The 19 best concealers for dark circles (and more) in 2023
Photo illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Bianca Nieves
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My dark circles under the eyes are hereditary. Luckily, I learned to love her. If only my past self could realize that teenagers now highlight this trait instead of hiding it. Unfortunately, beggars cannot be choosers. Aside from some much-needed self-love, my then-complex (and current) job allowed me to try almost every concealer on the market.
That being said, who else could recommend the best concealers on the market other than me? I know it can be confusing to find the right concealer, but that’s not the case have to be. If you know what you want to conceal (pimples, redness, dark spots?) and what shape you want the concealer to be (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 want to apply it. Below are my (and the Cut Shop’s) top picks, as well as other favorites.
Yes, this concealer lives up to its hype. Whether the Sephora sales associate tried 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 dark circles, pimples and dark spots will thank you. It’s lightweight, doesn’t crease (but you’ll need to keep your face properly hydrated), and blends well with most foundations. It comes in 28 shades and if you want to increase your coverage, you can combine it with the brand’s ones Revealer Skin Improving Foundation, which has the same formula.
If you love Ami Colé for 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 spots with its silky finish. Whether you have sensitive skin or simply want to enhance your facial features without necessarily hiding them, choose one of the 12 shades available. Plus, that’s the one I’m wearing in the picture in this story!
The Cut Shop team loves Mario makeup, 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 from a concealer. I love using my foundation when I don’t have time to apply foundation because it corrects any dark spots and evens out the areas I want to brighten and conceal.
Known for following this National Eczema Association Ingredient Guidelines For all of their products, this Tower 28 concealer is great if you have dry skin and red spots that you want to cover. If my skin is too irritated, I like to spray on the SOS Daily Rescue Spray before applying.
Although it advertises itself as a medium coverage concealer, I would argue that this concealer is one Strictly speaking full coverage. However, don’t automatically think that the formula is really difficult. On the other hand! I love how a little goes a long way and that it covers my dark circles, especially after a long night.
I’m 70 percent in favor of a concealer from the drugstore. The missing 30 percent is due to a lot of the product getting caught in one sponge-like applicator or another, but once you get used to it, this sub-$10, 16-shade option rivals its pricier counterparts.
There’s a reason this one is popular with beauty editors, makeup artists, and celebs like Kate Bosworth and KKW. Its lipstick-like applicator (and, let’s be honest, almost lipstick-like consistency) make it easy to apply, easy to blend, and easy to conceal. With only six shades, a color expansion is long overdue, but something tells me they’re working on it…
The way you want to store your concealer is another personal preference. Wand dabbers may not understand what pencilers do, and they may shy away from dipping their finger in a pot. Benefit’s popular concealer Boi-ing usually comes in a compact, but the brand now also offers a stick version, a rich, silky texture that provides full, long-lasting coverage. Even better: In contrast to the six colors of its predecessor, this model is available in 12.
When it comes to makeup, Selena Gomez can do no wrong. I don’t know which product is my favorite between the viral blush, the stunning lipsticks and liners, and the concealer. Don’t be fooled, but it appears to be a light, liquid formula. The coverage is actually average and lasts a long time. For a really radiant finish, I like to combine it with Charlotte Tilbury’s Flawless Filter.
Of course, before I chose the Glossier Concealer, my mom bought me the NARS Radiant Concealer. It moisturizes well while providing the right coverage. If you want a more matte finish, scroll down a bit to find another great option from the brand.
Rihanna has the most concealer shades (50). This wand-applied formula has a softness that makes it super easy to blend and also buildable if more coverage is needed. One layer will even out everything, but two or three will really cover you if serious concealing is needed.
Fans rely on this longtime favorite when they need to be camera-ready. The 16 bold cream shades, all based on pink or peach, impressively cover the blues, purples and reds that are responsible for dark circles under the eyes. However, I think the name is a misnomer as it works just as well on the upper eyelids where the skin can also use some balancing.
Glossier graduate? Try Merit. The stick applicator makes spot treatment of any discoloration much easier. However, make sure you moisturize your face appropriately as the pencil won’t go on as smoothly and you may find yourself pulling on your skin to blend it. When you apply the right foundation (or moisturizer of your choice), this will instantly become a favorite to pack in your bag for touch-ups throughout the workday.
Check out the concealer I used regularly throughout college and my first few years in New York City. However, if you want medium to full coverage, this isn’t for you.
The name has the word “fabric” in it and it really feels like luxurious fabric on the skin – a little like silk, a little like cashmere, but most of all like a new pair of Wolford tights. And just like these tights, this concealer (which comes in 20 shades) glides on smoothly, leaving you with a matte but not too dry finish.
This rich liquid softens dark spots and dark circles under the eyes, but is also an excellent opponent for red areas such as broken capillaries. The applicator sponge dispenses the product in metered clicks so you never get too much, and it makes it easier to reach difficult areas, such as: B. the outer corners of your nostrils, significantly. Available in 16 shades, the formula is vegan and free of parabens, mica, alcohol and even gluten.
Makeup artist Troy Surratt created this three-pan tin because our faces rarely have a single shade. It comes in six different color trios, each with a lighter shade for concealing and brightening, a darker shade for deeper discoloration, and a finishing powder at the bottom to refract the light. Of course, you can mix them all to get exactly the color you need. Surratt recommends warming them with your fingers for easier mixing. Don’t let the slightly sticky texture worry you – it sticks better to the skin.
Spackle isn’t exactly the most flattering word to describe a concealer, but that’s exactly what comes to mind when this solid balm blurs fine lines while covering imperfections. This is thanks to an optical diffusion powder in the formula, available in 16 shades. While it takes a little practice to mix, the end result is worth the extra dabbing.
Sure, the tip of this pen does a great job of covering pesky pimples (in ten shades), but it also clears those pimples with salicylic acid, which also helps prevent future breakouts. This formula also contains mushroom stem and licorice extract to quell the redness that usually accompanies breakouts.
