Concealer is by far one of my favorite makeup products to wear. I love concealer launches, testing formulas feels like Christmas morning to me. This post goes in to my favorite concealer formulas for my dry and mature (ing) skin.
I thought it might be easiest to share all these based on what I think they do best, so they are listed in categories below. This way, you can find what you are looking for in a concealer: lightweight texture, hydrating formulas, my personal favorite concealers, and so forth. I hope this makes the post easier to navigate so that you can find a great match for yourself!
Swatches are below each concealer and at the bottom of the post. I generally would swatch on my face vs the inside of my wrist, as my wrist is much lighter than my cheek, but I wanted you to be able to see each undertone clearly and this gave me the most space to do each swatch!
There are two types of formulas that most concealers fall into: light-diffusing or opaque coverage. Knowing the difference will help you find the best formula for your needs.
Both finishes can work on mature and dry skin.
I tend to stick with light diffusing formulas for my under eye and the opaque, matte coverage for my skin spot coverage (redness, acne spots, etc) and at the inner most corner of my eyes, as my personal preference.
1 | Light diffusing formulas work by reflecting light, making your under eye area look brighter and fresh. They tend to feel lighter, have a more fluid texture, and look dewier.
2 | Full coverage, semi-matte finish formulas (think Tarte Shape Tape) are excellent for concealing around the nose, blemishes and acne scars, but I’ve moved away from using them right under my eyes as I’ve gotten a bit older.
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Best for: dark circle correction before concealing
.08 oz/2.3 grams | $32 | cream formula
Pros | Once it’s mixed up, this formula is very creamy and has a ton of pigment. It’s great for covering very dark circles.
I’m really impressed with the coverage, it truly erases dark circles, but still looks natural.
I also love that they have four shades available.
This has become my go-to color corrector for my darker inner eye discolorations!
Cons | It’s a slightly higher cost-per-ounce vs the other correctors, but because it is so pigmented, I do find myself using far less product.
shop Charlotte Tilbury Magic Vanish | violet grey . charlotte tilbury . sephora . spaceNK . cult beauty UK
Best for: diffusing the look of dark circles and brightening under eye area before concealing
.14 oz/3.9 grams | $33 w/shipping | cream formula
Pros | There are SO many pros to the Beauty Pie corrector.
It’s a total winner and is my go-to replacement for the Becca corrector! The Beauty Pie is an almost identical dupe for the Becca Corrector.
Cons | The pricing structure is atypical. You can pay what they call “retail price” at $25 or you can sign up for a membership (3 month minimum, starting at $10 a month) to get a discounted “member price.” Think Costco, but for makeup.
Even without a membership and with shipping, the BeautyPie still works out to be about the same price as the Becca at $33 vs $32. I will say their makeup formulas rival all the high-end formulas, so if you purchase makeup frequently, the membership might be worth it.
shop beauty pie corrector | beautypie
Best for: value and lightweight coverage
This brightening concealer from e.l.f. really surprised me! It melts into skin and is a great light diffusing formula.
Two light layers instantly diffuse dark circles and it really does brighten my under eye area.
Make sure to set it right after application for best results or it will crease.
shop elf | ulta beauty . elf cosmetics
Best for: amazing drugstore value, heavy-duty coverage
This is a great concealer at any price, but especially for a drugstore price point! It feels lightweight on, has the finish of a much higher-end concealer, the perfect amount of coverage, and a satin-matte finish that I love.
Originally, I wore it for days running errands when I didn’t want to use a pricier concealer. But lately, I’ve found my reaching for it when I do my makeup, even over many other high-end concealers!
I love how it looks with the Becca corrector, it’s the perfect combo.
shop maybelline eraser | ulta beauty. amazon
Best for: dry skin types, skin like finish, hydrating
This Koh Gen Do concealer is so luxe and delivers absolutely flawless coverage. It’s the most hydrating formula I’ve ever used and cancels out any dark circles. I always bring this formula with me on vacation when I know I’ll need an extra flattering concealer after long flights and late nights.
The shade 02 that I use comes out a bit peachy and I remember thinking that there was no way it would be a match. But it’s just the most lovely, brightening shade!
If you are looking for the ultimate, mature-skin friendly concealer formula and budget doesn’t concern you, I’d pick the Koh Gen Do. It’s magic in a tube. I can pile on layers of this concealer and it always looks like a second skin. This concealer is a top pick for me!
shop koh gen do moisture | beautylish . violet grey . dermstore
Best for: major coverage, lightweight feel, shade range
Holy Macaroni. The first time I tried this concealer I was so blown away.
It has it all: great coverage, diffuses light, and doesn’t crease. This formula is an absolute gem.
This is my most reached for concealer this year and a must-have for mature skin! Important: this concealer looks best when applied and gently blended with my ring finger, no brush or sponge.
shop laura mercier | laura mercier . sephora . cultbeauty (international shipping)
Best for: ultimate dark circle coverage, hydrating
This is one of the best selling concealers at both Sephora AND Ulta beauty! It really covers dark circles, but also manages to stay fresh and skin-light.
Proper application is key with this concealer!
I recommend warming up a pin-head size dot between your ring fingers, until you feel the formula start to soften. Then gently “press and lift, press and lift” into the skin underneath both eyes.
You can always finish the look with a beauty blender, but I think this concealer applies and blends best for me with my fingers.
Lightly layering this concealer will get you the coverage you want and prevent creasing.
I’m always amazed at how much dark circle coverage I get while wearing this concealer, but that it remains light looking. It also is very sensitive skin and mature skin friendly, because of the satin-matte finish on the skin.
Also, .40 oz is a huge size for a concealer (most are around .2 oz), this tube is an amazing value. Especially considering you only need a pin head size to cover under both eyes!
shop IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye | sephora . ulta beauty . IT official . QVC
Best for: full coverage, skin line finish
Full disclosure, I’m still working with a sample of this new Dior concealer that came with a Sephora order. It’s a giant sample, but also I only need the tiniest dot of the concealer for full coverage on both sides, so it’s lasting me forever.
The formula sinks in right away and looks high end. It’s invisible on my skin, but covers all my dark circles. It feels lightweight and I love the range of under tones they have!
Update, I purchased a full size tube in shade 0N and still love this concealer! It’s a gem of a formula. Magic in a tube.
shop dior | saks 5th . sephora . nordstrom
Best for: dry and mature skin, natural looking full coverage, creating custom shade
If you’ve been a part of my blog for awhile, you know how deep my love for all things Koh Gen Do goes. This brand has clean, high tech Japanese formulas that become one with your skin.
As a makeup artist, when I use Koh Gen Do, people always comment how lightweight their makeup feels and how fresh and perfect their skin looks.
This is the softest cream palette I’ve ever tried. There is no dryness or caking, it just melts into skin and looks flawless. Koh Gen Do products all start out with light, even coverage and are meant to be built up to the desired coverage level, while retaining their skin-like look. I don’t know how they do it, honestly.
Another thing I love about this Koh Gen Do concealer is that it really lasts on my skin. It looks just as great hours later as it did when I first apply it.
I also love this palette because it contains all three shades in one. This is great for makeup artists, but also perfect for someone like me who faux tans a lot. I can combine whatever shades I need that day for a perfect match.
I find myself reaching for this palette more and more lately. I love the little brush that is included as well for application, then I blend with my fingers.
shop koh gen do palette | revolve . beautylish . macys
Best for: lightweight coverage
The Hourglass formula is so silky and thin. It feels totally weightless on. I love how I just tab a few times and it completely melts into my skin.
It really does cover dark circles, this is a great one for coverage.
shop hourglass sephora . ulta beauty . hourglass . nordstrom
Best for: skin spots and redness coverage
I had to try Surratt’s concealer stick after falling in love with their concealer palette. This is a cream formula, in a roll up stick. It’s compact and is perfect for traveling.
I adore this formula. It looks like a second skin, but covers even my darkest purple circles. I make sure to apply only two lines on each side, I let it sit for a minute to warm up on my skin, then I gently tap the product into my skin. It has a slightly more matte finish vs. the concealers in the Surratt palette.
It’s gorgeous and lasts all day. Surratt products and formulas are next level great! The stick packaging is great for anyone who loves a quicker application.
shop surratt stick | saks 5th . sephora . nordstrom
Best for: correcting, concealing, and setting all in one palette
This cream palette is a dream to work with! It looks incredibly natural on, but gives complete coverage. This is a great concealer for dark circles. It’s also very generously sized, there is a ton of product in each side.
The finish of the concealers in this palette are more of a satin finish vs the Surratt Stick concealer.
Cream formulas are so wonderful for providing coverage, but do need a little practice the first few times you use them!
Cream formulas need to be worn on well-hydrated skin, so definitely use a great eye cream. My favorite is this one from DHC. You’ll want to apply light, light layers when working with cream products, to help prevent creasing.
They also work best if they’ve been warmed up a bit, so tap your finger lightly over the top of the concealer until you can feel it start to melt, then tap lightly into your skin. You’ll see when it starts to melt into your skin.
I also love the soft powder that comes in this palette. The lavender in the shade 2 that I wear instantly brightens and again, melts into my skin. It’s a gorgeous powder.
shop surratt palette | saks 5th . beautylish . sephora . net-a-porter
Best for: skin spot coverage, sides of nose, redness
I bought this concealer intending to use it under my eyes, but this shade was a bit too deep for me to use there. It’s absolutely flawless over veins and spots, but especially on the sides of my nose!
I get so red on my nose and foundation just slips off, so now I dab a little of this Nars matte concealer on each side and it stays all day!
shop nars | nars cosmetics . sephora . cultbeauty (international shipping)
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I am glad someone else loves the Physicians Formula concealer. I love it!!! Yes bottle sucks but I just dispense a couple of pumps onto an old BM concealer compact. Problem solved.
Great information and I love the fact that you included all the before and after pictures.
Thank you
Thank you so much! Great information, AND you’re still beautiful.