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I Swapped My $50 Concealer for This $12 Drugstore One—And I’ll Never Go Back
When it comes to the best drugstore concealers, the classics (hey, Instant Age Rewind) are likely the first name that pops into your head, but it’s far from being the only standout. There are plenty of other budget-friendly concealers that deliver seriously impressive coverage and cost as little as $6, but perform like luxury formulas that are eight times the price. Recommended by pro makeup artists and Allure editors alike, these under-$20 picks blur imperfections, brighten tired eyes, and leave your skin looking flawless, all without breaking the bank. Next time you’re stocking up on essentials, don’t skip the makeup aisle and pick up one (or maybe two or three?) of our favorite drugstore concealers for a base that just won’t quit.
Our Top Drugstore Concealers
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Overall: L’Oréal Paris Infallible Full Wear Waterproof Concealer
Why it’s worth it: When you have a packed day of meetings or a big event like a wedding, you need a concealer that won’t budge, and L’Oréal Paris’ Infallible Full Wear Waterproof Concealer has impressive staying power. This waterproof formula never once creased or crumbled throughout the day—and yes, it passed the tear test, too. The large doe-foot applicator covers larger areas with fewer strokes, meaning one swipe easily masks dark circles. This formula has a matte finish, so it doesn’t get shiny throughout the day, but you can always set it with powder for extra insurance.
“No matter what I’m doing, I usually have concealer on (hi, confidence boost), so I’m always on the hunt for formulas that last all day. I’m typically skeptical of anything that claims to last all day without budging or looking thick, but this one from L’Oréal Paris seriously impressed me. It didn’t go on cakey or feel heavy—instead, it looked like real skin and completely covered the morning blues under my eyes. When I got home from the office, it looked the same as when I left. I’m already planning to wear it to a wedding next weekend because I trust it will survive both happy tears and hours on the dance floor.” —Lily Wohlner, commerce writer
- Key ingredients: N/A
- Who it’s for: those looking for a full-coverage, matte finish that will last all day
- Shades: 25
- Finish: matte
Best Light-Coverage: Nyx Professional Makeup Bare With Me Concealer Serum
Why it’s worth it: Nyx Professional Makeup’s Bare With Me Concealer Serum is a very well-rounded pick, thanks to its serum-like texture, hydrating ingredients, and skin-like finish. It offers light-to-medium coverage that feels incredibly lightweight on the skin and is easily buildable. But no matter how many layers you pack on, it still looks natural and leaves behind a healthy, radiant glow. The skin-care-forward formula, however, really wowed our editors: Moisturizing and calming ingredients like tremella mushroom, Centella asiatica (a.k.a. cica), and green tea help soothe and repair skin.
Tester feedback from contributing editor Deanna Pai
“Off the bat, I loved that I could even find a color match with this concealer. But just as good as that was the lightweight consistency, which somehow packed a ton of coverage without ever feeling heavy or cakey. A little went a long way, too, with a drop covering my undereyes, discoloration on my chin, and redness around my nose. The finish was also dewy, but natural—so much so that I could wear it without having to blend it in with foundation.” —Deanna Pai, contributing editor
- Key ingredients: tremella mushroom, Centella asiatica extract (also known as cica), green tea
- Who it’s for: those looking for lightweight, natural-looking coverage and extra hydration
- Shades: 17
- Finish: natural
Best Medium-Coverage: Maybelline New York Instant Age Rewind Concealer
Why it’s worth it: The undereye area is usually the first place to show signs of aging or just general exhaustion, which is why having a concealer made specifically for that delicate skin really makes a difference. Maybelline New York’s Instant Age Rewind Concealer is a total OG in the drugstore world and wins major points for its ability to hydrate, cover, and correct all at once. The formula is packed with ingredients like goji berry extract and haloxyl, which offer antioxidant benefits for the skin to help visibly brighten dark circles over time. The sponge-tip applicator makes application super easy and mess-free, and helps you control how much product you use.
NYC-based makeup artist Karol Rodriguez is also a fan of this concealer, saying, “The shade range is inclusive, and they have color correctors for all skin tones in the same formula, which takes out the guessing game if you have discoloration.” Pro tip: Go one shade lighter to instantly brighten and lift your undereye area.
Tester feedback from commerce editor Sarah Han
“Listen: Is this the only concealer I use? No. But is it very dependable, cheap, and very popular for a reason? Heck yes. The coverage is true-medium, which is what I always go for, and buildable as needed. It disguises my faint half-circles and redness with just one layer, and for any dark spots, I dab on a thin second layer and let it sit for a while before very gently blending it in. And the sponge tip…she’s an icon. I love that it spreads out the product evenly straight out of the tube because it makes the rest of the blending process that much more seamless. I tend to add concealer all along the center of my face from forehead to nose to chin, and find that I don’t need foundation afterwards because I’m, well, covered.” —Sarah Han, commerce editor
- Key ingredients: goji berry extract, haloxyl
- Who it’s for: those looking to cover dark circles and fine lines under the eyes sans cakeyness
- Shades: 24
- Finish: natural
Best Full-Coverage: E.L.F Cosmetics 16HR Camo Concealer
Why it’s worth it: Don’t let the thick texture of E.L.F. Cosmetics’ 16HR Camo Concealer intimidate you. It goes on surprisingly smoothly, feels like nothing on the skin, and never looks heavy or cakey. One swipe is enough to cover anything from dark undereyes to melasma (a little goes a long way), but it also layers well to disguise red, swollen blemishes. Our editors are impressed by how well it held up through a full day without letting up on coverage. The only catch is that it dries fast once it hits your skin, so you’ll want to blend quickly before it sets.
“Creamy, concealing, and consistent is how I’d describe E.L.F.’s 16 HR Camo Concealer. A little bit goes a long with this stuff, so I usually only need a dot or two on my dark, puffy undereyes to truly cover any evidence of getting less than six hours of sleep (when the enemies finally become lovers, how do you expect me to not stay up and keep reading?!). And once it’s blended, it doesn’t budge. It comes in so many shades (20!)—I use Light Ivory—and is only $8, you can’t beat it!” —Sarah Kinonen, associate beauty director
- Key ingredients: N/A
- Who it’s for: those looking for a full-coverage finish without the heaviness
- Shades: 24
- Finish: matte
More drugstore concealers we love:
Widest Shade Range: L.A. Girl HD Pro Concealer
L.A. Girl
HD Pro Concealer
Why it’s worth it: All of the picks on this list are affordable, but L.A. Girl’s Concealer is hands-down the biggest wallet-saver of them all. That said, the formula feels anything but cheap: Its dewy, skin-like finish is so luxurious and surprisingly doesn’t crease after a long day of wear. While it comes with a built-in brush applicator, you’ll want to tap the product in with your fingers or another brush for a seamless, airbrushed look. Most impressively, this $6 steal comes in 48 shades (though those include color-correctors and highlighters) and offers buildable coverage that lasts all day.
- Key ingredients: N/A
- Who it’s for: those looking to spend less than $20 who want a creamy formula that lasts all day
- Shades: 48
- Finish: natural
Best Brightening: Morphe Wakeup Artist Under Eye Correcting Concealer
Morphe
Wakeup Artist Under Eye Correcting Concealer
Why it’s worth it: Another serum-infused concealer, Morphe’s Wakeup Artist Under Eye Concealer earns its name as one of the most brightening formulas at the drugstore. Packed with arnica, sweet potato extract, tremella mushroom, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin, it helps hydrate, smooth, and visibly brighten tired undereyes. (In other words, it fakes the effect of eight hours of sleep, even if you only managed five.) Wakeup Artist is lightweight and buttery on first swipe, but builds up beautifully if you’re looking for more coverage. Bonus: The shade range includes color-correctors to neutralize redness, dullness, or dark circles.
- Key ingredients: arnica, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, sweet potato extract, tremella mushroom
- Who it’s for: those looking for a brightening boost without tons of heavy coverage
- Shades: 24
- Finish: radiant
Best for Mature Skin: CoverGirl Simply Ageless Triple Action Concealer
CoverGirl
Simply Ageless Triple Action Concealer
Why it’s worth it: While dehydration, fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots naturally come with getting older, you still have all the permission in the world to give yourself a break from what’s bugging you. That’s where CoverGirl’s Simply Ageless Triple Action Concealer comes in handy because it’s packed with hydrating hyaluronic acid, plus vitamin C and niacinamide to hydrate, brighten, and smooth extra delicate mature undereyes. The contoured applicator blends product effortlessly into the skin without creasing or clinging to texture, and the cooling ceramic wand helps gently depuff tired-looking eyes. Our one complaint is that we wish it came in more than 10 shades to suit a wider range of skin tones and undertones.
- Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, niacinamide
- Who it’s for: those with mature skin looking for a lightweight formula that doesn’t settle into fine lines
- Shades: 10
- Finish: natural
Frequently Asked Questions
What should people look for when shopping for drugstore concealers?
When looking for a drugstore concealer, Rodriguez says you should know your goal before shopping. “Then, you can work backwards and find the concealer that is suited towards that,” they say. “For example, if you love a no-makeup-makeup look, Maybelline New York’s Instant Age Rewind has a more radiant finish,” so that might be a better choice than a thicker, full-coverage formula like the E.L.F 16HR Camo Concealer. If you like using your fingers to apply your product, Rodriguez says something waxy that needs a little warmth to blend in will be your best bet. It’s all about preference.
What is the best concealer option for mature skin?
Aside from CoverGirl’s Simply Ageless Triple Action Concealer, Rodriguez says Instant Age Rewind is one of their favorite formulas for mature clients because of how skin-like the formula is. “Mature skin thrives with radiant, light-reflecting formulas that bounce light off of the skin,” they say. “A drier, more matte formula is going to make mature skin appear more creasy, since mature skin already tends to struggle with dullness and lack of vibrancy.” Rodriguez adds that you want to avoid layering too much product, as it will sink into creases and make the skin look heavy, especially since mature skin is naturally thinner. “Work in light layers, tapping where you want coverage and allowing the concealer to set before applying more.”
Meet the experts
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of the best drugstore concealers, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from makeup artists, dermatologists, and cosmetic chemists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
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