Baby You Can Hide my Scar... (MAC Moisture Cover)

Member Name: mattygroves10

Product:	MAC Moisture Cover
Date:	03/03/09 (451 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good coverage, moisturises, brightens

Disadvantages: Tube doesn't shut as tightly as I'd like - just noticed a wee bit of leakage

I am not a make-up junkie. Indeed, I rarely wear any make up at all. However, as I get older, (I'm 41, nearing 42, alas), I find that blemishes are more noticeable, and the hereditary dark circles (my mother and my daughter both have them as well) under my eyes seem more prominent. My skin is mostly dryer than perhaps it once was (though my skin has always tended to aridity). Plus, I'm a picker - I can never leave well enough alone and will pick and fiddle with spots and imperfections, even knowing whilst I am doing so that I am only making it worse (I currently have what looks to be a bite from the world's clumsiest vampire on my neck and chin). Therefore, I do like to have a cover stick of some description around, and preferably with me. And sure enough, I do.

With my (frankly make-up obsessed) daughter, I visited the MAC counter in our local department store. The consultant there recommended, based on my age, skin tone and skin type MAC Select Moisture Cover, in shade NC20 (one of the lightest shades). The shade is lighter than I would have chosen myself - this just goes to show how clueless I am when it comes to make up. Although the bottle seems dinky, and is only 5ml, a little really does go a long way.

The thin little bottle really does look pretty much like its picture above (and there are more details here, including a swatch of the shade I have: http://tinyurl.com/bec4st). It is small, thin, and has details of the product and shade on the bottom in very, very, very tiny print (my eyes too are feeling in their 40s). It does come in a wee box, but who saves the box? This is a slightly viscous liquid concealer (MAC also do a stick concealer). Opening the lid reveals a wand with a sponge applicator on the end. Be warned, you only need a little bit, especially if you've taken the consultant's advice and gone for a shade a wee bit lighter than you might think you need.

This concealer is not a replacement for foundation. It is not pancake makeup, and will not cover large scars, weeping blemishes or extensive birthmarks. However, I have just now applied a bit to my clumsy vampire bite, a little to a small spot above my lip, a dab to the dark circles under my eyes, and a bit around my nose, as it's red from a cold I'm just about over (gosh, I do sound a wreck, don't I). It worked well, covering the healing vampire marks (as an aside, it's not actually a vampire bite, just two spots I didn't leave alone) well, almost obliterating the small spot above my lip, and considerably lighting up my eye area (in addition to the dark circles, I have extremely deep set eyes. I'm really selling myself here). It wasn't quite so effective around my nose, as the skin there is peeling, as is typical after a sinusy cold.

I do like this concealer. I have to resist the temptation to use too much, and it does cover up better when used with an appropriately coloured foundation. I rarely wear foundation, and because it is not a stick, and is not too thick, it works well even on bare skin. It's not heavy, and, as long as you've selected your shade appropriately, doesn't leave big, obvious areas of differently coloured skin.

Fortunately, I don't have amazingly sensitive skin. This concealer has not in any way irritated my skin, and I forget I'm wearing pretty much as soon as I've finished applying it. Nevertheless, it is worth testing this on your skin before you buy it - everyone's skin and tolerance is different.

Online, from MAC itself, you'll pay £11.26 for this - elsewhere, you can expect to pay anywhere between £10 - £15, probably less at some discounters. Used sparingly, you should get decent value for money, as premium make-up brands go.

As a non habitual make-up wearer, I can recommend this concealer.

Summary: A good quality premium concealer