My Favorite Concealers
I loooove concealer. If I’m in a hurry, concealer is one of the three products I never leave the house without. It can make such a big difference on how you look. I’m a big proponent of having two separate concealers. One to conceal blemishes or dark spots all over the face and another for the under eyes. Why? The colors you need for your face to conceal differ than those you might need under your eyes. For your face, you want something as close as possible to your skin tone or your foundation, so that the concealer is perfectly seamless with the rest of your face.
For your under eyes, you’ll want something slightly lighter to make your face appear brighter. I personally have struggled with finding the right concealer for me because I happen to have a few creases and a small pocket of tissue (it’s always been like this) so finding one that doesn’t crease has become increasingly important! I also happen to have dry under eyes so something like the Tarte Shape Tape isn’t the right formula for me as it’s drying and appears crepe-y. If dryness isn’t an issue for you, I really recommend this concealer. Its coverage is incredible and the shade range is extensive. For a less expensive dupe, try the e.l.f. Cosmetics 16HR Camo Concealer. It has very similar coverage and finish as Shape Tape and has a cult following all over YouTube. I gave this a try and really enjoyed it but ultimately couldn’t continue to use due to how drying it is. Remember, what’s an issue for me might not be an issue for you!
My current absolute favorite is the IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Full Coverage Anti-Aging Waterproof Concealer (damn, that’s a mouthful.) Its creamy but doesn’t seep into the creases and provides fantastic coverage especially if you’re olive toned and have a darker undertone underneath. The shade range is extensive so you shouldn’t have an issue finding your right shade. Another similar formula that I have enjoyed in the past is the Tarte Creaseless Undereye Concealer. It covers the under eyes really well while providing moisture attributed to Maracuja oil which is found in most of Tarte’s products. I enjoyed using this but ironically found that it did crease on my under eyes. I tried this with and without setting powder and always had the same issue but again, I think this is an issue particular to me due to my eye shape and creases. If you don’t have deep creases and want a moisturizing formula, this is the concealer for you.
I’ve been using the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer for literal years. In my opinion, it’s the best all-around concealer. It covers darkness or redness really well, it isn’t too drying or too emollient and has a shade for everyone. This too has a cult following on YouTube and Instagram but I have currently switched to the IT Cosmetics due to having more pronounced darkness (probs due to pregnancy) than usual and don’t feel like layering this on. However, I still keep it in my rotation.
To conceal my blemishes or spots I exclusively use the MAC Pro Longwear Concealer. I found that the particularly color I use (NC25) is the exact color of my skin tone so it camouflages perfectly. The finish is satin meaning, not too dewy and not too drying which is perfect for blemishes as it won’t accentuate them. Pro tip, allow the concealer to slightly dry on your skin before blending in so that it becomes a bit more thicker and conceals better. I can’t take credit for this tip, I stole it from Jackie Aina.
Lastly, I have used for years the Make Up For Ever concealer you see pictured above but just learned that it’s been discontinued and not available to purchase. For this reason, I’ll spare you the boring details but know that I use to highlight my inner corner and brown bone to look more awake.
What are your ride or die concealers?
