Searching for the best concealer? Here’s my honest review of six popular concealers including Olive Rose, Counter, Ilia, DRMTLGY, IT Cosmetics, and Colleen Rothschild; plus, the two I reach for over and over.
If there’s one makeup category that gives me grief, it’s concealer. Luckily, I haven’t felt I needed to rely on it for much of my life, but we all have those days when it really does make a difference, especially after having babies when sleep deprivation is peak!
I find many formulas are way too liquid-y. You twist the wand out and suddenly there’s a blob of product that’s impossible to blend. And even the “won’t settle into fine lines” ones? Ninety percent of the time they still do on me (I think that’s more of a fine line problem for me than the concealer itself – ha!).
I recently got swayed by the viral DRMTLGY eye corrector on Instagram, tried it, and it just didn’t hit the mark as being as magical as the videos showed. I like it, but I don’t love it. I also really like the ingredient profiles from Olive Rose and Counter — both have clean formulas — but again, they are both traditional concealers and those kinds with the wands are the hardest for me to use.
Plus, concealer isn’t just about under eyes. I want something that can cover blemishes, redness, and random skin imperfections too.
So, I tested six popular concealers and here’s my best concealer review. Spoiler: I have two tried-and-true favorites that I reach for again and again — you’ll see them at the end.
Check out my morning skincare routine here.
Best Concealer Review: 6 Popular Picks Tested
Counter Skin Twin Creamy Concealer ($34)
Ingredients and Highlights
- Caffeine to reduce puffiness
- Formulated with knotgrass extract to help support the appearance of firmer and smoother skin over time.
- Hydrating and skin-supporting ingredients
- Works under eyes and on blemishes
- Shades designed to match Skin Twin foundation
- Very clean; great company.
- 20 shades available in a large range
My opinions
I love the company and this is a great concealer. I love that this one had caffeine for puffiness and knotgrass for skin support. I think it blends very well. But it’s not my fave! I just don’t love the wands as much as the product styles below.
,Ilia Skin Rewind Blurring Foundation and Concealer Complexion Stick ($50)
Ingredients and Highlights
- Skincare-infused ingredients for smoother-looking skin
- Blurring powders soften pores and texture
- Convenient stick
- Wide range with cool, warm, and neutral undertones
- Multi-purpose (foundation + concealer)
- 42 shades!
My opinions
This stick is more of an “all over the face” situation. But I found the product to be too thick to swipe over my cheeks like a foundation. So I use it as a cover-up. It’s BRILLIANT to cover things, similar to the IT cosmetics below. I do really like the stick format too. I do think it’s a bit pricey, but it lasts.
DRMTLGY Luminous Eye Corrector ($44)
Ingredients and Highlights
- Light-reflecting pigments brighten under eyes
- Hydrating ingredients for smooth application
- Color-correcting for dark circles
- Only 4 shades: small range focused on color correction
- Lightweight and brightening
- Specifically for under eyes
My opinions
I fell for the Instagram ads and ordered this one! I think the formula is great, and it does color correct. However, I find the dispenser to over-dispense so much that I often just have a mess under my eyes. I wish I could control it a bit more. Unfortunately, it did settle into my lines, like they all do!
Olive Rose Concealer ($35)
Ingredients and Highlights
- Skincare-forward formulation with Hydroxytyrosol that Oliveda is known for
- Plant oils and botanical extracts to hydrate and support skin barrier
- Waterless with a clean ingredient list
- Buildable, medium coverage with a wand
- Smooth and creamy, designed for under eyes and spot concealing
- 14 shades covering neutral and warm undertones
My opinion
If you love a classic wand concealer, this one is great. I DO love the formula and ingredients that support the skin around the eyes. But wand concealers just aren’t for me. I feel like I look too white around the eyes when I use them, and it’s hard to blend the product.
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye ($30)
Ingredients and Highlights
- Infused with peptides, collagen, and antioxidants
- Waterproof, long-wear formula
- Super pigmented for full coverage
- Conceals dark circles, redness, and blemishes
- Long-lasting and budget-friendly
- 24 shades: wide range with multiple undertones
My opinions
I first discovered this brand in a Birchbox YEARS ago and have been using it since. Trust me when I say it lasts forever. You only need the tiniest dot of product and the squeeze tube and tiny tip make it easy to just release a tiny dot. It’s really full coverage and will cover anything. I tend to put it just on the innermost parts of my eyes or over any skin spots I need to cover. It’s also a great price and a very lightweight tube for travel. I think I only need to buy it every other year!
Colleen Rothschild Illuminating Tinted Eye Cream
Ingredients and Highlights
- Lightweight, hydrating, and brightening for the delicate under-eye area
- Light-reflecting pigments brighten eyes; Peach-colored pigments neutralize blue undertones
- Hyaluronic acid helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles, while caffeine targets puffiness and water retention
- Color correcting and easy to pump and apply
- 1 shade: Universal tinted shade to brighten most skin tones
My opinions
For me, this is the tinted moisturizer of concealers meaning it’s lightweight and easy to apply. It’s so lightweight it won’t settle into lines, and it’s great for everyday use. I LOVE the pearlescent glow it gives such that it truly brightens with light reflectors instead of only covering up blue tones. The pump does dispense a lot at once, so you have to learn how to do a half pump, BUT this stuff lasts forever. I think I buy it once a year.
My Two Favorite Concealers
Everyday: Colleen Rothschild Illuminating Tinted Eye Cream
Technically not a concealer, but hands-down my favorite for under eyes and everyday. It has just enough shimmer to brighten without looking glittery. It’s thin, blends like a dream, and doesn’t settle. It’s also a subtle color corrector — perfect for those mornings I want awake-looking eyes with minimal effort.
For Coverage: IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye
This is my go-to when I need heavier coverage. It’s thick, tacky, and covers everything — dark circles, redness, even random blemishes. I only dab it in the inner corners where my under-eye tends to be bluer, and it doesn’t settle into fine lines elsewhere. Affordable, lasts forever, and really, really reliable.
