MAC Pro Longwear Concealer Review and Swatches

Ah, concealer. I am constantly on the hunt for the concealer that'll solve all my problems. It'll not only cover up my dark undereye circles, but it'll get me out of debt, solve world hunger and cure cancer. OK, so maybe not the last three. 

My latest concealer purchase came from my desire for a concealer that wasn't thick in consistency but provided good coverage. My dark circles are there despite how much sleep I get or how much water I drink. If I am dehydrated or lacking sleep, they're deeper and darker. 

I'd most recently been using MAC Studio Finish Concealer mixed with a bit of liquid concealer or moisturizer to thin it but still found that it was still too thick and tended to crease throughout the day.

MAC's Pro Longwear Concealer was recommended to me instead. It offers a high amount of pigmentation but is a liquid formula so it wouldn't be so prone to creasing like a thick, creamy concealer.

This is what the MAC website has to say about the Pro Longwear Concealer: 

A lightweight fluid concealer that provides medium to full coverage with a comfortable, natural, matte finish. Colour-true formula lasts up to 15 hours. Helps conceal and correct the look of under-eye circles, and discolourations. 

9 mL/0.30 US fl oz $23 CDN

It comes in 16 shades - NC15 to NC50 and NW15 to NW50.

Ingredients

It comes in a glass vial that I was warned to avoid dropping since it's prone to breaking easily. It has a pump that dispenses a decent amount of product - enough to use under my eyes and on any redness/blemishes/discolouration on an average day.

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW20

Here is one pump-worth of product on the back of my hand. It's highly pigmented so a little goes a long way. I admit I was a bit skeptical about it being able to offer enough coverage for my dark circles, but after the MAC MUA applied it in-store, I was sold. Suddenly my undereye area was brighter and smoother.

Here's what the product looks like on the skin (the back of my hand). 

One pump.

One pump spread out a little. 

One pump further spread out.

One pump completely spread out. 

Impressive, right? Here's what it looks like under my eyes.

My dark circles are pretty substantial and they're worse when I haven't slept well. They're blue-purple and I can't go without concealer. Thank god for concealer! 

The MAC Pro Longwear Concealer goes on beautifully. I use my Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush to apply it to the lower part of my undereye circles, concentrating on the inner area and blending out to the outer area and up the side of my nose, where there's a bit of blueness. The concealer blends out well and sets quickly. If I need a little more concealer on days I have darker and larger circles, I simply apply a bit more than normal and use my finger to tap it into my skin. I swirl a small amount of loose powder on top to help to set it. The amount of powder I need is much less than with a thicker, creamier concealer.

I will also use a damp sponge to apply it sometimes when I want a perfect application that won't crease (I am getting to the age where fine lines are a consideration). I work it into the skin with a damp sponge and then use the same damp sponge to press loose powder on top to set. This helps it stay smooth longer. 

I love the brightening quality of the Pro Longwear Concealer. It goes a long way to brighten my undereye area. Because of the brightening qualities, I have used it as a subtle highlighter on the tops of my cheekbones and down the centre of my nose. It also works well to conceal any redness in my skin. On days when I want a very natural skin finish, I'll just use this concealer in any areas that need coverage and blend it out. It works very well for that.

Oh, and it LASTS. MAC claims it'll last up to 15 hours and while I haven't worn it for that long in one go, yet, it certainly has lasted, without fading, for 12 hours. It last longer than my BB cream and my gel eyeliner!

I think I've found my new favourite concealer!

Grade: A