Arbonne Creme Concealer

--What does the promo say?--
"Masks imperfections, fine lines, dark circles and puffiness with a velvety formula that dries to a powdery soft finish."

# of shades available: 3 (light - medium - dark)
£16/2.2g

--Packaging--
While the packaging seems robust, it lacks the wow factor somewhat and a mirror inside it (even though it would of course only be a small mirror - this is a very tiny and portable concealer compact) would perhaps be preferable to the lacklustre plastic window Arbonne has as part of the lid. It's also very 'fingerprinty' - much like Guerlain's compacts - so don't expect this to stay looking clean. These are only superficial problems, however.

--Application--
Once you've done your usual routine (washing your face, and then applying face primer and eye primer if you use them), use your finger or a concealer brush to target blemishes or imperfections. This is easy enough to do; the concealer blends well and doesn't feel greasy on your fingers if this is how you're applying it.

--Scent--
None.

--Texture and consistency--
Silky smooth and dries powder-light, as promised.

--Appearance and Coverage--
I'd normally be sceptical of face cosmetics that only come in three shades, and I stand by that. However, I'm lucky that the 'light' shade is perfect for me: it blends with my skin tone flawlessly. However, this is not to say that it's completely perfect; it doesn't always cover up really bad blemishes 100% and I feel that in this regard I have used better concealers (mainly by the now-defunct Prescriptives and by Clinique). Nevertheless, I'm aware that many people will not have blemishes that are as bad as mine and so for them it's unlikely to be of concern.

--Longevity--
On this score, now, this concealer fares excellently: it compensates for any weaknesses in coverage by lasting all day long. You definitely won't need to retouch during the day with this, and it's wonderful to not have to think about it.

--Value for money--
I won't lie: this is definitely not cheap; BUT a quick sweep of the Boots website reveals that plenty of mainstream brands are more expensive, including Dior, Estée Lauder, Benefit and Lancôme. Even Olay's concealers are at times more expensive, so while this perhaps isn't intended for Maybelline fans, I'd still say that's pretty spanking value for money there. It's a long-lasting concealer that wears beautifully, and people with oily skin (who normally should avoid liquid or creme foundations and concealers - although that's not a rule that I'm very good at adhering to myself) just might have struck gold here. Price-wise, it's easily on a par with Clarins and Fashion Fair, while possibly even exceeding them in quality.

perfect partners
Mineral Foundation, £26
Pressed Powder, £25
Tinted Moisturiser, £24
Liquid Foundation, £29
Makeup Primer, £24

Estée Lauder Idealist Pore Minimising Skin Refinisher

RRP: from £34 (sizes from 30-100ml)

--What does the promo say?--
"Dramatically refinish skin's appearance and texture. See more clarity, smoothness and luminosity as it helps your skin get rid of dry, dulling, flaky surface skin cells. See more highly refined, virtually poreless skin. Enjoy our most dramatic skin resurfacing benefits—faster, more efficiently than ever before.

• Refines the look of uneven skin texture, flakiness and roughness.
• Pores appear 1/3 smaller—instantly.

Smooth on Idealist and instantly enjoy that soft, seamless, silky feeling you love.

• Includes 3 times more Glucosamine than original Idealist.
• Pore Diminishing Technology significantly shrinks the look of enlarged pores.
• Gentle-acting Chestnut Extract helps your skin get rid of dry, dulling, flaky skin surface cells.

It's as if you're seeing the skin you were born with, all over again."

--Packaging--
Beautiful luminescent and translucent blue glass bottle with a classic (but perhaps aimed at older women?) gold lid and clear glass dropper. Clearly recognisable both as part of the Estée Lauder brand and as part of the range of serums the brand offers.

--Application--
Just apply a few drops to your face and neck along with your usual moisturiser.

--Scent--
Very sharp and fruity, in a very pleasant way, and no wonder. It's packed with all sorts of fruity goodness, containing extracts of mulberry, grape, and saw palmetto. The overriding scent, however, is that of grapefruit. Simply divine.

--Appearance--
A white cream reminiscent of Skyn Iceland's Cloud Cream (which, interestingly, also has a strong grapefruit smell), although not as thick. Leaves no visible residue on the skin. Sadly, I didn't see that immediate reduction in pore appearance that the thing promises; Lancôme's Génifique is at least better for that.

--Texture/consistency--
It absorbs very successfully into the skin, not drying so quickly that you don't have a chance to rub it in. It is also non-greasy and makes your skin feel palpably less oily, and much smoother too. Not lumpy, and it is a little bit runny, but not overly so.

--Effects over time--
It certainly leaves skin impossibly smooth: apply it at night, and you'll still wake up with skin as fresh as a daisy in the morning. It doesn't clog pores, but I still didn't see that reduction we were all promised (although admittedly, according to the Estée Lauder website, you'd need to use it for 4 weeks to see long-term difference, which a 4-day sample is never going to provide).

--Value for money--
Somewhat obviously, you get an interesting reduction if you buy a bigger bottle (the 100ml bottle is 'just' double the price of the 30ml one for more than three times the content), and given that 1.5ml gives you 4-5 applications, I'd guess that 30ml gives you approximately 100 applications, at a cost of 34p per application (which declines if you buy a larger bottle). Despite not seeing an immediate reduction in pores, I'd be keen to test Estée Lauder's 4-week claim out, as it really is a joy to use. That'll be one for the birthday list, then.

perfect partner
Idealist Micro-D Deep Thermal Refinisher, £31 for 75ml