10 Best Concealers for All the Coverage, None of the Cakiness

14.08.2026, 21:25 allure.com

Let’s get one thing out of the way: You don’t need to conceal anything. The best concealers aren’t here to convince you otherwise. Dark circles happen, acne pops up, and dark spots can even appear despite diligent sunscreen use. But we also get those days when you simply want your complexion to look a little more even—and there’s nothing wrong with that, either.

Today’s concealers have come a long way from the thick, cakey cover-ups you may remember from your first makeup bag. Many are packed with nourishing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, caffeine, peptides, and antioxidants, so coverage feels more like an extension of your skin-care routine than an extra layer sitting on top. Ahead, we tapped makeup artists and put plenty of formulas to the test to find the ones that cover what you want—and let everything else still look like you.

Armani Beauty

Nordstrom

Sephora

Allure senior director of commerce audience & analytics Lexi Herrick applying the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Concealer

Why we love it: Some beauty products need a little time to earn their icon status, but Armani Beauty’s Luminous Silk Concealer was an instant hit: When it launched in 2020, it immediately won an Allure Best of Beauty Award—and then did it again in 2025. (Yes, it’s that good.) With caffeine, vitamin E, and glycerin to hydrate and brighten, the formula delivers buildable coverage with the second-skin finish that made the Luminous Silk line famous. “This concealer truly melts into the skin thanks to its serum-like texture,” says Ngozi Olandu Young, a makeup artist based in Baltimore. “It layers beautifully without ever looking heavy or creating that crepey, mask-like effect, especially under the eyes.” Build it up when redness, dark circles, or blemishes need extra attention, or keep things sheer when you want to keep skin more breathable. Its “radiant satin finish creates a rested, lifted look by softly reflecting light,” says Young, all while wearing throughout the day without creasing or separating.

Herrick before applying the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Concealer

Herrick after applying the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Concealer

Tester feedback from senior director of commerce audience & analytics Lexi Herrick

"This concealer has quickly become a staple in my routine. It's the perfect amount of coverage for addressing some of my problem areas, including breakouts and acne scars. A little really goes a long way, and the felt tip application makes application a breeze. The shade range is also impressive, and it holds up great throughout the day." —Lexi Herrick, senior director of commerce audience & analytics

More to know

Nars

Nordstrom

Ulta Beauty

Sephora

Allure social media manager Bianca Richards applying the Nars Soft Matte Concealer

Why we love it: Purple-toned dark circles can be especially hard to hide, which is where the Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer’s full-coverage formula comes in. Think of it as the more matte, concentrated cousin of the beloved Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer (an editor-favorite formula that won a 2024 Readers' Choice Award). The creamy pot formula uses light-diffusing powders to blur the look of discoloration and uneven texture, while its soft-focus finish keeps the undereye area from looking overly shiny. And despite the word “matte” in its name, it’s designed to stay flexible rather than dry or cakey, with hyaluronic acid, peptides, and vitamins A, C, and E helping to condition and smooth skin. Even better for undereyes, the waterproof, sweat- and humidity-resistant formula ”holds where you place it without creasing,” says Renée Loiz, a makeup artist based in Los Angeles. “The full coverage means I use this sparingly and strategically.”

Richards before applying the Nars Soft Matte Concealer

Richards after applying the Nars Soft Matte Concealer

Tester feedback from social media manager Bianca Richards

"This Nars concealer was the very first product I tested as a beauty intern back in 2016, and I haven't looked back since. It's the first product I use in my makeup routine because it creates such a flawless, even canvas, especially for my undereyes, where I experience some discoloration due to lack of hydration, sleep, etc. It instantly makes me look awake, and though it's the only matte concealer that doesn't dry out my skin due to its blendable formula." —Bianca Richards, social media manager

More to know

Laura Mercier

Amazon

Nordstrom

Ulta Beauty

Allure contributing commerce editor Deanna Pai applying the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Complexion Perfector

Why we love it: Here’s the thing about blemishes: They don’t always show up in exactly the same shade. One spot might be angry and red, while another has faded into a darker post-breakout mark, which is where Laura Mercier’s Secret Camouflage Complexion Perfector gets clever. Each compact comes with a base shade plus two adjusters: Mix in the cooler shade when your match is looking too light, or the warmer shade when it’s looking too dark, letting you customize your coverage from blemish to blemish—or as your skin tone changes throughout the year. The full-coverage formula sets to a natural matte finish and promises up to 16 hours of waterproof, sweat-, crease-, and transfer-resistant wear, so spots stay undercover. Vitamin C, vitamin E, and chamomile extract round things out with antioxidant and soothing benefits, particularly welcome when you’re concealing breakout-prone skin.

Pai before applying the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Complexion Perfector

Pai after applying the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Complexion Perfector

Tester feedback from contributing commerce editor Deanna Pai

"I've been using this concealer since high school, and it has worked wonders in concealing breakouts and dark spots alike. The original version had two shades to mix, but I'm loving the addition of a third, which gives me more flexibility to make a good color match. The creamy texture makes it easy to pick up and dab with my (clean!) fingers, and all I have to do is press it onto spots to conceal them." —Deanna Pai, contributing commerce editor

More to know

Tower 28

Amazon

Sephora

Revolve

Allure commerce editor Sarah Han applying the Tower 28 Swipe All-Over Hydrating Serum Concealer

Why we love it: Combination skin likes to keep you guessing: Your T-zone might be shiny and your undereyes could be dry, so your concealer has to make peace with both. Tower 28’s Swipe All-Over Hydrating Serum Concealer is up to the task, pairing a featherlight, serum-like texture with buildable coverage. Glycerin and hyaluronic acid pull moisture into skin without the richness of heavy oils or butters, while Centella asiatica (a.k.a. cica), green tea, and vitamin E soothe and condition, which is especially nice when you’re covering an angry breakout. “This is one of my favorites because it’s super lightweight and hydrating while still being long-wearing,” Los Angeles-based makeup artist Ash K Holm previously told Allure. Swipe it over blemishes and redness or tap it beneath your eyes; either way, it leaves behind fresh, natural-looking coverage that plays nicely with both the oily and dry parts of your face.

Han before applying the Tower 28 Swipe All-Over Hydrating Serum Concealer

Han after applying the Tower 28 Swipe All-Over Hydrating Serum Concealer

Tester feedback from commerce editor Sarah Han

“Tower 28's Swipe Serum is my absolute ride-or-die concealer. I've been using it since it launched in 2023, and it comes with me on every trip. (The highest honor!) I love a skin-care-infused makeup product, and this creamy formula blends in like a dream with a sponge and has never pilled on me even once! This isn't necessary by any means, but I sometimes use two shades: DTLA (my main shade and what I often use alone) under my eyes, on my forehead and chin, and on my cheeks and nose. I tend to have more discoloration in the center of my face, so I like a deeper shade in those areas, whereas DTLA is great for brightening and adding subtler coverage to areas that don't need as much. I always blend out my undereyes and T-zone first, while I let the formula sit for a minute and really meld into especially redness-prone areas (around my nose) and stubborn dark spots (on my nose—one of my worst skin habits is that I'm a stress-picker!). The finish is just perfectly radiant and covers everything I want to, while still looking like skin. It's also reasonably priced at $24 and one of the best-valued concealers you'll find at Sephora—trust. (My second-fave concealer, also available there, is almost $60. Eek!)” —Sarah Han, commerce editor

More to know

Tarte

Amazon

Ulta Beauty

Sephora

Allure editorial assistant Jennet Jusu applying the Tarte Shape Tape Concealer

Why we love it: The repeat Readers' Choice Award winner earned its holy-grail status in part because a little goes a very long way: Its full-coverage pigment can camouflage stubborn dark spots, post-acne marks, and other discoloration without requiring layer after layer of product. Licorice root adds a skin-care bonus, as the botanical is commonly used in brightening formulas to improve the look of hyperpigmentation, while shea and mango butters and olive oil give the formula enough slip to keep all that coverage from looking dry or cakey. Once set, it dries down to a natural matte finish that keeps dark spots from peeking back through. “I also love Shape Tape because I know once it’s set, it’s not going anywhere,” Los Angeles-based makeup artist Alondra Excene previously told Allure.

Jusu before applying the Tarte Shape Tape Concealer

Jusu after applying the Tarte Shape Tape Concealer

Tester feedback from editorial assistant Jennet Jusu

“I use Tarte’s Shape Tape Radiant Concealer in 47H (Tan-Deep Honey) to brighten under my eyes, and the Shape Tape Contour Concealer in 53H (Deep Honey) to cover hyperpigmentation while subtly contouring for an everyday glow. A little goes a long way, and paired with a touch of blush, it pulls the whole look