Makeup is an amazing tool, and a great way to flaunt your favourite features.
However, it’s also effective at covering up your problem areas. If you’re prone to blemishes, pigmentation, scars, dark circles and more, you’re probably searching for the best concealer to help you. In this article, we’re sharing our top makeup tips and recommended cosmetic products to help you feel like you again.
A Bit About Finding the Best Concealer for You
Before beginning your search for the best concealers, it’s important that you recognize that what works well for someone else might not have the same effect on you. As people have different skin types and tones, the key is to find what works best for your skin and goals.
How to Find the Best Concealer for Your Needs
Choosing the best concealers requires research and patience. Firstly, consider if you’re looking for a liquid, stick or cream concealer. Most people opt for a liquid concealer for a heavy coverage.
As a result, it’s a suitable option for people with acne or normal, combination or oily skin. It’s easy to apply and you can add layers to increase the coverage. Thanks to its thin texture, liquid is one of the best concealers for being long-lasting. It’s one of the most reliable concealers of them all, because it doesn’t rub off after a few hours.
Alternatively, you may wish to purchase a stick concealer if you have sensitive or dry skin. It comes in a variety of finishes – from satin to matte – and it’s completely down to personal preference which option you choose. Similar to liquid concealers, you can build your own coverage by continually blending and re-applying new layers. However, we recommend using a makeup brush or your finger to effectively blend your makeup.
Finally, cream concealer is one of the best concealers for heavy coverage. Not only does it work to combat redness and blemishes, but works well in dry areas on your face – such as the eye area. We don’t recommend cream concealers for people with fine lines and wrinkles as it can easily set into creases and bring attention these areas.
Helpful Tips for Applying the Best Concealer
Now that we’ve discussed the factors you’ll need to consider when buying the best concealers, let’s talk about ways you can effectively apply it. For those tricky areas on your face which just don’t seem to hold makeup, use a setting powder to absorb any oil. Concealer often slips off the nose and forehead area as this is where oil hides on the face. However, to increase how long it remains on your face, invest in a high-quality finishing powder. It’s also important that you moisturize the area before applying the concealer to prevent any skin flaking.
Most people invest in a concealer to cover breakouts and blemishes. Our best tip is to purchase a green concealer and apply this as a primer to your problem areas before using concealer. This helps to create a smooth base for the concealer to stay on. Also, the green shade contrasts against any redness to create a healthy contrast.
Additionally, many women use the best concealers for scars. If it’s a raised scar, opt for a concealer with a lightweight feel. Alternatively, use a matte concealer for flat scars. This is all about looking at your skin first, before making a final decision.
Finally, layering and setting are two additional significant steps to follow. If you spend a while blending and dabbing your makeup, then we highly recommend a high-end setting powder which keeps your makeup staying on for longer.
The Best Concealers for Optimum Coverage
It’s likely you’ll require more than one concealer as people have different shades and textures on their skin. For example, opt for a concealer one shade lighter than your face for under the eye area. This is because this part of the face tends to be lighter, but this also helps to brighten the face. Now, let’s take a look at the best concealers for a variety of goals and skin types.
1. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Concealer
This is one of the best concealers for the eye area, and is suitable for numerous skin types. It provides excellent coverage for dark circles and leaves you looking brighter and more refreshed. Also, this has the added benefit of filling in fines lines and wrinkles to provide a youthful feel. However, you don’t just have to use it under the eye area, as it’s also one of the best concealers to hide blemishes and redness on the face.
We love that this concealer gives you so many options. You can lightly dab the product onto the skin using the applicator tool. For added coverage, continue to layer the product to conceal any problem areas. Most beauty users love that this is one of the best concealers for covering up puffiness and dark circles when you haven’t got enough shut eye. Well-suited for skin with a yellow undertone, you may wish to purchase a shade lighter than you ordinarily would choose for the added benefits of a brightening effect. As it’s super easy to apply and doesn’t require any additional tools, you can still wear this concealer if you’re in a rush. It’s also ideal to replace foundation if you’re aiming for a natural finish. Simply make sure you twist the product into the sponge to reduce any waste each time you use it.
2. Tarte Double Beauty Contour Concealer
This Tarte makeup product is another of the best concealers and adored by women around the globe. Rather than just concealing and hiding your problem areas, this concealer also provides a lifting and firming effect to improve the overall condition of your skin. It presents itself in an easy-to-blend formula so you have the choice of using a concealer brush, your finger or a beauty sponge to even out the product. Amazingly, it also reduces any dryness around the eye area, thanks to the vitamin-rich butter ingredient.
If you’re searching for the best concealers which offer medium to full coverage, then it’s definitely worth considering this Tarte concealer. Thanks to its liquid formula, you can easily spread this product over the skin without having to spend ages blending. Also, it lasts all day, so you don’t need to constantly reapply it. We highly recommend this concealer for aging skin, as it doesn’t sit in fine lines and cracks. By presenting itself in a practical tube, you can easily store this concealer in your makeup bag without it taking up much room. Finally, it seems that this product works well with a variety of foundations, as it’s highly pigmented and won’t run off and leave patches in your foundation.
3. Clinique Smoothing Concealer
Sometimes, we require a concealer to help us appear younger. If this is the case for you, then this Clinique smoothing concealer is one of the best concealers on the market right now. Lightweight and liquid, it’s easy to blend and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Thanks to its unique formula and high-quality ingredients, this makes skin appear smoother and firmer. It’s also one of the best concealers to a variety of tasks and which can be used on different areas of the face. For example, use it around the eye area, near the lips and on the forehead after you’ve applied your foundation.
Even some of the best concealers can leave your skin looking caky and heavy. After a couple of hours, they begin to seep into the pores, cracks and wrinkles. As a result, it looks unbalanced and you’re left with dry patches. The most important quality in a concealer is that it covers up your imperfections without exposing to others that you’re wearing makeup. Clinique felt strongly that they’d develop a makeup product which looks natural and doesn’t irritate the skin. You can use this concealer on top of your regular foundation, or wear alone for a natural finish.
4. Bare Minerals Pro Coverage Concealer
The best concealers make you feel better about yourself, rather than turn makeup application into a dreaded and timely experience. Firstly, we love that this Bare Minerals concealer acts as a barrier between the skin and any harmful environmental factors. Therefore, it doesn’t clog your pores and leaves you looking refreshed and flawless. You should research the ingredients in your skincare and makeup products. This is another reason why we love this Bare Minerals concealer because it contains harmless ingredients which help to nourish and repair the skin. Rather than acting as a layer on the skin, it sits perfectly to blend in with your natural shade.
It feels as though this concealer can handle any problems which heads it way. Don’t worry about redness, dark pigmentation, blemishes or scars, as this is one of the best concealers for handling an array of tasks. This concealer has a huge emphasis on blending, and you can still wear it if you’re in a rush. With the added bonus of lavender and blackcurrant seed oil, this ensures your skin is nourished and hydrated at all times. As a result, it’s good to know that your concealer is also good for your skin and won’t clog up your pores.
5. Laura Mercier Secret Concealer
Finally, this is one of the best concealers on the market right now and suits all skin types. Presenting itself in a handy tub, this is easy to transport around and apply product to your finger without any difficulty. Rich in moisture, it doesn’t leave the skin dried and caky, but ensures that it lasts all day and night without it even looking like you’re wearing makeup. It’s a full coverage concealer and suitable for an array of skin issues. Use it to conceal darkness and make your skin appear brighter. You can also use it to cover spots and scars on the face, and you don’t need a lot of product to succeed.
To increase the coverage, simply add another layer of concealer to the skin and stop when you’ve achieved your desired look. With an array of shades to choose from, this concealer is versatile and can easily adapt to your changing skin colour. For example, if you get a tan, simply mix with a darker shade to perfectly match your skin tone. Alternatively, you can opt for a shade lighter to make your eyes appear brighter and face look fresher.
What is the Best Concealer You’ve Ever Owned?
There are plenty of ways to achieve a flawless finish, but it’s also easy to get concealer wrong. Firstly, always apply it on top of your foundation to not rub it away. Spend time using your finger to blend concealer out, or invest in high-quality makeup tools to achieve a flawless finish.
Do you know any of the best concealers? If so, share your thoughts and recommendations in the comments to inspire others. Alternatively, share your makeup hacks for a natural look.