Conceal Me, Honey

I said I love face paint, but I didn't say I loved make-up meant to conceal the face. While I can't get enough of all things lip and eye (and lately, blush...), all flesh-colored powders, liquids, and creams have always been a mystery to me. For starters, I can never find the right powder, foundation, or concealer shade. When I do find a decent shade, the stuff just never looks right on my face. I believe this is largely because I've never had lovely clear skin to begin with, and any attempts at covering up the fact have been utterly fruitless - they just make things worse.

With some research and practice however, I've managed to locate one inexpensive concealer which not only matches my skin color and complexion rather well, it actually does some decent concealing! This is Black Opal's Flawless Perfecting Concealer in Honey. It's a cream-based stick concealer from a drugstore line aimed at "women of color" that surprisingly has a lot of variety. And for the price, the pay-off is pretty good too. I love this color because it has just enough yellow to prevent me from looking washed out, but isn't too brown either.

I don't use concealer often, but when I do need it, this is a good, inexpensive option. The formula is a bit thick but you can use as little or as much as you need. It's about the same size as a lipstick with black plastic packaging and a clear cover. Very easy to throw in your bag and use on the sly if need be - just a dab on any blemishes and blend.

Perhaps when I can afford more luxuries I will look into the upscale lines for a better alternative (although my Sephora strolls have never resulted in any better color options). $3.95 @ Drugstores