To know me is to know that I am obsessed with concealer. As someone with a shadowy undereye, and often experiencing some sort of hyperpigmentation, finding the best concealer was honestly my first entrance into makeup. A fluffy lash, a statement lip, a perfectly-etched eyeliner didn’t really matter to me if my skin didn’t look perfect.
Vogue’s Favorite Concealers
As someone with literal skin in the game, I’m pretty confident I’ve tried them all in some capacity. Over the years, though, I’ve come to realize that there is not a universally-great concealer. What I might loathe for full glam, a no-makeup makeup girlie will appreciate. What I find too heavy on my oily-skewing skin, those with dryness might appreciate for its richness. Having such a robust array of concealers at our fingertips means that there is genuinely something out there for everyone, every concern, and let’s face it—every budget.
When I asked pro makeup artist Min Sandhu how to choose a concealer, she walked me through her approach. “The first question to ask [yourself] is the level of coverage you require,” she says. You might be automatically drawn to light or full coverage, but if you don’t, “perhaps ask yourself what kinda makeup gal you are? Is your look more natural or more glamorous? And perhaps the concealer you wear will differ for different occasions.” Next, determine if you’ll need a color corrector. “This will impact the undertones of the color you choose. You may also wish to ask yourself whether you care about the ingredients used in your products? Do you require something non-toxic? Vegan or cruelty-free?” Thinking through these questions will leave you with a few options to choose from; and from there, read the reviews and head to your local makeup counter for a sample. Her biggest recommendation? “Try before you buy!”
Fortunately, I (along with my fellow Vogue editors and a couple celebrity makeup artists) have tried all the bestsellers for you. Together, we have tested all the concealers on the market to curate this list of the very best. Shop our picks below.
Best for Undereye Circles: Kosas Revealer Concealer
- Why We Love It: I could probably count on one hand the number of people I’ve met who didn’t like the Kosas Revealer concealer. This crowd-favorite’s appeal lies in its dreamy, serum-y formula that applies to skin like your favorite lightweight moisturizer. “It’s clean and great for those who want more of a natural lighter finish under the eyes,” says Sandhu. “My fave thing about this product is the texture—gives a youthful glow and there is no sitting in creases.” The coverage here is medium, so it’s great for not just brightening the undereye, but spot concealing blemishes and dark spots, too.
- Key Ingredients: Caffeine, pink algae, arnica, vitamin B5, peptides, hyaluronic acid
- Finish: Radiant
- Coverage: Medium
- Shades: 38
- Formulation: Serum
- Size: 5.3mL / .18 oz
Best Medium Coverage: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
- Why We Love It: Celebrity makeup artist Dillon Pena describes NARS’s Radiant Creamy Concealer as “a classic for medium-to-full coverage.” It’s one of those formulas that really never gets old, and is sure to impress wearers of all skin types. A botanical blend helps hydrate and counteract redness, while a mix of light-diffusing and balancing powders correct discoloration and visibly smooth fine lines so skin appears more firm and even. NARS also wins here with its shade range that covers a good variety of tones and undertones. Per Pena, “the ‘vanilla’ shade is a staple in every makeup artist’s kit.”
- Key Ingredients: Magnolia bark extract, grape seed extract, vitamin E, light-diffusing mineral powder, mineral-tone balancing powder
- Finish: Radiant
- Coverage: Medium
- Shades: 30
- Formulation: Cream
- Size: 0.22 oz / 6 mL
Best Drugstore: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Concealer
- Why We Love It: Pena and I agree that Maybelline’s Instant Age Rewind Eraser is “the best drugstore concealer, offering good coverage and a smooth finish.” Boasting a creamy, almost serum-like texture, this offers a surprising medium coverage against dark spots, dark circles, and various other complexion qualms. I find that this blends well with a brush or sponge, and layers well with other products in your regimen making it an excellent drugstore pickup-makeup bag essential.
- Key Ingredients: Glycerin
- Finish: Natural
- Coverage: Medium
- Formulation: Liquid
- Shades: 16
- Size: 0.2 fl oz
Best for Mature Skin: Chanel Sublimage Le Correcteur Yeux
- Why We Love It: When we asked celebrity makeup artist Autumn Moultrie to weigh in on the best concealers for mature skin, she cited Chanel Sublimage Le Correcteur Yeux. To be more specific, she described it as “luminous, radiant, lightweight, [with] buildable coverage” and we couldn’t agree more. I’ll be honest—I was shocked at how much I liked it. How great can a concealer be at $110? Incredible, actually. This is seriously like a tinted eye cream. Rich is a great way to describe the texture—packed with agents like vanilla planifolia fruit water and glycerin to hydrate, while light reflecting particles help illuminate the undereye. A little bit goes a long way—a few dots of product is truly all you need.
- Key Ingredients: Glycerin, vanilla planifolia fruit water
- Finish: Radiant
- Coverage: Medium
- Shades: 10
- Formulation: Cream
- Size: 0.35 oz
Best Stick: Merit The Minimalist
- Why We Love It: The allure of Merit’s The Minimalist is that it’s a foundation-concealer-whatever-you-want-it-to-be kind of product—rooted in the brand’s streamlined beauty routine philosophy. The flesh-toned stick can be swiped across the face for all over evening, or used to spot conceal various areas of the skin. A lighter shade, on the other hand, could be used as an undereye concealer, while a shade or two darker could serve as an excellent contour. And while many sticks can be a pain to blend, this does so with ease—buffing out in seconds to reveal a natural, skin-like finish.
- Key Ingredients: Fatty acids, sea daffodil extract
- Finish: Natural
- Coverage: Medium
- Formulation: Stick
- Shades: 30
- Size: .23 oz / 6.5 g
Best Skin-Like Finish: Saie Slip Tint Concealer
- Why We Love It: Saie’s second concealer, Slip Tint, has left a lasting impression on Vogue editors and pro makeup artists alike. Pena describes it as “lightweight and easy to blend, perfect for a fresh, natural look.” The formula itself has a creaminess you’re sure to enjoy—great for dry skin types, but because it leaves a natural finish, it’s not too heavy for the oily and combination wearers. Inside is a blend of niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and plant-derived glycerin to treat skin while concealing in typical Saie fashion. Plus, it wears well with minimal creasing throughout the day.
- Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, glycerin
- Finish: Natural
- Coverage: Medium
- Shades: 25
- Formulation: Cream
- Size: 5 mL / 0.17 Fl oz
Best Full Coverage: Pat McGrath Labs Sublime Perfection Concealer
- Why We Love It: When you think of a full coverage concealer, you might imagine cakiness and dryness—so of course, Pat McGrath flips that notion on its head with her Sublime Perfection Concealer. A favorite of both Sandhu and celebrity makeup artist Dalila Bone, this has a liquid concealer texture that blends down into a natural, skin-like—almost airbrushed—finish that’s crease-resistant. Inside is a Vita Serum Complex rich in hyaluronic acid and serumides, plus light-diffusing pigments which deliver that subtle blur to the skin.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides,
- Finish: Natural
- Coverage: Full
- Shades: 36
- Formulation: Cream
- Size: 0.16 fl oz /4.7 mL
Best Natural Finish: Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer
- Why We Love It: For a night out or full glam, I’d recommend the Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer. I like to think of it as a concealer with a capital C–aptly blurring, brightening, and veiling wherever its placed with instant medium coverage, though you can easily build up to full if you desire. It does so via crease-proof, microspherical powders that help diffuse the look of skin to complete a look that’s like an IRL filter.
- Key Ingredients: Centella asiatica extract, licorice root extract, rosemary leaf extract
- Finish: Natural
- Coverage: Medium-to-full
- Shades: 22
- Formulation: Cream
- Size: 0.2 oz / 6 mL
Best Light Coverage: Victoria Beckham Beauty The Concealer Pen with TFC8
- Why We Love It: Victoria Beckham Beauty’s concealer pen is for all the minimalist makeup girlies eager to apply their products to an undetectable finish. The applicator is just the right size to swipe on a bit of the formula to the undereye or small areas of the face—a little bit atop a blemish or spot goes a long way. I like to think of this as a concealer version of, say, a tinted sunscreen—it delivers all the skin-care benefits you want all while providing light-to-medium, natural-finish coverage. Augustinus Bader’s TFC8 complex alongside potent peptides spur skin renewal and improve the look of wrinkles, while nourishing hyaluronic acid and squalane keep skin hydrated and plump.
- Key Ingredients: TFC8 complex, acetyl hexapeptide-8, polyglutamic acid, squalane, rosa damascena flower water, hydrolyzed rice protein
- Finish: Natural
- Coverage: Light-to-medium
- Shades: 16
- Formulation: Serum
- Size: 15 mL
Best Self-Setting: Westman Atelier Vital Skincare Brightening Concealer
- Why We Love It: The idea behind a self-setting concealer is that it stays in place (without creasing and transferring)—eliminated the need for setting powders and sprays to follow. Gucci Westman has mastered this with the launch of her Vital Skincare concealer, which beautifully blurs the look of pores and wrinkles via soft-focus pigments. “I am always concerned about pores and I know that [texture] is more of a concern for mature skin,” she previously told Vogue. So, she created something with skincare-first properties so that “skin still feels alive without feeling like it’s being masked.”
- Key Ingredients: Mini hyaluronic acid, peptides, Vital Wakeup Complex (gentian root, coffee leaf extract, and licorice root)
- Finish: Blurred
- Coverage: Medium
- Formulation: Cream
- Shades: 16
- Size: 0.20 oz / 6 mL
Best Pot: NARS Soft Matte Concealer
- Why We Love It: A pot concealer is great for two reasons. The first is when you’re in a rush and want to quickly spot conceal; the second, is when you want full coverage and pro-level results. The NARS Soft Matte delivers on both of these fronts, making it our favorite pot concealer. “Easy to apply with fingers for a skin-like finish and excellent for concealing blemishes” is Pena’s description of it—expertly blurring and evening the skin with minimal product.
- Key Ingredients: Peptides, hyaluronic acid, vitamins A, C, and E
- Finish: Matte
- Coverage: Full
- Shades: 30
- Formulation: Cream
- Size: 0.22 oz / 6.2 g
Best Brightening: Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Awakening Concealer Click Pen
- Why We Love It: When it comes to illuminating the complexion, few compare to YSL Beauty’s Touche Éclat. “[This is] an icon for brightening undereyes with a sheer-to-medium coverage formula,” Pena says. Moultrie previously shared her penchant for it too, in our concealer for mature skin guide, calling it all-caps the best for “highlights around the nose and eyes [as it] can be used throughout the day, over setting powder to brighten and conceal.” Suited for all skin types, this sit weightless on skin and is best for light coverage on its own or atop other complexion solutions.
- Key Ingredients: Vitamin E, ruscus extract, Moroccan calendula extract
- Finish: Radiant
- Coverage: Light-to-medium
- Formulation: Serum
- Shades: 14
- Size: 0.1 oz.
Best Crease-Proof: Dior Forever Skin Correct Concealer
- Why We Love It: The beauty of Dior’s Forever Skin Correct is that it virtually never creases—a characteristic not often found in full-coverage concealers. Transfer-proof and long-lasting for 24 hours of wear, this formula is in it for the long haul: the creamy concealer works to perfect the look of skin—correcting pigmentation, veiling blemishes, and evening skin tone with just a few swipes of its doe-foot applicator.
- Key Ingredients: Iris extract, wild pansy extract, nasturtium extract
- Finish: Natural
- Coverage: Full
- Formulation: Liquid
- Shades: 30
- Size: 0.37 oz / 11 mL
Best Soft Matte: Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Lift & Flex Hydrating Concealer
- Why We Love It: Matte concealers can be tricky. You want the blurring and mattifying, but not the cakey finish. Fortunately, Danessa Myricks’s Yummy Skin Lift & Flex dries down to a soft matte, but is enriched with hyaluronic acid, caffeine, and a host of botanical extracts to keep skin nourished, hydrated, and flake-free. Its applicator is just the right size to sweep product along the undereye and larger areas of the face, or to spot conceal wherever you desire. Blend with a brush or sponge until undetectable for skin that appears smooth, soft, and blurred.
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, caffeine, centalla asiatica, vitamin E
- Finish: Soft matee
- Coverage: Medium-to-full
- Shades: 20
- Formulation: Cream
- Size: 0.32 oz / 9.4 mL
What is a concealer?
“Concealer is a makeup product that hides dark circles, blemishes, redness, and uneven skin tone, creating a smooth and flawless finish,” says Pena. All similar in their objective to cover up and even the skin, the best options vary in their finish, coverage, texture, and overall compositions.
What are the qualities of a good concealer?
- Finish: “Choose between matte, dewy, or satin finishes depending on your skin type and desired look,” Pena says. Someone with dry skin hoping to achieve a natural radiance might prefer a dewy finish; whereas, someone headed to a red carpet or photoshoot might appreciate a matte finish that blurs the look of pores and counteracts excess oils. A satin finish, on the other hand, is often thought of as the middle ground between dewy and matte.
- Coverage: The makeup look you’re going for determines what level of coverage you should apply. Here’s how Pena breaks it down: “Light for a natural look, medium for everyday imperfections, and full coverage for intense correction, like concealing highly pigmented blemishes.” Those who do their makeup often might want to have concealers of various coverage options on hand, while, those interested in something just for daily wear can generally rely on something with light-to-medium coverage.
- Shade Range: The true test of inclusivity in a concealer is its shade range—a measure of options to suit fair to deep skin tones, also taking into consideration of undertones: olive, neutral, and golden.
- Formulation: In choosing your concealer, texture is of the utmost importance. “Lightweight serum concealers are ideal for hydration and flexibility, while creamy or stick options provide fuller coverage and longer wear,” Pena notes.
- Ingredients: In an era of skincare-makeup hybrids, many of our favorite concealers are packed with skin-nourishing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and peptides that help improve skin’s moisture levels, texture, and tone.
How to Apply Concealer
“I love using an eye cream to start,” says Sandhu. “This keeps under the eyes well hydrated, ensuring the concealer doesn’t sit or attach to any dry areas. The concealer also melds really nicely in with the eye cream making it easier to buff out.” Swipe the concealer where you want it—she goes along the undereye and around the nose—then choose your preferrend blending method. Sandhu prefers to blend with her fingers: “I find that this gives me the most natural skin-like finish with little product waste and coverage,” she says. Bone, however, likes to apply with a makeup brush first, then a Beautyblender. Once all harsh edges are properly blended, it’s time to set the concealer in place. “Use a lightweight powder to lock the product in place and prevent creasing,” Pena concludes.
How to Determine What Shade of Concealer to Use
The area you’re treating determines the shade of concealer you’ll use. For blemishes or pigmentation around the face, Pena recommends matching your skin tone exactly to seamlessly conceal imperfections. Just be sure to match your undertones, too. “If you prefer a natural look, use a concealer that matches your skin tone or is one shade lighter,” he says. “For a more dramatic brightened effect, choose a concealer two shades lighter.”
Meet The Experts
- Dalila Bone is a celebrity makeup artist who often works with Precious Lee, Yvonne Orji, and Gabrielle Union.
- Dom Della is a celebrity makeup artist based in Los Angeles, California whose clients include Noah Cyrus, Kris Jenner, and Demi Lovato.
- Min Sandhu is a pro makeup, hair, and nail artist who specializes in editorial and campaign glam.
