Doubling Up with Off-label Makeup Use (eyeshadow as concealer)

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In this post I'm not talking about just buying something to use for a different purpose than the one for which it's advertised. So you might buy a darker shade of pressed powder and use it for contouring, but since you're presumably not using it as all-over powder too, you're not doubling up. I'm talking about products that you can use for their intended purpose and a secondary one (or more).

I've discovered a particularly exciting example recently (at least for me). It involves the wonderful Milani Shadow Eyez in neutral matte shades that came out in the spring. They're limited edition, but I saw them only a week ago at my local CVS, and you can get them online at from Cherry Culture and elsewhere. The one called Almond Cream makes a nice light base shadow, and you can check out swatches and a review of all of them in their intended use as eyeshadow from Nouveau Cheap.

Milani Shadow Eyez in Almond Cream and
L'Oreal True Match Super Blendable Crayon Concealer
in Fair/Light

I figured out recently that the lightest shade makes an awesome spot concealer. I have really pale, neutral skin, so concealers are often a little too pink or yellow or orange for me. The color of this pencil is really, really close to my exact skin tone. It could be a touch paler, but other than that, it's nearly perfect. It also lasts better than any actual concealer I've tried on my combination-oily skin. And I have tried so many. So fucking many. Almost everything is mostly gone after a couple of hours (with the exception of this Maybelline concealer, which is second best). The Milani stuff has even survived a nap! You just have to make sure to blend it immediately, because when it's set, it's set.

I like it for covering blemishes, though I find it doesn't work as well as an under-eye concealer. For that I like the very similar L'Oreal True Match concealer crayon in Fair/Light. It's pretty yellow, but it is the only one in the range that is light enough for me. It doesn't work great for zits, but it does a good job of canceling out the bluish-purple circles under my eyes. I know that people suggest salmon-colored concealer for under the eyes, but that just looks weird on me.

Here are some comparison swatches of the two, so you can see the difference. They both glide one really smoothly with a ton of pigmentation, so the swatches on the left are just one swipe each. On the right I've blended them a little, which I think show how the Milani disappears against my skin better.

Swatches of Milani Shadow Eyez in Almond Cream and
L'Oreal True Match Super Blendable Crayon Concealer
in Fair/Light

Obviously this stuff is only going to work for a narrow range of skin tones. But if you have very pale skin, medium brown (Cafe Au Lait), or dark brown (Espresso Line), and you have a hard time finding a concealer that works for you, you might want to check out these Milani eyeshadow pencils. I'm super fucking proud of myself for getting the idea to try this on my pimples. Best concealer ever. And it's a good way to make sure I get my money's worth out of this shit before it dries up. Though now I'm worried that I won't be able to replace it. Hmmmm. Should I buy backups?

Do you have a favorite multi-use product that I should know about? STOP HOARDING YOUR SECRETS.