9 Best Drugstore Concealers to Cover Your Acne, Hyperpigmentation, Dark Circles, and More
I've had lattes that cost more than these concealers...
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I've had breakouts and the acne scars that follow since I was 11, so it's not shocking that my very first makeup bag was filled with my mom's reject concealers and foundations. But when I—a pre-teen with mere babysitting funds—finally ventured out and purchased my own, brand-new versions, I obviously went looking for the best drugstore concealers for acne, dark spots, and the like. Now, I'm a beauty editor with access to the fanciest of concealer formulas—yet I still find myself clamoring for some of my ole' faithful drugstore concealers.
But what makes the best drugstore concealer so great? It really depends on what you're looking for, whether that's a full-coverage cream to make your cystic acne disappear, or a lightweight, glowy liquid to conceal under eye circles and bags. Don't worry, though, I've tested nearly every single drugstore concealer (I checked!), and labeled my favorites below based on who they're best suited for. Keep scrolling for all of my picks:
Our top picks for the best drugstore concealer:
Best Long-Wear Drugstore Concealer
L'Oréal Paris Infallible Full Wear Waterproof Matte Concealer
Read more
Best Drugstore Concealer for Acne
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Radiant Brightening Cream Concealer
Read more
Keep reading for a full run-down of the best drugstore concealers. The best part? They're all under $15. Heck, most are even available on Amazon with free two-day shipping if you've got Prime. Bargain alert!
Pros
- The most lightweight, natural-looking drugstore concealer I've tested
- Very moisturizing
Cons
- Creases a little on me, unless I set with powder
You would have been hard-pressed not to find this in the makeup bag of a ~youth~ in the early 2010s. I was one of 'em! To this day, I regard this as one of the best concealers period, let alone the best at the drugstore. The creamy consistency blends into any foundation I've ever tried to pair it with, and offers up medium coverage that generally covers anything I need but without making my skin feel heavy and cake-y.
Many people call it a dupe of the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer, which clocks in at over quadruple the price, and they definitely have similarities, IMO. They're both really lightweight, with a slightly radiant finish and add moisture, especially for dry under-eyes. And both are oil free, which my acne-prone skin <3s.
- Coverage: Medium
- Finish: Radiant
- Shades: 18
Notes from the Cosmo team: "I'm always so shocked at how smooth my under-eyes look when I swipe this concealer on. I've been using it for years, I should know its magic by now, but years of expensive products have jaded me. But this performs as well as any of my $$$ concealers, maybe even better for how blendable and creamy the formula feels on skin."—BETH GILLETTE, BEAUTY EDITOR
Pros
- Has impeccable staying power (including through sweat, water, etc.)
Cons
- A few reviewers said it felt a bit heavy under their eyes
Before a beach day, I just swiped this concealer all over my zits to feel more put-together. Color me shocked when the day was over, and my concealer was still intact. Like, I sweat on the subway platform, got splashed by the ocean, and fully swiped on multiple layers of sunscreen... and my skin was still even 10+ hours later.
The matte finish looks surprisingly natural too (aka it doesn't look flat or cake-y on my skin), so it's great whether to throw on with some sunscreen or to do a full-glam situation with foundation, blush, bronzer, the works.
- Coverage: Full
- Finish: Matte
- Shades: 25
Notes from the Cosmo team: "This is, hands down, one of the longest wearing concealers I've ever used. I love using it to hide zits and dark spots for this reason, because I can pat it on my face and essentially forget about it since I don't have to reapply."—BG
Pros
- Natural finish helps make pimples look practically invisible
- Feels hydrating and soft on skin
Cons
- I wish it came in more shades :(
I know a thing or two about covering pimples (ahem, I'd even say it's my life's work). And this creamy, Neutrogena concealer is truly one of the best concealers for acne, drugstore and high-end included. Why, you ask? Well, it evens out the redness surrounding a pimple, making even giant hormonal acne cysts look flatter. The natural finish also doesn't cling to any healing, crusty zits either.
It's also v easy to layer. So if I want to touch up throughout the day or I have a rogue pimple pop up by the afternoon, I can just dot it over my foundation without worrying it gets patchy or streaky. Plus, the flat-edge of the doe-foot applicator makes it easy to pin-point exactly where I want to place the bulk of the coverage.
- Coverage: Medium
- Finish: Natural
- Shades: 15
Notes from the Cosmo team: "The coverage on this is pretty damn good, considering how hydrating and creamy the formula is. For me, it's best when used all over my face instead of foundation."—BG
Pros
- Doesn't settle into lines, according to reviews
- Stays matte all day long
Cons
- Can be a lil dry (lots of reviewers say they load on eye cream before applying)
TikTokers cannot stop raving about this concealer for how full coverage it is without looking dry or crepe-y. You only need a tiny bit (truly, just a dot in the inner corner of your eyes will spread to cover your entire under-eye), and you can build up the coverage to be extremely full if you layer it. (However, the more you layer, the heavier it can feel, according to reviewers.) With 25 shades that range from super-fair to deep-dark, it's pretty easy to find the right match for your skin tone too.
When I first apply it, it has a natural finish, but it stays matte throughout the day—even when my oils start to peek through my foundation on other parts of my face. It fully passes the longevity test, as I don't need to touch it up, even after 10+ hours of wear.
- Coverage: Medium to full
- Finish: Natural, semi-matte
- Shades: 25
One shopper writes: "This is the best concealor I have ever used. It looked orange at first, but blended perfectly. I am 70, so I rarely find a concealer that doesn’t make my wrinkles look worse, this doesn’t."
Pros
- Extremely easy to blend
- Comes in great brightening and color-correcting shades
- Readers' Choice Award winner
Cons
- Sponge-tip applicator can be a lil messy
Listen, I've tried concealers that cost more than dinner and a movie—yet this is, hands down, still the best at brightening up my under-eyes. It's got the creamiest formula of anything I've tried (so much so that I'd liken it to softened butter), so it just glides and blends with zero effort, even with my fingers. And it comes in a handful of brightening shades with varying undertones, including a peach and orange hues for disguising under-eye bags and pink-toned shades to brighten.
I just twist the packaging to dispense some product onto the built-in sponge, dab it on my under-eyes, and blend with my fingers or a beauty sponge. It quickly spreads to make my under-eyes look moisturized, while the medium coverage conceals any darkness that could make me look tired. I basically look more awake in a single swipe of product. And JSYK, 179,000+ reviewers swear by it too.
- Coverage: Medium
- Finish: Radiant
- Shades: 18
Notes from a Cosmo reader: "I can’t go without Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Concealer because it covers my dark circles perfectly."
Pros
- Leaves my skin with a fresh, radiant look
- I love the pump bottle
Cons
- Such a hydrating formula that it can crease if you don't set with powder
If you're already using a dewy skin tint or tinted moisturizer, why not complement the look with an equally illuminating concealer? This one from NYX makes skin look hydrated, but without feeling tacky or too heavy on skin. In fact, it's one of the lightest-weight options we tested.
The consistency is so thin that it spreads easily, meaning I only have to use a pump to cover my entire face. I blend it out with a beauty sponge usually—since I like the sheer, dewy finish—but I can blend out the edges with a brush to give me a bit more coverage on dark spots and zits. Soothing ingredients like centella asiatica and green tea extract in the formula also help calm down and depuff skin a bit.
- Coverage: Medium
- Finish: Radiant
- Shades: 17
Notes from the Cosmo team: "After I started prescription retinol for acne and my skin was dry, flaky, and peeling, I slathered this serum concealer all over my face for some coverage because it finally made my skin look healthy, not patchy."—BG
Pros
- Doesn't need setting powder to dry down
- Withstands even my sweatiest, oiliest moments
Cons
- Dries quickly, so blend fast
Normally, my concealer will just melt off my sweaty, oily face—but this one passed the summer NYC subway test (which is high praise, as waiting for a subway in 85-degree heat is the sweatiest, most vile environment one can be in, IMO). I dab the full-coverage, thick cream under my eyes and zits, then blend out with my fingers or a concealer brush by tapping, not swiping. The matte, skin-like formula immediately sets—no powder required to keep it in place. It truly doesn't budge once it dries down, which is why you def have to blend quickly to avoid it getting patchy.
- Coverage: Full
- Finish: Satin
- Shades: 18
Notes from the Cosmo team: "Blend this out with a brush, and you'll get a lot more coverage. But a sponge is fantastic if you want a less matte finish."—BG
Pros
- Comes in 40 (!!) shades, including color correctors
- Least expensive option on this list
Cons
- Some reviewers wished it didn't come with the brush tip
Okay, sure, every drugstore concealer naturally is going to be fairly budget-friendly. But this one? It's on a whole 'nother level. But what it lacks in cost doesn't show in the formula at all, as this creamy, full-coverage concealer fully holds up to much more expensive formulas I've tested. It's extremely full coverage, disguising my darkest under-eye circles with a bb dab of product.
FWIW, this concealer comes in a slew of shades and undertones, which has made it supremely viral (lookin' at you, 40,000 five-star reviews) as a contour, highlighter, and color corrector too. Grab the green shade if you're looking to cover up red pimples or scars, yellow for purple scarring or darkness, lavender for brightening, or orange for blue-hued dark circles.
- Coverage: Full
- Finish: Satin
- Shades: 40
One shopper writes: "Great coverage, not a lot of caking or settling in my fine lines. I dab it on and blend with a slightly damp makeup sponge under my foundation. Repeat buyer here! Hope they never discontinue it!"
Pros
- I love the buildable full coverage, but doesn't feel heavy
- Testers loved the radiant finish
Cons
- I wish there were deeper shades (womp)
This concealer is truly unlike any that I've tried, because it's somehow both full coverage but also radiant and fresh-looking?! Most full-coverage concealers have a matte finish, whereas dewy concealers usually offer sheer coverage. So I guess you could say this is like a magic Goldilocks concealer that does both. With a weightless feel, you wouldn't expect much coverage, but it's got a medium coverage on first application and can quickly be built up without looking cakey.
- Coverage: Full
- Finish: Radiant
- Shades: 11
Notes from the Cosmo team: "My preferred way to wear this is on top of a tinted sunscreen, since it'll make my pimples and dark spots disappear, but blends seamlessly into a glowy tint. I just dab it on with the applicator, then tap out the edges with a damp beauty sponge to keep the dewiness. But if I wanted to build up the coverage more, I could work it in with a dense brush."—BG
How to choose the best drugstore concealer for you:
Check the shade range.
Obviously, finding the right shade for your skin tone is of the utmost importance when it comes to the best concealer for you. Usually, drugstore concealers don't have as wide of shade ranges as higher-end options, so when in doubt, opt for a slightly lighter shade (it's always easier to darken something after you've put it on then to lighten it).
Sometimes, you might prefer to go one shade lighter for your under-eyes to brighten them up a bit. Or you can go for a brightening or color-correcting shade, like one with pink or peach undertones to counteract dark circles. Green concealer is also great to bring down redness.
Assess your go-to coverage level.
You've got options when it comes to coverage: sheer, medium, and full coverage, to be specific. If you want to hide everything, then def choose a full-coverage formula, but note these are usually thicker and can err on the matte side more often. But if you don't need serious coverage, a lighter-weight, medium concealer is great to have on hand, since you can always layer it to increase the opacity.
Determine your preferred finish.
Similarly, you've gotta consider your ~lewk~. Are you a dewy, glowy goddess? Then, choose a radiant concealer that'll look bright and fresh on your skin. Or if you like a velvet-y, full-glam vibe, a matte finish concealer will look softer and cloudlike. When in doubt, opt for a combo of the two with a natural-finish concealer that looks like skin.
How we chose the best drugstore concealers:
Our editors (mainly, beauty editor Beth Gillette) tested 15 drugstore concealers to narrow down her top nine. She tried them on bare skin, with her go-to foundations and other complexion products, and to touch up throughout the day. She ranked each concealer based on its coverage, longevity, finish, shade range, and ease of application.
Why trust ‘Cosmopolitan’?
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing makeup stories that range from lip stains to bronzing drops. She's an authority in all makeup categories, but is an expert when it comes to drugstore concealers after testing basically every option out there on her acne-prone, hyperpigmentation-laden face. She regularly tests and analyzes concealers for efficacy, while working with the industry’s top dermatologists and makeup artists to assess new formulas and brands.
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.
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