The Great Cover-Up: Top Concealers for Women’s Skin Concerns

Key Points

• There are thousands of concealers on the market, and each beauty brand brings something unique to the table.

• The type of concealer you choose affects your desired look, and there's a perfect concealer for each skin type.

• Concealers are the greatest champions in a makeup bag — knowing how to use them correctly allows you to change up your look on the daily.

If there's one cosmetic that changes your entire makeup game, it's your favorite concealer. Whether you're breaking out and need to cover up that stubborn pimple, or you didn't get enough sleep and need to brighten up your under-eye bags, your concealer has always been there for you.

If you're a makeup connoisseur, you know there's a major difference between under-eye concealer and pimple-covering concealer. You also know there are several things to consider when buying a new concealer.

Lucky for you, you don't have to be a makeup professional to buy the best of the best.

How To Choose the Right Concealer for You

There are so many ways to measure and rate the best concealers for women. There's the consistency of the product, how easily it blends into your skin, whether it gives you a "full coverage" look, and if it sufficiently hydrates the skin.

On top of that, you must consider your skin type. If you have oily skin, stay away from hydrating concealers. Those products are for those with dry skin.

Jodi Urichuk, L’Oréal Paris Canadian makeup artist and expert, recommends swatching the concealer on your jawline (in natural lighting) to find the best fit. Next, look at the concealer's consistency when choosing the coverage level.

Then, she recommends looking for "the same shade as your skin tone to cover anything on the face, and then go one or two shades lighter on the under-eye area." The right concealer and placement determine which facial features you accentuate.

Lastly, when covering dark circles, Urichuk recommends correcting the discoloration first and then going back with a concealer that matches the skin perfectly.

She says she changes her technique based on her client’s problem areas. She uses a different application and product depending on whether the issue is puffiness, blemishes, hyperpigmentation, or redness.

Best Concealers for Women Ranked Most to Least Expensive

Finding the right concealer is hard when there are thousands of possible choices. Then there's the added issue of finding the right concealer within your budget.

Whether you want a budget-friendly brightening under-eye concealer or a high-end, high-coverage option for troubled skin, look no further!

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer

Pros: Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer is marketed to be full-coverage, blur imperfections, and blend smoothly into the skin. The two-shade concealer system allows for customized coverage and highlighting options.

It has a thick consistency, great for hiding imperfections like acne scars and hyperpigmentation. This concealer has all-day wear and is a great product if you’re looking for full coverage on small spots.

Cons: The creamy formula settles into fine under-eye lines and moves around with the skin during the day if not set correctly. The thick consistency makes it difficult to blend into the skin, making it difficult for thin skin under under-eye bags.

Setting it with a translucent powder makes a big difference. 

Photo source: Amazon.com

Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer

Pros: Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer comes in shades ranging from very fair (birch) to deep (anise). The waterproof concealer gives a seamless finish and promises a full-coverage, blurring effect for up to 16 hours. For a natural finish, use a damp makeup sponge. The overall finish isn’t too matte or too dewy, making it ideal for concealing under-eye circles and blemishes.

Cons: It can easily give a "cakey" appearance if not properly used and if too much is applied to the skin. After a few hours, it begins settling into fine lines. 

Photo source: Amazon.com

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away Concealer

Pros: Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away Concealer is a water-resistant, full-coverage concealer that lasts up to 15 hours. Its unique ingredients include Persian silk tree bark extract and wild indigo extract. These revitalize tired skin and boost brightness, giving this product anti-aging properties.

Overall, this concealer is a good option for brightening the under-eye area and concealing blemishes, while also providing a smooth and natural-looking finish.

Cons: The applicator is a unique shape, making it more challenging to use. 

Photo source: Amazon.com

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye

Pros: IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye concealer is a highly pigmented concealer covering dark circles and blemishes with ease. It also provides anti-aging benefits of peptides, hydrolyzed collagen, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin E.

These ingredients are prominent in improving the appearance of wrinkles. It has a thick, paste-like consistency, making it a considerable option to cover acne, and a color corrector for uneven skin tones. 

Cons: The coverage can appear dry or flaky, so moisturing before application is essential.

Photo source: Amazon.com

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer

Pros: Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer provides medium coverage and is ideal for brightening dark under-eye circles and concealing blemishes. It's a lightweight option, perfect if you're looking for a more natural, "no makeup" makeup look.

It wears well throughout the day and doesn't crease or settle into fine lines. It's free of parabens, sulfates, and harmful chemical ingredients. It has SPF, a major plus in preventing harmful UV rays from damaging your skin.

Cons: This product does not provide heavy-duty coverage.

Photo source: Amazon.com

Becca Ultimate Coverage Longwear Concealer

Pros: Becca Ultimate Coverage Longwear Concealer is a full-coverage concealer known for its long-wearing and water-resisting properties. The blend of antioxidants aids the skin's long-term elasticity.

It has a thick, creamy formula that covers up acne scars, blemishes, and other skin imperfections.

Cons: It settles into fine lines and wrinkles, making it a difficult concealer to use for the under-eye area. 

Photo source: Amazon.com

Benefit Cosmetics Boi-ing Cakeless Concealer

Pros: Benefit Cosmetics Boi-ing Cakeless Concealer is a highly-reviewed full-coverage concealer. Its lightweight formula doesn’t settle into fine lines during the day, is long-wearing, and blurs the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

It has a matte finish that is easy to wear under the eyes since there is little to no transfer of product during the day.

Cons: The matte finish doesn't provide that all-day glow look, so the color is more flat than luminous.

Photo source: Amazon.com

Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer

Pros: Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer is a full-coverage concealer adept at hiding dark circles and blemishes while also brightening the under-eye area. It has nourishing vitamin E and shea butter to hydrate the skin while concealing problem areas.

This is also a cruelty-free concealer with no parabens. Parabens and "cruelty" ingredients are linked to cancer and negatively affect your skin's long-term health. The cruelty-free and paraben-free feature makes this concealer much more appealing than others on the market.

Cons: This product has a thick consistency and is not a lightweight concealer. It dries quickly on the skin, making it more challenging to work with and blend. 

Photo source: Amazon.com

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind

Pros: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind is a budget-friendly concealer that erases dark circles and fine lines. It has a micro-corrector applicator that makes it unique and easy to put on.

The concealer hydrates the under-eye area and doesn't leave accentuated fine lines and wrinkles by the end of the day.

Cons: Though the sponge is unique and helpful, it's not the most hygienic. The rotating tool used to retract the product from the inside of the tube isn't consistent and easy to use at first. 

Photo source: Amazon.com

Choosing the Right Concealer Need Not Be Complicated

You don't need to be a professional to buy the cremè de la cremè of concealers. It's easier than ever, and there's a plethora of options to pick from!

When selecting the best concealer, always consider your skin type and skincare needs. Be mindful of potentially harmful ingredients when purchasing beauty products.

For more info on the best beauty products, subscribe to CosmeticsCenter.