Dark Under-Eyes, Where? Byrdie Editors Found the Best Concealers (With Photo Proof!) (2024)

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TL;DR

Our Top Picks

Coverage: Medium | Shades: 31 | Finish: Natural/soft matte | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Throughout our concealer testing journey, we found lots of formulas we love, but this one from Haus Labs stands out. We think it’ll satisfy the preferences and needs of a wide range of people. It’s available in 31 shades that span from very fair to very deep in a variety of undertones. It has medium coverage that can be built up to effectively cover dark circles, blemishes, and dark spots, and it has a natural, slightly matte finish that looks smooth on the skin. The texture takes a bit of getting used to since it’s thick and a bit paste-like, but we found that it was still blendable with our fingertips, a damp sponge, and a brush.

What impressed us most was how well it lasted with minimal creasing and fading throughout the day. It gave the under-eye area a smooth, even, and brighter look. It also covered breakouts nicely and didn’t emphasize uneven skin texture. We also appreciated that it layered well and played nicely with our foundation and skincare products; we never experienced pilling when testing this one.

Coverage: Medium to full | Shades: 50 | Finish: Natural | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Put simply, we love this concealer for brightening dark circles. It’s available in a whopping 50 shades with an impressive dispersion of depth and undertones, and the formula is a pleasure to work with. It has a lightweight and creamy consistency that spreads easily. Just a few dots offer excellent coverage, though it is buildable so you can layer it on to achieve full opacity. The natural finish looks truly skin-like, and we were so impressed by how smooth, bright, and even it made the under-eyes look.

It lasted beautifully with minimal creasing and fading when set with a light layer of powder. It also has a pointed doe-foot applicator which makes applying the concealer near the inner and outer corners of the eyes easy. Don’t get us wrong, it does a great job of concealing blemishes too, but its smooth finish and impressive performance under the eyes is what sets it apart. It’s a great choice for all skin types, though, like many concealers, it can emphasize dry patches, so we recommend moisturizing before applying it.

Coverage: Medium to full | Shades: 20 | Finish: Natural | Cruelty-Free: Yes

A concealer that you can achieve light to medium coverage with but also build up for more intense opacity is a makeup bag staple, and we loved this one from Live Tinted. It has a creamy texture that spreads easily, creating a blurring veil of coverage to even out discoloration while maintaining a skin-like appearance. A second coat can be applied with your fingertips or a brush to achieve full coverage. This versatility makes it a great option on minimal makeup days and for special occasions.

It’s also packed with ingredients that benefit the skin like niacinamide, bakuchiol, caffeine, and hyaluronic acid to brighten, smooth, depuff, and hydrate. Despite the serum-like formula, which can often contribute to an oily consistency that breaks down, this one remained intact throughout the day when set in place with powder. Although it emphasized a bit of dryness, we think it’s a great option for all skin types (so long as you prep your skin properly), and we love that the shade range is very inclusive.

Coverage: Full | Shades: 22 | Finish: Natural | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This pick from Hourglass offers a ton of coverage but mimics the true texture and finish of real skin. It packs a punch in terms of pigmentation, but unlike some full-coverage concealers that are matte and dry, this one has a natural finish and is a total breeze to blend. Just a few dots were all we needed to cancel out discoloration and brighten our under-eyes. We could add a bit more product to create a more glam look, but we loved that whether we used just a dot or built it up, it maintained a natural, blurred finish.

Some testers got excellent wear out of this formula, while others experienced a bit of creasing and found that it highlighted dryness. Applying an eye cream first and setting it in place with a fine translucent powder yields the best results. We also found that the shades run pretty yellow, so we hope the brand expands the color selection with some more cool-toned options.

Coverage: Medium | Shades: 22 | Finish: Radiant | Cruelty-Free: No

Just like the brand’s iconic Luminous Silk Foundation (which is a Byrdie foundation favorite), this concealer has a lightweight consistency with a radiant finish. You can swipe it on and blend it out in seconds, leaving you with a natural and even-looking complexion. It looks beautiful on bare skin for no-makeup makeup days but can also be layered on top of foundation for more done-up looks.

It was super easy to blend and felt comfortable and hydrating on our skin during testing. We do wish it had better buildability so it could cover discoloration more fully, but it did a nice job of blurring imperfections and creating uniform-looking skin. It did crease and break up a bit under our eyes after a few hours of wear, so we recommend lightly setting it in place with powder to enhance its longevity.

Coverage: Full | Shades: 22 | Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: No

If you’re looking for a high-quality concealer you can pick up at your local drugstore (but is on par with more high-end options), we recommend this one. It’s available in 22 shades (a lot for a drugstore option) that suit a range of complexions. It provides full coverage that effectively covers blemishes, dark circles, and discoloration, and dries down to a matte finish.

Two things impressed us the most during testing: the coverage and the staying power. Just a small dot covers beautifully, and once it dries down, it lasts nearly 12 hours with minimal creasing or fading. If you have dry skin or you overapply it, this formula can look a bit cakey since it’s matte and on the thick side. So, we recommend moisturizing before using it and applying it little by little.

Coverage: Medium | Shades: 38 | Finish: Radiant | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This Kosas Revealer concealer has been a longtime favorite among customers with dry skin—and we loved it on dry skin, too. It’s formulated with hyaluronic acid and peptides for a boost of moisture, and we agree that it looks and feels hydrating on the skin. It has a super creamy formula that feels almost serum-like, lending a texture that’s spreadable and easy to blend. It offers medium buildable coverage, though we noticed that we did need to layer it up more than other options to yield our desired coverage.

It did a nice job of concealing redness around breakouts and brightening the under-eye area while maintaining a dewy, skin-like finish. We enjoyed using it on top of foundation or tinted moisturizer and also thought it looked gorgeous when used to spot conceal and brighten our skin on minimal makeup days. It did settle into fine lines a bit due to the super creamy texture, but we could mitigate that by setting it with a light layer of setting powder.

Coverage: Full | Shades: 18 | Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: No

Sick of concealer breaking down on your oily skin? This one has a soft matte finish and a long-wearing formula that totally stays put. It provides full coverage that blurs the appearance of dark spots and under-eye circles, and we appreciated that it dried down quickly and set in place without looking heavy or cakey. Just a few dots were all we needed to get adequate coverage, and we loved how smooth it looked on bare skin or over foundation.

The wand has a diamond-shaped applicator with a pointed tip, which helps place the product precisely in the inner corners of the eyes and creases of the nose. Once dry, we were impressed by how well the formula wore—we didn’t experience much creasing or fading throughout the day. While there are 18 shades available, we feel like the range is lacking options for those with fair and deep skin tones and people with cool undertones.

Coverage: Full | Shades: 30 | Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: No

This Nars concealer has been popular for many years (and beloved by Byrdie editors), so it’s no surprise that it earned high ranks during testing. It has a solid, creamy but not super emollient, formula that covers dark spots, blemishes, and discoloration beautifully. A little bit goes a long way, so it doesn’t look heavy or cakey on the skin. The formula is buildable and sets to a matte finish with a bit of a blurring effect.

It camouflaged discoloration and acne-prone skin and also wore well throughout the day. Testers with dry skin didn’t need to set it with powder, and those with oily skin found that applying a light setting powder helped to lock it in place. We thought it performed decently under the eyes, though some people found it a bit drying for use in this area. We didn’t love using it with a damp sponge because the stiffer formula was tricky to blend this way, but it applied perfectly with our fingertips.

Coverage: Medium | Shades: 20 | Finish: Satin | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Finding a concealer that's lightweight, comfortable, doesn’t cause irritation, and covers sensitive skin effectively can be a challenge. This one is great because it has a weightless, serum-like texture that feels utterly undetectable on the skin, it’s free from synthetic fragrance (which can be irritating for those with sensitivity) and offers medium, buildable coverage.

We were impressed by how well this formula covered discoloration due to blemishes and darkness under the eyes during testing. Thin, serum-y concealers often lack coverage, but this one covered what we wanted it to in just one or two layers. It looked natural and skin-like when used on bare skin and over foundation, though we found it started to break up after a few hours. So long as you’re not looking for something with serious longevity, we think you’ll enjoy this pick on your sensitive skin.

Coverage: Full | Shades: 36 | Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: Yes

It’s likely no surprise that we’re recommending this iconic concealer from Tarte; it spent years being the best-selling concealer in America. If you’re looking for a full-coverage option, this is the one for you. Just one swipe totally covers dark circles, blemishes, dark spots, and redness, making your complexion look smooth and even. It comes in a range of shades that range in depth and undertone. It’s great for daily wear if you’re sparing with it, and can be built up to suit full glam, occasion makeup.

It earned high marks during testing for its coverage, application, and wear. It applied nicely with fingers, a sponge, and a brush—the creamy formula was easy to blend using all three methods. Once we let it dry or set it with a light layer of powder, it locked in place and lasted all day with minimal creasing and settling into lines. While we think it’s a great option for all skin types, we recommend those with dry skin exfoliate and moisturize before applying this formula to prevent it from clinging to dry patches.

Coverage: Medium | Shades: 30 | Finish: Radiant | Cruelty-Free: No

Those who want visible coverage but also want their skin to look natural will get on with a medium coverage concealer, like this one from Nars. The Radiant Creamy Concealer has been a fan favorite for years thanks to its creamy consistency, and we loved this about it during testing. It’s lightweight and easy to blend and leaves the skin with a radiant (but not greasy) finish. It did a great job at concealing dark circles and blemishes while still letting a bit of natural skin show through.

We noticed that the formula clung to dry patches and texture a bit, so we recommend applying it to exfoliated and moisturized skin. But if you want a versatile product that can be used on minimal makeup days and for more done-up makeup looks we recommend trying this one.

Coverage: Light to medium | Shades: 20 | Finish: Natural | Cruelty-Free: No

Some concealers can look stark on bare skin when you’re just trying to even your skin tone rather than perfect or brighten it. We highly recommend this one if want a product to softly even discoloration on no makeup makeup days. The brand markets it as a medium-coverage concealer, but we found the coverage to be on the light side.

Though we would love it if the formula were more buildable so we could achieve a bit more coverage, it does a great job of blurring the appearance of dark circles and blemishes without looking heavy or unnatural. It feels weightless, looks skin-like, and easily blends with our fingertips. It’s suitable for all skin types, and we found it wore best with minimal creasing when we set it with a powder.

Coverage: Full | Shades: 16 | Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: No

Finding a concealer that provides the coverage and finish you’re looking for while remaining intact all day and night is tricky, but this one from Mac seriously impressed us. Once you apply it using your desired method, it lightly sets down and locks in place—it was the most long-wearing, budge-proof, and crease-resistant concealer we tested. It features a creamy, lightweight formula that’s richly pigmented, so just a small dot spreads easily and covers beautifully. It has a matte finish that isn’t dry or chalky; it looks smooth and feels comfortable on a variety of skin types. We enjoyed using it under our eyes and on blemishes.

Although we loved its appearance and performance, we didn’t love the packaging. It has a pump top that makes it difficult to control how much product comes out, leading to some waste. We also feel that the shade range is lacking a bit on the deep and fair ends of the color spectrum. However, if longevity is your goal and you can find a shade that suits your complexion, we think you’ll be quite pleased with this option.

Coverage: Medium | Shades: 22 | Finish: Natural radiant | Cruelty-Free: No

Our favorite concealers for everyday wear have enough coverage to conceal discoloration but still allow a bit of natural skin texture to show through. This one does just that thanks to its creamy and easy-to-blend formula that offers medium coverage. One layer evens out dark spots and under-eye circles, while additional layers help achieve a more perfected look. It has a natural-radiant finish that gives the skin a bit of a glow without looking oily, just healthy and hydrated.

We got several hours of wear out of this concealer before it started to fade, but it’s worth noting that we did see some patchiness under the eyes toward the end of the day. We recommend moisturizing before applying the concealer and setting it with powder for the best chance of longevity. Overall, we loved how it looked on bare skin and over foundation—like the best version of our skin.

Coverage: Full | Shades: 12 | Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: No

Concealers in stick format are mess-free and easy to use, aka, great to keep in your bag for touch-ups on the go. We love this one because it offers full coverage, has a blendable formula with a natural matte finish, and is formulated with SPF 27 (though you should apply a separate SPF to your face first for proper protection).

We were quite impressed by how easily we could blend it with our preferred application method. Some stick concealers have stiff textures that are hard to spread, and while this one has a thick consistency that could take some getting used to, we had no issue blending it to achieve even coverage. It covered dark circles, blemishes, and sun spots perfectly, leaving behind a smooth veil of color. Once applied, it lasted nearly all day long without creasing or fading.

Coverage: Medium | Shades: 22 | Finish: Natural | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Editor in chief Hallie Gould raved about this concealer, and so did our testers. It's available in 22 inclusive shades, offers medium coverage, and has a natural finish that creates a blurring effect.

"I love this concealer with my whole heart," says Gould. "It's creamy, easy to blend, and stays put (for hours, and hours, and hours). I have especially crinkly under-eyes (I'm expressive!) and it's difficult to find a concealer that won't crease throughout the day. Makeup by Mario's formula leaves my under-eyes crease-free, hydrated, and bright until I remove it at night. The genius is in the ingredients: This concealer houses both caffeine (to reduce puffiness) and fermented marine microorganisms (for a visible tightening effect)."

FAQ

• What’s the best way to apply concealer? What does concealer do?

  Figuring out how to apply concealer for the best results takes trial and error, though some techniques can help. When it comes to concealing blemishes, Sewell recommends spot concealing after foundation and letting it sit for a minute or two before blending. “This allows the concealer to almost ‘bake’ on your face and gives you maximum payoff and additional coverage,” she explains.

  When applying concealer under your eyes, Beecham recommends applying a few dots and letting it sit for a minute before blending it out. “If you want to hide a deep under-eye bag, use your regular color concealer, but then take a color, a few shades brighter with a thin brush and dab right into the crease and feather away the edges,” she says. “This will catch the light and make the bag appear less visible.” Once you’ve blended in your concealer, use a damp sponge or a fluffy brush to apply a light layer of setting powder to make sure it lasts.

• Should you apply concealer before or after foundation?

  There are no rules when it comes to makeup application, but we typically recommend applying concealer after your foundation just in areas that could use a bit more coverage. This helps prevent you from over-applying the product and ending up with thick or cakey makeup.