It seems that the perfect concealer is the holy grail of any makeup-savvy woman. You need something that is going to cover spots and blemishes, even your skin tone and cover up under-eye circles, while blending flawlessly and not leaving any clues that you are even wearing concealer. I have tried so many brands of concealer over the years, and I am yet to find one perfect cover-all formulation. However, Benefit have just come up with a nifty little kit that is perfect for solving any and all of your concealing dilemmas.

 

 

The Confessions of a Conceal-a-holic kit is a godsend for any woman looking to fake a perfect complexion. It contains five of Benefit’s most popular concealing and priming products, a mirror and two double-ended brushes for flawless application. I purchased one a few months ago and took it for a test-spin to see how it measures up.

Like most Benefit products, the packaging is really cute. It looks like a little diary, with scrawling writing on the cover. It comes with a plastic sheet that you can sit over the kit to keep everything fresh and neat, which is a real plus. Also, each of the brushes comes in its’ own plastic sheath, so everything in the kit stays clean. I have taken my kit on quite a few trips, and it has survived several jaunts in my suitcase. The kit is a good travel size, but it is a little bit to fit into your handbag for touch-ups, unless you carry a massive tote bag. The kit also comes with a little booklet that shows you how to apply each product with cute diagrams that are easy to follow, so it is perfect for makeup novices.

 

 

The five products in the kit are everything that you need to achieve a flawless base:

That Gal primer: I have been using this primer for over a year now and I am totally hooked. It is a creamy pink gel that you smooth all over your face before you apply your foundation. Your foundation will stay put all day and will go on a lot more smoothly if you use a primer. That Gal can also be used on it’s own to give you a peachy pink glow.

 

 

Boi-ing concealer: this is a heavy-duty concealer for hiding spots and blemishes. It has a waxy texture and is excellent for concealing pimples, scars and red spots. To use, just apply a tiny bit of Boi-ing to the spot with the brush and then carefully blend it with your finger. There should be no obvious line where the concealer meets your skin. The Confessions of a Conceal-a-holic kit contains two shades of Bio-ing, so that you can blend them to create your perfect shade. I find that my skin gets a little darker in summer, so it’s really handy to have the ability to custom match the right shade.

 

 

Erase Paste: Erase Paste is one of Benefit’s best-selling products for a good reason. It is the perfect under-eye concealer, and can also be used on spots and blemishes. It has a creamy texture and blends perfectly, without creasing. To use the Erase Paste, dab a tiny bit under your eye using the brush and then blend outwards with your finger. My only gripe with this kit is that the Erase Paste only comes in the medium shade, which is a little dark for my skin tone. If you buy the Erase Paste on it’s own, you can choose from three shades, and I find that the lightest shade is good for my skin. I tried to swap my kit for one that has a light shade, but the kit only comes with the medium shade. I’ve been using the Erase Paste on my blemishes, and have a different concealer that I use under my eyes.

 

 

Lemon Aid: Lemon Aid is an eyelid primer. It’s yellow, and blends onto your eyelids to cover up any dark areas, uneven skin tone and veins. You can wear it under eye shadow to keep your eye makeup in place all day and to prevent creasing. If you are having a low-key makeup day, Lemon Aid is a great way to open up your eyes and tidy up the eye area without looking heavy or made-up. To use the Lemon Aid, stroke a little onto your eyelid and blend with the brush in the kit. You might need to blend with your finger a little around the edges. You can then pop your eye shadow on as normal or leave your lids natural.

 

 

Eye Bright: Eye Bright normally comes as a pencil, but this kit has included it as a cream. You pop this little beauty in the inner corners of your eyes to make you look wide awake, enhance the colour of your eyes and to really emphasise the eye area. I find it’s also great when you wear a little dab of Eye Bright on your brow bone, blended very well. It makes the arch of your eyebrow look extra-high and gives your whole face a little lift. To apply the Eye Bright, just load up the little brush provided and stroke it onto the “V” in the inner corner of your eye. I find that it’s best to apply Eye Bright after you have finished the rest of your eye makeup.

 

 

The Confessions of a Conceal-a-holic kit costs $68, which is a little pricey, but when you look at it, it is really excellent value. If you bought each of the products in the kit individually, you would be spending $208! Plus the kit also includes two double-ended brushes and offers you the convenience of having every concealing product you could want in one little package. I love it!