The entire brand is loved by make-up artists and fans alike, but I’d argue that complexion products are what MAC Cosmetics is best known for. While Face and Body, for example, which is arguably the most famous MAC foundation, has been an icon for decades. The latest addition to the complexion portfolio is Studio Radiance 24H Luminous Lift Concealer, the subject of this review.
As is the case with most make-up products, being deemed the best concealer is a somewhat subjective accolade. It has to provide your desired level of coverage—anything from a lightweight wash of dewy pigment to heavy-duty with a matte finish—wherever you’re most likely to use it, be that over dark circles or blemishes. MAC’s new Studio Radiance Concealer certainly makes some impressive-sounding claims, including 24 hours of “settle resistant” wear that doesn’t crease or cake. So, what’s it like IRL? I got my hands on it more than two months before it went on sale, so it’s safe to say I’ve given it a thorough test in that time. Here’s what you need to know about how well it performs.
Let’s get into the specs first. The packaging is nice and both looks and feels luxurious, though I’ll admit the two-tone design does remind me of another concealer. At £26, the price isn’t too much of a surprise in today’s economy for a mid-to-higher end brand, but it is still a bit of an investment.
As you’d expect from a brand like MAC, the shade range is broad with 44 different options to choose from. Almost all of these fall into NW for warmer undertones and NC for cooler undertones—unlike most other brands, MAC’s system defines warm as more rosy and cool as more golden, per the shade decoder. Interestingly, only two shades in the entire range are a straightforward N for neutral.
The formula also taps into the increasingly popular trend for infusing make-up formulas with skincare ingredients, with hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and niacinamide all on the list. In total, there are “31 hydrating, illuminating and plumping skincare ingredients” involved.
Coverage is specified as medium and buildable, and looks great. I’d describe the radiance as a backlit healthy glow rather than being very dewy. I found it best to blend it out with a fairly dense brush. It can cover minor spots pretty well, but you might want to bring in the big guns (something thicker and with fuller coverage) for a large and really inflamed one. If, like me, you have dark circles, I’d still recommend using a little bit of corrector as a neutralising step before you go in with concealer (my universal advice), but Studio Radiance Concealer does manage to filter them fairly well without—I’m not wearing any corrector with it in the image below.
(Image credit: Lucy Abbersteen)
Now for the wear. If this is the first time you’ve read one of my reviews you need to know my skin is oily. Greasy. A make-up slip and slide waiting to happen within hours of me painstakingly applying some of the best foundations. What I’m trying to say is that my skin is a good arena to put lasting claims to the test.
This concealer did well. Hours later (not quite 24, I like sleep) it doesn’t look that different. It’s not at all drying and though I have seen very minor settling in my laughter lines on occasion, this is without applying primer first and only visible right up close in the mirror. It’s so good that I’ll sometimes wear it alone in place of any foundation and move straight on to blush. It genuinely brightens and adds that healthy and refreshed kind of radiant finish to the skin.
I’ve written it before, I’ll write it again; the most reliable signal that I like a product is whether it goes into my daily make-up bag and gets used repeatedly after its initial test. It did. I’m hooked.
