Shiseido Sheer Eye Zone Corrector – A Touche Éclat Substitute

In my humble opinion, that is.

Amongst the spring offerings by Shiseido (see my coverage here, here, and here), the one that I've most constantly used is the Sheer Eye Zone Corrector. When I attended the event, the brand representative told me that this is basically their version of YSL's famed Touche Éclat. I have an aversion toward most YSL products due to the brand's penchant for heavy fragrance (I mean, even their mascara is overwhelmingly scented), so while I have been intrigued by Touche Éclat, I could never bear to wear it beyond the testing counter.

True to its name, the Sheer Eye Zone Corrector is not meant for heavy concealing. In the picture below, I applied the Sheer Eye Zone Corrector around the usual culprit areas – under eyes, sides of nose, around the mouth – and it tones down the gray and red, but doesn't completely mask it.

In fact, I tried concealing the pimple on the bridge of my nose with it and was met with failure. Instead, I had to top that area off with my HG Le Metiér de Beauté Peau Vierge Correcteur Concealer (a quick search tells me I've never reviewed it on the blog, but have done a guest post on Makeup And Beauty Blog).

That said, the Sheer Eye Zone Corrector has steadily become my on-the-go concealer. I am lucky to not need much concealing for my skin, so barring bad pimply days, the little stick usually provides enough coverage for me.

I'm also starting to seriously reconsider my stance on the Dior Fluid Sticks (now available everywhere else but most importantly Nordstrom). I just can't get over that finish.

Shiseido Sheer Eye Zone Corrector retails for $30. I use shade #103 Natural.

Products Used:
Shu Uemura Retractable Eyebrow Pencil in Seal Brown
Suqqu Balancing Eyebrow Palette 01 Moss Green
Suqqu Frame Fix Cream Foundation N 102
Le Metiér de Beauté Peau Vierge Correcteur Concealer Shade 1
Shiseido Sheer Eye Zone Corrector
Clé de Peau Beauté Luminizing Face Enhancer in Delicate Pink
NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
THREE Flash Performance Eyeliner Pencil 08
Burberry Sheer Eyeshadow in Pale Barley and Midnight Brown
Annabelle Le Big Show Mascara
Addiction Cheek Polish in Fresh
Chanel Joues Contraste Fleur de Lotus
Dior Addict Fluid Stick in 639 Artifice

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample products sent by PR or the manufacturer for editorial consideration. This entry also contains affiliate links.

The Things I Use

A pictorial follow-up to the previous post. Here are some of the makeup (by category) I reach for when I don't have time to think. Instinctive grabbing tells you a lot about the merit of a product –

Blushes

Clockwise: Chanel Brume d'Or, Paul and Joe Color Powder CS in Inseparables, Benefit Dandelion, Addiction Brown Toast, Addiction Damask Rose, LMdB Tenne, LMdB Mystique

Concealers

L-R: RMS "Un" Cover-Up #22, LMdB Peau Vierge Correcteur in Light/Medium, Shu Uemura Kolinsky Brush 15, LMdB Revive Eye Brightening and Setting Powder

It seems my previous HG Cle de Peau (review) has finally been replaced. I barely use it anymore, preferring either the RMS or LMdB for creamier coverage.

Eyeshadows

Clockwise: LMdB Jojo, Addiction Sandbar (top left)/Flash Back (top middle)/Concrete Jungle (bottom right), Burberry Pale Barley, Chanel Notorious

I only listed the names of the neutral "everyday" shadows I use. The NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base is a necessity for oily lids!

Eyeliners

L-R: Giorgio Armani Waterproof Smooth Silk Eye Pencil #1, LMdB Nouvelle Vague (4th shade), Shu Uemura Brush 10F, THREE Flash Performance Eyeliner Pencil in Eye On 08 and Eye Belong 04

I would have included LMdB Precision Liner in Noir but my pen dried out and I threw it out at time of photography. I have just purchased my replacement (third one ever).

Mascaras

L-R: Annabelle Le Big Show Mascara, Eyeko Black Magic Mascara

It's not that I don't love my Guerlain Noir G (review) anymore, it's just that I've finished up two tubes of it and can't bear to buy the refill when cheaper alternatives are rocking my world right now. When I'm done, I'm going to buy that Annabelle mascara in bulk. Incidentally, that Eyeko mascara is remarkably effective in holding curl.

Nude Lips

L-R: LMdB Bondi Beach Lip Gloss, LMdB Marrakech Lipstick, Suqqu Creamy Lipstick #5, Guerlain Rouge Automatique #103

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample products sent by PR or the manufacturer for editorial consideration.

The Basic Makeup Application Tutorial

While this post began as a simple office makeup/first date tutorial, it ended up containing mini segments of how to apply and set concealer, how to apply cream blush, how to tightline, and how to apply lipgloss. So, it's really more apt as a basic makeup application tutorial. Basically, this is my long way of saying – grab a coffee/tea/root beer float and sit tight, ladies; it's going to be a long read.

Note that I said office makeup/first date above. To me, both situations ask for My Face But Better and that's what I had in mind when coming up with this tutorial. I arranged the steps below according to importance. As in, in a (very likely, in my case) situation where you're racing against time, which steps should go first. 1 and 2 are interchangeable depending on the scarcity of your brow hairs.

1. Eyebrows

Tutorial here. I've harped on this point incessantly so no more belaboring. Eyebrows = most important. Bonus points to those who actually have some.

2. Skin

The basis of good makeup is its canvas. This is why having a good skincare routine is most important in my book. I must be doing something right because my skin has been very happy of late and I am able to skip the use of foundation. All I do is pat some concealer onto problem spots (an upside down triangle under eyes, around nose, above and below lips). Don't blend it out too much so it actually stays where you want it to be.

Tip: Your ring finger applies the least amount of pressure compared to the others, so use it on sensitive areas.

As with all other makeup on the face, the trick to having it stay put is to set it with powder. Use an eyeshadow brush that's fluffier (but not overly fluffy) for this purpose. You want to pat it on, not blend.

3. Blush
Because nothing says corpse like unflushed cheeks. I kid, but it's true that color on the cheeks is a sign of health and vitality. It makes a person look brighter and happier.

There's a plethora of options you can go for when it comes to blushing. Powder, liquid and cream works the same as long as it adds the right amount of color to your face. For this tutorial I chose a cream blush. I picked up pigment with my ring finger then dabbed and blended it onto my cheeks.

On days that I don't contour, I am more specific about blush placement. I apply it above my contour line (see below, where my cheeks sink in) and extend it to the bottom of my cheekbones and blend out so it looks natural.

4. Eyeshadow (Optional)
This step depends entirely on how much time you have. The reason I placed it under the 4th step is because you should apply eyeshadow prior to mascara and eyeliner. But if pressed for time, I'd skip it.

I apply my eyeshadow in a sort of almond shape. Nowadays, I've been extending my shadow beyond the lid and blending it around the crease. No particular reason for this choice but preference.

5. Eyeliner/Mascara

Another recent practice of mine is to tightline, which means applying the liner at the base of your lashes and your top waterline. I have hooded eyelids that "swallow" everything I place on my upper lash line (for an example, view this post) and I used to draw a thick line so when I open my eyes there will be a thin line peeking through. Lately, I'm of the opinion that the real function of eyeliner is to accentuate the appearance of your lashes, and all I need for that to happen is have a thin black line at the base of my lashes. This way I also look good when I close my eyes.

Tightlining is not my favorite thing to do since my eyes are like open faucets. The trick is to get the right kind of eyeliner: waterproof, smudge-proof, pigmented, and with a soft tip so it doesn't irritate the delicate eye area.

Finally, apply mascara of choice.

6. Lips

This is simple enough. Apply your favorite color from the tube and you're set. Sometimes I like to soften the sides just a little by lightly going over the edge of my lips with a finger. I think it looks more natural; at least as natural as colored lips can be.

If you're not a lipstick kind of girl, you could just do a swipe of gloss instead. I like glosses since they're additional protection against the cold weather. In general they also look better on chapped lips, which I seem to have no matter what I do to them. When applying gloss, start from the center of your lips and smooth out the pigment to the sides. This makes your lips look plumper but not overly shiny.

Finished Look




Products Used:
Shu Uemura Retractable Eyebrow Pencil in Seal Brown
MAC #204 Lash Brush
Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge Correcteur in Light/Medium
Le Métier de Beauté Revive Eye Brightening And Setting Powder
Le Métier de Beauté Mystique Creme Fresh Tint
Shu Uemura Kolinsky Brush 15
Burberry Pale Barley Eyeshadow
Shu Uemura Kolinsky Brush 11
Three Flash Performance Eyeliner in Eye On 08
Annabelle Le Big Show Mascara
Le Métier de Beauté Marrakech Lipstick
Le Métier de Beauté Bondi Beach Sheer Brilliance Lip Gloss

RMS Beauty Swatches

I know the pain of blind online purchases and the inevitable regret when the color doesn't match the product images online, so here are swatches of the complete RMS Beauty color collection.

L-R: Lip Shine in Sublime, Bloom, Moment

The Lip Shines are shiny lip balms. Sublime is a light hot pink, Bloom is a peach pink, while Moment is a honey brown shade.

L-R: "Un" Cover-Up #11, #22, #33, #44

The "Un" Cover-Ups are what we usually call concealers. #11 is ivory yellow, #22 peach yellow, #33 ochre yellow, while #44 is bronze yellow. (I'm definitely straining my color vocabulary here.)

L-R: Lip2Cheek in Muse, Promise, Modest, Smile, Illusive, Rapture 

The Lip2Cheeks are lip and cheek colors that can be sheered out or layered for intensity. Muse is a pale pink cream, Promise is.. orange/brown/red with slight gold shimmer? I don't know, but it's very pretty. Modest is coral, Smile is peach, Illusive is a brown-based red, and Rapture is a rich brick red. I actually tried on every single one of the Lip2Cheek and was surprised to find only Promise and Illusive worked on me. Muse was concealer lips (in a bad way), while Modest and Smile were too warm for me.

L-R: Cream Eye Shadow in Lunar, Solar, Seduce, Magnetic, Spark, Myth, Karma

I trust the Cream Eye Shadows need no external description. Lunar is actually a shimmery ivory nude (I layered the swatch heavily to show the color), Solar is a complex antique gold, Seduce is a khaki-leaning brown, Magnetic is a taupe. Spark and Myth looked really similar in the pot – I feel like Spark is a neutral brown with slight gold shimmer, while Myth is a brown cream that leans red. Karma is a dark brown-black.

I didn't swatch the Living Luminizer because I've already shown it in this post, which you can also head over to see "Un" Cover-Up #22 and Rapture in action.

RMS Beauty is available nationwide at rmsbeauty.com. If you live in (or are visiting) New York City, you can view and try out the entire collection at Bloom Beauty Lounge, located at 140 West 19th St.

PS: Just received word from @rmsbeauty that Spark and Myth have been discontinued.

Introduction to RMS Beauty: Lip2Cheek in Rapture, "Un" Cover-Up #22, and Living Luminizer

It took me a year of hearing about RMS Beauty before I finally found a physical store I could go to try it out, and what an introduction it was. Just as I planned to visit (the store in question is Bloom Beauty Lounge), I found out the store was hosting a free makeup lesson with Rose-Marie Swift, the founder of RMS Beauty. 

Rose-Marie Swift is unlike any makeup artist/brand owner I've ever met. It was refreshing that she didn't really have a filter to her thoughts, so we basically had two hours of uncensored insight from an industry insider. She spoke about how she fell sick years ago and couldn't find any suitable beauty products in the market that she could use, which was when she started researching on chemicals in beauty products. Appalled by what passes for "organic" and "natural" in the market (remember, FDA doesn't regulate cosmetics!) and spurred by the conspicuous lack of a truly organic line, she started her own, RMS Beauty.

Now, while I appreciate a completely organic line, I'm not one to be swayed just because of it. I purchased three of her most popular products to test drive the brand. Once I started using them, it took all my restraint to not immediately go back for more.

I love that she includes full ingredient lists on the actual pot

First time users need to bear in mind that the primary ingredient in RMS Beauty products is coconut oil and the texture reflects that. The "Un" Cover-Up ($36) and Lip2Cheek ($36) both have a thick consistency and feels very creamy to the touch, but once applied they blend into the skin and you'll hardly notice it's there (no matter how many layers you pile on). On the other hand, the Living Luminizer ($38) is lightweight and while creamy, is definitely less so compared to the other two.

How do we apply them? Rose-Marie is a huge advocate of working with fingers. But before you go ew, dirty pot she assures us that her products are antimicrobial because of the lauric acid in coconut oil, as well as the lack of water in her stuff. Because of that, her products will not go bad, even though I noticed she did put a 12-month expiry sign on the box.

Lip2Cheek in Rapture, blended out and heavy swatch

L-R: Living Luminizer, "Un" Cover-Up #22

In the pictures below, I used only the RMS Beauty products featured above (my eyebrows being the exception). The rich brick red that is Rapture inspired the cheekiness in me to do a china doll look, complete with garb. I applied three thin layers onto my lips with my fingers to build up intense color, but practiced caution when applying it to my cheeks. 

I used "Un" Cover-Up #22 as my concealer, applying it under my eyes, around my nose, around my mouth, and just a little on my cheeks to even out the tone. The Living Luminizer is what I've come to think of as a true highlighter. You can hardly see it in the swatch or even when applied, but in pictures it makes you glow. I placed it in the inner corners of my eyes, in the center of my eyelid, down the center of my nose, on top of my cheekbones, and on my cupid's bow.

The only downside to RMS Beauty products is it's not a substitute for say, a blush that lasts for twelve hours. Rose-Marie herself said she didn't want products that will stay on all day because it scares her. It all boils down to personal chemistry. Some of her customers said they never have to reapply, while others enjoyed shorter lasting power. My experience is Rapture lasts about 5-6 hours on the cheeks and 4-5 hours on the lips if I don't eat or drink. The "Un" Cover-Up and Living Luminizer stays on a little longer, but if I touch my face it will rub off.

RMS Beauty is available online at Spirit Beauty Lounge. I purchased mine from Bloom Beauty Lounge in New York City. Rose-Marie mentioned they will be introducing lipsticks in bullet form and an eyeliner to the product range soon, and she is working on a mascara with minimal amount of chemicals (just because it's impossible to make a good one without some). Sadly, she also said they will be discontinuing Rapture, which is why I snapped mine up.

Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer in Ochre

Warning: bare face ahead!

I don't think I have bad skin, but I've had this pimple by my right brow for over a month now and it is the most frustrating thing ever. I've tried every single remedy that worked on me previously, but to no avail. It's like a magic pimple, but I don't want a magic pimple!

Anyway, I'm in the process of slowly introducing some of my makeup stalwarts to you so I can update my Skin/Hair Info page with proper links. One of the most important item in my stash is the Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer in Ochre.

L-R: No makeup, with Chantecaille 'Just Skin' Tinted Moisturizer (odd. In real life it looked much better)

L-R: No concealer, with Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer in Ochre

Would you look at that? The monstrosity is almost altogether concealed! Out of frustration (yes, yes I know I shouldn't have) I plucked at the offensive zit, so my skin was drying out when I was photographing this set, which is why you can still see a hint of scab. I also didn't do justice to the red spot near my chin. But I assure you with the photo below that the magic stick can indeed cover it:

Eyes: Sunday Riley Lady Godiva; Cheeks: Burberry Tangerine; Lips: Chanel Mademoiselle

Ah, normalcy!

The Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer is suitable for covering everything: spots, redness, discoloration, under eye circles, a mole even, if you really put your mind to it. It is super creamy but stays on till I remove my makeup at the end of the day. If you plan to get it, I suggest that you find a shade that matches your skin tone exactly. 

The only two unfortunate aspects of the concealer is 1) it comes in a limited range of four shades and 2) the price is way more than one would expect to pay for a skin-colored stick. But I firmly believe it's better to go all out for something that is truly worth it than to try multiple alternatives, only to ultimately spend more on less satisfactory results. You only need this one stick for every concealing job, and a little goes a long way. I haven't even thought of trying out another concealer since I bought mine over half a year ago, and though having to replace it is still a thought for the distant future, I'll repurchase it without any hesitation when the time comes.

In response to several reader comments, I typically use the Le Métier de Beauté Concealer Brush to apply the concealer - I swipe it with the brush and apply it on needed areas. I have also used my fingers in lieu of the brush when in a rush. Both are fine though I prefer the brush method. For heavier coverage, I apply directly from the stick. 

Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer retails for $70 and is available at nordstrom.com.