It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye

RATING (out of 5 stars): 3 stars

COST: $24

THE SKINNY: Bye Bye Under Eye is one of those products that I love but find incredibly frustrating.

The good: This is an amazing concealer that's meant to perform well on that sensitive skin under your eye. It cover and brightens and makes my skin look radiant. It's everything you would hope for in a full-coverage and waterproof concealer.

The bad: It's hard to put on, mostly because it's so thick and a tiny bit goes a long way. I have a lot of trouble, even with a tiny brush, getting the right amount of product.

Put a drop on your finger and it's way too much. I looked spackled. Really.

I get too little on a makeup brush, and then it dries fast and is difficult to blend.

Basically, this product takes some practice. The results are worth the work.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep. I'm getting better at using it, and some mornings I really need to use it.

CHECK IT OUT: Bye Bye Under Eye comes in four shades.

-- Tested by Shay

bareMinerals Correcting Concealer

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4 stars

COST: $20

THE SKINNY: I use a lot of concealer. It's just the way when you are fair-skinned and deal with sensitivity issues.

The new bareMinerals Correcting Concealer went on great -- it's nice and thick -- and provided excellent coverage. (It even fought against some of my sporadic redness.)

Plus this stuff contains plenty of SPF and is pretty affordable. My color, Light 2, is good for pretty fair skin and is actually lighter than the normal foundation I buy from bareMinerals (medium). Because of this, you might go and test it before buying.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep.

CHECK IT OUT: bareMinerals Correcting Concealer comes in eight shades to match almost every skin tone.

-- Tested by Carrie

Tarte Colored Clay CC Primer

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4 stars

COST: $34

THE SKINNY: This funny-looking little stick from Tarte packs a punch. This stick is a primer that contains extra pigments to help smooth away your skin's flaws.

Tarte Colored Clay CC Primer is a new addition to one of my favorite lines and this primer is no exception. I used it a little differently, though. Rather than an all over face primer, I have been using the stick for targeted areas that need a little extra help -- for dark circles under the eyes, to hide redness, etc.

And the results are great. The formula is creamy -- not what you might expect from the word clay -- and does a great job hiding those little imperfections.

I have pretty light skin and went with light for good coverage. Some other reviews on the Tarte website say other shades run a little dark. So you might want to go try this one out in person before buying.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep.

CHECK IT OUT: Tarte Colored Clay CC Primer comes in five shades. Sign up for the Tarte mailing list for a discount, too.

-- Tested by Carrie

Julep Blank Canvas Primer

RATING (out of 5 stars): 2.5 stars

COST: $28 ($22.40 for Mavens)

THE SKINNY: This little eyelid primer from Julep has an odd applicator that was just messy.

The stiff brush held a lot of product and did not glide across eyelids at all, so I ended up using my fingers.

After that though, the primer works pretty well. Shadow stayed in place and there was nothing wrong with the actual product, I just don't like it as much as primers by Urban Decay and Benefit. (And those are a little less pricey as well.)

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep.

CHECK IT OUT: This primer comes in one color and is part of the new and developing Julep makeup line.

-- Tested by Carrie

Julep DD Concealer

RATING (out of 5 stars): 3.5 stars

COST: $32 (25.60 for Mavens)

THE SKINNY: I'm not really sure why Julep didn't just call it concealer, but the new DD Concealer is a nice addition to the brand's expanding skincare line.

The small creamy concealer goes on easy -- just a dab has a lot of coverage -- and holds all day.

It worked great at covering up a small zit and some under eye darkness.

This product claims a lot of long-term effects, but those are hard to see. I'll give it the thumbs up for good color (it comes in light, medium and dark) and coverage.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep. A little expensive but it works as advertised.

CHECK IT OUT: While some Sephora has some Julep products, your best bet to find this one is directly from Julep online. And if you are not a part of their Maven program, check it out. This is a fun and flexible beauty subscription program! (Get your first box free this month with the link above and code FREEBOX.)

-- Tested by Carrie

L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream

-->

RATING (out of 5 stars): 2.5 stars 

COST: $11 

THE SKINNY: I really have mixed feelings about this product.

I loved the coverage it provided and the way my skin seemed to just glow -- really typical of BB creams. And L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream has to be one of the better values out there with superior coverage and an exceptional price.

The cream was a bit runny (not really a cream) and a little went a long way. It goes on white and quickly darkens. (You will want to wash your hands immediately or you will end up with very unnatural-looking palms.)

But ... the color is dark. Very dark.

My skin is not dark by any means, but I used "Light" (typically I go with light-to-medium) and there was an obvious makeup line. Very obvious. (To be fair, L'Oreal does have this item in "Fair.") But what would someone with lighter skin than me do?

The coverage was so good though I tried this product again in "Fair." Perfect. I got great coverage and the right color. So if you try it go at least a shade lighter than your normal shade or mix it with a little moisturizer to lighten it a bit.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep if you have darker skin tones; forget it if your skin is super-fair.

CHECK IT OUT: Check out all four L'Oreal shades and a few pretty nice tutorials on the company website. You can find this product at drugstores.

-- Tested by Carrie

            

Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream

RATING (out of 5 stars): 2 stars

COST: $30 for 0.5 ounces

THE SKINNY: Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream is meant to fight those dark circles under your eyes after a bad night's sleep. It uses caffeine from the coffee bean, ginseng, and magnolia extract to do that.

Like all of Origins' products, this cream goes on lightly and is non-irritating to tired eyes. It's supposed to help brighten and "wake up" your tired eyes. And it sort of does that, although without any eye-popping difference.

The few times I've tried the sample, some of the puffiness under my eyes does go away, but my eyes still look tired and droopy. Maybe I'm not using enough of the cream?

Ole Henricksen Ultimate Eye Lift Gel delivered much better results, even though you have to put it on the night before.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep the sample, but I won't but a full-sized product.

CHECK IT OUT: Get a complete list of ingredients and learn about other Origins products at the company website.

-- Tested by Shay

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Brightening Eye Perfector

RATING (out of 5 stars): 3.5 stars

COST: $12

THE SKINNY: I have been using different Neutrogena products since the pre-teen years -- cleansers, lip balms and even some makeup. What I have always liked about the brand is the quality of products paired with great availability. Neutrogena Healthy Skin Brightening Eye Perfector is no exception.

The new under-eye concealer does a great job of hiding those ugly dark circles that show up after too late of a night. The formula goes on super-smooth and contains SPF 25. This concealer also doubles as a primer and did a OK job of keeping my eye shadow put after a day on the go.

I did not though like the applicator. The bristles were stiff and seemed a little too rough to use around the eyes. I ended up dabbing the product on with my fingers to avoid the scratchy bristles.

The formula, though, was great for my sensitive skin and did not irritate my contacts. And at $12 it is a real bargain compared to some other much more expensive concealer, primer duos.

I don't even usually look at concealers in this classification/price range because I seldom like them, and did not even know about this product until it arrived in the mail as a part of a campaign through the BzzAgent program.

I am a primer/concealer nut and I like different products at different times of the years because of the coverage, tint and weight. This is one I plan to keep using, especially in warmer weather because it is quite lightweight.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep! Great product for the value. (I just hope Neutrogena changes the applicator.)

CHECK IT OUT: Check out the four available shades and buy direct from Neutrogena. It is also available at most discount and drug stores.

-- Tested by Carrie

Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencil

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4 stars

COST: $18

THE SKINNY: I bought Urban Decay's 24/7 Concealer Pencil (in DEA) because the stick concealer looked like a great addition to the small makeup bag in my purse. No mess and easy application.

What I ended up with is so much more. This concealer stick is my new go-to product to hide little imperfections. (Goodbye, blemishes!)

The easy-to-use concealer pencil allows you to just draw a line of color across/around the spot you want to cover and then blend with a finger. Voila! Instant coverage! (And it lasts all day without looking cakey.)

I expected good things from this new Urban Decay product but it was better than I expected. The coverage is great and it comes in eight different shades -- no more hoping your concealer won't show here. Urban Decay even has shades light enough for the palest of skin (something that can be a challenge to find).

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep! And buy a second one for your purse.

CHECK IT OUT: If you don't want to take my word for it, check out some of the customer reviews at Urban Decay -- they love it too!

-- Tested by Carrie

Benefit Stay Don't Stray Primer

RATING (out of 5 stars): 3.5 stars

COST: $26

THE SKINNY: I have tried primers for almost everything, but none made my under-eye area look as good as Benefit's Stay Don't Stray Primer for concealers and shadows. The formula is designed for use on your eyelids under shadow and under your eyes to help hide circles and darkness.

While it did help my shadow stick and hold all day, I experienced an odd side effect that I have not had with other primers -- my two-tone eyeshadow effect merged into one single shade. It did not necessarily smudge but after only and hour or so, I had a totally new makeup look.

But it worked fantastically under my eyes. I have not tried another product that worked so well. I tend to have light circles and they vanished. And stayed gone all day long.

The Benefit formula goes on incredibly smooth and will last forever. You only need a dab to do the trick. It is a little thicker than other primers but does not cake or flake. I did not actually see any reason to use another concealer while testing Benefit's Stay Don't Stray.

The formula only comes in one color, which is a little worrisome. My test packet worked just fine on my somewhat fair skin, but I might be a little concerned about using it on darker skin tones.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep. I loved the under-eye coverage. I might just use another product on my lids before applying shadow.

CHECK IT OUT: Check out application tips and a video all-day test of the Benefit product on the company website.

-- Tested by Carrie

Benefit Boi-ing

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4.5 stars

COST: $19

THE SKINNY: There's something about the phrase "industrial-strength concealer" that scares me a little. But there's nothing scary about Boi-ing by Benefit. This concealer goes on light, blends easily and lasts all day.

I have trouble with liquid concealers. I always squeeze a little too much onto my fingers and either apply it too heavy or end up tossing the extra away on a piece of tissue.

That isn't a factor with Benefit's option, which is a creamy concealer that has a thicker consistency. But don't worry -- this really is a light-weight formula that won't cause more problems for your skin.

My shade is light/medium. It is light enough for my fair skin, but not so light that I can't wear it in summer when I pick up a bit of sun.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep. This concealer may seem a little on the expensive side, but it lasts and lasts and lasts.

CHECK IT OUT: Boi-ing comes in five shades.

-- Tested by Shay

Neutrogena Skin Clearing Blemish Concealer

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4 stars

COST: $9.99

THE SKINNY: I joke that I should have a DNA test to find out if my oldest daughter is truly mine, because there is nothing on the planet that we have in common and I wonder how on earth we shared a body for 9 months. This covers pretty much everything from taste in music, to taste in colors (how’d I give birth to a girly girl who likes pink???). Obviously, there is nothing in her preteen makeup kit that would interest me. Or so I thought.

The other day my youthful glow (which just sounds so much better than adult acne) reared its ugly head. Desperate to have something to cover the behemoth bump, I went delving into her kit and found the Neutrogena Skin Clearing Blemish Concealer stick. I was desperate, so I gave it a go. Guess what? I liked it. I really liked it. 

It has a sponge tipped applicator and a dial to control the delivery of the product. It is a thinner concealer than others I’ve used in the past, and the thin formula allows it to go on smoothly and blends well. The added bonus of salicylic acid helps clear the blemish, while it’s covering it up. Wins all around! Even though I am beyond pale, their “fair” color works well to match my ghostly pallor. While it works great on blemishes or spots, it is not to be used as an under eye concealer. That’s OK. I have a plenty of those type concealers in my senior citizen makeup kit!

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep! With a reasonable price and the good (and healing coverage), it’s a great tool for any makeup kit. As a matter of fact, I may very well keep it in mine! Let the kiddo beg for a while.

CHECK IT OUT:   Visit drugstore.com or soap.com for the complete line of Neutrogena products. You can also pick it up at any drugstore.

-- Tested by Laura

Amazing Cosmetics AmazingConcealer (Medium Beige)

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4.5 stars

COST: $42 for .5 ounces

THE SKINNY: I knew nothing about Amazing Cosmetics AmazingConcealer until I opened this sample packet. What was inside was a pretty amazing product.

The concealer (I used medium beige on my fair, but lightly tanned face) was the smoothest I have ever tried. So many past concealers have felt cakey or were visible on the skin without a lot of work to blend it in. I swear the AmazingConcealer almost took on the color of my skin as I blended it in … and all the imperfections were gone.

The product also comes with one of the highest seals of approval in the beauty world – an Allure Editor'sChoice Award (2005) – and has Sephora's natural seal.

The product claims to erase circles (check – mine were pretty pronounced after a few days with little sleep), hide blemishes and redness (check – a small pimple almost vanished) and covers broken capillaries and sun damage. I can't vouch for the last two claims, please comment if you know how it works in those areas.

This product must be too good to be true.

And it almost is.

It is expensive. Very expensive. The full size product is $42 (for just half an ounce). A little goes a very long way with this product, so you will get a lot of use for your money.

KEEP OR TOSS: I am saving up for the full size Amazing Concealer on my next visit to Sephora. I'll even pass on a new shadow shade to pick this up.

CHECK IT OUT: Amazing Cosmetics has a tutorial on how to apply AmazingConcealer and allows you to buy direct. Sephora also has a miniature version of the concealer (.2 ounces for $28.)

– Tested by Carrie