As a cynical beauty editor, I am not ashamed to put my hands up and admit I don’t buy into half of the tripe I see on TikTok. As someone that has dedicated many clear of life to the beauty industry and has made a career out of trying to uncover beauty truths, I find it somewhat comical that crazy, viral, entirely unsubstantiated beauty intel can be taken as gospel. But do I still spend a shameful amount of time scrolling the app every single day? You better believe I do.
One area of TikTok beauty that I found myself leaning into a little more than I would like to admit is that of makeup. You see, I’m the first admit that I don’t know a whole lot about makeup. I know what products I like and could give a full run-down of every product that has ever come my way, from finish to shade range, but I’m very stubborn when it comes to trying new things. Particularly when it comes to concealer. But then reviews of the KVD Beauty Good Apple Lightweight Full-Coverage Concealer (£23) kept coming my way and I had to give it a go.
Shannon before applying makeup.
I would also like to caveat here that not only is TikTok-recommended beauty not my thing, but neither is KVD Beauty as a brand. I like chic, luxe, svelte makeup, the sort that sparks the same kind of joy as a luxury handbag. KVD Beauty is none of that. It’s clearly aimed at a slightly younger audience and champions an almost gimmicky aesthetic. I have used some of the products before and liked the results but they’ve never stuck around in my routine.
When I first tried Good Apple Concealer, I already had some understanding of what the results would look like thanks to the countless TikToks I had seen—creamy, easy to blend and seriously full coverage. As someone with quite incessant acne scarring and in-your-face dark circles, I feel somewhat qualified to say that I really do know quite a lot about what makes a great concealer. It needs to be easy to apply (and I mean with fingers because nobody has time for brushes every day), blend seamlessly, have a skin-like finish and, most importantly, cover a multitude of sins.
Shannon after applying KVD Beauty Good Apple Lightweight Full-Coverage Concealer.
And Good Apple Concealer does just that. In fact, I think I’d go as far as saying it’s one of the best concealers I have ever used. If your skin is dry, you’d benefit from applying a hydrating base underneath to avoid creasing under the eyes. But apart from that, I’d struggle to fault it. The wand is unique and offers a small tip for precise application, the formula is thick and creamy (meaning that a little goes a very long way), and it doesn’t make skin look 2 dimensional or flat.
It’s so good, in fact, that I have taken to skipping foundation and tinted moisturiser altogether. Just a few swipes of Good Apple Concealer across redness, dark circles and blemishes blends out to create the most seamless base. Is it a natural-looking, glow-boosting formula? No. However, it is easily the most hard-working formula I have ever come across and lends itself nicely to being layered with other glow-boosting products to deliver a more natural finish. If you have scarring, bruising, dark circles or pigmentation you’re desperate to cover, this concealer will do the job.
This foundation also went viral on TikTok thanks to its next-level skin-smoothing, blurring results.
Considered to be one of the best fine-tipped liquid liner pens in the game, Tattoo Liner has been loved by beauty experts for years.
If long-lasting, smudge-proof liquid lipsticks are your bag, this one isn’t to be missed.
This mascara promises seriously big, full and fluttery lashes.
The first time I tried this blush I was genuinely blown away. Expect a dewy, glowing, natural-looking flush in a matter of seconds.
Contouring isn’t typically my thing, but this gel formula that can be swiped onto skin and blended with fingers gives a very glowing, fresh-faced result. It’s so nice that I’ve used it several times since owning it (and I really don’t contour).
I have it on good authority from a makeup artist friend that these lip liners are elite.
Next up, trust me—these are the best under-eye concealers to help disguise dark circles.
