The 12 best concealers of 2026, tested on dark circles, fine lines, acne and dry patches

It depends on what you're using it for. If concealer is doing the heavy lifting (i.e covering significant redness, dark circles, or blemishes) apply it before foundation. This way you use less of both: the foundation handles general tone-evening, while the concealer holds targeted correction in place underneath. Just be wary when blending, dabbing a damp beauty blender is better than swirling a stippling brush in this scenario.

If you're using concealer more selectively, apply it after foundation for a cleaner, more precise finish that's easier to blend without disturbing your base. Here, a domed, densely packed concealer brush is your best friend for a seamless application. Or why not forego foundation all together? Some of the concealers on this list have enough stretch to cover a full face if the skin is prepped properly. There's no universal rule, it all depends on what finish you're after.

Related: Why your foundation never looks quite right (Hint: It’s your brushes)

Foundation is for your full face, while concealer targets specific areas. While it may sound reductive or simplistic in a very 'Makeup 101' sort of way, the distinction matters because the formulas are built differently. Concealers are typically thicker and more pigmented than foundation, designed to cover rather than to blend. On the flip side, foundation usually doesn't have the same coverage but has more slip when distributing across the skin.

It depends on what it is concealing. For the under eye area, a shade one to two tones lighter helps reflect light and reduce the appearance of dark circles and shadows. Any lighter than that and you'll end up with an obvious pale triangle, which is a look in and of itself, but perhaps best left for the Ganguro girls in Harajuku. For blemishes and redness, match your skin tone exactly. A lighter shade on a spot draws attention to what you're trying to cover up.

Related: I’ve reviewed 100s of under-eye patches – these 14 are the secret to reduce puffiness and dark circles

Preparation first. A thin layer of eye cream, fully absorbed before you apply anything, will prep the skin for concealer. While it is common on social media to dab your concealer straight onto the skin, this often leads to an excess of product that (you guessed it) settles into fine lines. Instead, buff the product into a brush on the back of your hand and build in thin layers, working your way from the outside in. If you struggle with creasing, removing some of the product around your trouble areas with a Q-tip and then re-blending is the most underrated makeup artist hack on the market. Finally, if you want to set it, the lightest dusting of a finely milled setting powder is enough. If your skin is dry, skip that step entirely.

It depends on your undertone. Blue or purple shadows (most common on fair to medium skin) are neutralised by a peach or apricot corrector applied before concealer. Deeper, grey-toned shadows on darker skin respond better to orange or brick. If the circles are mild, a well-matched concealer used alone is almost always enough. Colour correcting earns its place when the discolouration is significant enough that standard concealer isn't up to the task.

Consider what you're actually covering. Light coverage handles minor redness or uneven tone and always looks the most natural. Medium covers most daily concerns, be it moderate dark circles, small blemishes, or general unevenness. Full coverage is for significant pigmentation, a full face of makeup or when you need your makeup to last in the long term. Most people don't need full coverage everywhere. And always remember that it is easier to build up coverage than trying to soften a formula that's been applied too heavily.

What it is: A medium-to-full coverage liquid concealer formulated with fermented arnica, niacinamide, and peptides. The fermented arnica targets puffiness and discolouration while the niacinamide supports tone-evening over time. The finish is natural and skin-like. Available in 40 shades.

Why we love it: Yes, we want our concealers to cover up, but not to the point where it looks unnatural, and the Triclone nails that magical middle ground where the product is almost imperceptible. Like a blurring filter or a second-skin finish. The skincare-infused formulation here is what makes the difference: the fermented arnica actively de-puffs and brightens while the niacinamide evens tone overtime. That means that the more you use it, the skin-loving benefits compounds over time, leaving you with better complexion than when you started. The shade range is serious and the formula is skin-type agnostic. After testing the full field, this is the one I keep reaching back for.

What it is: A brightening cream concealer designed specifically for the under-eye area. Buildable, luminous coverage with a lightweight texture that blends easily with fingers or a brush.

Why we love it: There is nothing worse than waking up to a pale, harrowed face that could grace the cover of a Victorian horror novel. More luggage under your eyes than you'd bring to fashion week. The temptation is to reach for colour-correcting concealers and heavy-duty formulations, but for an everyday look it becomes too much. Having worn Caia's Wake Me Up Cream since launch, I can happily attest to the magic-eraser quality of the light-reflecting pigment in this pot. It handles dark circles without any of the cakiness or chalkiness that tends to plague the under-eye category and can be worn both on its own or under a more heavy-duty concealer.

What it is: A professional-grade colour correcting system with a three-shade pot containing corrective pigments in peach, green, and beige, designed to be mixed and customised to the specific undertone you're working against.

Why we love it: Nothing gives me more nostalgia than the Cover All Mix. There's a reason this oldie-but-goodie has survived every shake-up the cosmetics industry has weathered over the years. This is old-school concealer formula, meaning it is thicker and more pigmented than the liquids and serums that have climbed the top lists recently. But when you know how to work with it, warming the pigment on the back of your hand and applying with a dense concealer brush, you're solid. Honestly, I feel like Michelangelo painting my face with this pot. It's artistry at its finest.

What it is: A full-coverage, long-wearing concealer with a soft-focus blurring finish. Buildable and moisturising, with a doe-foot applicator for precise placement. Designed to cover blemishes, significant redness, and discolouration.

Why we love it: This has been my ride-or-die since Copenhagen Fashion Week, when I weathered a snowstorm and 16-hour days with nothing more than this tube and a pinch of hope. Somehow it held up. This is full coverage to the point where you could whisk away any blemish with the wave of your magic wand... or, in this case, doe-foot applicator. What I really love is the slip. It doesn't cling to skin but blurs and blends to the point where one dab can cover my whole face, no foundation required.

What it is: A full-coverage, 24-hour wear concealer from Dior's Forever franchise with continuous hydration technology and a natural, velvety finish. Available in an extensive shade range with both neutral and warm undertone options.

Why we love it: When it comes to luxury splurges worth the spend, skin-loving ingredients are essentially non-negotiable. Dior has mastered the complexion category with this concealer: hydrating, with the kind of lustre you'd expect from duchess satin, this concealer wears superbly well under the eyes. The coverage is full without feeling heavy, the 24-hour hydration claim holds up through an actual full day's wear, and the skin is visibly better for having worn it. At this price point, that should be the baseline expectation.

What it is: A lightweight serum-concealer hybrid formulated with cannabis sativa seed oil for a skin-conditioning effect. Buildable medium coverage with a natural finish, dispensed through a doe-foot applicator. Available in an extensive shade range.

Why we love it: We love NYX. After all, this budget brand knows how to pack serious pigment punch into wallet-friendly formulas. So we are as surprised as you to be listing their serum concealer (and not one of their more full-coverage options) on this edit. But there's something about the skin-like finish of this formulation we can't get enough of. It is the perfect everyday companion, and honestly, if you're wearing something every day, you want the price tag to stay low.

What it is: A brightening, buildable concealer formulated with peptides, caffeine, and vitamin C. Designed to plump and hydrate the under-eye area while delivering medium-to-full coverage. The finish is luminous rather than matte.

Why we love it: I may not be in the mature-skin club just yet, but I am starting to experience my first fine lines around the eyes. A jarring experience when you've never had any product settle anywhere before. Based on trusted colleagues and my own testing-process, Kosas Revealer is exactly the sort of formula that keeps your face crease-free. Impeccably lightweight and hydrating, it softens tone without weighing heavily on the details you want to minimise. The finish is subtle enough to wear daily, but I'd still recommend the Q-tip application trick to make sure you're not accidentally highlighting any crow's feet in the process.

What it is: A buildable, medium-to-full coverage concealer with a natural, skin-like finish. The creamy texture glides over dry patches rather than clinging to them. Available in an extensive shade range and consistently praised for its blendability and pigmentation.

Why we love it: In the Nordics, dry skin is notoriously common, and as a proud member of the Sahara-skin club I feel particularly well-versed on this specific category. Now, Nars isn't always known for hydrating, skin-loving formulations. It is more of a high-impact makeup brand, after all. But the Radiant Creamy Concealer is surprisingly well-suited to dry skin types. Creamy is the keyword here. It moves with the skin, and the coverage is serious enough to be useful in small-enough amounts where it will never come off heavy. Apply over a hydrating primer and skip the setting powder. It behaves significantly better that way.

What it is: A full-coverage, matte-finish concealer with a flat brush applicator designed for precise, high-pigment application. Long-wearing and oil-controlling.

Why we love it: Shape Tape is a tried-and-tested classic for a reason. A hero of the 2016 YouTube tutorial era, it is full-coverage and matte, meaning it won't budge when sebum comes into play. It is the sort of product that would hold through a full day of wear at a destination wedding, dancing and all. I know this because I've made my friends wear it through that exact scenario. The flat applicator deposits product quickly, so a light hand matters, but once calibrated it's the most efficient delivery system in the category. For oily skin that needs something to simply stay put, this is the answer.

What it is: A high-coverage, glow-finish concealer formulated with peptides and brightening actives. Designed to cover blemishes and post-inflammatory marks while delivering a luminous result. Non-comedogenic.

Why we love it: Acne-prone skin has its own specific trials when it comes to concealer, considering you want to cover the redness without product settling into any texture. A ground-up approach helps (invisible acne patches worn underneath, colour-correcting primer where needed) but a high-stretch, skin-friendly formula is what makes the real difference. The Hy-Glam is exactly the non-comedogenic thing for this. The glow finish draws the eye away from texture rather than flattening everything under a heavy layer of product, and the peptide complex works beautifully to aid your tired skin barrier.

What it is: A gel-formula concealer in stick format, using the same grip technology as Milk Makeup's Hydro Grip Primer. Hydrating and buildable, designed for on-the-go application without a brush. Long-wearing.

Why we love it: Truth be told, the Hydro Grip Stick and I did not get off to a good start. The divisive skin tint had my heart (tacky finish and all) for its almost uncanny ability to cover while mimicking a skin-like result. The stick felt almost dated by comparison. I also managed not to read the instructions, twisting up too much product with no way to twist it back down again. But when I started warming the pigment on the back of my hand and dab-dab-dabbing it under my eye, something shifted. It blends, it grips, it holds. I now have a new favourite in my concealer stick in my kit.

What it is: A serum-infused concealer from Lancôme's Teint Idole Ultra Wear franchise. Buildable from sheer to medium coverage with a luminous, non-shimmery glow finish. Designed as a hybrid between base makeup and skincare.

Why we love it: I adore a serum consistency. What's not to love about a product that does its job without even a whisper of cakiness on the skin? Lancôme's serum concealer is a gold-standard version of this formulation, because I forget I'm wearing makeup when I reach for this. There's not a hint of heaviness at all. It builds from sheer to a convincing medium coverage, the glow finish gives skin that well-slept quality that flatter formulas can't replicate, and the skincare actives means it's working on your complexion every time you wear it. For low-effort days, this is the one.