A good concealer is like a magic wand. These cosmetics are designed to cover imperfections by covering your skin with a product that matches your skin tone. Some can even deliver added benefits, such as drying out pimples or infusing your face with moisture.
The best concealers can’t be spotted when they’re on your skin. You want someone to notice that you have great skin. You don’t want people to be aware that you use great concealer. The following concealers are effective, versatile, and easy to use. Plus, they all cost less than $30.
Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer
The Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer can be used to cover flaws or contour your face. It’s ideal for covering dark circles, and the manufacturer claims that it will never crease or flake off. It provides a matte finish, but the product is creamy and blends into your skin without looking like a mask.
Tarte cosmetics are vegan and made without parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, triclosan, or sodium lauryl sulfate. The high-quality formula of this concealer contains shea butter and mango seed, which nourish the skin.
This isn’t a cheap drugstore concealer. It costs about $27 for a .33-ounce tube on the Tarte website. However, you don’t need to apply a primer before putting on the product, which can save you money.
Pros
- Full coverage
- Matte finish
- Easy to blend
- Versatile contouring options
- Comes in 30 colors
Cons
- Higher price point
- You must buy tubes of darker and lighter colors to use for contouring
- Feels heavy if you use too much at once
NYX Professional Makeup Hi Definition Photogenic Concealer Wand
Elle has referred to this concealer as “Photoshop in a tube.” It comes in 12 shades, including green and lavender for color correction.
This product is not too thin or too thick. Therefore, you can build up layers of coverage on areas that need more attention.
At about $4.99 for a .11-ounce tube, this is an extremely affordable concealer compared to many of the other products out there.
Pros
- Easy to layer
- Cruelty-free product
- Doesn’t crease on most users
Cons
- Dries fast, which means that you must blend it quickly, and it can dry out in the tube
- May have an orange hue on some skin tones
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
The NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer won the 2018 Allure Reader’s Choice Award and comes in 22 hues. It’s highly pigmented, but its medium-coverage formula delivers a weightless feel. You can build it up on areas with more significant imperfections.
Unlike many concealers, which accumulate in fine lines, this one claims to diminish the appearance of wrinkles. Its mineral powder formula diffuses light to even out uneven spots and illuminate your skin. Botanical blends in the formula help firm skin, reduce redness and moisturize.
This concealer costs $30 for a .22-ounce tube.
Pros
- Lightweight and easy to layer
- Comes in a variety of colors
- Made without sulfates, parabens, or phthalates
- Hides wrinkles
Cons
- May dry to a cakey finish
- Might not last as long on oily skin
Urban Decay Naked Skin Complete Coverage Concealer
The Urban Decay Naked Skin concealer is a lightweight concealer that is ideal for people who prefer a natural, no-makeup look. It stays where you put it, which means that you can apply a tiny dot to a blemish and it will cover well with minimal blending.
On the flip side, it doesn’t provide the thick coverage that the NARS and Tarte concealers offer. Some users say that this product blends better with a sponge than with fingers or a brush.
This concealer costs about $29 for a .16-ounce tube, making it one of the most expensive in this review.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Easy to blend
- Brightening formula
Cons
- Only 14 color options
- Some users say that it becomes orange after a few hours of wear
- Not full coverage
Bare Minerals BAREPRO 16-Hour Full Coverage Concealer
All the other concealers that we’ve included in this article are liquid formulas. BAREPRO 16-Hour Full Coverage Concealer is a stick with a creamy formula that’s not too thick. It’s extremely pigmented, which makes it ideal for covering flaws. However, the pigmented formula could look artificial if it doesn’t match your skin tone properly.
The mineral formula is designed to be gentle on your skin even if you’re prone to acne. Although the concealer provides decent coverage, it doesn’t feel heavy. It also complements the brand’s mineral foundation well.
The bamboo stem extract in the product smooths fine lines and the botanical oils hydrate your skin. This product also protects your skin from environmental toxins.
This concealer costs $24 for a .09-ounce tube.
Pros
- Highly pigmented
- Waterproof
- Gentle, mineral-based formula
Cons
- Only 15 shades
- Some users say that it doesn’t provide full coverage
- May not last 16 hours
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