One of my first Urban Decay purchases when the brand launched in Singapore, this fat pencil concealer (3.5 g/S$28; 0.12 US oz/US$17) caught my eye with its eye-brightening shade and handy nature.
According to the brand:
A concealer in pencil form equals precise application, and less mess—no brush, no dipping your finger into a pot, or squeezing a dollop onto a sponge. Dot on tiny blemishes, or shade in large problem areas (like redness around the nose and chin). The creamy formula blends easily, then dries down to a smudge-free matte finish.
Already full of Vitamin E, we’ve also added a new ingredient called Microsponge—its empty spheres absorb excess oil preventing further breakouts and clogged pores. Even when layered, the formula never looks thick or cakey.
The Pros
- It is easy to use
The fat pencil shape fits well between the fingers, allowing product control. The rounded tip is the right size for precise concealing and it can cover a larger area of skin too. I also like that it’s portable.
- It is smooth
Its semi-moist texture is creamy enough to be blended easily but not so soft that it slides everywhere. It can be thinly-layered as well, for more coverage.
- It brightens
It gives a lift to my upper/undereye area in an instant, quickly and effortlessly reducing the appearance of fatigue. It’s perfect for lifting the brow bone area too; opening up the eyes.
- It lasts
I use it as an all over eye colour sometimes and it stays on for a very long time. According to the brand, this product has ‘micro-sponges’ that stay the oilies. Although it has a slight tackiness when it is first applied, it does set matte, imparting a somewhat mattifying effect.
- It is versatile
It can be used as a face concealer, a lip concealer, an eye shadow and a highlighter. I really like how it effectively imparts a brightening boost…it’s a highlighter in a stick! It’s part of my makeup-on-the-go beauty trinity (the other two items are lipstick and brow pencil) because it conceals and highlights, immediately refreshing my visage.
The Cons
- It cakes
I bring this up because the brand claims that it can be used over makeup. I’ve found that it often creases over set makeup and ends up looking patchy. It also drags a little when I try to blend it. To be fair though, it has worked a few times when I applied it over set makeup but those instances were few and far between.
- Its cover is too tight
I’ve had difficulty removing the cap, as well as capping the product. As a result, I’ve shaved product off the nib more than once in doing both!
- It requires a sharpener
More an inconvenience than a con, it is a minor hassle to have to reactivate this product by sharpening it, unlike tube/pot/pan/wand/retractable concealers that do not require this process. That said, Urban Decay’s very own Grindhouse Sharpener does an excellent job of refreshing this pencil.
As I use this for its brightening effect and to even out my skintone on the eye area, I cannot comment on how it works to conceal blemishes. I do believe its opacity is good enough to hide light to medium facial flaws.
DEA is a light-medium shade suited to my MAC NC25 skintone. I’d love to try CIA, the lighter shade before DEA, some time soon. (How cute are the names?!)
Image source: Urban Decay
This review also appears on Emakemeup
i have this in CIA if i’m not mistaken, it does what it says but yeap it cakes a little AND i feel its a bit dry? like as tug it’s tugging the skin under my eyes :(
but i like it to conceal areas around my mouth making it a bit more define :D i’m a mac nc25/nw25 or 20 (gotta ask kim already cuz i forgot), i find cia sometimes a bit too light :(
Hi Plue,
CIA is very light. I think DEA will be perfect for you! :)