking.

Continue reading “Concealer Ranking (Dry, 40+ Skin)” →

If you are new here, I like to do this occasionally. My reviews of these products remain accurate based on my experience; I have no complete turnaround thoughts on these items. However, I did feel like there were a few details that I wanted to share. I also update the original reviews, but since most people don’t typically go back to a review, I like to post a separate update to let you guys know if I noticed something different in the case of the Armani Luminous Silk Creamy Bronzer or when I’ve figured out how to work with a product differently (Estee Lauder Futurist Skincealer, Lancome Care and Glow Serum Concealer, Tom Ford Glow Highlighter). You can click on the previous links for each item to see my original reviews.

This blog uses affiliate links (marked with **).  I may earn a small commission when you purchase through links on my site.  Learn more here.

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**Armani Luminous Silk Creamy Bronzer – 110, $59 (original review, click here)

As I mentioned in my review, this bronzer has mica particles running through the formula. I still don’t see them on my face when it is applied in most lighting. However, now that I’ve been able to wear it on sunny days outside, I can see the mica particles in sunlight, but I have to look for them very closely. If you don’t like a glowy bronzer, you aren’t likely interested in this one anyway. But if you like a glowy bronzer but don’t want to look sparkly, I personally enjoy the Armani Luminous Silk Creamy Bronzer and haven’t had an issue with it. I will point out, though, that I don’t have to build this up very much for my skin tone (NARS Natural Radiant Tahoe). It is possible that if you like a stronger bronzer look than me or are darker than me (so you may have to apply more product) you would see more sparkle. For reference, the L’oreal Lumi Bronzer (03 deep) is a shimmery bronzer that I can clearly see the sparkles on my skin.

UPDATE November 26, 2024: I will warn you that the shimmer in this formula can also be more noticeable (even in the house) if you apply it with a brush that is too dense. Just something to keep in mind.

**Armani Website

	$ Sale Price $ 59.00 Regular Price
Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Creamy Bronzing Powder – Bronzer | Shade: 110 – Sun Embrace

**Bloomingdale’s

	$ Sale Price $ 59.00 Regular Price
Armani Luminous Silk Creamy Bronzing Powder

**Nordstrom

	$ 59.00 Sale Price $ 59.00 Regular Price
ARMANI beauty Luminous Silk Creamy Bronzing Powder in 110 at Nordstrom

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Continue reading “Review Updates (Armani Bronzer, Estee Lauder Skincealer, Lancome Serum Concealer, and Tom Ford Highlighter)” →

This blog uses affiliate links (marked with **).  I may earn a small commission when you purchase through links on my site.  Learn more here.

If you are like me and have been waiting for a glowy bronzer to be released, then the **Armani Luminous Silk Creamy Bronzing Powder could be worth checking out. Although it is listed as a **Nordstrom exclusive, you can also find the Luminous Silk Bronzing Powder directly from the **Armani Beauty website. The brand suggestions for picking a shade made me concerned that none of the four shades would work for me. The recommendations are based on their Luminous Silk Foundation shades.

• Shades 90 and 100 – Armani Luminous Silk Shades 1.5 to 5.25
• Shades 100 and 110 – Armani Luminous Silk Shades 5.5 to 8
• Shades 110 and 120 – Armani Luminous Silk Shade 8.25

I’m unsure who at Armani decided on these suggestions, but they don’t seem accurate. To explain why these suggestions concerned me, the Armani Luminous Silk Foundation goes much deeper to shade 15. So why wouldn’t they create shades for their foundation in shades 8.5 through 15? Clearly, someone at the brand didn’t think the shades would work for that deeper range.

So anyway, I ordered shade 110, and I wear 8.75 in Armani’s Luminous Silk Concealer. I have tested the foundation in shade 9 in the past, and it was too neutral for me, but it has a workable depth. Basically, I’m darker than the suggested foundation shades for the darkest bronzers in this range. Despite the confusion, shade 110 works well for my skin tone without any difficulty. So the deepest bronzer shade, 120, is not a lost cause for those darker than me. If you need more shade references, I wear NARS Tahoe most often, and Estee Lauder Double Wear 4W4 is also a good match.

**Armani Beauty Website

	$ Sale Price $ 59.00 Regular Price
Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Creamy Bronzing Powder – Bronzer | Shade: 110 – Sun Embrace

**Bloomingdale’s

	$ Sale Price $ 59.00 Regular Price
Armani Luminous Silk Creamy Bronzing Powder

**Nordstrom Website

	$ 59.00 Sale Price $ 59.00 Regular Price
ARMANI beauty Luminous Silk Creamy Bronzing Powder in 110 at Nordstrom

Continue reading “Armani Luminous Silk Creamy Bronzing Powder 110 (Swatch)” →

NARS just released a reformulation of their iconic powder blush ($34), and it’s now talc-free. I’ve only used this once (pictures are further down), so I can’t tell you much about it yet. I wanted to go ahead and share some pictures of the new packaging and some swatches I got the other day while I was in Sephora in case anyone is curious about this release. The new compact is now refillable but is the same soft-touch material NARS typically uses for its packaging. There is a small hole on the back to pop the pan out (see picture further down). The refill pans are available for $24 on narscosmetics.com, but only in 5 shades. I’m very confused as to why they would bother to make the packaging refillable and only provide 5 shades as refills. The pans are already loose and must be added to the magnetized compact, so why can’t every shade be available?

If you swatch the new blush formula, you’ll likely notice that its texture is almost creamy and thick compared to the old formula. To me, my old formula (liberte) feels thinner and drier. My Liberte is over a year old, but I think it still performs the same as when I purchased it. I’ve also never experienced NARS blushes drying out before the 24-month shelf life of most of the previous formulas.

Continue reading “New From NARS! Talc-Free Blush in Dolce Vita (Swatch)” →

As a blush (I don’t use it for lips), the Smashbox Halo Cream Cheek and Lip Tint lives up to the brand’s claims. Smashbox says this tint will give you lasting color with blendable, sheer to medium coverage. They also claim that the formula will remain comfortable to wear because it is infused with a primer oil complex. Lastly, it has a matte finish that “refracts light to help create a blurred, soft-focus look.” Unfortunately, despite agreeing with the claims, I wouldn’t recommend it because the primer oil complex does present some problems. Let’s get into it.

Smashbox Halo Cream Cheek and Lip Tint Sunset, $28

Sunset is described as a muted coral 

Continue reading “Smashbox Halo Cream Cheek and Lip Tint Sunset (Swatch)” →

I haven’t purchased anything from Make Up For Ever (MUFE) in a while, so I was excited to revisit the brand. The claims on this one don’t seem too crazy, although I’m not sure that I typically look at the claims for bronzers. MUFE says this is a long-wearing, blendable, buildable, easy to use bronzer with a smooth formula. Spoiler alert, I agree with them. It works well with both synthetic and natural hair brushes. It is firmly pressed, so there isn’t much powder disturbed when I dip a brush into the pan. The firm press doesn’t make it hard to pick up on a brush, which is nice. Considering my dry skin, I prefer a satin or glowy bronzer, but a matte finish for bronzer seems to be more on trend right now. I’m happy to report that this formula never looked dry on me, even when I tested it with Estee Lauder Double Wear.

This blog uses affiliate links (marked with **).  I may earn a small commission when you purchase through links on my site.  Learn more here.

**MUFE Artist Bronzer 40 Warm Pecan, $36, 10g

Continue reading “Make Up For Ever (MUFE) Artist Bronzer (40 Warm Pecan Swatch)” →

This blog uses affiliate links (marked with **).  I may earn a small commission when you purchase through links on my site.  Learn more here.

While I do enjoy the **Tom Ford Traceless Soft Matte Concealer, I wish it weren’t so expensive at $60. If you saw my post on the Tom Ford Highlighter last week, then you know I was less than impressed. I’m not going to become a regular shopper at the Tom Ford counter, but this concealer makes me a little curious to at least try a foundation from the brand. I probably won’t, since luxury brands often add alcohol and fragrance to their products, and those ingredients just don’t agree with my dry, eczema-prone skin. Regardless, today I’ll let you know about my experience with the Tom Ford Soft Matte Concealer so you can decide if it might be worth checking out for yourself.

Continue reading “Tom Ford Traceless Soft Matte Concealer 5WO Tan and 6WO Terra (Swatches)” →

If you can believe it, this limited edition Soleil De Feu Glow Highlighter from Tom Ford will set you back $95. If you are familiar with the Tom Ford brand, you probably can, but if not, this is a luxury cosmetics brand. I came across this highlighter while yet again shopping at a Cosmetics Company Store (an outlet store for Estee Lauder brands), so I was able to buy it for $42.75. I’ll cut to the chase, I’m so mad I bought this highlighter 😂. The only other highlighters that I currently own are the Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Divine Glow ($48) and the MAC Mineralize Skinfinish ($42), and I like them both a lot better than Tom Ford’s Highlighter. Let’s get into my reasons and who I think might still like this formula even though I didn’t.

Continue reading “Tom Ford Soleil De Feu Glow Highlighter 02 Oasis (Swatch)” →