I'd all but accepted that accentuated texture and patchiness were the trade-off for enhanced concealer coverage on my dry skin, but the Victoria Beckham Beauty concealer pen has proved me wonderfully wrong.
Beauty can be frustrating when you have stubbornly dry, combination skin (typed with no small amount of bitterness). The most luminous, best foundations are no match for a dull complexion, even after prepping with the best face moisturisers. I find this is especially true with concealer. I've tried so many that clung to texture and fine lines I didn't even know I had, or would dry out and separate throughout the day, making touch-ups impossible, especially around my under-eyes.
Finally, though, I've found a concealer pen that delivers radiant coverage that lasts and stays malleable - and I have Victoria Beckham to thank.
Why the Victoria Beckham concealer pen is my constant handbag companion
When it comes to my makeup routine, I'm all about radiance and low-maintenance. I want formulas that last, but are also easy to work with. I'm personally not a fan of products that dry down too much, as they either accentuate texture in the process, or won't allow for any touch-ups and tidying up later, because let's face it, most makeup does crease or fade after hours of wear.
In my experience, concealer was the number one culprit of this. Initially, it would look great, but as the hours ticked on, it would separate and appear cakey. This would only get worse if I tried to buff out the patchiness or add an extra layer to cover it. But then, the concealer pen from Victoria Beckham Beauty came into my life.
RRP: £64 | Key ingredients: TFC8® by Augustinus Bader, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, polyglutamic acid, squalane, Rosa Damascena flower water and hydrolysed rice protein
Powered by smoothing and hydration-boosting ingredients, this concealer pen is a game-changer for dull and dry skin. It's available in 16 shades and offers luminous, buildable coverage that feels both lightweight and nourishing. It's also very easy to work with as it plays well with other cream and powder products and blends like a dream.
Ranked among the best Victoria Beckham Beauty products by our team, this concealer has swiftly become my everyday go-to, thanks to its skincare-infused formula and versatility.
Powered by TFC8® - a blend of high-grade vitamins, lipids and peptides - created by skincare giant Augustinus Bader, as well as hydration-boosting squalane and rice proteins, this concealer is beautifully creamy and lightweight. It's described as delivering a 'nourishing veil of coverage,' and I couldn't agree more.
It glides onto the skin and just melts in, providing a dewy, medium coverage that you can build, without it appearing cakey or heavy. Despite its creamy consistency, it's not excessively sticky, but it also doesn't completely dry down, which is something I adore.
This stops the formula from clinging to dryness or fine lines (as is my gripe with most other concealers), and allows for easy correction. In the heat, for instance, my mascara can transfer onto my under-eye and lid, but this concealer allows me to gently wipe it away, without really disturbing the coverage at all.
I can also pat out any areas where the formula might have started to collect, and instantly, the coverage will look fresh and smooth again. As is the case when I want to top it up after a long day. Essentially, it's very forgiving, and the fact that it's nourishing and smoothing my skin while I wear it is just the cherry on top.
Above you can see the bright but smoother finish it's given to my under-eyes, especially. It also still allows your skin to shine through, which affords that subtle but enhanced look I prefer during the day.
Shade-wise, there are 16 to choose from (I use FL1), all housed in a Touché Eclat-esque click-brush applicator. While this makes it easy to apply, especially on the go, I will say that its packaging is my least favourite thing about it.
I often find that one click isn't enough to adequately cover everywhere I need to, but that's all I can fault. The price tag is also quite steep, but Victoria Beckham Beauty and Augustinus Bader, as brands, are on the more premium side, so it is to be expected. I would say it's good value for money too, as I've been using this pen for months and it's still going strong.
How I apply the Victoria Beckham concealer pen
As for how I apply this luminous concealer pen, I use it mainly around my eyes, around my nose and on any pesky blemishes around my chin. For a bit of context to the pictures above, I went in with my trusty Laneige Cerapeptide toner (which has also really transformed my skin's texture), followed by a dollop of Tatcha's iconic Dewy Skin cream, which is rightfully touted as one of the best Tatcha products around.
I then layered this concealer pen over Armani's Luminious Silk foundation, using the precision brush to add two swipes around my eyes, nose and chin. Initially, I blended it out with my finger before going over the areas quickly with a brush, to ensure everything was blended. On a very minimal makeup day, I will just use my finger to pat it in around my eyes, to blur my dark circles, and over redness around my nose.
If my skin is looking a bit too shiny, I'll also add a dusting of Charlotte Tilbury's Airbush powder over top. I find the concealer and powder work well together and still deliver a very smooth and natural finish.
