So I've been hearing for a long time now that NYX Concealer in a Jar (currently on sale for $5 at Cherry Culture) is a good dupe of MAC Studio Finish Concealer. So when I saw NYX concealer at a local beauty supply store a little while ago, I thought it would be a good time to purchase it and put it to the test!
Let me preface this review with this fact: I used MAC Studio Finish Concealer religiously for about 10 years. I instantly fell in love with it the first time I tried it and I literally never looked back. In fact, I got all my MAC lipsticks from the Back2MAC program by returning my empty MAC concealers! It got to the point where some of the girls at the MAC counter would already have my shade sitting on the counter for me when they saw me coming.
So in other words, I know MAC Studio Finish Concealer intimately. I'd still be using it to this day had I not discovered Maybelline SuperStay, which is now my one true love when it comes to under-eye concealers.
So now let's talk about NYX Concealer in a Jar:
NYX Concealer in a Jar in Light
(retail: $5.50 at NYXCosmetics.com)
I was hoping to find a peach-based color when I started looking through the shades available at my local beauty supply, and Light seemed like it had the most amount of peach (by the way, Light is the third lightest shade in the range).
But, when I actually got it home and applied it, I found it not as peachy as I had hoped. I mention this every time I do a concealer review, but just for the record, I need a peach-based concealer for my particular under-eye darkness. If my concealer is too yellow, it gives my entire under-eye area a gray cast.
The second thing I noticed when I started to apply the NYX concealer is that it's got a similar consistency to MAC Studio Finish Concealer but it's not identical. For me, the MAC concealer is creamy but not too creamy, it applies effortlessly and it's got excellent pigmentation. The NYX concealer is also creamy, but less creamy than the MAC concealer, and the pigmentation is a tad bit more sheer. However, I did find the NYX concealer easy to work with, and I loved how it's not cakey and it doesn't settle into my fine lines.
Let's take a look at some before-and-afters:
In the first pic, my face has nothing on it aside from moisturizer. In the second pic, I'm wearing just NYX Concealer in a Jar, and in the third pic, I'm wearing Physicians Formula Healthy Wear Powder Foundation on top of NYX Concealer in a Jar.
I think that if you compare the first pic to the third pic, you can see that this concealer doesn't provide me with enough coverage to really conceal my dark circles. However, I hope you can also see that it doesn't settle into my fine lines.
So, to answer my own question: is this really a good MAC dupe? Yes and no. In my opinion, the texture and performance are similar. The coverage is the main thing that differs here. BUT, if you don't have dark circles like me, this might be a great match for you. You can't beat the price, and if you find a shade that works with your skintone, I think it's worth a shot!
Do you already own NYX Concealer in a Jar? If so, how do you like it?
I have super dark panda eyes everyday =( still on the look out for my holy grail >.< I think NYX conceals more than my Dream Mousse one though O.o
ReplyDeleteI bought porcelain and light in this product and the colour is just slightly darker in the light. I do like the product though, very creamy and quite opaque. Interesting that it's a mac dupe, I've never read that before.
ReplyDeleteSilly Lilacs: Hum...I actually think that, for me, the Dream Mousse one might be a little more opaque. But they've very close! Have you tried SuperStay?
ReplyDeleteJustine: I'm so glad this is working for you and that you think it's quite opaque! I just don't get that opaqueness on my skin when I blend it, and that's the only thing I don't like about it. :(
Superstay is definitely next on my list. I don't like to have a lot of cream based products lying around because they don't last as long as powders do, and once you open them...helloo bacteria breeding ground!
ReplyDeleteI was really in love with nyx concealer in a jar, but it got bad super quick. Because i feel like its making my face itchy... but maybe that is just me. But i do like it, never heard it being a mac dupe. thanks for this post!
ReplyDeleteThis post spiked my interest in Super Stay. I think I will try that in lieu of the Nyx after reading your post on Super Stay. I'm happy to know you're NC20 and oily - so am I!!! I also learned the benefit of the peach toned concealer. I use either BB corrector or Laura Mercier Secret Concealer. I like the colors of those but they do settle a bit into my lines (I'm quite a bit older then you, lol). Can't wait to try Super Stay.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the great work. I love your blog.
Hi thanks for the review. I was a little disappointed though (I'm sorry it's not you, you're awesome!) because I scrolled and saw the title and was hoping that you reviewed the orange concealer in a jar. I read on MUA that the orange is good as a corrector before applying other concealers. Did you see this at the store? Thanks for the review again, I always enjoy reading them!
ReplyDeleteYay for more non working concealers! :(
ReplyDeleteMy most recent try is Hard Candy's "Glamoflauge" which I'm pretty sure is a knock-off of Kat Von D's tattoo concealer. I'd be interested to see you do a review of it. I'm not really promoting it or saying no to it since I haven't fully made up my mind yet, but I think it's worth trying. It's a thicker one which is good but for some reason I can't decide how it stacks up to superstay. (Probably because I haven't used superstay in over a year!)
-papayabunny
A cream concealer that doesn't settle into my fine lines... I think I'll try it, thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteI also read rave reviews about this (on MUA) so I picked it up in the same shade. It looks beautiful when I put it on in the morning (although it really is not as creamy as MAC's Studio Finish concealer), but by the end of the day, it will not only have settled into my fine lines but also look cakey and ashy on me....
ReplyDeleteI really wanted to like this, but I wouldn't repurchase this... :(
Thanks for the review! :)
Looks like a good product. I normally prefer liquid concealers and not creams, but this one looks like a good product to try!
ReplyDelete