REVIEW: Maybelline Master Conceal (30 Light-Medium)

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you will know that I have a love affair with base products, and concealer is no exception. I have a lot of acne scars that need covering and sometimes a tinted moisturizer or foundation isn't going to cover it. You all know that I have purchased and loved my NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (mentioned numerous times on my blog) but felt that I needed to try something new. 

The Maybelline Master Conceal is one of the newer concealers from the brand, which was released December last year along with several other base products by FaceStudio. Maybelline is a brand that has a lot of concealers that have been raved about time and time again (such as the Age Rewind and Fit Me Concealers) so I thought that this new product would be just as good.

It claims to be lightweight, full coverage, and multi-purpose. Not only would it be great for acne scars and darkness under the eyes, but it would also be great for travel, which is something that I do put into consideration when purchasing products nowadays.

Packaging

Unlike their previous concealers, this is the first that comes in a squeeze tube, which is very hygienic but not too good for travel. I say this because a lot of the tubed products I have tend to explode whenever I travel. The best way to avoid this is to squeeze as much air out of the tube as possible, and sealing the opening with tape for good measure. 

The tube is opaque, so you cannot see the product inside the tube. This does bother me as I won't be able to see how much concealer I have left as I continue to use it, which makes repurchasing difficult to estimate. I do find that it was a nice touch to have the shades of the concealers correspond to the colour of the tube, but I would have liked it better if there was at least a stripe on the side that would indicate the amount of product inside.

Before - Swatch plus eyebrow pencil lines

After - Blended swatch plus concealer layered on eyebrow pencil marks

Consistency and Pigmentation

The product itself is quite fluid, but not runny. This helps in spreading and blending the concealer out both under the eyes and on spots and redness. Its fluid enough not to cake or gather in fine lines when applied under the eyes, but not too fluid that it easily rubs off. I find that applying with fingers is the best way rather than using a brush, as it warms up the product and helps give a more skin-like finish. 

Despite the products' claim, I wouldn't say the product is full coverage; instead I would gauge it to be more medium to full. It can definitely be built up to full if desired, but the best you're going to get is medium. I also find that despite several layers, the product never becomes cakey, which is a huge plus. 

Finish and Lasting Power

At first I do find the concealer to be noticeable even with blended edges, but once set with powder or on its own, it blends into a very natural finish. Its undetectable except when the mirror is 2 inches in front of you, but even then it is not very noticeable. As time wears on I find that it does not cake or disappear, but rather it fades evenly, something I've grown to appreciate about this concealer.

I do find that this can emphasize dry patches, so I wouldn't recommend applying this concealer over those portions of the face. I haven't found a concealer that can glide over dry patches anyway and I rarely have them, so this is not a big problem for me. I can see this being quite problematic on those with very dry to dry skin.

On me, I find that this lasts 4-5 hours in non-airconditioned places, and 5-6 in airconditioned places. I didn't expect this to wear all day as it isn't oil-free and waterproof, anyway. Take note that I always set my concealer with powder, so I presume that this helps with the lasting power. This wear time may seem short, but also take note that I have oily skin and live in a very humid place, so everything does tend to fade on my skin at a faster rate. If you have drier skin or live in a cooler climate, wear time will probably increase by 2-3 hours. 

Price and Availability

I got this for P330 from Bon Marche, a local online seller. In stores in the US, I believe it retails for 8.99USD for 12mL or 0.4 fluid ounces. Its easily the cheapest concealer that I know of, as drugstore concealers in the Philippines are at least 500+ PHP. This is twice the amount of product than my NARS concealer for nearly a third of the price. As far as I know, this is only available in the US so far, but there are several online stores that stock this in the Philippines.

Summary:

(+) Hygienic packaging

(+) Lightweight

(+) Medium to full coverage

(+) Buildable

(+) Not cakey
(+) Natural finish

(+) Reasonably priced
(+) Multi-purpose
(+/-) Average lasting power
(+/-) Not oil-free

(-) Cannot see product in tube
(-) Can emphasize dry patches
(-) Transfers if not set with powder

(-) Not available in the Philippines

Best for: dry to combination skin | multi-purpose concealing (spots, redness, dark circles)

Repurchase? Yes! This is such a good drugstore concealer that I can see myself buying again once I run out.

I hope you all found this review helpful. Let me know what you think of this concealer (if you've tried it) or if you know of other great concealers in the comments section below!

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