Best under-eye concealer: The best liquid, matte and cream concealers, from £5
Looking to cover dark circles? Here are the best under-eye concealers for all skin types
Nowadays, under-eye concealers aren’t just to mask dark circles beneath the eyes. The best concealers are true beauty multitaskers – covering blemishes, highlighting areas of your face and covering age spots. You can even use under-eye concealers to contour your face.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to under-eye concealers, and the ideal product will very much depend on your skin type. Below, we give our top tips to choosing the right product for you, followed by our list of the best under-eye concealers currently available to buy for all budgets.
How to choose the best under-eye concealer for you
How do I choose the right under-eye concealer for my skin type?
Knowing your skin type will help decide what kind of texture you under-eye concealer should be. Cream or liquid concealers are more ideal for normal, dry or sensitive skin types. These concealers keep the eye area hydrated; otherwise dry skin tends to flake and so can be obvious when the concealer has settled.
Matte concealers are suited for oily or combination skin types, as the matte formula will absorb any excess sebum. It is recommended to start off lightly with matte concealers as they can make you look a little “cakey” if applied in excess.
How much should I spend?
As a general rule, you shouldn’t spend more on your concealer than your foundation. Under-eye concealers are about supporting and enhancing the look of your under-eye area. They should cover up blemishes, dark circles and should also give you the option to highlight areas of your face, but under-eye concealers shouldn’t be the area that you need to spend the most on. For reference, all the products in our list below cost less than £30.
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What other things do I need to think about?
Under-eye concealers tend to use a doe-foot applicator, which helps get the product to the hard-to-reach places around the face. Some other concealers come in a pot or palette and the texture of these products tends to be more of a matte finish. You can use your fingers to blend the product, but beauty experts recommend using a small flat brush as it’s more hygienic to keep the concealer free from bacteria. Experts also always recommend powdering the areas you have applied concealer to so that it stays put and helps the formula not to settle in the fine lines.
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The best under-eye concealer you can buy
1. ELF 16hr Camo Concealer: Best concealer for under £10
Price: £5 | Buy now from ELF Cosmetics
ELF’s product is a beautiful liquid concealer that can give up to 16-hour full coverage with a lovely matte finish. Its doe-foot applicator helps it get to the hard-to-reach places. This concealer is especially good for oily or combination skin types, offering full coverage but without the cakiness that matte concealers can often give.
Ingredients like avocado oil help to keep the skin moisturised and control shine with the help of kaolin clay. Don’t be fooled by how small it looks – it contains 6ml of concealer, which is the average for all concealers, and a little goes a long way. E.L.F’s products are all cruelty-free and vegan friendly, and with that on its card you can afford to buy a few more for them on contouring days.
Key details – Size: 6ml; Type: Liquid; Coverage: Full; Shades available: 26
2. NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer: Best concealer for dry skin
Price: £24 | Buy now from John Lewis
Not only does this concealer give your under-eye area a radiant glow, but it also delivers great coverage to hide and brighten dark circles and cover blemishes. Being a creamy concealer means it also won’t dry the skin out.
It comes with a doe-foot applicator to give you that precision placement. A little does go a long way and the product blends seamlessly onto the skin with not much settling into the fine lines around the eyes. This concealer could be used easily on foundation-free days just to give you that little pick-me-up.
Key details – Size: 6ml; Type: Cream; Coverage: Medium; Shades available: 22
3. Maybelline Fit Me Concealer: Best concealer for oily/combination skin
Price: £6 | Buy now from Boots
This concealer gives medium coverage with a lovely natural finish, concealing dark circles, redness, flaws and blemishes. It’s oil-free, which is perfect for oily and combination skin types. The last thing you’d want for oily skin is for makeup products to clog the skin and the best thing about this concealer is that Maybelline’s formula doesn’t block pores.
We appreciated the natural healthy glow it gave our skin, which Maybelline says can last for up to ten hours. That’s partly no surprise, given that it takes a bit more time than other products on this list to blend into the skin, but once it’s done it’s seamless.
Key details – Size: 6.8ml; Type: Liquid; Coverage: Medium; Shades available: 7
4. Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Concealer: Best concealer for dark circles
Price: £19 | Buy now from Boots
This concealer has been on nearly every makeup lovers list. It’s a creamy, long-wear product that feels light on the face and provides medium to full coverage, with its creators promising it can hide bags, dark circles or even redness. It’s also sweat-proof, meaning it won’t budge through the day, and it has a soft matte finish that means no harsh lines will be visible, just skin that looks like skin.
The Fenty Beauty brand was founded by the singer Rihanna, and is renowned for the vast range of shades it offers for different skin colours. With a staggering 50 shades available for this concealer, it matches her award-winning Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Foundation.
Key details – Size: 8ml; Type: Liquid; Coverage: Medium to full; Shades available: 50
5. Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit: Best concealer for colour correction
Price: £26.50 | Buy now from John Lewis
The best way to hide dark circles is to use a colour corrector. This helps to neutralise the complexion to give a fresh look to the skin, almost like starting with a blank canvas.
Bobbi Brown has got this sorted. Not only does this kit come with a colour corrector, but it also includes a crease-free powder to set the concealer. The creamy texture helps camouflage under-eye dark circles while giving a lovely soft-focused look that gives a natural fresh look under the eye. As if that isn’t enough, the concealer is also waterproof and sweat- and humidity-resistant.
Key details – Size: 5.9g; Type: Cream and powder; Coverage: Medium; Shades available: 13
6. Makeup Revolution Eye Bright Illumination Under Eye Concealer: Best concealer for under-eye brightening
Price: £8 | Buy now from Beauty Bay
When it comes to looking tired, our eyes are the biggest giveaway. Luckily, using a brightening under-eye concealer can lift and illuminate to give the impression we’ve slept for several hours. This concealer is a winner when it comes to brightening, formulated with vitamin C to help tighten the skin with a zing.
Makeup Revolution’s concealer has a medium coverage but can easily be buildable to give the coverage that’s needed. It has a soft sponge applicator that makes for ease of placement. The creamy concealer is easy to blend and a little goes a long way to give you that seamless effect under the eye.
Key details – Size: 3ml; Type: Liquid; Coverage: Medium to full; Shades available: 15
7. Urban Decay Stay Naked Concealer: Best concealer for full coverage
Price: £23 | Buy now from Feelunique
This concealer from Urban Decay will give you full coverage while giving that natural skin look. Its matte finish doesn’t have the cakiness that matte concealers can often give, and its full coverage can lasts up to 24 hours.
The applicator is curved, making it easy to get the right level of coverage. The flat side of the applicator gives precision, while the curve size offers a lighter application if desired. The matte finish is also great for coverage of blemishes or imperfections and can also be used as a highlighter. It has a wide range of 25 shades that includes five undertone shades.
Key details – Size: 10.2g; Type: Liquid; Coverage: Medium to full; Shades available: 25