Unless you’ve been blessed with blemish-free glass skin and no dark circles, it’s likely that concealer is a core member of your beauty team… but different concealers have different strengths, and serve different purposes.

Over the past six months, I’ve been able to test 20 of the best-selling concealers to give you a real review. In those months, I’ve been through hormonal breakouts, irritated skin from travel, aggravated under eyes from crying, and more… and I’ve had a different concealer at the ready, notepad in hand, ready to investigate for you. Metrics like hydration, coverage, ‘invisibility,’ and durability all factored in. I also looked at things like price point, ingredients, brand ethics, and user experience.

Further results came when I found myself not thinking about this story, and merely reaching for one of the many (MANY!) concealers I had available. I started to keep track of which ones I unconsciously chose, wanted to use, and kept reaching for (or what I packed for a trip).

Every single product on this list is a stellar option. I’m a firm believer that there’s no one product for every single person — each of these has a different ingredient profile, with different shades and undertones, and different finishes. Try a couple of them and see what works for you! You can’t go wrong with any of them.

Without further ado, my favorites among America’s favorites.

Best overall

Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Radiant Concealer — $33.00

Of all the concealers I’ve tested, this is the one I’ve been reaching for over, and over, and over again. Charlotte’s Beautiful Skin is magic for under eyes, thanks to the mica in the formulation which adds a lit-from-within, luminous brightness. This creamy, ultra-hydrating formula is applied with a wand applicator, which feels like a magic wand thanks to how gorgeous the end result is. Coverage is medium (but buildable), and the combination of hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, “golden vitamin C,” emollients and oils, peptides, and vegan collagen make this into a sort of ‘secret sauce’ for brightening the face. It delivers a sort of ‘blur filter’ effect while also treating the skin with rich, potent ingredients.

Best for under eyes

NYX Bare With Me Concealer Serum — $11.00

This ‘serum’ is exceptional, and its brightening capabilities are second only to the sorcery of Charlotte Tilbury’s. I absolutely love the way this disappears into the skin, leaving nothing but a bright, even finish in its wake. One reviewer called it “Life changing,” and a “New holy grail,” saying “I have never been able to get a concealer that actually concealed my extremely dark circles [and] did not leave them [cakey] or dry.” I completely agree with these sentiments.

Best for blemishes

Clé de Peau Concealer SPF 27 — $75.00

Yes, it’s $75 for concealer. Please don’t shoot the messenger. If this is within your budget, the solid stick delivery of Clé de Peau’s concealer acts like an eraser for blemishes. I keep this one in my handbag because it’s an easier application on the go and there’s no chance of an accidental spill. It’s better for oilier skin types and blemish coverage versus under-eye concealing, IMO. And, it’s the only one on this list that has sunscreen in it— huge bonus.

Best for the whole face

Dior Forever Skin Correct Concealer — $38.00

Whether it’s a dark circle, scar, hyperpigmentation, or blemish, Dior’s Forever Skin is a versatile creamy formulation that does it all. Using a soft wand applicator, you’ll get long wear, full coverage, and a “I forgot I was wearing makeup” feel. This stuff is really nice. Neutral, warm, cool, cool rosy, warm peach, and warm olive undertones across 30 shades give a lot of versatility for shade matching.

Best full coverage

Tarte Shape Tape Ultra Creamy Concealer — $31.00

The original Shape Tape is a crowd favorite, but lemme tell ya… the new hydrating one is better. The texture feels akin to a moisturizer, and thanks to the addition of prickly pear to the formula, you’ll get not just long wear, but long-lasting hydration. The new Ultra Creamy Shape Tape provides *serious* coverage… FULLLL coverage. Be mindful of this when applying, because you don’t need as much as you think. Despite being great for dry skin, it completely conceals acne as well. I found it to be helpful after using drying treatments like Differin or Avène Cleanance spot treatment—the hydrating element helped balance things out. Tarte is also cruelty-free (!!) and boasts a broad range of 35 shades.

Best buildable coverage

Chantecaille Le Camouflage Stylo — $60.00

This is a beautiful paintbrush, and your face is the canvas waiting to be decorated. I like it, Picasso! This formula provides a ‘your skin but better’ finish, and is invisible, even without foundation. You can truly wear this on its own, thanks to its flawless blend and light but buildable coverage. What I especially love about Chantecaille—and what makes the price a bit more digestible—is the brand’s ethicsand commitment to philanthropy centered around animals and the environment.

Best matte coverage

Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer — $38.00

It was so tough to decide between Armani and Hourglass for the best ‘cloud skin finish’ concealer,  but Hourglass came out on top thanks to the fact that its velvety, matte formula is super creamy and hydrating, despite leaving you with a more subdued (read: not dewy) result. A hydrating matte makeup product? It exists! I’ve actually used this concealer for years, and it’s an excellent product. It comes in 22 shades, and undertones include neutral, pink, yellow, neutral pink, golden, peach, pink/peach, and red. This variety is another factor that ultimately gave Hourglass an edge over Armani’s Luminous Silk (in our honorable mention category).

Best for dry skin

Kosas Revealer Concealer — $28.00

I initially borrowed this from a friend at a party when I needed an emergency blemish touch-up, and it was so good I ran to Sephora the next day to pick one up for myself. It’s got medium coverage and is lush and hydrating (probably thanks to the hyaluronic acid and peptides), but it still works for covering a breakout, The versatility, again, comes down to ingredients. Caffeine and pink algae extract help your under eyes, while arnica and panthenol calm blemishes and redness.

Best budget buy

ELF Hydrating Camo Concealer — $7.00

ELF is in a category all its own, truly. Whether you’re looking for hydration or full coverage, this stuff delivers, and at only $7 it is an A+++ budget buy. The Hydrating Camo Concealer costs less than what I spent on a single coffee at Starbucks this morning, is available in 25 shades, and is 100 percent cruelty-free and vegan. Sweat-proof, immovable, and impressively long-wear, she works hard for the money. Also of note: the applicator is beefy—it’s large, plush, and dispenses a lot of product at a time.

Honorable mentions

Don’t get it twisted… These are all iconic, standout choices as well.

L’Oréal Age Perfect Radiant Concealer — $9.00

If concealer is always settling into the tiny lines around your eyes when you smile, consider L’Oréal’s Age Perfect formula. Using glycerin and a ‘hydrating serum,’ this one won’t get caught up in those teensy skin folds when you squint or laugh—meaning it won’t leave you with a crepey, cakey appearance. It has a very small applicator that allows for a very precise application, and leaves a luminous finish.

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk — $39.00

A creamy, medium- to high-coverage formula with glycerin, caffeine, and vitamin E leaves you with a “cloud skin” satin finish (not dewy or glass skin!). For the oilier faces out there, this is for you. And, despite having dryer skin myself, Armani’s luminous silk didn’t feel cakey or flakey at any point during my several test wears (though I do topically hydrate quite a bit before applying makeup). Within the 22 shades on offer, there are neutral, golden, pink, peach, and olive undertones to choose from.

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer — $31.00

This product needs no introduction. It’s been a long-time best seller, and I still love this stuff, even after all these years. It will give you perfect full coverage, in a creamy formula applied with a classic wand applicator, and is available in 30 shades. The reason it isn’t ranked higher on the list is because I’ve found that the neutral shades lean yellow and warm-toned, and are a little more obvious on my decidedly neutral skin (to be fair, I haven’t tried the cool tones). That said, it’s sweat- and water-resistant, blendable and buildable, and all-around an excellent choice if you find the right color match!

Milk Future Fluid — $29.00

I feel like Future Fluid is the ‘no makeup makeup’ girl’s concealer of choice (think: Hailey Bieber dabbing a nano-drop onto a nonexistent blemish). But despite its reputation on TikTok as being a lightweight formula, it’s still a powerful product with medium coverage. With an extensive shade range and skin barrier-supporting ingredients (hyaluronic acid, antioxidants, caffeine, aloe, and arnica), this one was my favorite from Milk’s portfolio.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind — $9.00

Senior beauty editor Zoë Weiner and I both love this brightening Maybelline concealer with a unique sponge applicator that allows for easy blending (we stan a saved step in the beauty routine). A little goes a long way, so this is truly a phenomenal value. With 18 shades and slightly warmer undertones, this is an ideal choice for warming up (and brightening) the bluish hues under your eyes.