When Fenty Beauty announced that it has created a whopping 50 shades of concealer in early January, people of every skin tone lost their dang minds. However, when influencers started getting their hands on the product, reviews were a mixed bag across the skin tone spectrum.
As major Fenty fans and skeptical beauty journalists, Revelist beauty editor Nicola Dall'Asen and beauty writer Blake Newby got their hands on the concealer, available today, to see just for themselves how much hype this product actually deserves.
What's the verdict for Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Concealer? Find out below.
Nicola has very fair skin with pink undertones and lot of rosiness. She wears Fenty Pro Filt'r shade 150.
In order to find your perfect shade in Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Concealer ($26, Sephora) and its matching foundation, you definitely want to swatch this concealer on your jawline, in person.
When I swatched 150 on my hands and arms, it oxidized to a shade I thought would definitely be too deep and too peach for my face. I don't know what it is about the chemistry of this product, but it definitely does something different under the eyes.
Though the concealer itself swatches thick, creamy, and seemingly full coverage, Nicola says it blends out into a medium coverage on the face, depending on how you blend it.
When trying this concealer for the first time on her left side, Nicola blended that hefty amount of concealer out by patting and gently swiping with Fenty's Concealer Precision Brush ($26, Sephora), and it led to a sheerer coverage than desired.
Trying to apply more concealer to build the coverage with the brush didn't fare extremely well, either. If you build too much too quickly with the concealer brush, you might experience patches in your coverage.
Nicola blended the same amount of concealer on her right side by dabbing it with one of Fenty's Lil Precision Makeup Sponges ($18 for two, Sephora), and it was like using a different product altogether.
When blended out with the wet makeup sponge, Pro Filt'r concealer is much more full coverage and doesn't need any building, Nicola says. Ultimately, it's smoother — this concealer is definitely more suited to sponges that certain brushes.
After applying Pro Filt'r Foundation in 150 ($34, Sephora) everywhere else, Nicola set her entire face and baked underneath her eyes using Fenty's new Pro Filt'r Setting Powder in Lavender ($32, Sephora). In the process, she discovered a true game changer.
For Nicola, the brightening setting powder, which is finely milled to the point that it might as well be liquid, is what transformed a pretty standard face of foundation and concealer into something magical.
The setting powder's unique lavender hue and fine texture give it a lethal combo that brightens under eyes and sinks quickly into pores.
Nicola noticed her face was smoother than a baby's butt after applying the powder in light circular motions with the Fenty Powder Puff Setting Brush ($34, Sephora).
She still experiences some creasing just under her eyes, but she's never met a concealer that could stand toe to toe with her natural creases. In comparison, she says, Fenty's still fares better than most.
Altogether, these new Fenty products played extremely well with other brands' products for Nicola. Despite her strange swatching experience and doubts about shade 150, she experienced zero oxidation (you know, when your complexion products go yellow/orange).
All in all, Nicola gives this concealer 4.5/5 stars — but that's mainly due to the work of the purple setting powder. That earns a 5/5 from her.
Blake's skin has a lot of yellow undertones. She wears Fenty Pro Filt'r shade 350.
To find her perfect match in the Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Concealer ($26, Sephora), she went a few shades lighter than my foundation shade to ensure coverage.
When Blake first tried the concealer, the color seemed a little lighter than she wanted, but after a few minutes of oxidation, it was clear that 350 was her shade. With this one, looks can be deceiving.
She goes on thick, OK? Upon application, the concealer is definitely full coverage, but depending on what tool you use, you can take it to medium coverage. Blake applied quite a bit under the eye.
When trying this concealer for the first time on her left side, Blake blended out that large amount of concealer by patting and gently swiping with Fenty's Concealer Precision Brush ($26, Sephora), and it led to lighter, more everyday coverage.
Blake blended the same amount of concealer on her right side by dabbing it with one of Fenty's Lil Precision Makeup Sponges ($18 for two, Sephora), and it gave a much more dramatic finish with more noticeable coverage.
For this concealer, application is crucial. Using something more compact like the sponge helped keep the concealer in place. The brush, however, gives the concealer much more room to move.
After applying Pro Filt'r Foundation in 350 ($34, Sephora) everywhere else, Blake set her entire face and baked underneath her eyes using Fenty's new Pro Filt'r Setting Powder in Cashew ($32, Sephora). She immediately fell in love.
The first thing she noticed was the amazing scent of the powder. The sheer particles stayed in place while baking and left the skin feeling smooth as ever.
The noticeable brightening, particularly under the eyes, was no joke. Blake loved the way her pores felt and how the combination of the concealer and setting powder completely obliterated her dark circles.
If there's one thing Blake knows, it's setting powder, and this one is undoubtedly a top choice. She didn't experience creasing after finishing with setting spray, and the concealer stayed in place all day long.
Overall, this Fenty duo passed the test with flying colors. Although Blake, a concealer stickler, was worried that the formula would prove underwhelming, she was wrong. 350 was a perfect fit.
Blake gives the concealer 4 stars, and the setting powder a 10/5. That powder is a game-changer for her, and that smell is something she can't get over. Fenty has made the team proud once again.
