As a beauty team of differing skin types, tones and makeup tastes, it's rare to find a product that we all use consistently. Rare, but not impossible, it seems, as a certain Hourglass concealer has united us all in our pursuit of bright undereyes and even-looking complexions.
Like with most things, our beauty routines are subjective. We all have different requirements for our products, as my colleagues and I prove daily. I, for one, would pick a glowy, hydrating formula from among the best foundations to mask my dry skin, while Digital Beauty Editor, Fiona McKim, tends to opt for a medium-coverage, satin-y finish to combat her oilier complexion. Now, this has its merits, as collectively we bring quite the wealth of knowledge to the table - for our shopping guides and so on - and when a product does occasionally bridge the divide between our tastes and needs, it's quite the testament to its quality.
Hourglass' Vanish Airbrush concealer is one such buy that can be found in not one, but three of our journalists' makeup bags, all for different and very compelling reasons - in addition to it just being a great concealer.
The Hourglass concealer our entire beauty team swears by
A cult-favourite among Hourglass' makeup line, the Vanish Airbrush concealer promises to blur, smooth and brighten your complexion with the help of light-reflecting, micro-spherical powders. It tackles everything from dark circles to blemishes, as you'd expect from a concealer, but perhaps most impressively still, it has won the admiration of not one, but three of our beauty team members.
RRP: £36
The ultimate tell of a good product? When three beauty journalists have it tucked in their makeup or gym bags, for touch-ups on the go. Hourglass' Vanish Airbrush formula is available in over 30 shades and promises up to 16 hours of blurring wear, thanks to its light-reflecting ingredients. It also feels weightless and comfortable on the skin, despite offering full and lasting coverage.
Why Naomi loves it...
Digital Beauty Writer, Naomi Jamieson reaches for it on days when her tired eyes need an extra helping hand, or she's experiencing a breakout and needs some heavy-duty coverage: "For more of a natural, everyday look, the Victoria Beckham Beauty Concealer Pen is my go-to, but when my skin is struggling, either with hormonal spots, redness or a few days of consecutively bad sleeps, Hourglass' concealer is my skin savour.
"While the formula does dry down slightly, I don't find that it exacerbates my dry skin, nor accentuates it. In fact, it still feels creamy, despite offering more of a matte finish and plays well over top of all of my favourite foundations - from Armani's Luminous Silk to the Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Foundation. Above, I've used it around my undereyes, to mask my stubborn dark circles and along my jaw and chin, where I've got a few pesky spots that are being annoyingly loyal."
Why Aleesha loves it...
"I spent years testing concealers to try and find the right formula for me and nothing ever quite fully hit the mark," says Digital Beauty Ecommerce Editor, Aleesha Badkar, "but Hourglass changed that for me. A high-coverage formula that seamlessly covers dark patches and imperfections, this is surprisingly lightweight to wear.
"It somehow balances a creamy, comfortable and blendable formula with one that actually stays put and doesn't sink into fine lines on the face or around the eyes. At first, I did find it a bit fiddly to get used to, but it turns out I was using the wrong brush. When I switched over to Hourglass's Vanish Seamless Finish concealer brush, it was a dream, as the texture and concentration of the bristles are perfectly designed to blend this product. It stays well throughout the day, but top with a touch of powder to really up the longevity."
Why Fiona loves it...
"This concealer went into my pre-work, post-spin class makeup pouch primarily because of its size (very tiny, very cute), but portability is far from the only thing Vanish has going on," says Digital Beauty Editor, Fiona McKim. "It's very high pigment, but relatively spreadable, which is basically dark circle kryptonite. A little dot under the eyes and a pat-pat-pat of the finger - never rub, always dab - and here I am in the work loos looking like a woman who doesn't share her home with a toddler who thinks 5.30 am is a civilised time to get the day going. Great stuff."
How and where to apply the Hourglass Vanish concealer
Where and how you apply the Hourglass concealer to your face is really up to you, but we would recommend it for blurring dark circles and spot-concealing, especially.
Application-wise, we found that it works best with either a brush or using your finger to gently buff out and blend the formula - Naomi opts for the latter when she wants heavier coverage. You can also use a beauty blender, if you'd prefer, but the Hourglass concealer brush, for example, will offer more precision and may cause less movement and separation of products underneath.
