Product Review: Boots No 7 Stay Perfect Blemish Cover Stick Concealer

Recently, at my local Duane Reade, I discovered a 50% off sale on the Boots No. 7 line (an import and blogger favorite from England) so I had decided to try out the Stay Perfect Blemish Cover Stick. This product is a spot or stick concealer which reminds me a lot of the Chanel Estompe Eclat Concealer (this is a huge throwback for me, it's the first concealer I ever used and I loved it to bits) in consistency, but it slightly less smooth/creamy. 

The packaging is sleek, it's a nice product for on-the-go cover-ups, and I even like it for under my eyes as it is thick enough that it does a good job of camouflaging the blue undertones when I have bags. It's a twist-up design which I think is far more hygenic than the MAC Studio Finish SPF35 Concealer. I chose the shade "Medium" because I thought the colors ran very fair in the range, which may be a problem if you're deeper skinned and want to look into this product.

In swatches of the Boots No. 7 Stay Perfect Blemish Cover Stick, it goes on fully opaque in one swipe and even when blended out, you can see how the consistency remains thick and it is full coverage. The medium has yellow to neutral undertones. I do find that the wear time is good, and there is little to no creasing, but I do make a point of setting all of my under-eye concealers with Tarte's Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder - this is just a habit I picked up years ago and you can use any translucent powder.

Overall, if you're in the market for a full-coverage spot concealer, definitely check this one out, it's not too oily that it will run down your face and will definitely stay in place all day. If you're having a hard time spreading thicker concealers, remember to warm them up with the tip of your finger and gently pat them onto your skin.

Different concealer colors: What are they for?

Do you find yourself shopping for concealer and looking at a rainbow of colors, wondering what the difference is if you buy a pink, yellow, or green? I had this problem and never knew what they were used for so I limited myself to purchasing the nude shades which literally were the same as my skin tone for fear that I would start to appear clownish with the rest. Fear not, however, because I'm going to tell you exactly what they're all for so don't be afraid to add them to your arsenal of blemish and imperfection coverage.

In general, concealers hide dark circles, scars, pimples, and really any skin flaw you can think of. It's always important to consider whether or not your concealer is of adequate quality and won't cake on your face, as this will make you flaws stand out even more (not exactly your intended result, is it?). Concealer colors are all about neutralization, since most of our skin's imperfections have a color hue to them. For example, your under-eye circles tend to be blueish in hue, many people have redness on their faces, and pimples can be plenty of colors. As for imperfections that aren't affected by color, such as wrinkles and fine lines, we would stick to using the neutral concealer that just matches your skin tone and foundation.

Let's take a look at the color wheel because it holds the key to the mystery that explains what all the various colors of concealers can do for your skin. The theory is that colors on the opposite end of the spectrum (so right across from each other, the way violet is to yellow) cancel out or neutralize each other. Therefore, if you had a yellowish blemish on your face, you would want to use the lavender concealer to neutralize the color before you put on your foundation (foundations generally will not cover up blemishes unless you use a ton, and rather than making your face look like a kabuki mask, you should use concealer). Mint green concealer is used to combat redness such as inflamed pimples and rosacea (redness due to capillaries being too close to the skin). Yellow shades are used to hide nasty veins that may be seen, and the same goes for orange shades which are usually for purple and blue bruises as well. Baby blue or lavender concealers are used to even out your skin, for example if you have bruises or birthmarks that you want to get rid of. The three general concealer colors are yellow, lavender and green. Yellow or apricot warms the skin color and counteracts discoloration on top of its already mentioned uses. Lavender concealer brightens dull skin and can even be used to conceal very dark under eye circles (but not in fair skinned people generally because the dark circles won't be dark enough and can be handled with yellow). Green concealer minimizes redness is general so this color is the most useful for people with red blotches or port wine stains around their mouth as well.

If you have tattoos and you want to cover them up without spending a pretty penny for your tattoo concealers, use the regular drugstore concealers but consider the color of your tattoo. If you have a blue tattoo, use a concealer that is yellowish and make sure that you have a waterproof formula as well as applying a translucent powder on top to set the product for the longest staying power possible.

Below is a collection of concealers that I am familiar with and that have worked well for me at a reasonable cost.

Changing your beauty routine with age

As time goes on, we realize we no longer look the same as we used to as teenagers and our makeup techniques have vastly improved and changed. The reason for this is to keep your look trendy and fresh but also age appropriate. Any products you use should naturally enhance your beauty rather than try to cover it up and change it to make you look like something you're not.

Under eye care
Aging skin requires that we use products with firming nutrients, but it doesn't mean that you have to be old to use them, I believe that if you use firming products from your twenties, you will look younger in your fifties and sixties. Under your eyes you can see the wrinkles and crows feet that really bother you when you look in the mirror. Packing concealer into here will not do you any good, as the concealer will set inside your wrinkles and make them pit even more. You will want to start by applying moisturizer and anti-aging firming cream under your eye by patting it on with your ring finger (never pushing it in as the skin is thin and will easily be damaged). Then put aloe vera gel or primer in the area where you have bags and wrinkles to seal your wrinkles before applying your concealer.

Color change
As we age, contrasting colors may look too stark and draw attention to our little wrinkles and imperfections. This is why it is a good idea to change your eyeshadow shades from dark/light contrasts to more muted neutrals  and browns, steering clear of blacks and saturated colors. Mature women tend to look best in dark brown mascara as the stark black tends to be too dramatic. Stick to lighter colors of blush, rather than going darker, over time. You want your cheeks to look rosy and young rather than old and gloomy. To avoid getting that smeared look that you can get with cream blush, stick to powder blushes. If you are already adept at using cream blushes, then get a lighter rosy color because at least this formula will hydrate your skin. Rose-toned blush works on all skin types and colors. You may want to consider using mineral makeup because the colors have more of a sheen that will bring light to your face and it has a dewy finish.

Lip-care
We all get small wrinkles all over our lips and that line around our lips, creating an unappealing sad-clown look. Use lip moisturizers/balms constantly to hydrate your lips, especially before you put your lipstick on. Exfoliate to get rid of excess flakes of skin. Line your lips with a lip liner, but do not go a shade that is darker than your lipstick because this is a dated look that is not suited for our modern lives. The purpose of lip liner is so that your lipstick will not run out of the lip line and into your wrinkles, this is a great trick to use.

Here are some inexpensive items you can order online that I recommend if you want to follow the tips in this post!