I cheated.
After three months on a low-carbs, low-sugar diet, I binged on fast food sandwiches and Nutella. For a week.
It was a plot, I tell you. Last week was full of meetings. I rushed out of the house in the mornings and came back late, too tired to cook something. It was easier to grab a sandwich along the way and eat Nutella pancakes when my stomach grumbled at home.
My brain loved it. It’s addicted to sugar. My skin, not so much. It told me to get back on track, loud and clear.
As I’m typing this, my chin is full of pimples. In the past three months, I never had a pimple. Not even during that time of the month. It was a miracle, I tell you.
I grabbed my ZO Skin Health Oeffects Sulfur Masque, but even this miracle worker takes a couple of days to rid me of pimples. I needed something to give me flawless skin straight away.
And who does flawless, dewy skin better than the Koreans? No one, that’s who. It was time to grab me some Korean makeup. I always had a good experience with MustaeV, so I gave the Skinny Tint Foundation and Spot Eraser Concealer Pencil a go.
Skinny Tint Foundation
I have this in two shades, Innocent and Bright Beige. Innocent is the palest of the two and has pink undertones while bright beige is slightly darker and has yellow undertones. Innocent is the better match for my pale skin. It’s not a perfect match but you can hardly see the difference, so it’ll do.
It has a creamy texture that glides smoothly on my skin. It doesn’t streak but can stick to dry and flaky patches. If your skin’s dry, moisturize well before using this and you’ll be fine.
The coverage is on the sheer side, which suits me just fine. If you need something more intense, you can build it up to a medium coverage without looking like you’re wearing a mask.
Plus, it has a lovely dewy finish that makes me look fresh and radiant (I’m currently operating on 5 hours of sleep so that’s pretty impressive).
It just looks very natural on and lasts long, too. My oily t-zone starts getting all shiny again after around 6 hours but on my dry cheeks, it lasts for a full 10. If I could be bothered to set it with power, I’m sure I’d get even better results.
Spot Eraser Concealer Pencil
This was a first. I had never tried a concealer pencil before.
One: all my fave concealers come in a cream form.
Two: I’m not that good with a pencil. I can’t draw a straight line with eyeliner if my life depended on it and don’t fare much better with a real pencil. When I play Pictionary, my friends mistake my dogs for sheeps (ahem).
So, I didn’t have great hopes for this.
Boy, was I wrong!
The pointed tip is just perfect to work with. When I use a cream concealer, the colour gets a bit all over the place. I spend more time blending that out than concealing the pimples (there is a reason why my blog is more focused on skincare than makeup, ladies).
With this pencil, I can apply the colour just where I need it and then blend it a little bit just to conceal the edges. Pimples gone. (Ok, I wish, but at least you can’t see them anymore – I’ll take that, thank you).
Did I mention I also use a lot less product to get the job done?
I thought that was all it did, but when I read my friend Tavia’s review, I realised what a multi-tasker this concealer pencil truly is. She swears it can also stop your lipsticks from feathering and makes your fine lines look smaller.
Let’s start with lipstick. Natural is such a lovely nude shade it acts like a nude lip liner. I line my lips with it and my lippies stay put. I usually don’t use lip liner but it’s great to have something in my stash that can double up for it whenever I decide to wear a lipstick with a travelling fancy.
I was more sceptical about the “reduces fine lines” claims. Here’s how it works: you use the concealer to line your lower lashline to soften the appearance of fine lines. I’d say it workishs (is that a word?). It’s very, very subtle.
But even if all the pencil did was cover pimples, I’d still be over the moon with it. It provides a level of precision I had never experienced with a concealer before. Plus, I can count on it for up to 7 hours (more if I set it with powder).
The best part? Both the foundation and concealer make me look naturally flawless. Mission accomplished.
Cons: Foundation sticks to dry patches; The fine line reducing action of the concealer is very, very subtle.
Summary: Mustaev Skinny Tint Foundation has a sheer to medium coverage and a dewy finish that evens out the skintone and hides small imperfections. The Spot Eraser Concealer Pencil is perfect for precision work: it easily conceals pimples and blemishes. Plus, it stops lipsticks from feathering, too.
Price & Availability: Foundation, $33.00; Concealer, $13.00 at MustaeV
Rating: Foundation 4/5; Concealer 4.5/5
PR Samples.
Take The Guesswork Out Of Skincare Shopping
Get access to the “Pro Skincare Library” for exclusive skincare routine “cheat sheets” and tricks to help you navigate the beauty aisles jungle like a pro and immediately know what to pick off the shelves to achieve the gorgeous skin of your dreams - even when you’re drowning in an endless sea of skincare products.