The L’Oreal Touche Magique concealer was a firm favourite of mine – it was one of the first concealer/highlighters I’d ever used and it was affordable and worked well. And then it disappeared off our shores. The link will take you to my original review in 2007.
Many years later, its back! With new packaging and a new name – L’Oreal True Match Touche Magique Anti Fatigue and Illuminating Concealer – Smoothing Effect. *pause for breath* Whew!
Naturally, once I spotted it in a local mag a few months ago, I had to pick it up to see if it withstood the test of time. In the interim of course, I’d found other similar concealers that did the job well so this had some living up to.
First off, packaging. Nothing has changed here. Its still a clicky pen with brush mechanism. The clicky mechanism however feels a bit stiff and the brush poked my skin. I did not like that 🙁 I tried softening the brush by brushing back and forth across a piece of tissue paper but it still remained pokey. Less so now after use, but still… pokey! 😛
Secondly formula. It feels and looks thicker than I remember it to be. I also remember that Touche Magique had these little shimmer bits in it for highlighting purposes. This seems to be gone. Its now just a straight undereye concealer for me.
I got it in 01 which applies on my skin a little whiter than expected. Once blended in, its alright and it seems to cover dark circles nicely. Do note that I do not have very dramatic dark eye circles. What I have are shadows and this concealer covers it nicely enough that I look bright eyed and bushy tailed and raring to go.
It lasts the whole day on my skin too. Do bear in mind that I do not have oily lids and I always brush a light layer of powder or foundation over my eyes once I’m done with my base makeup, before I do my eye makeup. Its all good.
But I don’t know. Something’s missing. Its missing that je ne sais quoi.
Pros: Does not settle into lines, Covers dark circles well, Is not cakey or thick, Lasts the whole day, Affordable
Cons: Shades are very limited so darker skinned girls will have problems finding a match, Brush feels pokey and stiff, Turning mechanism is a bit stiff
I found the formula a little thicker than I liked. So I make sure I brush on a thin layer only. 1 turn of the pen gives me enough to cover both eyes. I actually found myself preferring the Revlon Spa Concealer pen. Its a little bit pricier, but I felt it did the job better (and the brush did not poke my skin). A slightly similar product is Diorskin Skinflash, but that’s in a different price bracket altogether 😛
Do you remember the old L’Oreal Touche Magique pen concealer? Have you tried this new one and do you like it?
Paris B
L’Oreal True Match Touche Magique pen concealer comes in 2 shades and retails for about RM19.90 at all L’Oreal counters.
Jenn says
August 11, 2010 at 9:06 amI tried the old one before many years back but it didn’t work for me! Maybe because i had really bad panda eyes then! And yeah, i find the clicky turny thing annoying too. Sometimes it doesn’t come out, and once you click a few times, a huge glob comes out! >.<
ParisB says
August 11, 2010 at 2:05 pmI don’t usually find clicky pens annoying and I’ve since learnt to control the flow – what really annoys me is how scratchy and pokey the brush is 🙁
Isabel says
August 11, 2010 at 9:08 amHey Paris, do you reckon this works to cover minor blemishes / freckles? I don’t have undereyes problems but I have been looking for a nice concealer for blemishes and freckles for yonks.
ParisB says
August 11, 2010 at 2:08 pmFor blemishes and freckles, I swear by Make Up For Ever Full Cover. I’m finishing up Tube #2 and will be purchasing Tube #3 soon. This one is too sheer for freckles although it might pass if your freckles/blemishes are very very light.
Isabel says
August 11, 2010 at 3:36 pmThanks for the recommendation! Sadly we do not have MUFE in Penang and strawberrynet doesn’t carry MUFE either. Gotta wait till I make another trip down south.
ParisB says
August 11, 2010 at 4:36 pmWell we’re so near, so I’m sure you’ll pop by KL again (MUFE is at KLCC and U Parkson 1 Utama only) I have to get mine replenished soon – unless I decide to stray 😉
Connie says
August 11, 2010 at 9:12 amawh, I’m sorry that it isn’t like the old one! It’s very sucky when companies discontinue something and produce a new version that’s not as good. Although I can probably pass on this, i’m still intrigued! It is a good RM20 cheaper than Revlon’s 😉
ParisB says
August 11, 2010 at 2:09 pmI’m not sure you will be able to find a colour to suit your skintone Connie! Both #1 and #2 are on the light side. But yes its sucky when something that used to work just doesn’t quite cut it anymore.
Kerry Leecg says
August 11, 2010 at 9:23 amHave you tried YSL Touche Eclat? Is it available in Malaysia/
ParisB says
August 11, 2010 at 2:10 pmYes I have tried it – my review of Touche Eclat is here. YSL is no longer available in Malaysia currently. It might come back in due course though.
shuaddict says
August 11, 2010 at 9:45 amDrugstore concealers don’t really work on me, just not the right consistency. It does looks like it covers well in your before and after pic. Really surprised that it’s so cheap and affordable!
ParisB says
August 11, 2010 at 2:10 pmIt does work, and it does the job well and affordably. The only problem for me is that I have a basis on which to compare it to so I guess I’m just picky 😛
Jyoan says
August 11, 2010 at 10:18 amIt actually looks not bad from your pic!
ParisB says
August 11, 2010 at 2:11 pmIts not bad at all – really! I’m just a bit let down because I remember it used to be better (more highlighting)
Sugar says
August 11, 2010 at 3:52 pmsigh..i have no reason to conceal underye circles or puffiness or shadows because i have none, even if i dont sleep for days.
but i need a good concealer for old pimple marks and pigmentation, do you think this’ll work?
oh and on a totally diff note, altho i love Connie’s blog to death….i just cant use her recs. the tamagohada made me break out, the honey and oat mask did nothing for me, and the RMK skintuner moist made me break out something AWFUL. so awful i had ppl asking me if i had done a facial with bad extracting tools.
however all ur recs work for me..i guess we just have the same skin. =)
ParisB says
August 11, 2010 at 4:38 pmYou lucky thing not to have undereye circles or puffiness or shadows! 😛 For pigmentation and pimple marks I use MUFE Full Cover, as I told Isabel below/above. I don’t think this will work for that… although you can try 😉 And it sounds like we do end up liking the same stuff but Tamagohada worked for me 😛 I did tell you not to try it if your skin is too sensitive!
Monstro says
August 11, 2010 at 6:04 pmIt looks good though–I dunno why I’m attracted to undereye concealers…just have this thing for em. Must be my horrible dark eyes…lol
ParisB says
August 11, 2010 at 6:07 pmYou’re not the only one – I’m always strangely attracted to them too 😛
gio says
August 11, 2010 at 11:26 pmI hate it when companies reformulate products and they end up not performing as good as before. It still looks quite good from your photo though.
ParisB says
August 12, 2010 at 8:39 amYeah I detest that too but this one works well – just not quite as well as I remember
Cece says
August 11, 2010 at 11:52 pmI read with interest about Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer in the comments above. Is it cheaper in Singapore?
ParisB says
August 12, 2010 at 8:40 amI don’t know the price in Singapore. A tube can easily last me over a year so I haven’t had to repurchase for a while.
AtelierGal says
August 13, 2010 at 9:48 amI used to have this some years back, but I can’t remember if I do like it. Probably not since I didn’t scramble to get another one, but I wasn’t that experienced back then. Have you tried Bourjois Perfect Mix Concealer? It’s really creamy and my current fave!
ParisB says
August 13, 2010 at 9:58 amAww… don’t make me want something I can’t have! 🙁 We don’t get Bourjois here and I’ve heard some good things about this concealer and their foundation too. Perhaps I’ll take a look the next time I’m in Singapore 😀
AnnaYJia says
August 16, 2010 at 7:30 pmHi dear , mind to tell me where do you get this concealer at RM19.90 ?
Bcoz I’ve been searching this concealer but all the prices I saw are about RM33 ++
Thinking to try it after I saw your review :).
ParisB says
August 16, 2010 at 8:48 pmhmm… I got mine from Guardian. Perhaps its the promo price then. Didn’t know the retail price 🙂
Simonne says
April 18, 2012 at 8:58 pmHi I got minebut I do not know how to operate this pen concealer
The liquid does not want to come put
Pls help me
Tq
Paris B says
April 19, 2012 at 11:07 amTwist the bottom of the tube. It might take a while before it starts flowing through the brush.
Simonne says
April 19, 2012 at 5:32 pmThanks Paris will try doin that