Abreva Conceal

When I first heard about Abreva Conceal, its concept sounded rather cool so I wanted to try it out. It's a clear, non-medicated patch that's designed to conceal cold sores for up to 8 hours. Basically, it's a protective barrier that allows air in with MicroAir technology while keeping contaminants out. I didn't have a cold sore when I reviewed it, so I tried it out on a few blemishes. Here's how you use it:

1. Make sure your face is clean and dry. Open the outer packaging and remove the contents inside. Peel back the paper tab marked in red with the number “1” (avoid touching the sticky part underneath by holding on to the small rectangular tab).
2. Continue to hold the rectangular tab and peel back the other paper tab, marked in blue with the number “2.”
3. While looking in a mirror, place the round patch over the cold sore. Press down lightly on the center of the patch and hold the patch in place for 15-20 seconds to make sure it sticks to on top of your cold sore.
4. Gently pull away the applicator tab, at a slight angle away from your face. Voila! Conceal is in place.
5. Apply makeup on top of Conceal to ensure that the cold sore blends in with the rest of your lips.

The lightweight patch worked very well to protect the affected area, but makeup application was a bit tricky until I figured out the best method (light stippling) and products to use. I don't wear tons of foundation so this required more time and liquid foundation (or tinted moisturizer) than usual to hide it completely. Be sure to use lip gloss to hide the patch edge within the lip area. You can also use bronzer to help match the foundation in case it looks too light on top of the patch area.

Abreva Conceal is a clean, non-medicated patch for cold sores that allows air in, yet protective enough to keep contaminants out. To learn more: www.youtube.com/abreva.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Abreva via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Abreva.