(Beauty Report Card)

These Full-Coverage Concealers Work Overtime To Make You Look Airbrushed

Tried, tested, terrific.

November 18, 2023

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I don’t think I’ve had a perfectly even skin tone since April 9, 1993 — the day I was born. Between freckles, sunspots, melasma, hyperpigmentation, and the assorted scars from wayward sporting equipment, there’s always at least a little something keeping my complexion a few degrees south of perfect. Even after laser treatments and microneedling, a few spots always manage to reappear. Day to day, I’m happy with the way my skin looks, but there’s no denying the desire to fake a flawless finish now and then with a full-coverage concealer. If I’m after a seriously smooth look, those sheer glow formulas just won’t cut it — I need the creamy, camouflaging thickness of something truly opaque.

Because my spots were earned early on in life, plenty of legwork has been done in pursuit of the ultimate products. There was the retro Max Factor “pancake” sticks I lifted from my mom in the early ‘00s, plenty of trips to my local Sephora and Target, and even some experimenting with my high school theater department’s cosmetic stash, all in search of the miracle formula that would deliver the baby-smooth visage I crave for big events and nights out. As a beauty editor, I’ve had even more opportunities to test the latest and greatest skin-blurring technology, leaving me with a pretty firm grasp on what actually works.

Ahead, get acquainted with what I consider to be the vest best full-coverage concealers on the market right now. From personal experience, they can obfuscate nearly any spot.

Huda Beauty

#FauxFilter Matte Buildable Coverage Waterproof Concealer

$31

This best-selling concealer is a buildable formula, yes, but it covers so much with a single swipe that layering is rarely required. In fact, the soft matte finish is so tone-evening that I end up using a fraction of my usual foundation if I apply the Huda Beauty concealer first.

Jillian Dempsey

Spot Stick Concealer

$32

Thick yet blendable, Jillian Dempsey’s twist-up concealer stick is incredibly adept at camouflaging hyperpigmentation marks. It’s a little too heavy for an area that can crease like the forehead, but it’s an absolute essential for the cheeks, chin, and jawline. If you use a fine-tipped brush, it’s easy to spot-conceal even tiny areas — it fades right into complexion like a second skin.

e.l.f. Cosmetics

16HR Camo Concealer

Having worn this concealer over 16-hour stretches more than a few times, allow me to confirm — its name is more than just clever marketing. It’s a satisfyingly thick formula perfect for full-glam nights when a flawless face is absolutely essential.

MAC Cosmetics

Conceal & Correct Palette

$39

Who doesn’t love a one and done? To be fair, this palette probably isn’t one for beginners — but if you too graduated summa cum lade from TikTok University, figuring it out is a breeze. The six different full-coverage colors, available in a handful of variaties to suit assorted skin tones, help you correct the look of skin issues through complementary colors rather than just spackling over them.

Beauty Bakerie

Insta Bake 3-In-1 Concealer

$18

$10

It’s difficult to find a full-coverage concealer that works well with the ever-fickle eye area, but Beauty Bakerie made the zone its top priority when formulating this one. The secret is in cassava — also known as yuca — which is a natural water binder. It helps keep the undereye area crease-free and hydrated despite the powerful cover-up abilities it offers.

MAKEUP BY MARIO

SurrealSkin™ Awakening Concealer

$29

Naturally, the artist who helped Kim Kardashian create her signature triangle-shaped lifting concealer would end up formulating one of the better high-coverage picks for under eyes out there. Despite its impressive ability to cover up darkness and discoloration, the hydrating formula is excellent for under eyes.

Hourglass

Vanish™ Airbrush Concealer

$36

When Hourglass dubbed their full line of high-coverage products the Vanish collection, they sure meant it. This is my favorite pick for obscuring the stubborn streak of melasma that snakes along the top of my forehead, in large part because of how hard it is to crease. And even when I get a little schvitzy, it doesn’t go patchy or start to separate.

Tarte

Shape Tape Concealer - Radiant

$31

Truth be told, I was decidedly not into the original, matte iteration of Tarte’s now best-selling Shape Tape. But when the brand dropped a radiant-finish formula, I gave it another try — and was so glad I did. This is my personal favorite to pair with otherwise zero makeup. The massive shade range means I can find a color that perfectly matches my own skin, so I can dot a bit on over any particularly egregious dark marks and still look totally fresh-faced.

Pat McGrath Labs

Sublime Perfection Concealer

$34

Between the budge-proof formula and the tiny, tapered doefoot applicator, you can get complete coverage without ever veering cakey. It’s even infused with microscopic light-diffusing pigments that add a universally-flattering blurred effect — consider it your own personal filter.

Ben Nye

Neutralizer & Concealer

$10

Former theater kids, you know where this is headed. Yes, Ben Nye’s infamously thick, impossibly full-coverage concealer is made for stage and screen. Yes, with some strategic placement and application, it can look totally natural on skin. If you have something more hardcore to cover up — a particularly deep scar, facial hair, or a tattoo, perhaps — then it simply doesn’t get better than these little pots. To make it more spread-able, spritz it with a glyerin-based spray, load it up on a concealer-specific brush, and paint away.