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My dark under-eye circles are hereditary. Luckily, I’ve come to love them. If only my past self could see that now teens are looking to accentuate this feature rather than hide it. Alas, beggars can’t be choosers. Besides some much-needed self-love, my then-complex (and current job) has allowed me to try out almost every concealer on the market.
All that to say, who else but me to recommend to you the best concealers out there? I know that finding the right concealer can be confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. If you know what you want to conceal (pimples? redness? dark spots?), and what form you would like that concealer to take (a luscious cream? something more solid like a stick?), you’re halfway there. What’s left is how much coverage you want and how you’d like to apply it.
Below you can find my (and the Cut Shop’s) top picks as well as other favorites.
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Our top picks:
The (New) MVP
Finish: Natural | Coverage: Medium, buildable | Shades: 30
Don’t get me wrong. I still love my Kosas Revealer concealer. However, lately, I’ve mostly been using the NARS Radiant Creamy concealer on a daily basis, especially when I don’t want to use foundation.
It does dewy well while providing the right amount of coverage. If you want a more matte finish, scroll down a bit for another great option from the brand.
The One the Internet Loves (Former MVP)
Finish: Radiant | Coverage: Medium | Shades: 38
This concealer still lives up to its hype. Whether a Sephora sales associate was trying to sell it to you or it popped up on your TikTok FYP, if you’re in the market for a new concealer, do yourself a favor and buy it. Your under-eye circles, pimples, and dark spots will thank you. It is lightweight, doesn’t crease (but you need to moisturize your face properly), and blends well with most foundations.
The One That Enhances Your Skin
Finish: Natural | Coverage: Medium | Shades: 12
If you love Ami Colé because of its lip gloss, wait until you try the brand’s concealer. When the eczema on my face was at its worst, this concealer stayed true to its name and allowed me to cover up the red blotches with its silky finish. It’s great whether you have sensitive skin or simply want to exalt your features without necessarily hiding them. Plus, it’s the one I’m wearing in the image of this story!
The Cut Shop Team Favorite
Finish: Natural | Coverage: Medium | Shades: 22
The Cut Shop team loves Makeup by Mario, and the brand’s concealer is no exception. Available in 22 shades, it offers medium coverage and perfects the coverage and brightening effects you want in a concealer. I love using mine when I don’t have time to wear foundation because it corrects any dark spots and evens out the parts I want to brighten and conceal.
The Eczema-Friendly One
Finish: Natural | Coverage: Medium | Shades: 20
Known for following the National Eczema Association’s ingredient guidelines for all of its products, this Tower 28 concealer works if you have dry skin and red patches you want to cover up. If my skin is too irritated, I love spritzing the brand’s SOS Daily Rescue Spray before applying.
The One for Full Coverage
Finish: Natural | Coverage: Full | Shades: 20
While it advertises itself as a medium-coverage concealer, I would argue that this concealer is actually full coverage. However, don’t automatically think its formula is really heavy. On the contrary! I love how a little goes a long way, and it covers up my dark circles, especially after a long night.
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More tried-and-true picks:
A Noncomedogenic Option
Finish: Natural | Coverage: Medium, buildable | Shades: 31
Beauty writer Asia Milia Ware swears by this long-lasting and brightening concealer. And if you’ve seen her skin, you would swear by this product too. It truly conceals anything you want to hide while still providing that natural and glowy finish.
The Best Drugstore Concealer
Finish: Natural | Coverage: Medium, buildable | Shades: 18
A drugstore concealer I stand by 70 percent. The missing 30 percent is because a lot of product does stay stuck in the odd spongelike applicator, but once you get used to it, this under-$10 option with 18 shades rivals its pricier counterparts.
The One Loved by Makeup Artists
Finish: Radiant | Coverage: Full| Shades: 12
There’s a reason why this one is a favorite among beauty editors, makeup artists, and celebs like Kate Bosworth and KKW. Its lipsticklike applicator (and, frankly, nearly lipsticklike consistency) make it easy to use, easy to blend, and easy to conceal. With only six shades, it’s long overdue for a shade extension, but something tells me they’re working on it …
The One That Won’t Move
Finish: Matte | Coverage: Full | Shades: 19
The vehicle in which one prefer one’s concealer to be contained is another personal preference. Wand dabbers might not understand pencil drawers, who might balk at dipping their finger in a pot. Benefit’s beloved Boi-ing concealer usually comes in a pan, but the brand now also has a wand version, a rich, satiny texture that provides full, long-lasting coverage.
The One That’s Long-lasting
Finish: Radiant | Coverage: Medium | Shades: 48
When it comes to makeup, Selena Gomez can do no wrong. Between the viral blush, the stunning lipsticks and liners, and the concealer, I don’t know which product is my favorite. Don’ be fooled but what seems like a lightweight liquid formula. It’s actually medium coverage and stays on for long periods of time. I like to pair mine with Charlotte Tilbury’s Flawless Filter for a truly radiant finish.
The One That’s Buildable
Finish: Matte | Coverage: Full | Shades: 50
Rihanna reigns with the most shades for a concealer (50). This wand- applied formula has a softness to it that makes blending super-easy, as well as buildable should more coverage be required. One layer evens things out, but two or three will really cover you when serious concealment is required.
The One for the Photo Shoot
Finish: Natural | Coverage: Medium, buildable | Shades: 10
Fans rely on this long-standing favorite when they need to be camera-ready. The ten shades of thick cream, all based in pink or peach, do an impressive job at covering the blue, purple, and red tones that are the culprits of under-eye circles. That said, IMHO, its name is a misnomer, because it works equally well on upper eyelids, where skin can also need some evening out.
The One for Beginners
Finish: Natural | Coverage: Light | Shades: 32
Behold the concealer that I religiously used all throughout college and during my first years in New York City. However, if you want medium to full coverage, this isn’t for you.
The Vegan One
Finish: Radiant | Coverage: Full | Shades: 20
This rich liquid diminishes dark spots and under-eye circles, but it’s also a formidable opponent for red areas like broken capillaries. The applicator sponge doles out the product in measured clicks, meaning you’ll never wind up with too much, and it makes reaching tricky spots, like the outer corners of your nostrils, much easier. The formula comes in 20 shades; is vegan; and free of parabens, mica, alcohol, and even gluten.
The One for the Mixologist
Finish: Natural | Coverage: Light to full | Shades: 6
Makeup artist Troy Surratt created this compact with three pans because our faces are rarely one single tone. It comes in six different shade trios, each with a lighter shade to conceal and brighten, a darker shade for deeper discoloration, and a finishing powder at the bottom that helps refract light. Of course, you can mix them all to hit the exact color you need. Surratt suggests warming them up with your fingers for easier blending. Just don’t be thrown by the slightly tacky texture — it better adheres to skin.
The Wrinkle Smoother
Finish: Matte | Coverage: Full | Shades: 30
Spackle isn’t exactly the most flattering word to describe a concealer, but that’s what comes to mind when this solid balm blurs fine lines while it covers flaws. That’s thanks to an optical diffusion powder in its formula, which comes in 16 shades. Blending it does takes a little practice, but the end result is worth the extra dabbing.