Trusty old under-eye concealer, we expect a lot from you. We want you to be not crease, not be drying, last for a long time, brighten, and, well, conceal our dark circles (without it looking like we're actually wearing any). Unlike concealers to cover blemishes, for the under eyes, we need something that will set so it doesn't settle in fine lines or end up smudging our eye makeup. We also need to colour correct, which means shade matching is important, too.
That's not too much to ask, is it? With recommendations from some of the top makeup artists, it's certainly not. We quizzed Nikki Wolff [1], Daniel Martin [2], and Emily Cheng [3], plus nine others, to share which concealers — including Laura Mercier, Fenty Beauty, and Glossier, to name a few — they swear by for under eyes.
Turns out, there's a concealer to address every under eye issue imaginable: there are formulas to give you lit-from-within brightening, formulas with staying power to endure our banana-bread baking, formulas that perform near-magic colour correcting (see ya, dark circles), and formulas that do it all. Luckily for us, not only did the makeup artists share their favourite under-eye concealers, but they also shared some of their best advice on how to use them.
After choosing your perfect weapon concealer of choice, the key to successful application is gradual layers and correct placement. "Don't apply your concealer all the way up to your lower lash lines, as this will make your eyes appear smaller. Instead, only conceal the dark circles, and leave the colouring beneath your lower lash lines to naturally shade the eye," Chanel makeup artist Ninni Nummela [4] said.
Once you've got your correct placement down, next up is learning how to apply it. "When applying concealer, the trick is to gradually build up the coverage. Your concealer is supposed to cover up any imperfections, without looking like you're wearing makeup," Nummela said. Starting out with a tiny amount, use a brush [5] or the warmth of your fingers to dab the concealer onto the under eye area or anywhere you feel you need a little more coverage. Then, buff out those areas to blend it in with either your foundation or base. Remember: it's always easier to add product than to take it away.
If you are looking for a new under-eye concealer to dub "the one" or simply don't know where to start, read on to find out which of the best formulas are hiding in these 12 makeup artists' kits at all times.
Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra-Longwear Concealer
We get it: some days you need a little more coverage than others. But even with heavier-coverage concealers, we still want something that is easy to blend, doesn't settle into fine lines, and won't look like cake batter under our eyes. For a full-coverage concealer option, makeup artist Jen Myles [6] recommends Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra-Longwear Concealer [7] (£25), as it is ultra-long-wearing and covers everything yet still looks dewy and flawless.
Iconic London Seamless Concealer
The Iconic London Seamless Concealer [8] (£22) is quite similar to the Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion formula — hydrating and full coverage, but with a slightly thinner texture. Both POPSUGAR Content Director Sophia Panych and London-based makeup artist Neil Young [9] are fans. "It has a nice creamy texture and sets without looking too heavy," Young said, while Panych likes to use it not only for her under eyes but also on her forehead and chin and around the sides of her nose in place of foundation. "It covers up anything, be it dark shadows or redness," she said.
Glossier Stretch Concealer
The Glossier Stretch Concealer [10] (£15) is small but mighty. "It's amazing for both concealer and foundation because the coverage is sheer and dewy, but it's incredibly buildable," Myles said. "I use this for an all-over light coverage, starting under the eye and then taking any product left over on the brush and buffing it out on the face where more coverage is needed."
Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer
The Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer [11] (£9) is so good, it's one of the bestselling concealers in both the UK and US, and for good reason, according to Panych, who is a fan. Available in 18 shades (including a Neutraliser and a Brightener shade), the liquid formula is super pigmented yet extremely thin in texture, which means it's really, really easy to blend. It completely covers up dark circles, the shadows along the inner corners of your eyes, and the redness on and along your nose and cheeks without adding any obvious cakey texture to your skin. And when it dries down, it's neither matte nor luminous, it just looks like your skin.
Giorgio Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Concealer
If you love the classic Luminous Silk Foundation, then you might want to consider giving the Giorgio Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Concealer [12] (£34.50) a go. It's a makeup-kit staple for Quinn Murphy [13], who works with Sophie Turner, Kate Hudson [14], and Sadie Sink, to name a few. "It's got a skin-like finish, has great coverage, and a good shade range," he explained, adding that "it also has the ability to blend and become 'one' with your foundation."
Uoma Beauty Stay Woke Luminous Brightening Concealer
The Uoma Beauty Stay Woke Luminous Brightening Concealer [15] (£21) promises to be "your beauty sleep in a bottle" and, having tried it ourselves, we'd have to agree. The thick, ultra-pigmented concealer disappears into skin and takes any remnants of dark circles with it.
Sculpted by Aimee Connolly Brighten Up Concealer
Created by a makeup artist, Sculpted by Aimee Connolly Brighten Up Concealer [16] (£15) is a dream of a concealer. It's ridiculously creamy, so it blends beautifully, whilst the finish is not too matte and not too dewy, which means it neither settles into fine lines nor slides around on your face. As for how it covers dark circles? The brightening capabilities of this formula are truly the stuff of makeup magic.
Sisley Phyto-Cernes Eclat Concealer
Daniel Martin [17] (makeup artist to Meghan Markle [18] and Jessica Alba [19]) has been using the Sisley Phyto-Cernes Eclat Concealer [20] (£69.50) for years. The price is certainly steep, but Martin adores its multiuse benefits. "It's a great corrector and concealer in one. I'll dab this on before and after foundation to create seamless coverage around the eyes," he said.
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Hydrating Longwear Foundation
Yes, Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Hydrating Longwear Foundation [21] (£27) isn't technically a concealer, but that's exactly what makeup artist Grace Ahn [22] uses it for. "It's medium-to-full coverage and has an amazing hydrating formula," she explained, making it a great option for people worried about concealer settling in fine lines or looking dry and crepey throughout the day.
L'Oréal Paris Infallible More Than Concealer
In the eyes of London-based makeup artist Hannah Martin [23], nothing beats L'Oréal Paris Infallible More Than Concealer [24] (£10) when it comes to a full-coverage under-eye concealer (or if you have a slightly bigger budget, Tarte's Shape Tape [25] (£28)).
A little bit goes a long way (which is great for saving some coins), and Martin swears it covers dark circles in one quick swipe and blend. "It's a great option for under the eyes but also doubles up as an excellent [all-over] complexion perfecter, too," she said.
Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer
Makeup artist Emily Cheng [26] — whose clients include Janelle Monáe, Storm Reid, and Yara Shahidi [27] — relies on the old-faithful Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer [28] (£24), which comes in 30 shades. "I've used it for years. It has great coverage, doesn't crease or settle, and it's the perfect texture because it's not at all drying," she said. If you want something you can truly depend on, here it is.
Bobbi Brown Instant Full Cover Concealer
Looking for a sheer-coverage concealer? Turn to London-based makeup artist Georgina Graham's [29] favourite: the Bobbi Brown Instant Full Cover Concealer [30] (£24). "It's a great all rounder; it's sheer yet buildable and has a great shade range." Although it's pretty sheer on its own, if you want something really skin-like, Graham recommends adding a drop of eye cream to it before applying.
Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Moisture Concealer
If you suffer from dark circles, you may want to look into trying a colour-correcting concealer. Murphy explains that for this, you should reach for something with a peachy (for light skin) or apricot (for medium to darker skin tones) tint, which helps to counteract the blue and purple tones underneath your eyes and along the bridge of your nose. He loves the Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Moisture Concealer [31] (£48) as "the formula is creamy enough to feel and look luxurious but dry enough to stay put and limit creasing."
Chanel Éclat Lumière Highlighter Face Pen
"If your concealer is not enough to lift your under eye darkness or pigmentation, I would recommend using the Chanel Éclat Lumière Highlighter Face Pen [32] (£28)," said makeup artist Ninni Nummela [33] (who works with the brand). "Its light-reflecting and colour-correcting properties brighten any dark shadows."
Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer
"Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer [34] (£32) has a weightless, no-crease formula that covers dark circles and blemishes well, without feeling dry or cakey — and a little goes a very long way," said Bryony Blake [35], freelance makeup artist and presenter on This Morning.
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
Want your concealer to last through anything? Turn to Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer [36] (£4), a favourite affordable option among editors and many beauty bloggers (many even use it to contour). It's got very full coverage with a thicker consistency (which is something to consider if you have dry skin) and is best applied with a brush. Once applied, this stuff will. not. budge, and that's a promise.
Shiseido Synchro Skin Self Refreshing Dual Tip Concealer
Samantha Lau — Dua Lipa's makeup artist and creator of her epic Grammy Awards blue eyeshadow look [37] — is turning to the Shiseido Synchro Skin Self Refreshing Dual Tip Concealer [38] (£29) recently. "A little goes a long way, and it doesn't look cakey or dry," she said. The large and pointed doe foot makes application quick yet precise.
Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer
If barely there makeup is the look you tend to go for, but you still want a concealer that colour corrects, consider the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer [39] (£30). It's a favourite of London-based makeup artist Nikki Wolff [40] as "it's really long lasting, it doesn't crease under the eyes (even though it's full coverage), and it camouflages blue tones because of the peachy undertone in each shade."
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away Liquid Concealer
After that dewy, creamy, dreamy finish with your makeup? Hannah Martin recommends the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away Liquid Concealer [41] (£24). "It's got medium coverage but zero dryness that other textured concealers can give," she said. The dome-shaped applicator makes it easy to get right into the under-eye area without the need of extra brushes.
Chanel Le Correcteur Longwear Concealer
The Chanel Le Correcteur Longwear Concealer [42] (£28) is one of Ahn's all-time favourites. "The colours have enough warmth to cancel out darkness, and the formula is really thin and seamless, resulting in an ultranatural finish," she explained.
E.l.f. Cosmetics Camo Concealer
For 15 hours, you can have a clear and creaseless complexion with the E.l.f. Cosmetics Camo Concealer [43] (£6). It's so affordable, you'll probably want to purchase it in a few shades to contour and highlight with.