Review: Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer

~ stashy

I bought the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer during the April Sephora VIB sale and started wearing it in May.
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Spoiler alert: this product made it into my recent favourites list. So you know it scores at least 8 or above out of 10. And here’s why.

The Nars packaging is pretty iconic. Simple, rounded squares with a rubberized finish:
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That cap does attract powders and smudges like a magnet. But I do appreciate that the cap lines up perfectly with the base when I close the tube – it’s the little things that matter! 😛 It has a doe-foot wand applicator which is pretty standard with concealers. I don’t have a strong preference for a wand or a squeeze tube – there are pros and cons for both.
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There are 10 colours offered in this concealer, which I think is impressive:
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From L to R:
Chantilly – True ivory shade for fairest complexions
Vanilla – Tiny cast of pink for the fair complexion
Honey – Warm peach tone for light to medium complexion
Custard – Yellow tone for light to medium complexion
Ginger – Golden undertone for undertones medium complexion
Biscuit – Medium dark natural balance of pink and yellow undertones
Caramel – Medium dark yellow and golden undertones
Amande – Medium dark with golden olive undertones
Cafe – Dark shade with warm red
Cacao – Dark shade with deep gold-brown undertones
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I was matched to Custard (Medium 1) which I think is about a 90% match for my NC20 skin tone – the shades on either side are too peachy / dark for me.
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Claims:
• Long wearing and crease-proof
• Blurs appearance of lines and wrinkles
• Hides dark circles and signs of fatique
• Buildable medium to full coverage
• Botanical blend helps to firm and strength skin
• Antioxidant protection
• Paraben-free, Alcohol free, Synthetic fragrance free, Non comedogenic

The concealer definitely delivers on being long wearing and crease-proof. These are probably the top 2 qualities I look for in an under eye concealer. The texture of the concealer is creamy and thicker than the average concealer.  And the coverage is one of the best I’ve found in an under eye concealer – it conceals my dark circles without looking mask-like.

I feel that Custard looks great when first applied, but it does oxidize slightly:

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L to R: freshly applied, dried after 15 minutes, and over Becca Under Eye Corrector (blended)

I’d mentioned that when I attended the Too Faced Born This Way Concealer pre-launch event, the SA guessed which Nars concealer shade I was wearing because of how peach it looked. She recommended that I go a shade lighter – but this isn’t an option because the lighter shade, Honey, is even more peach (and the next shade down, Vanilla, is too light and pink).  It’s likely that the Nars concealer had oxidized, and I think it’s possible that I had applied too much of the Becca Under Eye Brightening Concealer underneath.  I’ve tested this concealer various ways: on its own, over Becca Under Eye Concealer, and also set with Nars Light Reflecting Looser Setting Powder. My preferred way to wear this is over the corrector and set with powder.
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It’s also a fuss-free concealer in terms of application: I apply the concealer by placing 3-4 dots under each eye, then I tap with my ring finger to blend in. Some days I use a Beauty Blender-type sponge to blend, but most days I just use my fingers – it gives a streak-free, smooth application.  I primarily use this concealer for my under eye area since it seems to be marketed for that purpose, however, I did try it for spot concealing and for redness around my nose, and it performed very well for that purpose too. I still prefer stick concealer for spot concealing as they’re more pigmented and last longer. Lastly, I should mention that when I first started using this concealer, I thought it was causing milia (little bumps) around my eyes, but it turns out it wasn’t – phew! (I suspect it was a sample eye cream I was testing)
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This costs $36 CAD for 6ml of product, and is made in the USA. Nars is sold at Sephora and Hudson’s Bay in Canada.  I’ve been wearing this concealer for just 2 months and I already feel like it’s starting to get used up – I will monitor how long a tube lasts me.

I decided to start a more objective comparison for certain products like concealers and mascaras since those are the items I scrutinize the most. Here’s how Nars stacks up against other concealers I’ve tried:
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The ratings on this chart don’t necessarily translate to the final rating – they don’t take into account other aspects like price / value, packaging, scent, shade range, etc:
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Here’s my final rating of the Nars concealer:

Pros:
• Excellent coverage
• Creamy consistency
• Does not crease or settle into fine lines
• Long lasting finish
• Good for both under eye and spot concealing
• Wide range of colours

Cons:
• Expensive
• Oxidizes slightly

Stash worthiness: 8/10

The high price of this concealer really drops its rating for me.  For a fantastic budget option, I highly recommend the Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser concealer.  Edited to add: many reviews compare Maybelline’s Fit Me Concealer as a cheaper dupe to the Nars and I say NOPE! Fit Me provides way less coverage and does not last all day like the Nars does.  The only similarities I see are: both are creamy, easy to apply, and have similar packaging. That’s it. [I’ve added the Maybelline Fit Me in the tables above]

The Nars website lists their bestsellers, and the concealer is ranked #5 – after Orgasm blush, Laguna bronzer, VIP Red Semi Matte lipstick, Dominique Audacious lipstick. Although, I don’t really count the 2 lipsticks because one is limited edition and the other is an online only exclusive – so actually, let’s call the concealer #3, after Orgasm blush and Laguna bronzer. That is impressive considering that this concealer isn’t even that old in Nars’ line-up, it was only launched in 2013! Surely, Orgasm blush and Laguna bronzer have to be at least 10 years old? [I just checked, Orgasm blush was lunched in 1999 and I couldn’t find a definitive year for the bronzer] Anyway… all I’m saying is, this concealer is popular, and I can understand why.  Have you tried this concealer?

77 thoughts on “Review: Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer”

  4. Love the spreadsheet! Based on your analysis I’ve tried the Maybelline Age Rewind and Mac Pro Longwear (damn that pump!). Nars will be my next concealer… maybe with HBC points

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    1. Yessss that damn MAC pump is the WORST. Also, did you notice that it smells like a wet dog? ick. Ooh yes if you have HBC points, this is a good item to redeem for!

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    1. I find the coverage on the Maybelline Age Rewind to be slightly better than the Nars but the trade off is that it’s more drying. I do also have to mix 2 of the Maybelline to get a proper match though – I haven’t tried the shade you sent me – we don’t have that Nude colour here! I hope it works for me as is. I’ll be opening that up soon. 🙂

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  6. Thanks for the detailed review on this! I’ve wondered if this is worth the money, it seems like some hate it and some claim HG status. I struggle finding concealers that I can use for spot concealing that don’t break me out – I haven’t found one that works for me yet so I might need to bite the bullet and give this a try.

    Have you tried the Maybelline Fit Me concealer? I can’t use it to spot conceal (breaks me out) but it works wonders on my under eyes. I don’t typically struggle with dark circles but I have broken capillaries and redness instead #yay

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    1. For spot concealing, I much prefer stick type concealers – have you tried the Revlon Photoready one?
      http://www.revlon.ca/products/face/concealer/revlon-photoready-concealer
      It’s one of my favourites. Have you been able to pin point what ingredient is causing you to break out?

      I have tried basically every Maybelline concealer and I wasn’t a big fan of the Fit Me for under eye – it’s not enough coverage for me. However, I did try it with the Becca corrector underneath and it performed much better! I know a lot of people compare the Fit Me to the Nars and I do not think they compare – Nars provides MUCH more coverage, and it stays put. I found the Fit Me to fade. Hmm I should add that to my review!

      Here’s an overview of Maybelline concealers I did last year:

      Maybelline Concealer Comparison


      I haven’t tried the SuperStay one but I heard it’s not good so I’ve stayed away.

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      1. Haven’t tried the Revlon one, I’ll have to check it out. Thanks for the recommendation!
        I cannot for the life of me figure out which ingredients are breaking me out – I have a list going but sometimes what I think is breaking me out in one product doesn’t seem to bother me in another. I’m guessing it can really depend on the amount of the ingredient – its a frustrating situation to have such sensitive skin. 😒

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  7. I’m surprised the concealer only launced in 2013…seems like it’s been getting a lot of hype for a really long time!
    Great review, I agree with you on all of the points! I had originally been matched with Ginger, which was too orange for me, and when I went back to get Custard, the SA told me that this concealer wasn’t meant for under the eyes and pushed a stick concealer on me instead. I ended up going back to get Custard after the stick concealer didn’t work out cause I think she was wrong 😛 had no clue that this oxidized so much, though!
    This concealer is actually pretty great for spot concealing, but I find it’s not quite enough coverage for my under eye circles. Using the Becca corrector with this concealer works wonders!

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    1. Are you KIDDING me that the SA said this concealer isn’t meant for the under eyes? ALL of the marketing around it is about how it smooths fine lines and provides hydration to help you look more rested – DUH. Somebody needs to go back to product training, methinks! IMO stick concealers are not good for under eye concealing, but what do I know? 😆
      I agree, it’s not the highest coverage – the Becca definitely helps in that regard but I think that’s what is making it look more peachy. I’m wearing this combo today and I see it’s slightly peachy looking. It’s just never PERFECT, ya know? I need a custom shade created for me! 😛

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      1. Umm, I know right?! I went in asking to get re-colour matched since Ginger was wrong, and the SA was like “What are you going to use it for?” and when I told her it was for my under eye area, she said it was too creamy for the under eye area! I was like “ummmmm….”. The stick concealer (from UD) was WAY too dry for under eye concealing. I use it to spot conceal now.
        Agreed with the custom shades! Even though 10 shades is a lot to choose from, sometimes our skin tones don’t just fit neatly into 10 shades. You and I have different skintones, yet Custard ends up being the closest fit for both of us – if there were more choices, we would probably use different shades!

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    1. What is Flash shipping from Sephora? I don’t think we have that here in Canada! Nars does offer this in a travel / trial size in a couple of shades if you want to try it out first.

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  11. I absolutely adore the way you have done this post! I really need to try some more concealers. One thing I hate is when they fall into the creases around my eyes! I have given you a follow as really looking forward to your future posts! Give my blog a look if you can :)x

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    1. Hi there! Welcome to the world of blogging. I see you’ve just recently started your blog. I’m glad you found mine and you found this review helpful! 🙂 Off to check out your blog!

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      1. Mine actually lasted a good while! I can’t remember exactly how long ago I got it but I’m pretty sure it lasted really well, over 6 months anyway!

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    1. There’s a smaller / travel size version if you don’t want to commit. I tried getting the NYX HD one instead of this one but I can’t find a good match with the NYX.

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  17. Yey!!! 🙌🙋🙆 thank you for the review!!! I thought that it oxidizes too, but then I was like maybe just my eyes. I am so glad that you confirm my suspicion. 😄 Love all that comparison detail in this post.

    On the FITme concealer, I totally agree with you. It was actually so not dupe that I unsubscribe / stop reading any blog that advise it as a dupe for NARS.

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    1. I don’t know why people continue to perpetuate that Maybelline Fit Me is a dupe for Nars? Do they truly believe that or have they not tried both?
      The oxidization makes me wonder if I COULD get away with going lighter in shade? If I got Vanilla, it might oxidize enough to match me? Hmmm.

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      1. Me too! I just don’t get it.

        Hm.. I don’t know, Vanilla’s tone is different from custard. You stated that it has pink… so if that oxidises it turns to… >_< perhaps you do a sample test before you drop money on this one again.

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  18. I haven’t tried this concealer but mostly because it’s very rare that I’m in a Sephora store and I feel based on how warm toned NARS tends to be, I would need to test them to make sure one is neutral/cool enough. I might check it out when I’m in the states at a Sephora next month (YAY!) but, there’s a few other concealers on my radar that I want to try… decisions! I’m actually pretty content with my concealer game right now, but it is always fun to try new products!

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    1. I too, feel that Nars is quite warm toned! I’m more of neutral, leaning slightly warm and I found most of the shades too peach / yellow. I definitely recommend testing them in person. What concealer do you currently use that you’re content with? I’m always on the hunt for the next best concealer… the one I’ve repurchased most has been the Maybelline Age Rewind.

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      1. My HG concealer at the moment is the Urban Decay Naked Skin but I recall from your posts that it didn’t work for you. I love it though! I kind of want to try the new Kat Von D concealers though… hmm! I’m going to have fun when I go to Sephora in August! 🙂

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    1. I would say the Nars concealer ranks #2 currently of all concealers I’ve tried for my under eye area! I still prefer the Maybelline one slightly better simply because of the coverage, not to mention the lower price. I’ve not tried the It Cosmetics one – I’ll add it to my list of ones to try. Thanks for the rec!

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