Now, I'm not the person who spends an hour putting on makeup when I have no plans [1], but I'm also not the person who breezily walks out the door bare-faced to walk my dog, either. I nearly always apply tinted moisturiser or BB cream [2] because I consider those to be skin-care-based choices [3] that happen to make me feel better, too. When I was able to travel [4], I would never take off without one of those two items (and, honestly, probably foundation as well).
On my last trip, I vowed to not bring any base makeup with me and rely only on the Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer ($34) that was released earlier this year [5]. I was off to Paraty, Brazil, where it's hot and humid and the downpours are frequent. None of those things is in the friend group of a full face of makeup [6], so I figured why not leave my temptations at home and see how I felt when I didn't wear foundation or a close substitute?
As it turns out, that experiment went better than ever . . . and since I returned (and shortly thereafter began social distancing [7]), this concealer has become my one work-from-home essential [8], the first item I put on each morning and the only base makeup my face has seen in weeks.
Here's exactly why I fell in love with this Hourglass concealer — and how its partnering concealer brush made all the difference, too.
First Impressions of the Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer
The first thing I noticed after opening this Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer [9] ($34) was that it has a very liquid-y texture, much more similar to my foundation than my other concealers. I tested it out on the inside of my wrist first and found that a very small amount goes a shockingly long way.
I soon realised that this weightless texture is why it ended up so much better looking (and lasting) on my skin than something heavier, since it didn't look cakey after it went on. Plus, when I twisted my arm back and forth, I could already see the bathroom light reflecting off that spot where I'd applied the product.
First Impressions of the Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Concealer Brush
Normally, I love putting on concealer with my fingers to get my desired smudge I want, but I was intrigued by the Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Concealer Brush [10] ($38) that launched at the same time as the concealer. Its half-moon shape is meant to target the right angles under the eyes (which just so happened to be my number one concern). Plus, since the concealer felt so lightweight already, I could see myself accidentally using too much and thought the brush would help me out there. Now with everyone trying to touch their face less [11] anyway, I've already converted into someone who uses a tool to put on concealer [12] because this one's so soft, too.
How I Used the Hourglass Concealer and Brush Together
When applying this under my eyes, I did two dabs under each one, as tiny as I could make with the applicator. I then made little circular and back-and-forth motions to blend it in (like in the video here). The denseness of this brush and the bristles' angle did in fact make it very easy to use under my eyes.
This Hourglass [13] concealer seamlessly blends in but sets very fast, so instead of doing my normal dots under both eyes at the same time, I did one eye at a time. On my dark spots, I also added a tiny dot, but I did more of a dabbing motion there instead since I was focusing on a smaller area. I didn't notice any visible streaks or lines from the bristles either time.
How the Hourglass Vanish Concealer Looks at the End of the Day
This picture was before stay-home mandates and after a full day of shopping in (no exaggeration) 80-degree weather with 90-percent humidity. I didn't put anything else on my face after this concealer but obviously did have on eye makeup [14] and lip gloss [15]. One word of caution (if you missed it the first time): a little goes a long way, and it sets quickly. One day, I got a little too heavy-handed and did see some creasing under my eyes. But I went back to my very tiny dots the next day, and, poof, things looked great again.
Now that I'm just staying home, putting this on after I wash my face and apply sunscreen [16] makes me feel like I've put on a full face of makeup (especially when I catch a glimpse of myself in those virtual meetings). I'm so happy to know it was the work of just a few dabs of concealer and a magical brush instead of a longer process. I've fully abandoned any other base makeup, and who knows, maybe I'll be a forever convert once I can leave home on a regular basis again. Either way, I've definitely found my go-to product for the duration of social distancing . . . and for the next hot-weather holiday I'll be dreaming of the entire time.