These ‘Serum Concealers’ Work Instantly While Improving Your Skin’s Appearance Over Time

It’s official: We’re in the golden age of concealers. After enough bronzy, multiuse highlighter and cream blush launches to paint a million cheeks, brands have turned their attention to a decidedly more universal mainstay: the humble concealer. But these aren’t the crusty, cakey concealers of the past—today, masking dark circles, blemishes, and imperfections are just table stakes. These modern-day concealers are more innovative than ever, and they’re doing a whole lot more than simply covering up. Think active ingredients that improve skin over time, self-setting formulas that let users eschew powder, and light-as-air textures that still pack a punch in the coverage department.

But with so many options, and four of the most anticipated concealer launches of the season hitting the market in quick succession—the Makeup by Mario SurrealSkin Awakening Concealer ($29) on August 17th, the Tower29 Swipe All-Over Hydrating Serum Concealer ($22) on August 19th, the Live Tinted HUESKIN Serum Concealer ($26) on August 22nd, and the Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech Hydrating Concealer ($32) on September 7th—it can be hard to figure out which formula is right for you.

To help you cut through the chatter and find your perfect match, we put the four concealers head to head (to head to head) and shared our unfiltered thoughts.

Makeup by Mario, SurrealSkin Awakening Concealer — $29.00

Ingredient callouts:

• Caffeine: An anti-inflammatory that helps fade dark spots and reduce puffiness.
• Fermented Marine Microorganisms: An ingredient that smooths skin with “collagen-like” stimulation and a visible tightening effect.

Pros:

• Long-wearing, crease-proof formula
• Proprietary “Lift and Lock” technology self-sets for a naturally lifted complexion
• Natural, skin-like finish
• Medium, buildable coverage
• 22 shades

Cons:

• May crease over time

Mario Dedivanovic’s much-anticipated concealer launched to largely positive reviews from fans and beauty editors alike. The goal, according to Dedivanovic himself, was to create a concealer that allowed people to use less product and powder. To achieve this, he opted for a high concentration of pigments with a soft matte finish—as a result, a little goes a long way. He also implemented the brand’s Lift and Lock Technology, which uses caffeine to depuff and promote circulation (or lift) and features a self-setting formula (lock). It’s equally as adept at covering dark circles and blemishes as it is at sculpting and shaping. 

If you struggle with dryness, especially in the undereye area, we suggest layering a hydrating serum and moisturizer underneath—the concealer has a tendency to cling to drier areas, which can cause caking and creasing after a few hours of wear. And thanks to the self-setting formula, it has the best long-wearing results of the bunch; no need to worry about powder unless you run particularly oily. It also provides the most coverage (though the Haus Labs formula is only ever-so-slightly less), which is important to keep in mind.

Tower28, Swipe All-Over Hydrating Serum Concealer — $22.00

Ingredient callouts:

• Hyaluronic Acid: A water-binding molecule that hydrates to keep skin looking supple, smooth, and bouncy.
• Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract: A plant extract that soothes and calms sensitive skin.
• Lysine: An amino acid that prevents dryness and supports collagen production.

Pros:

• Lightweight, non-comedogenic, fragrance-free, alcohol-free formula that’s sensitive-skin safe
• Hydrating, skin-like finish
• Medium, blendable coverage
• 20 shades

Cons:

• Limited shade options for skin with cool undertones

Tower28’s aptly named Serum Concealer sets itself apart with its ultra-thin texture that seamlessly glides across the skin like—you guessed it—a serum. Despite the slightly watery feel, it packs a real punch, offering true medium coverage that hydrates the skin to avoid clinging to any dry patches. And, like the rest of Tower28’s offerings, this concealer was formulated with sensitive skin in mind, meaning it’s ultra-gentle and won’t clog your pores. It simultaneously hydrates, soothes, and calms irritated skin thanks to hyaluronic acid and Centella Asiatica leaf extract. Meanwhile, the pigments are coated in lysine, an amino acid that supports collagen production and prevents dry skin. Plus, the formula is truly buildable; it can be layered without caking up or creasing. The result is a highly blendable concealer with a natural finish that looks like second skin. We’d liken it to a great skin tint: The lightweight formula provides skin-like coverage that effectively conceals imperfections without looking makeup-y.

If you’re a fan of no-makeup makeup, this is your new best friend. The shade range leans more toward warm and neutral undertones, with only one true cool-toned option, so it might not be the most universal pick. And while the finish is definitely skin-like, it leans more toward dewy than matte.

Haus Labs, Triclone Skin Tech Hydrating Concealer — $32.00

Ingredient callouts:

• Niacinamide: A form of vitamin B3 that brightens, moisturizes, improves skin texture, and fights signs of aging.
• Fermented arnica: A homeopathic herb containing anti-inflammatory properties that reduce the appearance of redness and irritation.
• Hyaluronic acid complex: A proprietary blend of hyaluronic acid that helps plump and hydrate the skin.

Pros:

• Lightweight, non-comedogenic, mica-free formula
• Made with flexible pigments to seamlessly adapt to the skin
• Medium, buildable coverage
• 31 shades

Cons: 

• Luxury price point

Haus Labs boasts the thickest formula consistency-wise—though to be fair, what feels a bit goopy upon application quickly blends out into a beautiful veil of blurred coverage with a light-as-air feel. While the brand describes the coverage as medium, we’d say it’s closer to medium-plus, though it can easily be built up to full coverage.

Not only were we able to find our perfect color match among its 31 shades (more than any of the other concealers), but the flexible pigments also made it easy to oscillate between a few different shades depending on our current tan situation. It blends out easily and leaves what we’d call a soft sheen behind—it’s not outright dewy, but certainly not matte, though it can easily be mattified with a bit of powder. It also performs incredibly well over time; think little to no creasing or caking for hours on end.

This is definitely a more hydrating formula, so it’s best suited for dry and normal skin types—though don’t rule it out if you run oilier. In that case, simply skip the eye cream and stick with a lightweight moisturizer underneath. If you’re a fan of the Haus Labs foundation, we’d say this concealer is a no-brainer. But even if you weren’t, it really is unlike any concealer we’ve tried before and that alone makes it worth the purchase.

Live Tinted, HUESKIN Serum Concealer — $26.00

Ingredient callouts:

• Niacinamide: A form of vitamin B3 that brightens, moisturizes, improves skin texture, and fights signs of aging.
• Caffeine: An anti-inflammatory that helps fade dark spots and reduce puffiness.
• Bakuchiol: A hydrating plant-based ingredient that helps reduce hyperpigmentation and acne and increases skin firmness.
• Hyaluronic acid complex: A combination of five hyaluronic acids at different molecular levels to help retain moisture and improve skin elasticity.

Pros: 

• Lightweight formula
• Creamy, blendable texture
• Medium-to-full, buildable coverage
• Clinically tested for up to 12 hours of wear
• 20 shades

Cons:

• Brush may shed

The Live Tinted HUESKIN Concealer has a texture similar to Tower28’s (read: serum-like), while providing coverage on par with the likes of Makeup by Mario and Haus Labs. Herein lies its main differentiating factor: It really is the best of both worlds, with lightweight texture and medium-to-full coverage. There’s also the formula, which includes active levels of niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, bakuchiol, and caffeine to improve the appearance of dark spots and hyperpigmentation over time. As for packaging, the wand features a paintbrush-like applicator, which makes for easy on-the-go application and more precise spot-concealing. It dries down slightly tacky (just slightly though!), which helps the concealer grip the skin and avoid caking throughout the day.

Given the lightweight, nourishing formula, it’s a great pick for those who don’t love the feel of makeup but still want the coverage. And, since the formula has so many active ingredients, it makes skin look better with each wear.