The 11 Best Concealers for Dark Circles Brightened Our Under-Eye Skin and Start at Under $10
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From Anastasia Beverly Hills, NYX, Rare Beauty, and more
People / Jhett Thompson
Even with a perfectly matched liquid foundation, dark circles often need a bit more coverage. And not all under-eye concealers can mask the thin, translucent skin that showcases blood pooling underneath the eyes, which is a common cause of dark circles.
An effective dark-circle concealer is one that’s pigmented enough to hide the bluish shadows, but lightweight enough to not look cakey. To find concealers for dark circles that actually work, we researched the most popular options on the market and decided to test 22 popular products ourselves. We evaluated each of them in seven key categories: application, staying power, coverage, pigment, texture, consistency, and value.
Each concealer earned a rating of 1 to 5 in each category, and the concealers that scored the highest made this list of our eleven current favorites.
Best Overall: Anastasia Beverly Hills Magic Touch Concealer
Star Qualities
Brightening
Layers well with other makeup
A little bit goes a long way
Red Flags
The color transfers a little bit
A smaller tip would offer more targeted coverage
Our tester received compliments on how glowy and radiant her skin looked while trying out Anastasia Beverly Hills’s brightening concealer. Sold in 25 shades with a range of undertones, its thick and blendable formula is infused with sunflower seed oil to keep skin nourished. It provides an impressive amount of coverage, but doesn’t settle into fine lines or wrinkles.
The concealer is creamy, but not too creamy; it has an almost whipped consistency that stays in place and gives skin a luminous finish. The coverage is buildable, and we appreciate the weightless feel on the skin. Best of all, our tester wanted to continue using it even after the testing period was over.
To avoid color transfer, follow up with a setting spray or powder. And if you’re looking for more precise coverage, you may want to use your own brush or sponge with a smaller applicator tip.
Shades: 25 | Coverage: Medium to Full | Size: 0.4 oz.
Best Overall, but for Less: NYX Professional Makeup HD Photogenic Liquid Concealer
Star Qualities
Feels as high-quality as more expensive options
Didn't crease at all
A single application can almost entirely hide dark circles
Red Flags
It could apply a bit more smoothly
The applicator is small
According to our tester, the NYX HD Photogenic Concealer “works just as well” as “‘higher end’ products that are five times the price.” (No wonder it has thousands of five-star reviews on Amazon!) This concealer is easy to blend out, it stays on very well, and it doesn’t crease after using a setting powder. Most notably, the lightweight formula has the perfect amount of pigment: “Once blended out, my dark circles were almost completely gone.”
However, the brush did not hold enough product for our tester to apply using her typical method of swatching on the back of her hand before dipping a sponge in to then apply onto her face, but it was easy to blend out once applied directly underneath the eyes. She also noted that the consistency of the concealer could be a bit more smooth, “but that could be at the fault of the small applicator.”
Shades: 22 | Coverage: Medium to full | Size: 0.1 oz.
Best Budget: ColourPop Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Creamy Concealer
Star Qualities
Didn’t crease, even on dry skin
Lightweight
Full coverage with a blurrier effect
Red Flags
You need to blend quickly before it sets
The tip can sometimes deposit too much product
Requires a color corrector for full coverage
The Colourpop Pretty Fresh Concealer is probably way less than your current favorite. It has a blurring effect on the skin, but it won’t fully cancel out the appearance of blemishes or pigmentation, so you’ll still see a bit of your natural radiance shine through. The creamy formula blends into the skin easily, but you’ll want to blend it quickly — it dries down faster than most concealers we tried — and be careful about how much ends up on the applicator.
Our tester reported that the lightweight concealer felt hydrating on her skin, smoothed out the look of dark circles, and left behind a matte finish. It won’t cover the most intense pigmentation, so we recommend layering a color corrector underneath if you have more pronounced dark circles.
Shades: 30 | Coverage: Light to medium | Size: 0.3 oz.
Best Color Corrector: EXA High Fidelity Balancing Color Corrector
Star Qualities
Specifically designed to color-correct dark circles
Easily blends into skin
Dries down slowly
Red Flags
It's so popular, it often sells out
Looking for stronger dark-circle coverage? Don’t just apply more product to achieve your goal. The Exa High Fidelity Balancing Color Corrector in Pink is a fantastic option for lighter skin tones, and the Exa High Fidelity Balancing Color Corrector in Red-Orange is best for darker skin tones. Since dark circles are bluish in tint, a color-correcting in these opposing hues can help cancel out the shadow better than just concealer alone.
With the pink option, our tester was surprised that despite its thick consistency, it blended out easily for a weightless feel. “It brightened my eyes perfectly while covering almost all of my under-eye bags,” they reported, and added that it really stayed in place once on: “There’s very little creasing.”
The only downside of this color-correcting concealer for dark circles is that it’s so popular, it often sells out. If you see it in stock in your shade, don’t think — just add to cart.
Shades: 6 | Coverage: Full | Size: 0.25 oz.
Best for Mature Skin: Maybelline New York Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer
Star Qualities
Hydrating
A little goes a long way
Didn’t settle into lines or pores
Red Flags
Needs a setting spray or powder
Not enough shades for dark skin tones
The sponge applicator didn’t allow for precise coverage
An affordable cure to dark-circle woes, this popular Maybelline concealer provides light, sheer coverage. The texture is great for mature skin because it won’t settle into lines and pores, and the creamy formula provides a great dose of hydration. To guarantee long-wear coverage, though, you’ll want to set it with a spray or powder.
The biggest complaint our testers had about this concealer was that the sponge applicator is a bit messy; it was difficult to be precise about how much product they wanted to use. (We recommend using a different tool to blend with more ease and control.)
Additionally, this concealer has a limited shade range of just 18 shades. It could definitely be improved with more shades catered to deeper skin tones.
Shades: 18 | Coverage: Light | Size: 0.2 oz.
Best with Skin Benefits: Benefit Cosmetics Boi-ing Cakeless Concealer
Star Qualities
Hydrating, serum-like formula
Naturally brightens the undereye area
Buildable
Red Flags
Limited shade range
Because formula is so moist, it may crease
Treat your skin while you hide dark circles with this lightweight skincare-meets-concealer. Fortified with vitamin C and red algae extract, this product helps brighten the under-eye area both beneath the surface and cosmetically as it sits on the skin. Apply using the slim doe-foot applicator for lightweight, radiant coverage that's buildable without appearing cakey. It's also waterproof for up to eight hours of wear, making it a perfect pick for warmer, sweaty months.
Our tester said that this product "does what the name claims — brightens!" And because it's light and hydrating, they noted that it would be a great pick for someone with dry or mature skin. However, they did note that some creasing occurs as you layer on and recommends using less product to maintain the smooth application. And keep in mind that there’s just a dozen shades to choose from.
Shades: 12 | Coverage: Light to medium | Size: 0.17 oz.
Best Hydrating: Saie Hydrabeam Brightening + Hydrating Under Eye Concealer
Star Qualities
Lightweight formula is easily buildable
Didn't crease at all
Blends seamlessly
Red Flags
Limited shade range
It requires a few layers to get enough coverage
We couldn’t not test out this buzzy Saie concealer for ourselves — after all, it’s “liked” by over 40,000 Sephora shoppers. We found that the popular concealer has a Goldilocks consistency: “It’s really soft; it doesn't come out of the bottle too thick or too light, it’s easily buildable, and it doesn’t run at all,” our tester raved.
But while it feels lightweight and looks natural once blended in, it’s not a one-stop-shop for eliminating dark circles, particularly if you can’t find your shade match in its limited range. “It covers up my dark circles decently, but not fully,” they admitted. “Still, I’d recommend it because it’s a 'clean,' buildable formula that offers seamless coverage. I can't feel it at all, and I think it's good for everyday wear and special occasions.”
Shades: 9 | Coverage: Light | Size: 0.2 oz.
Best Lightweight: Ilia True Skin Serum Concealer
Star Qualities
Packed with skin-loving ingredients like vitamin C
Wide range of colors and undertones
Natural finish
Red Flags
It's expensive for its size
The Ilia True Skin Serum Concealer stands out for its lightweight consistency and wear, as well as its skincare-first formula. The weightless concealer is infused with brightening and skin tone-evening vitamin C and smoothing albizia julibrissin bark extract. Together, they elevate the medium-coverage concealer to a serum-like under-eye treatment.
“It looks natural (with no caking or smudging), feels smooth on the skin, and... still feels breathable,” our tester noted. “I wouldn't know I had this concealer on my face if I didn't already see myself put it on. Right now, my face feels clean and refreshed with the concealer on. I also don't have a shiny or dewy appearance, which is a plus.” Just keep in mind that you’ll pay for this high quality.
Shades: 20 | Coverage: Medium | Size: 0.16 oz.
Best Brightening: Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Liquid Touch Brightening Concealer
Star Qualities
48 shades, including 20 for medium-to-dark skin tones
Lightweight concealer blends smoothly and evenly with buildable coverage
Brightened without any creasing
Red Flags
It requires two or more layers to fully hide dark circles
The applicator could be smaller
This Rare Beauty concealer, which has over 190,000 “likes” at Sephora, touts a liquid formula that provides medium, radiant coverage. “The product is nice and thin, so the coverage is buildable,” our tester said. “It blends out really smooth and even, and doesn’t seem to crease or settle into my face.”
She found one layer of the formula to be too sheer to fully cover her dark circles, but “with additional applications/layers it can be full-coverage." And since a little bit of product goes a long way, be careful with how much is on your applicator; our tester wished it was “a little smaller” to avoid using too much at once.
Shades: 48 | Coverage: Medium | Size: 0.25 oz.
Best Lifting: Makeup By Mario SurrealSkin Awakening Concealer
Star Qualities
Significantly brightened under-eyes and dark spots
Doesn’t require setting powder
Featherweight consistency felt like wearing nothing
Red Flags
Couldn’t find any
We were incredibly impressed that the first concealer from Mario Dedivanovic, Kim Kardashian's longtime makeup artist, lived up to the hype. Its formula features fermented marine microorganisms — which gave us the tightening effect that Dedivanovic specializes in — and caffeine to reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness.
Our tester dotted this concealer on (a little goes a long way) and effortlessly blended it in, watching as it canceled out blue and purple undertones and created the illusion of a more lifted eye. After wearing it all day long, from the office to the gym, she still had bright under-eyes and the look of lifted skin when she got home.
This concealer dries down semi-matte, so your skin's natural luminescence will still be visible, just with a powder-like finish on top. That eliminates your need for setting powder, though Dedivanovic himself told us at a press event that he still likes to add a bit.
Shades: 22 | Coverage: Medium | Size: 0.2 oz.
Best Shade Range: Fenty Beauty We're Even Hydrating Longwear Waterproof Concealer
Star Qualities
Buildable coverage
Natural finish
The website made finding our shade match easy
Red Flags
It creased after several hours of wear
Oily or combination skin types may need a setting powder
Finding your shade match is even more important when you’re trying to cover up dark circles — the wrong shade can actually make pigmentation look worse. Thankfully, the Fenty concealer nailed our testers’ exact skin tones thanks to its 50-shade range and virtual try-on feature.
The concealer provided medium yet buildable coverage and easily concealed age spots, but it did crease a little bit after seven hours of wear. The texture of the concealer is creamy and has a natural finish that sits somewhere between dewy and matte.
With hydrating ingredients like prickly pear cactus extract, sodium hyaluronate, and persian silk tree extract, it brightens skin without making it look too shiny, but if you have a combination or oily skin type, you may need to set this with a powder.
Shades: 50 | Coverage: Medium | Size: 0.3 oz.
How to Shop for a Concealer for Dark Circles
Find Your Shade
To diminish dark circles, it’s important to find a concealer that perfectly complements your skin tone, masking the bluish hue under your eyes while meshing with the rest of your complexion. With concealers with wider shade ranges — Rare Beauty's brightening concealer has 48 — you’re more likely to find a near-perfect shade match. Keep in mind that you may need to try out a few shades to find your best fit.
Consider Coverage
Generally speaking, the less product you have to apply, the less likely it is to crease or crack during the day. So look for under-eye concealer with medium to full coverage to effectively cover dark circles. If your goal is just to minimize them, a light, buildable concealer is your best bet.
Your Skin Type Matters
If you have dry under-eye skin, avoid matte formulas. Conversely, if you have an oily complexion, a hydrating under-eye concealer could make your skin look overly shiny. Pay attention to your chosen concealer’s key ingredients to determine how it will work with your skin type.
The More You Know
Mattifying ingredients include clays, starches, and minerals, whereas hydrating ingredients include oils and glycerin.
PEOPLE / Tamara Staples
How We Tested
To determine the best concealers for dark circles, we researched the most popular formulas on the market. We then tested 22 top-rated concealers during a day-long trial to determine how it held up in seven key categories: application, staying power, coverage, pigment, texture, consistency, and value. Every concealer earned a rating of 1 to 5 in each category. The concealers that ranked the highest made this list.
Related: The 10 Best Eye Creams for Dark Circles of 2024, Tested and Reviewed
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to use a color corrector before a concealer?
Color correction is very helpful when trying to cancel out dark circles. “Everyone always wonders why piling on concealer isn’t enough… they have to color-correct first,” says celebrity makeup artist Jamie Greenberg. That’s because color-correction works to cancel out the bluish tone of dark circles so that the concealer can then create an even canvas overall.
However, MAC Cosmetics makeup artist Keri Blair says that many concealers on the market have a bit of color corrector already built in — like the NYX Studio Photogenic Concealer — so it if you don't want to do an extra step, look for color-correcting properties on the packaging.
What shade of concealer is best for dark circles?
“Complementary colors neutralize each other,” explains Blair. “So ultimately what you are doing when you are color-correcting is neutralizing the dark circle with a color that will neutralize your pigmentation.”
For example, she says that if you have a blue/gray tone under your eye, then a concealer that is a bit more peachy/orange will work best; conversely, if you have more of a purple/reddish tone, opt for a yellow/olive-based corrector.
How should you apply concealer to cover dark circles?
“Use a hydrating but non-slip eye cream (try my personal favorite, MAC Fast Response Eye Cream — it de-puffs, tightens, and refracts light)," says Blair. "Then, using a fluffy brush or your ring finger, you can apply the concealer where needed and gently pat out or blend out the edges of the product.”
Taking sides in a never-ending debate, Blair says that she prefers to apply foundation prior to concealer to see how much extra coverage she truly needs to even out her entire complexion.
Related: The 12 Best Eye Creams for Puffiness of 2024, Tested and Reviewed
Why Trust PEOPLE?
Rebecca Norris is a full-time freelance writer living in the Washington, D.C. metro area who has worked in beauty editorial for a decade, and Neha Tandon is a New York-based freelance writer with five years of experience covering beauty and style. For this article, they evaluated our testers’ extensive notes on the features and benefits of the concealers they tried, including value, shades, application, staying power, coverage, pigment, texture, and consistency. For additional insights, Norris spoke to our expert panel.
Our Expert Panel
Jamie Greenberg is a celebrity makeup artist.
Keri Blair is a MAC Cosmetics makeup artist.
What Is PEOPLE Tested?
We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.
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