The best concealers from someone who’s tried them ALL

By Hannah Hillyer
11th Apr 2019

The best concealers from someone who’s tried them ALL

My desert island beauty product is concealer. A better choice would probably be lip balm, or more sensibly an SPF, but such is my love for a good concealer that I literally couldn’t live without it. I do not leave the house without it on my face and in my handbag as it is such an essential.

Struggling with adult acne for almost all of my twenties has made concealer my best friend. It has also meant I have tried so, so many of them that I feel I can consider myself something of an expert.

From high street to high end, I have parted with a lot of money over the years trialing them all. As much as I am faithful to the ones I know and love, a new concealer launch is always exciting for me. I’m always on the hunt for the next best thing. It’s a product that has to work so hard, it can always be improved upon.

Before I share my holy grail concealers, a little about my skin. My skin tone is very pale, which, for concealer, can be tricky as many of them can dry a little darker than they first appear. I have always struggled with redness from active breakouts as well as acne scarring, so the concealers mentioned are high coverage designed to disguise anything you don’t want on show.

So what are the boxes I need my concealer to tick?

High coverage to conceal redness
Not too dry a formula as this leads to it looking cakey
Can’t be too glowy, as you want it to stay in place and not slide off
No oxidising- we don’t want patches of dark concealer

Bobbi Brown Instant Full Cover Concealer; €9 at arnotts.ie

Nobody does complexion better than Bobbi Brown. I’ve used so many of their foundations and concealers and they always get the shades and textures so right. This one in particular never looks like you’ve packed on product. The skin still looks like skin, because it’s hydrating. I would powder a little on top to keep it in place all day.

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer; €29.50 at brownthomas.com

When this first launched back in 2013, it was all anyone in the beauty world could talk about. It took a long time before I could even get my hands on it as my ghostly shade was repeatedly sold out for weeks. Aptly named, this concealer has a gorgeous creamy consistency that isn’t too heavy and is easily blended into the skin. This comes in 19 shades.

NARS Soft Matte Concealer; €30.00 at brownthomas.com

Another Nars entry as this is a brand that really knows how to do concealer. This is a thicker consistency than the wand previously mentioned and has more of a matte finish. Despite this, it’s super soft and creamy and doesn’t leave the skin looking at all cakey. This is one for when you have little more time to blend and pat product into the skin. This comes in 16 shades.

MAC Studio Fix 24-Hour Smooth Wear Concealer; €23.50 at brownthomas.com

A new addition (I told you I’m always trying new ones) to my hall of fame is this one from Mac. This has a lovely lightweight feeling to it whilst also covering what needs covering. My only issue is I am in-between shades in Mac so find this to be either a little dark or light on me. This comes in a whopping 32 shades.

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer; €4.99 at boots.ie

Saving the best until last is this gem from Collection which I have been using this since I was about 14. I always stray from this but never for long. I’ve had many love affairs with the others on this list, but always find myself returning to this one. Its pigmentation packs a serious punch, as well as having a thick, creamy texture that is easy to blend. It can look a little heavy so I find a little goes a long way here. The best part? It’s so affordable (a fiver!) and easy to get hold of, which means you’ll often find them in my handbag, make-up bag, bedroom and my boyfriend’s car as I can never be without it.

Header Image: @bobbibrownuk

More like this: