Like many other teenage girls growing up in the 90’s I was obsessed with reading magazines. My older sister and I would spend so long “browsing” in the magazine section of the newsagent that the staff would ask us to buy something or politely move along. It was when supermodels reigned, and I devoured all of the makeup and skincare tips that the magazines detailed. Time and time again, I would read that the must have concealer, a favourite with the Supermodels and their makeup artists, was the exotic and elusive- Clé de Peau.
In Australia then, (and still now) you couldn’t buy Clé de Peau. Despite the french name, the luxury skincare and cosmetic brand Clé de Peau, is in fact Japanese, one of the many brands owned by Shiseido. So now that I live in Tokyo, I finally have my chance to try this elusive and highly awarded beauty product.
Product: Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer (SPF 25+) ¥6000
What is Clé de peau beauté concealer?
Clé de peau beauté concealer is a creamy, high coverage, long wearing stick concealer.
You can use to cover dark circles, spots, acne scars and even freckles. The genius of the
Clé de peau beauté is that it camouflages imperfections, but also enhances and brightens the skin. The formula contains hyaluronic acid to maintain the skin’s moisture level, and helps prime the skin so the concealer sits comfortably on a smooth, supple foundation.
Available in 5 shades- light ochre, dark ochre, pink ochre, natural ochre and honey.
What did I think?
Clé de peau beauté concealer is definitely highly pigmented, so it does cover imperfections extremely well, but you have to be careful to blend well. I found a kabuki brush blended the concealer perfectly, but you could also use whatever you prefer, be it a brush or makeup sponge. I did try using my fingers to blend, but because the consistency is quite thick, so I needed to blend the edges carefully with the kabuki brush, otherwise the concealer was too obvious.
Although the formula is thick and creamy, it does not feel too heavy, and it has by far been the best concealer I have found for hiding very dark circle under the eyes. I love the stick packaging, I usually use a wand or brush type concealer, and I wasn’t sure I liked the stick style, for some reason it seemed really old-fashioned. with that said I am really surprised by how much I like it. Clé de peau beauté concealer is a little expensive, but if you have a problem area like dark circle or acne scars that you really want to camouflage then it is definitely worth spending the money on a high quality, and highly pigmented concealer like this one.
How to use Clé de peau beauté concealer.
- If you wear liquid foundation, tinted moisturiser, BB or CC cream, apply this first to the face before concealer.
- Twist the base to extend the concealer stick a small amount (about 2cm).
- You can apply the concealer to a brush first and then apply to the face, or apply directly to any areas that you want to conceal. Direct application works well for a swiping onto the under eye, chin and around the nose, ays can then use a brush/makeup sponge to blend seamlessly all over the area. If you are looking to conceal acne or pimples use a brush, as you don’t want to spread bacteria and also you want more control in spot concealing those areas.
- Blend, blend, blend. With concealing this is the most important part. Use a brush, makeup sponge or fingers (I found a combination of fingers and kabuki brush the easiest). Work on blending from the centre of the face outwards, to create a seamless finish.
- Lightly set any concealing with translucent powder to ensure it stays in place all day.
Where to buy Clé de peau beauté products in Tokyo
Japanese Department stores such as: Daimaru, Hankyu, Mitsukoshi, Matsuya, Isetan, Takashimaya, Seibu and ShinQ.
High-end drugstores like Koyasu in Hiroo.