The Best Concealers for All Skin Types
Post last updated: 23/02/2023
Concealer is the ultimate confidence-boosting makeup essential. Whether you’ve got a bulging breakout making you not want to leave the house, or you battle with softening the appearance of dark circles every morning, the right concealer can help camouflage unwanted redness and even out your complexion.
Why Should You Use a Concealer
When you apply foundation or any tinted face base, you can still notice blemishes, imperfections and dark circles peeking through.
If you want to have a little more coverage on these areas, adding in a concealer will ensure all imperfections are covered without compromising on the health or natural beauty of your skin. As the shade matches your skin tone, it adds that needed boost of protection and coverage, without looking like you're caked in makeup.
Concealers can also help to:
- Smooth out fine lines
- Brighten dark circles
- Correct pigmentation marks
- Cover blemishes or scarring
- Contour the face
How to Apply Concealer on Blemishes and Dark Circles
Find out the secrets to concealing for naturally flawless looking skin.
What is the Difference Between Concealer and Corrector?
Although concealers and correctors do the same job at hiding imperfections, they work in two completely different ways.
Concealers are skin toned, and while excellent at hiding a multitude of sins, don't always work in the battle against dark circles or redness. Correctors on the other hand, usually come in a range of shades, including peach to help neutralise purple and red tones in the skin. You can also use concealer on its own without the use of corrector, but not the other way around due to the difference in tone.
For best results, apply a corrector to blemishes and dark circles, and then follow with a concealer on top to completely cancel out the redness and even out your skin tone.
How to Choose the Right Concealer
When choosing a concealer, first decide where you will be using it. If you are looking for an under eye concealer to brighten dark circles or are using your concealer to contour, choose a product that is one or two shades lighter than your foundation or natural skin tone. This will give the illusion of a raised and brighter skin, giving a more awake and structured appearance. Alternatively, if you're aiming to cover blemishes or dark spots on the forehead or lower areas of the face, the aim of the game is to make this area unidentifiable from your natural skin, so opt for a concealer that's more closely matched to your skin tone.
Our Picks of the Best Concealers For All Skin Types
- The Ordinary Concealer
- NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
- Maybelline Erase Eye Concealer
- NYX Professional Makeup HD Photogenic Concealer Wand
- MAC Pro Longwear Concealer
- Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer
- benefit Concealer
- Barry M All Night Long Concealer
- Too Faced Born This Way Super Coverage Concealer
- Bobbi Brown Creamy Corrector
Which are the Best Concealers for Your Skin Type?
With so many concealers available in varying shades, consistency, coverage and longevity, it can be difficult to find the best concealer for your skin type or skin complaint. Well fear not as we have rounded up the very best concealers from leading brand such as NARS, Bobbi Brown, Maybelline, NYX and more!
The Ordinary Concealer
The Ordinary Concealer is a high coverage concealer that delivers a natural finish. The formula applies smoothly and works to disguise dark circles and blemishes without creasing. Available in 21 shades, the range is split into shades for lighter skin tones, medium skin tones and dark/deep skin tones so you’ll be sure to find a concealer that suits you.
Best for: Dark Circles Skin Type: All
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
The NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer is a long-wearing concealer that is hydrating and easily blendable with fingers or a brush. Crease proof, non-drying and medium coverage, it’s a classic for a reason and that’s because it covers imperfections and fine lines time after time.
Best for: Long-lasting medium to full coverage Skin Type: Mature skin looking for a dewy finish
Maybelline Erase Eye Concealer
Formulated with coloured pigments, the Maybelline Erase Eye Concealer visibly reduces the appearance of fine lines and dark spots for a luminous complexion. Its unique formula is also enriched with goji berry to hydrate the delicate skin around your eyes making them look and feel more hydrated.
Best for: Brightening your eye contour Skin Type: Mature & Dry skin
NYX Professional Makeup HD Photogenic Concealer Wand
Looking for a medium to high coverage concealer? Discover the NYX Professional Makeup HD Photogenic Concealer Wand. Ideal for camouflaging dark circles, discolouration and fine lines, this creamy concealer blends without ever flaking or feeling cakey.
Best for: Colour correcting imperfections Skin Type: All
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer
The MAC Pro Longwear Concealer is a liquid concealer delivering full coverage results. For coverage of up to 15 hours, micronised pigments promote smoother, flawless-looking skin. The Pro Longwear concealer works hard to camouflage a range of imperfections, such as dark spots, blemishes and under-eye circles.
Best for: Buildable coverage to a matte finish Skin Type: All including contact lens wearers
Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer
For an HD-finish choose the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer. With a 98% pigment content, this full-coverage concealer offers more pigment than traditional formulas, to give you the ultimate flawless finish. The concealer helps to cover a range of skin complaints including blemishes, shadows, scars, capillaries, discolourations, redness and age spots.
Best for: Expertly disguises pigment imperfections Skin Type: All
benefit Boi-ing Industrial Strength Concealer
Wave goodbye to imperfections with the benefit Boi-ing Industrial Strength Concealer. Providing full coverage with a soft matte finish, the creamy formula is heavy-duty and long-lasting to help cover blemishes and redness.
Best for: Heavy duty, long-lasting full coverage Skin Type: All
All Night Long Concealer from Barry M
The All Night Long Concealer from Barry M is a full-coverage liquid concealer that illuminates the complexion and evens out skin tone for flawless skin. Enriched with Vitamin E this long-wearing concealer blends effortlessly into the skin without becoming cakey.
Best for: Long-wearing and moisturising Skin Type: All
Too Faced Born This Way Super Coverage Concealer
For a 12-hour long-wearing hydrating concealer, choose the Too Faced Born This Way Super Coverage Concealer. Remaining virtually undetectable on the skin for a natural-looking flawless effect, this concealer can be used to camouflage imperfections and brighten the under eye area.
Best for: Concealer makeup hybrid application Skin Type: Oily, Combination
Bobbi Brown Creamy Corrector
Available in a range of pink or peach-toned hues to counteract dark circles, the Bobbi Brown Creamy Corrector is an eye-awakening formula that provides extra coverage for dark circles and under-eye bags. Waterproof, sweat-proof and humidity-resistant, the skin-correcting formula helps to brighten and correct the appearance of discolouration under the eyes.
Best for: Extra dark circle and eye bag coverage Skin Type: All