RSSConcealer : Ben Nye Neutralizer Crayon Should Be Famous
September 10, 2008
Concealer makes such a difference on mature faces. It’s just amazing how much you can do with the stuff. I think it’s the most under-utilized beauty weapon.
By now, we all have some shadowed areas and some discolored areas. There are many women our age who really don’t need foundation, but I don’t know one who doesn’t look better with a little concealer.
Ben Nye Neutralizer Creme Crayon in Lite NP2
Concealer can be as simple or as complicated as you want. There are 2 previous articles in the Archives on this topic ( Yes, You Really Do Need 2 Concealers. Part 1 : The Light , and Part 2 : The Dark).
What if you’re just looking for one easy product that almost anyone of light to medium coloring can wear, particularly if you have a warm skin tone ? Here is a concealer that is so mistake-proof, that delivers such a natural look, that is so easy to apply, that you can wear it without worry. The time and practice needed to learn to apply traditional concealers is not required.
Who makes “Ben Nye”???
Why, www.bennyemakeup.com, of course.
I know you probably don’t see this anywhere. It’s actually part of a makeup line for theater application.
Ben Nye for Cats.
I was introduced to it by makeup expert Jenepher Reynolds. If you search her name in this blog, you’ll find references to her work in other articles.
Guaranteed a natural look
The color of this concealer meshes perfectly with the tones of the face. It’s a little more peach than the yellow-beige you may be used to seeing but it disappears on the skin. The effect is very understated. It just covers imperfections in a subtle but very effective way.
The color I wear is called Lite NP2 is suitable for most light/medium skin tones. There is a lighter shade for truly porcelain skin, but it is very light. There is also a darker shade for Mediterranean (olive) skin. You can download and view the product catalog on the website. The crayon is on Page 13, but the color swatch shown is much more pink than the color of the pencil.
Is it too peach for skin with pink undertones? You’d think it would be but look at it here, on a woman with Winter coloring:
Ben Nye Lite NP2 on pink undertones.
You can see the yellow of the pencil, but this is a heavy application, and it has not been blended. This is also a young girl (I need more models our age) who really doesn’t need concealer. It blends out and cancels redness well. Just use the amount you need, not more.
This woman has very fair skin with pink undertones, a Summer. Without concealer, there is a dark pink discoloration beneath her eye. This is Ben Nye Lite NP2 again, with a little powder to set it.
Ben Nye Neutralizer for discolorations, Summer coloring.
You will find this pencil effortless to apply and blend. For a less-is-more look that you can create quickly, and still look real, this is a great product. For women who use little or no foundation, it is ideal for looking well-rested and covering spots and shadows of various sorts. Just write over them with the pencil. It really is that easy.
Where to apply
This is so easy. You can put it where you usually put concealer, on areas that are red or shadowed, so where the light concealer goes
- at and under the inside corner of the eye
- a dot at the outside corner of the eye to blend away the downward lines there
- around and under the edges of the nostrils
- along the lower eyelid rim if there’s redness
- right under the eyebrow to create a little lift
- under the outer corners of the mouth to lift them a little
- along the middle of the nose, especially if it’s a little wide (like mine)
and where the dark concealer goes,
- over imperfections like broken veins or sunspots.
As with all light concealers, you can also sharpen the architecture of the face, so the edges seem more defined and less rounded. The effect will just be less obvious with this disappearing product than if a lighter shade of concealer is used.
If you check out the article on The Light Concealer mentioned above, you’ll see a picture of me with the light concealer in place. I used a very pale product, and I piled it on thick, so you could see the placement. If I did the same thing with the Ben Nye pencil, it would be almost invisible in the picture. I’ll show you:
Ben Nye Neutralizer on me.
Tap your finger up and down over it to blend. Never pull on your skin. With this product, you never need to.
One caution
There are concealers, like MAC Select Cover Up, that do not budge once they’ve dried. This is not one of those, especially on oily skin. I use a little powder over it and then it’s fine. You could just put the pencil in your purse for touch-ups during the day. It takes about 20 seconds.
One suggestion
Buy the sharpener. The pencil is soft and needs to be sharpened – much easier with a custom made sharpener that works well.
Where to buy
From Jenepher of course. Check her Contact page or call her at 902-569-2256. The cost is $26.00. The sharpener is $9, but of course, you need only buy it once.
Comments
6 Responses to “Concealer : Ben Nye Neutralizer Crayon Should Be Famous”
Got something to say? I hope so.
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I’m new to your site so I don’t know if this has been covered… Related to sharpening a softer pencil, as the Ben Nye seems to be, it’s a lot easier after the pencil has been in the freezer a little while.
That’s an excellent point, Karen, particularly in summer. Though the Ben Nye pencil is soft, it seems to sharpen without a problem.
I will be using your tip of some of my eyeliners, though. They can get quite gunky and smeared all over the sharpener. With your technique, I expect the pencil sharpens better and the sharpener stays clean.
The opposite situation is when the pencil has gotten dry – and I find aiming the blow dryer at it for a few seconds works well to get it going again.
Thanks for sharing that info.
I am interested in the Ben Bye neutralizer pencil. How can I find out who carries it in the Toronto area?
Thanks!
Cathy,
Truth is, I don’t know.
I Googled it and the answer wasn’t obvious. The site, at http://www.bennyemakeup.com has a PH. in L.A. that seems to be the way to learn about retailers – 310.839.1984
You probably want to see it before you buy and I don’t blame you. Concealer is very individual. If you prefer not to contact Jenepher, I will say that Bobbi Brown makes concealers that come in very close shades. They’re thicker and creamier but the colors are close (sorry, I don’t know which shade is the closest).
Jenepher, if you’re reading this – any advice for Cathy?
Hey Cathy,
Hiscotts Beauty Supply carries Ben Nye products. Located on Yonge south of College. Not sure if they sell to people other than professionals. Not sure.
It is an experience going in. I recently read on a make-up blog how rude they are in there. Kind of funny I think. Its a bit like walking back in time when you go in unless they’ve revamped it since I left T.O. Best of luck.
Cathy,
I should have checked this before sending you a note. Malabar wardrobe house also sells Ben Nye. They have a web site
http://www.malabar.net
Jenepher