Reviews Beauty
Written by Julia Guerra
Updated
- Here are the best concealers in 2023:
- Best concealer overall
- Best luxury concealer
- Best drugstore concealer
- Best full coverage concealer
- Best cream concealer
- Best concealer for dry skin
- Best concealer for oily skin
- Best concealer for combination skin
- Best concealer for redness
- Best concealer for acne
- Concealer with the best shade range
- What else we considered
- Tips for choosing the right concealer
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As much as I love foundation, I love concealer even more. This probably stems from the fact that I have dark circles under my eyes that won't go away no matter what creams and serums I use, plus frequent bouts of adult acne. Makeup is a saving grace for me, and after years of trial and error as a beauty editor and writer, I've narrowed down the best concealers out of the dozens I've tested.
According to professional makeup artist and Beia founder Brittany Lo, concealer is a "more concentrated version of foundation" that covers unwanted redness or blemishes on the skin and primarily comes in liquid and solid cream formulas. It can be used for contouring, "and as a base/primer to neutralize lids prior to eyeshadow application," adds Terri Bryant, celebrity makeup artist and founder of GUIDE BEAUTY.
But like most makeup on the market, the concealer category is oversaturated. With so many tubes, palettes, and compacts to choose from, it's enough to make your head spin. Rather than watch you waste time and money finding your own hero formula, I've narrowed down the best options for every skin type and concern.
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Here are the best concealers in 2023:
Best overall concealer: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer - See at Sephora
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer has been a fan favorite since its release in 2013 and remains the best formula on the market to date.
Best luxury concealer: Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Concealer - See at Sephora
Armani Luminous Silk Concealer delivers on its promise of an airbrushed finish.
Best drugstore concealer: Revlon ColorStay Skin Awaken 5-in-1 Concealer - See at Ulta
Don't judge Revlon's concealer by its drugstore price tag; you get a lot of bang for your buck with this 5-in-1 formula.
Best full-coverage concealer: Too Faced Born This Way Concealer - See at Sephora
It's a cult favorite for a reason.
Best cream concealer: lilah b. Virtuous Veil Concealer + Skin Perfector - See at Sephora
If you prefer solid over liquid concealers, the lila b. Virtuous Veil Concealer + Skin Perfector will be your new favorite formula.
Best concealer for dry skin: ColourPop Hyaluronic Concealer -See at ColourPop
For a burst of hydration, consider ColourPop's hyaluronic concealer that's made with a base of coconut water and hyaluronic acid.
Best concealer for oily skin: tarte Shape Tape Concealer - See at Ulta
Take it from me: tarte's Shape Tape Concealer is worth the hype.
Best concealor for combination skin: MAKE UP FOR EVER Ultra HD Self-Setting Concealer - See at Sephora
For skin that flip flops between desert dry and oily, there's the MAKE UP FOR EVER Ultra HD Self-Setting Concealer.
Best concealor for redness: Nudestix Nudefix Cream Concealer - See at Sephora
You can neutralize red splotches in seconds with the Nudestix Nudefix Cream Concealer.
Best concealer for acne: L'Oreal Paris Infallible Full Wear Concealer -See at Amazon
Breakouts and acne scarring don't stand a chance against the L'Oreal Paris Infallible Full Wear Concealer.
Best shade range: Rare Beauty Concealer - See at Sephora
Finding your perfect match is easy with Rare Beauty's concealer that comes in a whopping 48 shades.
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Best concealer overall
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer has been a fan favorite since its release in 2013 and remains the best formula on the market to date.
The NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer is an iconic formula. It launched in 2013 and, as far as I'm concerned, still holds the crown for best concealer on the market. I'm not the only one who thinks so: The formula has amassed close to 1 million "hearts" on Sephora.
The Radiant Creamy Concealer comes in 30 shades in both full and mini-sized tubes. It's a buildable liquid formula infused with a combination of skin-correcting mineral-tone balancing powder (a blessing for anyone with dark circles, red spots, or hyperpigmentation), and a light-diffusing mineral powder that visibly blurs fine lines and wrinkles. A multi-active botanical blend of magnolia bark extract, grape seed extract, and vitamin E rounds out the magic makeup product, as it works to hydrate, firm, and strengthen the skin, while also reducing patches of redness. What's more, this stellar formulation is a workhorse, keeping all that you want concealed hidden for up to 16 hours.
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Best luxury concealer
Armani Luminous Silk Concealer delivers on its promise of an airbrushed finish.
I went back and forth between a handful of designer makeup brands for this category, but it was the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Concealer that ultimately stole the show. It offers buildable, medium coverage that, in my experience, does not crease and stays put upon application. It's made with the same technology as the brand's fan-favorite and award-winning Luminous Silk foundation and is packed with skin-enhancing ingredients like moisturizing glycerin, brightening caffeine, and nourishing vitamin E, that, together, offer a seamless airbrushed effect
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Best drugstore concealer
Don't judge Revlon's concealer by its drugstore price tag; you get a lot of bang for your buck with this 5-in-1 formula.
You get a lot of bang for your buck with Revlon's ColorStay Skin Awaken 5-in-1 Concealer. The multitasking cosmetic is formulated with vitamin C and caffeine to nourish, awaken, and hydrate the skin. It's a budget-friendly gem for those of us with dark circles or puffy under-eyes in the morning, plus it's buildable so you can apply as much or as little as you need to blemishes. Once applied, it can stay put for up to 24 hours of wear.
But enough about its formula; it's imperative that you focus your attention on this concealer's applicator. Rather than a wand, Revlon's concealer features an antibacterial sponge tip that's not only hygienic but feels nice and soft when applying the product directly to the skin.
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Best full coverage concealer
It's a cult favorite for a reason.
I fell in love with Too Faced's Born This Way Concealer from the first swipe under my dark circle-clad eyes. The formula blends like butter and is super hydrating, thanks to the brand's inclusion of coconut water, alpine rose, and hyaluronic acid. A little also goes a very long way, ensuring you don't have to cake it on to achieve flawless coverage. And when we say this formula is full coverage, we're not exaggerating; the product was designed to conceal (anything and everything from hyperpigmentation to stubborn blemishes), contour, highlight, and retouch wherever your makeup looks tired.
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Best cream concealer
If you prefer solid over liquid concealers, the lilah b. Virtuous Veil Concealer + Skin Perfector will be your new favorite formula.
The lilah b. Virtuous Veil Concealer + Skin Perfector was the first cream concealer I'd ever tried, and to this day, I have yet to find a cream formula I love even half as much. It's made with skin-loving ingredients — like aloe vera for its soothing abilities and hydrating properties, red algae to help skin retain hydration, and sea fennel essence that delivers even more hydration, oxygen, and radiance to your complexion — and it's also made without harmful ingredients like sulfates, parabens, formaldehyde, phthalates, or mineral oils. The formula blends easily and offers a medium coverage with a natural finish, while simultaneously minimizing the appearance of imperfections (think redness, blemishes, dark circles, etc.). And, as a bonus, this concealer doubles as a quality eyeshadow primer.
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Best concealer for dry skin
For a burst of hydration, consider ColourPop's hyaluronic concealer that's made with a base of coconut water and hyaluronic acid.
The two main ingredients worth highlighting in Colourpop's concealer formula are hyaluronic acid and coconut water. Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance produced by the human body to help tissue, and therefore the skin, retain moisture. It's often added to skincare and makeup products to help boost skin hydration. Coconut water serves a similar purpose in cosmetic products; it's high in lauric acid, which is naturally antimicrobial, hydrating, and packed with skin-loving vitamins and nutrients, like amino acids and vitamin C. Together, the combination adds a wash of moisture to the skin, making ColourPop's concealer a top choice for dry skin types.
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Best concealer for oily skin
Take it from me: tarte's Shape Tape Concealer is worth the hype.
I previously reviewed tarte's new ultra creamy shape tape concealer for Insider and while the ultra-hydrating formula (which contains hyaluronic acid and a built-in eye cream) deserved most of the hype it received, the OG Shape Tape still reigns supreme, especially for oily skin types like myself. It's infused with skin-nourishing ingredients like moisturizing mango, shea butter, and color-correcting licorice root, as well as the brand's patented tape technology that blurs the appearance of fine lines and blemishes. Its giant applicator sponge has a domed tip for easy application and is incredibly soft against the sensitive skin around the eye. It's also worth noting a little goes a long way for this concealer, so apply at your discretion.
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Best concealer for combination skin
For skin that flip flops between desert dry and oily, there's the MAKE UP FOR EVER Ultra HD Self-Setting Concealer.
MAKE UP FOR EVER's Ultra HD Self-Setting Concealer is like a chameleon; it caters to its wearer, whether your skin is dry one day or oily the next. It's a medium-coverage formula that, in my experience, feels similar to a second skin. Its finish looks natural, so it's a great everyday concealer and offers benefits to all skin types. According to the brand, participants in a clinical study said the formula didn't accentuate irregularities of the skin, while dry skin types found the concealer to be hydrating. This is thanks to its stellar formulation, which includes hyaluronic spheres that keep the skin looking fresh, chlorella to minimize the visible appearance of dark circles, as well as Wu Zhu Yu plant extract to keep the eye area bright.
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Best concealer for redness
You can neutralize red splotches in seconds with the Nudestix Nudefix Cream Concealer.
Anytime I'm experiencing red splotches or irritation, I reach for the Nudestix Nudefix Cream Concealer. Now available in both standard and mini sizes (perfect for travel), this liquid concealer is a sheer-to-medium coverage makeup product suitable for all skin types experiencing discoloration. It's a cocktail of Korean botanicals that are skin-correcting, but that also support the skin's microbiome: Highlighted ingredients include soothing Sweet Berry to calm the complexion and reduce redness, Arctium Lappa Root Extract to minimize the appearance of blemishes, plus a super-gel technology that adheres to the unique contours of your skin, smooths fine lines, and prevents creasing.
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Best concealer for acne
Breakouts and acne scarring don't stand a chance against the L'Oreal Paris Infallible Full Wear Concealer.
Take it from someone who's dealt with acne for most of their life, the L'Oreal Paris Infallible Full Wear Concealer is the best concealer for hiding breakouts and acne scars. The 24-hour formula is full coverage, mattifying, and waterproof. In other words, it's not going anywhere. But beyond its brilliant formulation and the fact that it blends like a dream, I'm obsessed with this concealer's extra-large applicator sponge. It delivers a significant amount of coverage in just one stroke, and with so much product payoff, a little goes a long way. You won't need to double or triple dip back into the tube (points for hygiene), nor will you want to because this liquid product falls on the thicker side of the spectrum; use too much and you risk a cakey finish.
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Concealer with the best shade range
Finding your perfect match is easy with Rare Beauty's concealer that comes in a whopping 48 shades.
I've loved all the Rare Beauty face makeup I've tried thus far, and the Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer proved to be no exception. The formula is super lightweight, easy to apply (I'd compare the applicator to a slightly smaller version of tarte's shape tape applicator sponge), and buildable, offering medium to full coverage, depending on your preference. Its ingredients list includes sunflower seed oil, which is high in antioxidants, super hydrating, and soothing on irritated skin; sacred lotus flower extract, which is rich in fatty acids and proteins and helps balance the skin's sebum production; and Oryza Sativa (rice) bran wax, which is a natural SPF booster. But beyond the concealer's stellar performance, what sold me on this formula was its impeccable shade range that includes a whopping 48 colors, making it super easy to find your complexion's best match.
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What else we considered
KVD Beauty Good Apple Lightweight Full-Coverage Concealer ($28, sephora.com): New from KVD Beauty, the Good Apple Lightweight Full-Coverage Concealer has been getting rave reviews from beauty influencers and makeup artists alike. I also really loved the formula; it's nice and creamy, blends nicely, and does a great job dimming the dark circles under my eyes. However, the concealer didn't impress me as far as covering up my acne, and, like many reviewers, I noticed it settles into creases fairly quickly.
LYS Beauty Triple Fix Brightening Concealer ($18, sephora.com): This formula is new to the market and boasts a unique ingredients list that features ayurvedic elements, like ashwagandha to combat visual signs of stress. It's also infused with turmeric for its antioxidant properties and to help soothe irritated skin, as well as hyaluronic acid for a boost of hydration. But while I loved the formula, I didn't love it because it wowed me as a concealer. Rather, sometimes, instead of a powder highlighter, I'll reach for a lighter shade of concealer to get the job done. If you do, too, then I recommend giving the LYS Beauty Triple Fix Brightening Concealer a try.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away Concealer ($33, nordstrom.com): I wanted to love this concealer, but it just infuriated me. The formula by itself is lovely — it blends easily and has a stellar ingredients list — but the applicator turned me off completely. You have to click the bottom of the applicator pen until the product comes through the sponge head, but it takes forever to get it going, and then the product just pools out. It was messy and I couldn't find the sweet spot for the number of clicks that would emit the right amount of product (there was either too little or too much). All this to say, if you have patience, you'll probably love this. If you, like me, have very little, steer clear.
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Tips for choosing the right concealer
When looking for a new concealer, Bryant says a good rule of thumb is to use your tried and true foundation as a guide. "If you like the finish and features of your foundation, searching for the same in a concealer is a good starting point," Bryant tells Insider.
Additionally, consider the area on your face you wish to conceal. "For example, a formula with light-reflecting and brightening properties may be ideal for dark circles but is not a great choice for concealing a blemish," Bryant adds. "In turn, an oil-free liquid formula may smoothly cover a blemish on the face but settle into fine lines when applied under the eyes."
Julia Guerra is a contributing beauty/style and fitness writer for Insider Reviews. With over six years of writing across both verticals, she is forever testing all things makeup and skincare, fashion, athleisure, products that benefit women's health, as well as the best home gym equipment. A full-time freelance writer and editor based in New Jersey, Julia previously served as a health and wellness reporter for Elite Daily and kick-started her career in the e-comm space as the beauty editor for BestProducts.com from 2015-2017. Julia's bylines have since spanned across publications like InStyle, Insider, SheKnows, Eat This, Not That!, MindBodyGreen, and more. When she's not writing (for work or creatively), you can find Julia curled up on her couch reading, practicing yoga, exercising in some capacity, adventuring with her husband, or spending quality time with family. Connect with her via Twitter@j_guerra27. Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here.
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
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