Edward Bess Platinum Concealer

With the launch of Edward Bess cosmetics and skin care at Sephora, I've been exploring. Always on the hunt for the "best concealer on earth," I decided to order Edward Bess Platinum Concealer ($38). I assumed it would elate me as much as every other Edward Bess treasure I've ordered.

Unfortunately, I'm not elated. Platinum Concealer is described as a creamy, full-coverage concealer that leaves the skin looking flawless. Here's its "bio."

The rich, yet lightweight texture of this formula blends smoothly across your skin and conceals to perfection. Fade away discolorations and brighten dark under-eye circles for the look of flawless, radiant skin. The sleek, twist-up case provides precise application with every use.

Platinum Concealer is available in four shades. I selected Ivory Nude, the lightest, described as light sand. The color is very good, but not perfect, for me. It is just a tad too yellow. Once blended, though, it's fine.

I was surprised the first time I applied the Platinum Concealer. I applied a light, slap-dash covering under my eyes (as I normally do with stick concealers) and expected to blend it with my favorite concealer brush. Naturally, I had primed my skin with a superbly hydrating eye cream. I found that the concealer didn't offer the slip to which I am accustomed, and it was hard to achieve a natural look when I attempted to blend it with my trusty brush. I resorted to my fingertips to warm the concealer to make it more blendable. I had to tug my delicate under-eye area too much to blend it.

The next time I applied it, I used a lighter hand in applying the concealer from the stick, which worked better. It still didn't have the slip I like, and I wasn't able to blend it easily with my concealer brush. Once again, I resorted to my fingertips to warm the product and finish the application. I can't agree with the words "rich" and "lightweight" in the product bio, and for me, it doesn't "blend smoothly" on the fragile skin under my eyes. It blends easily on my nose.

Once applied, Platinum Concealer does provide full coverage, as advertised. I think that's its best feature. It covers very well. I took a photo in miserable light (it was partly cloudy outside) to show you how well it covers the veins in my arm. I did not blend it for this swatch photo, however when blended it offers fabulous coverage. I hope you can see that the prominent veins on my arm are markedly less prominent above. The same will be true for the dark circles you may have under your eyes or any spots on your face that you prefer to mask.

I'd really like to hear any tips you can offer for applying Platinum Concealer. My skin is ultra-dry this time of year, so the problems I've experienced may be unique. Those with "slippery" skin (oily or combination - maybe even normal) may have an entirely different experience. I believe that because of the blendability on my nose. Still, I can't give Platinum Concealer an unqualified recommendation, as I had expected/hoped. I have concealers that blend more easily on my skin (Chantecaille, Le Métier de Beauté, Temptu, Bobbi Brown - to name a few), and for that reason I prefer them.

You can purchase Edward Bess Platinum Concealer at Edward's Web site, Bergdorf Goodman, a few Neiman Marcus counters, and, ta da, Sephora. I'm still excited about my new Edward Bess shopping at Sephora online. One so-so purchase hasn't dampened my enthusiasm.

Photo at top courtesy of Edward Bess; other photo by Best Things in Beauty