My Favourite Concealer - MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW25 (Review)

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW25 - £14.50

First things first, I am a complete concealer junkie. I didn't actually realise this until I looked at how many concealers I had and I wondered 'why do I buy so many?'. The reason is, I really cannot stand under-eye darkness. I loathe it. And I have quite bad darkness under my eyes which is really problematic to me, I have a tough time finding a concealer that covers it well enough. But with the under-eye area, it's not just about coverage - it's about longevity too. How long is this concealer going to last on me? I've always had a problem with concealer creasing, fading, sliding - you name it. I have so many and am always on the hunt for more. I'm quite keen to get my hands on the new Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer (here) as I've heard such great things about it's coverage and wear. But for the time being, I introduce you to the concealer that I am absolutely loving at the moment, and that is quite something coming from a concealer snob.

The first thing that drew me to the MAC Pro Longwear Concealer is the 'Pro Longwear' part. As I mentioned, I find it really hard to get concealers to stay on me without fading or creasing, despite setting them with powder. I was intrigued by the impressive title so I decided to look at reviews for more information. I went onto MakeUpAlley (where you can find reviews on most make-up products on the market) and was so impressed by the comments and claims. 'No creasing', 'lasts all day', 'great coverage' etc etc. I was also really sold on the fact that it is a liquid with high pigmentation. The liquid consistency means that you can work in thin layers but still get the coverage - eliminating any chance of creasing.

In MAC I am an NC42 or C5 (it can change depending on how tanned/not tanned I am) and was unsure what shade to order as I was doing it online. Lots of reviews mentioned that they got their concealer in an NW. For anyone not familiar with MAC's shade system:

C is Cool - Yellow - Golden Olive

NC is Neutral Cool - - Golden Beige

N is Neutral - Beige

NW is Neutral Warm - Pink Beige

W is Warm - Pink

MAC like to confuse all of us and refer to what we would call warm (yellow, olive undertones) cool, and what we would call cool (pink undertones) warm. How confusing. 

My skin has a golden, yellow undertone but under my eyes is dark and needs correcting. For this reason I chose an NW25 in the Pro Longwear which is absolutely perfect for me. NW25 is a pink beige colour slightly lighter than my skin colour. NW25 seems like it would be worlds away from NC42 but it is actually quite dark. I was fairly sure this colour would be good for me as I am quite familiar with MAC shades, but if you are unsure I really recommend going in store to get your perfect shade.

 This shade really helps to correct and lift the darkness under my eyes which is something that all my other concealers in more neutral tones couldn't tackle. This concealer is so concentrated and it covers so well - I wanted it slightly lighter than my skin colour as I love the bright under-eye Kim Kardashian look and this concealer does it very subtly but effectively. It's so liquid-y and easy to blend (I use my Beautyblender) and sets really quickly which enables me to build layers without it becoming cakey and thick. Another thing I search for in a concealer is if it looks natural. If a concealer looks really heavy and obvious then I don't think it's doing it's job. Make-up is there to enhance what you already have, creating the illusion that you have perfect skin. I remember when I was reading reviews about this concealer, a male reviewer said that he wore it because it was so covering but so undetectable - this concealer is really lightweight and applies smoothly which makes it look really natural but it still gives the coverage.

The wear time is great and it's still hanging on at the end of a long day. I make sure that I always use eye cream under my eyes and let it skink in before I apply my concealer as I can get quite dry under there, which makes concealer look horrible. I set this concealer with my Ben Nye Banana Powder which is yellow toned and helps to brighten on top of the pink toned concealer.

All in all, if you struggle with concealers fading and creasing and have a lot to cover - this concealer might just be the one for you. You can pick up MAC Pro Longwear Concealer online at maccosmetics.co.uk or at any MAC store.

Whats your favourite concealer?

My Current Make-Up Picks

 (From L - R)

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer in Natural Tan - I love this concealer for covering up any redness or blemishes as it doesn't accentuate any dry areas, the creamy texture is comfortable and sets nicely with powder.

MAC Lustre Drops in Pink Rebel - If you want to know how I've been using this product then see my most recent review here.

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW25 - I rediscovered this concealer recently and I bloomin' LOVE it. It lasts all day. I use it under the eyes and I really recommend if you have trouble with concealers fading.

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Foundation in BD50 - I am really enjoying this foundation at the moment and have a review coming for it soon so keep an eye out!

Ben Nye Banana Luxury Powder - I've been liking this for setting my make-up but mostly my under-eye concealer work as it has quite a bit of coverage in it itself and the yellow colour helps to brighten darkness. 

Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Lip Colour in Arabesque - A really beautiful shade that I've been really enjoying wearing, it's a peachy pink shade with a creamy colour. Perfect for everyday and looks great with a neutral smokey eye.

MAC Eyeshadow in Espresso (Shades in my custom MAC palette from left-right: Satin Taupe, Naked Lunch, Soba, Espresso) - I've been using Espresso to smoke over my eyeliner to create a smokey but defined outline. I like to use browns on my eyes during the day as they are much less harsh than blacks and don't close up the eye as much.

MAC Pro Stainless Steel Palette - While in MAC Pro recently I picked this up on a whim and I must say it's brilliant and I use it everyday! I always used to pump product onto the back of my hand when applying my make-up which is just unnecessary mess and and some of the product always ends up sinking into your hand which is just a waste. I use this palette to dispense foundation and concealer onto and the finger hole makes it to easy to hold and use. I simply wipe it off with a wet cloth after and I'm all done! (This can only be found in MAC Pro stores and not online, it retails for around £15).

Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colour in Peach Whisper - My favourite blush for everyday, it's a lovely peach colour that makes my cheeks look vibrant and full of life.

MAC Eye Pencil in Coffee - Probably my favourite eye pencil aside from MAC Eye Kohl in Teddy, Coffee is a deep brown colour that is really easy to apply and blends out nicely with a smokey eyeliner brush and some eyeshadow to create a smoked line.

Lancome Hypnose Mascara in 01 Noir - My favourite mascara at the moment! You can see my review on it here.

Illamasqua Brow Cake in Thunder - My brow product of choice for quite some time now, I use it with my MAC 204 and MAC 208 to get perfectly groomed brows. Review here.

Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish Pressed Powder in 6 Warm Natural - I always take this powder out with me if I need to touch up during the day. It doesn't cake or look dry no matter how much I re-apply. A real staple for me at the moment, you can see my review on it here.

Real Techniques Buffing Brush (Core Collection)

Real Techniques Contour Brush (Core Core Collection)

MAC 204

MAC 208

Sigma Concealer - F70

Royal & Langnickel C465 Eye Fluff

What make-up are you currently reaching for? Have you tried any of these products?