Hello my little fairy lights,
I think it's finally time for me to review that drugstore staple that everyone raves about, the Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer in Buff. I've been trying it out for a few months now so I think I can finally render a verdict.
Color: Buff is a light/medium concealer shade. I would call it fairly neutral, though it could be argued that it has a pink or brown undertone. I don't notice it on my eyes but when I swatched it on my hand and wiped it off, I realized that this product contains a fair amount of shimmer which clung to my skin like glitter (the herpes of art supplies) though it never remains under my eyes when I take off my makeup. The color is alright for me but it might be a little light so if I decide to repurchase this I might go for a darker shade. I can look a bit ghostly because of how light this is if I build it up or I don't use a tinted powder to set it.
Application: Application is pretty easy. I tend to use my fingers to fully blend it in if I'm on the go. The brush is alright, but I don't think it's very hygienic to keep using it around your eyes as it probably has the shelf life of a mascara (2-3 months). I've used it with my elf concealer brush but I don't notice a dramatic difference. Because it is a liquid formula there isn't really an issue with the product being too thick to blend out, though you should be careful about applying too much because it isn't as build-able unless you apply it in layers.
Coverage: I think the product offers light to medium coverage which is a major flaw for me. I have pretty bad dark circles so a good concealer makes a major difference in my appearance. This concealer diminishes the harshness of my dark circles but you can still clearly see them hiding under the layer of product. Also, it accentuates the bumps (I think they might be milia) and wrinkles (I'm only in my early-20s) under my eyes. Because of this, I probably wouldn't recommend this product for older people with deeper wrinkles.
Wear: The product doesn't feel heavy or sticky at all. I've mostly used it under my eyes to conceal dark circles but I've also tried it as a highlighter and around my nose where I have a bit of redness. It feels almost weightless so aren't conscious of the fact that you're wearing makeup. It starts to fade quickly (within 3 hours) whether or not you set it with powder. It doesn't completely disappear but it is definitely faded which is a problem with a product that doesn't offer full coverage in the first place. Just so you know, I wore it without a setting powder, with Make Up Forever HD powder and with my YSL Poudre Sur Mesure.
Packaging: I don't think the brush applicator is very hygienic, especially for a product that you use around your eyes. I know you can put some product on the back of your hand or use a makeup brush to transfer the product from the brush to your skin but those added steps can waste product and also increase the hassle. One of the major benefits of a product like this is how easy it is to keep it in your purse in case you don't have time to apply concealer before running or you need to do touch ups during the day. Also, you have to twist the tube to get the product out and I found that inevitably I would end up with more product that I needed. I think they should improve the way the product is dispensed to be a little less wasteful.
CONCLUSION: I can't enthusiastically recommend this product. For me it just doesn't provide enough coverage and it fades far too quickly. But if you don't have major issues with dark circles or wrinkles and you're just looking for a light/medium coverage concealer and you want a lightweight drugstore concealer, this might be worth checking out.
SWATCHES AND PACKAGING
Color: Buff is a light/medium concealer shade. I would call it fairly neutral, though it could be argued that it has a pink or brown undertone. I don't notice it on my eyes but when I swatched it on my hand and wiped it off, I realized that this product contains a fair amount of shimmer which clung to my skin like glitter (the herpes of art supplies) though it never remains under my eyes when I take off my makeup. The color is alright for me but it might be a little light so if I decide to repurchase this I might go for a darker shade. I can look a bit ghostly because of how light this is if I build it up or I don't use a tinted powder to set it.
Application: Application is pretty easy. I tend to use my fingers to fully blend it in if I'm on the go. The brush is alright, but I don't think it's very hygienic to keep using it around your eyes as it probably has the shelf life of a mascara (2-3 months). I've used it with my elf concealer brush but I don't notice a dramatic difference. Because it is a liquid formula there isn't really an issue with the product being too thick to blend out, though you should be careful about applying too much because it isn't as build-able unless you apply it in layers.
Coverage: I think the product offers light to medium coverage which is a major flaw for me. I have pretty bad dark circles so a good concealer makes a major difference in my appearance. This concealer diminishes the harshness of my dark circles but you can still clearly see them hiding under the layer of product. Also, it accentuates the bumps (I think they might be milia) and wrinkles (I'm only in my early-20s) under my eyes. Because of this, I probably wouldn't recommend this product for older people with deeper wrinkles.
Wear: The product doesn't feel heavy or sticky at all. I've mostly used it under my eyes to conceal dark circles but I've also tried it as a highlighter and around my nose where I have a bit of redness. It feels almost weightless so aren't conscious of the fact that you're wearing makeup. It starts to fade quickly (within 3 hours) whether or not you set it with powder. It doesn't completely disappear but it is definitely faded which is a problem with a product that doesn't offer full coverage in the first place. Just so you know, I wore it without a setting powder, with Make Up Forever HD powder and with my YSL Poudre Sur Mesure.
Packaging: I don't think the brush applicator is very hygienic, especially for a product that you use around your eyes. I know you can put some product on the back of your hand or use a makeup brush to transfer the product from the brush to your skin but those added steps can waste product and also increase the hassle. One of the major benefits of a product like this is how easy it is to keep it in your purse in case you don't have time to apply concealer before running or you need to do touch ups during the day. Also, you have to twist the tube to get the product out and I found that inevitably I would end up with more product that I needed. I think they should improve the way the product is dispensed to be a little less wasteful.
CONCLUSION: I can't enthusiastically recommend this product. For me it just doesn't provide enough coverage and it fades far too quickly. But if you don't have major issues with dark circles or wrinkles and you're just looking for a light/medium coverage concealer and you want a lightweight drugstore concealer, this might be worth checking out.
The writing on the side of the concealer wears away pretty quickly.
Brush
Direct sunlight (more of a yellow/brown undertone in this picture)
Blended in
Shade (more of a pink undertone in this photo)
Blended in
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