Tuesday, 8 October 2013

Cult Beauty Cle de Peau Beaute Concealer - Is it really worth it?


I am obviously no stranger to high end cosmetics and I certainly don't shy away from unscrupulous (even ridiculous) price tags when it comes to investing in premium quality beauty products that stand out among its counterparts. After all these years of experience navigating through the extremely over-saturated beauty industry I have come to understand that a high price point does not guarantee a good product and that hype is often driven by the brands themselves so everything needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

One of the reasons I love beauty bloggers is that with their influence and feedback, consumers now have a more trustworthy, personal guidance when it comes to purchasing these hyped-up, cult-worthy products and that is nowhere more important than in the world of high-end brands.
Reviews by real-world girls can give a much clearer picture on a beauty product than any brand ambassador, magazine, advertorial or cleverly put together public relations team. Advice like that is invaluable and reaches its full potential in the world of online shopping when products are ordered sight unseen and shipping returns are nothing but a hassle.

Cle de Peau Beaute is one of those mythical unicorn kind of niche brands that constantly receives huge raves across the blogosphere but is extremely hard to come by or locate in person especially in North America. It had gotten my attention years ago but the really high price tag always made me hesitate in actually going through with the online order. After all we are talking about a $90.00 concealer here - I felt like I had to be sure or at least get color-matched at a counter before taking the plunge! Despite my reluctance and deeply rooted hesitation I was extremely intrigued by the star of their line up - the Concealer ($80.00 for 0.17 oz), especially after reading so many rave reviews and accolades from several trusted beauty gurus!


I am extremely lucky that certain lovely people in my life consult or keep track of my beauty wish list so upon opening a birthday gift I realized the object of my affection had finally arrived. The Cle de Peau Beaute Concealer shade that the giftee selected for me was Ivory and to my delight I realized that the colour match could not have been more perfect!
To say I was excited is the understatement of the century! I couldnt wait to see if this was as amazing as everyone else seems to think!

Official Description;
A perennial makeup-artist favorite, Clé de Peau Beauté concealer is highly editorialized and continues to win major awards year after year.
- Enhanced with Revitalizing Moisture Complex to lock in moisture and smooth out texture.
- Blends sublimely to expertly conceal dark circles, spots and imperfections.
- High-performance powders ensure flawless skin in any light, providing maximum coverage with a smooth, even finish that does not crease.


Ingredients;
Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Hydrogenated Polydecene, Cyclomethicone, Mica, Kaolin, Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Paraffin, Sodium Magnesium Silicate, Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Polyethylene, Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate, Glycerin, Barium Sulfate, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Microcrystalline Wax (Cera Microcristallina), Peg-10 Dimethicone, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Water (Aqua), Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Butylene Glycol, Polysilicone-5, Tocopherol, Fragrance, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aluminium Hydroxide, Alcohol, Aluminium Distearate, Dimethicone, Triethoxysilyethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Rosa Roxburghii Fruit Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Prunus Speciosa Leaf Extract, Bht.


*Available in four shades: Ivory, Ocher, Beige and Honey

While nothing spectacular, the minimalist sleek black tube accented with Cle de Peau’s logo and capped with q gemstone-like blue accent has a very chic and simple feel to it - nothing gaudy or ostentatious here! I am a sucker for cute packaging but I can definitively appreciate the sophistication theme that seems to be associated with this brand. 
The thing that really matters when it comes to such a high end purchase is whats on the inside of the fancy packaging itself or at least that's part of the evaluation that was most important to me. 

The formula of the concealer is extremely creamy, easy to blend and highly pigmented. After a few uses I realized that the full potential of this product can only be achieved by thoroughly moisturizing and priming the skin prior to application. The natural suppleness of a well-cared for complexion combined with the velvety texture of the Cle de Peau Beaute Concealer minimizes any dragging of the stick and even further enhances its blend-ability and durability factor. This is especially important if you already have dry skin like me! The concealer pigments can grab on to any dry patches you may have and exponentially increase the chances of creeping and the dreaded dry crepiness after-effects. 
The high concentration of colour pigments combined with the emollient texture of the stick itself allows the concealer to be used both under the eyes and the rest of your face; covering under-eye darkness, redness, imperfections, blemishes and even broken capillaries.

What I love about it the most is that due to its creamy consistency this concealer applies evenly and smoothly, remaining malleable long enough to be patted on without settling into any fine lines during dry down. The coverage of this Cle de Peau wonder is definitively medium to high and surprisingly buildable without looking caky or chalky  like so many of its other stick cousins. The product longevity is very impressive (over nine hours) when set with powder and there is absolutely no smudging or transference once its dry.

I have never really liked any other stick-form concealers or foundations due to the thick formulation but always admired their portability and application ease. The Cle de Peau Beaute Concealer unites an easy-to-use, high performance formula with easy-to-carry convenience thereby finally making travel and on-the-go touch ups a breeze to pull off. Definitively a thrilling asset to my everyday makeup bag!

My ultimate conclusion on the Cle de Peau Beaute Concealer  is unfortunately very positive. I have scrutinized and tested out this creamy goodness for a long time now, trying constantly to identify its faults and shortcomings with ruthless vigor and conviction. Unfortunately for me and my wallet I have come to admit and recognize the superiority of this concealer formula - other than the price tag and perhaps the shade selection its pretty much perfect!

However given all the positives (and there are many!) and knowing the price I will have to pay to replace this once my precious tube is gone, I am still not prepared to identify it as an essential in my makeup collection. Its beautiful and a wonderful secret weapon in my makeup bag but with such a high price point replenishing it will be a very painful en-devour even for a makeup junkie like me.

Like I always say - you cant argue with results and the Cle de Peau Beaute Concealer absolutely delivers them across the board.
Very few products these days live up to the hype so when one does, congratulations and props are definitively in order.
Begrudgingly I admit that Yes, This Product Is Indeed Worth It!

Thank you for reading!

Have you tried the Cle de Peau Beaute Concealer! 

XOXO

ANJA



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