3 Makeup Artists Sound Off on the Best Concealers for Mature Skin—Shop Their Picks
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A good concealer evens discoloration, color corrects, and brightens skin under the eyes and in other targeted areas on the face. But when it comes to the best concealers for mature skin, there are a few other things to keep in mind when shopping for a new product.
“Formula is everything,” says Kasey Spickard, a celebrity makeup artist based in New York City. “Choose hydrating formulas for dry skin and mattifying options for oily skin,” suggests Kindra Mann, a celebrity makeup artist working in LA and New York City. For instance, keep an eye out for moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and protectants like vitamin E when shopping for makeup for mature skin.
Meet the experts: Omayma Ramzy, a celebrity makeup artist based in LA; Kasey Spickard, a celebrity makeup artist based in New York City; Kindra Mann, a celebrity makeup artist working in LA and New York City.
Picking the right shade is also paramount. “A trick I like to do is to use a slightly brighter color in the areas of wrinkles, to ‘bounce out’ the shadow,” says Omayma Ramzy, a celebrity makeup artist based in LA. “These are areas like folds around the mouth or eyes. The key is to just use the amount that you need and to not go overboard so that it doesn’t end up looking cakey.”
Our top picks
Ahead, check out the best concealers for mature skin, according to makeup artists.
Radiant Creamy Concealer
“The hydrating formula on this brightening concealer is truly wonderful, and it blends into foundations and even drier complexions,” says Ramzy. It’s so good, it even earned a spot in our 2023 Beauty Awards.
What the reviews say: “With dark under-eye circles and rosacea, this is probably the number-one product in my makeup bag. It’s the best concealer I have found so far.”
Radiant Creamy Concealer
amazon.com
$23.96
Touche Éclat All-Over Brightening Concealer Pen
“This holy grail classic is perfect with its light coverage, radiant finish, and easy to use applicator pen,” says Ramzy. It includes plumping hyaluronic acid, brightening vitamin E, and soothing Moroccan calendula extract. “I adore it for brightening wrinkled areas.”
What the reviews say: “YSL concealer truly does melt into my skin. Love the formulation and texture,” wrote a Sephora shopper. “The brush applicator allows me to place the exact amount of product.”
Touche Éclat All-Over Brightening Concealer Pen
sephora.com
$40.00
Buildable Blur HD Creaseless Concealer
“I love the finish on this concealer. It goes on seamlessly, never feels heavy, and the formula is clean and cruelty-free,” says Ramzy. It’s brightening, buildable, and even waterproof.
What the reviews say: “I’ve always had dark circles, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve got wrinkles around my eyes, too,” explained one reviewer. “This stuff matches my skin tone perfectly. It’s light and buildable. It does not make wrinkles look worse like all the others.”
Buildable Blur HD Creaseless Concealer
thrivecausemetics.com
$29.00
Shape Tape Concealer
Ramzy loves this concealer from Tarte “because it doesn’t get cakey or dry.” It’s available in 38 different shades and is packed with hydrating ingredients, like shea butter and mango butter. The formula also contains brightening licorice root.
What the reviews say: “As a woman with aging skin, I don’t like products that cake and settle into fine lines,” explained a shopper. “This seemed to fill in and smooth those lines and stay that way.”
Shape Tape Concealer
tartecosmetics.com
$31.00
Magic Away Concealer
“The buildable coverage and sponge applicator on this make it really easy to use and the Persian silk tree bark extract gives a brightening and lifting effect on the eyes, which we love!” says Ramzy.
What the reviews say: “It is full coverage and covers seriously dark circles while being really light and not cakey. I’m not sure how they’ve done it, but it’s brilliant.”
Magic Away Concealer
nordstrom.com
$33.00
Concealer SPF 27
“I adore the Cle de Peau concealers on mature skin,” says Spickard. “The formula has a beautiful glide to it but sets down nicely and adheres to the skin with a radiant finish.” Though pricey, the concealer packs a punch with SPF 27 and a creamy texture you can apply on the go.
What the reviews say: “I’ve tried high end concealers and nothing compares to this. Blends into your skin and stays put all day,” wrote a 47-year-old.
Concealer SPF 27
nordstrom.com
$75.00
Under Eye Corrector
“Often times on mature skin, you’re really wanting to correct dark spots, age spots, melasma, and discoloration,” explains Spickard. “I use the corrector and concealer, as they have a ‘tackiness’ to them that allows you to pinpoint the coverage and keep it in place.”
What the reviews say: “This is the best eye corrector I’ve used! So flawless!”
Under Eye Corrector
sephora.com
$33.00
Skin Concealer Stick
“I love these concealer sticks,” says Spickard. “They have an amazing shade range and sit so lightly on the skin. They’re not heavy but provide great coverage.” Use this stick to brighten imperfections with medium coverage that will last all day.
What the reviews say: “Great coverage, easily blends, and stays put. Lid stays on while in my purse which is very important!”
Skin Concealer Stick
sephora.com
$33.00
Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer
Mann recommends this full-coverage concealer “for its lightweight, buildable coverage and diverse shade range.” It comes in 24 shades ranging from light to deep and it costs under $30, which is relatively affordable compared to other options on this list. Best of all, its formula includes skincare favorites, like peptides, hydrolyzed collagen, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin E.
What the reviews say: “Thick like sludge, it takes a fair bit of a squeeze to get a tiny bit out but then, violà, once you spread it (I use a brush) your dark circles disappear!” wrote one Amazon reviewer. “It lasts all day and if you take the excess and use as an eyeshadow base, you get a great primed lid, too.”
Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer
amazon.com
$20.30
Touche Éclat High Cover Radiant Under-Eye Concealer
Mann lists this YSL concealer as one of her favorites. It “provides light-reflecting properties, ideal for brightening the face,” she explains. What’s more, it has depuffing ingredients like caffeine to tackle dark circles, hydrating hyaluronic acid, and the antioxidant vitamin E.
What the reviews say: “This has been my one and only for multiple years now. Beautiful coverage, never cakes, creases, or looks dry.”
Touche Éclat High Cover Radiant Under-Eye Concealer
sephora.com
$40.00
Vanish Airbrush Concealer
“The Hourglass concealer is creamy, buildable, and avoids settling into creases,” says Mann. The full-coverage liquid formula is suitable for all skin types and is light-reflecting and highly pigmented for an overall brightening effect.
What the reviews say: “I have dark circles and deep set lines under my eyes. I have tired dozens of concealers, from high end to drugstore. This is the best one I’ve tried so far.”
Vanish Airbrush Concealer
amazon.com
$36.00
How to choose the right concealer
✔️ Consider color. The best concealers come in many difference shades to suit a wide variety of unique skin tones. Pick one that closely matches your natural skin tone or opt for one that’s a touch lighter, per Ramzy.
✔️ Look for hydrating ingredients. “On mature skin, it’s important that everything is providing hydration and radiance while also providing coverage,” says Spickard. Check the label for moisturizers like water, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and propylene glycol (a humectant that helps the skin retain moisture).
✔️ Avoid matte concealers. Some concealers promise a matte finish, but Spickard warns against using one that is too matte. “You want something with some emollience but also want some tackiness, something that will stay in place once you’ve put it there,” he says.
How do you keep concealer from settling into wrinkles?
Keeping concealer from settling into wrinkles is all about the prep, according to Spickard. Before applying makeup, use a skincare product with caffeine and hyaluronic acid to depuff and hydrate the skin around the undereye, he recommends. “But don’t over saturate the area,” Spickard adds, noting that doing so can cause the creasing you’re trying to prevent. You’ll also want to using a hydrating product all over your face for best results.
“The best way to keep concealer from settling into wrinkles is to use a lightweight or HD formula and then set it with a translucent powder,” explains Ramzy. “The key is really to use a very light amount of product in the areas that have deeper set wrinkles, so try focusing on just the areas that you’d like to brighten first.”
Where do you put concealer on mature skin?
Both Ramzy and Spickard recommend using concealer sparingly on mature skin. “I start in the areas that need the most product, or areas that you see the most redness, then work the product out into the rest of the skin to get it evened out,” says Ramzy.
Spickard suggests only using product where you really need it. “You want the absolute lightest amount of coverage where the skin moves (crows feet area, laugh lines, forehead, etc),” he continues.
“Apply concealer on mature skin in areas of concern, such as discoloration around the nose, under the eyes, and on blemishes, similar to younger skin,” adds Mann.
Should you apply concealer on mature skin before or after foundation?
This answer typically varies depending on who you ask, but Ramzy, Mann, and Spickard use concealer after foundation when it comes to mature skin. “In many cases, the foundation will do most of the legwork for you,” Ramzy says. “I love then going in and concealing very specifically only the areas that really need it.”
Spickard agrees, saying, “I prefer to do a very light wash of foundation first to see where we land and then spot conceal any areas we may need more coverage.” This prevents you from using more product than you actually need, he points out.
Mann likes applying concealer after foundation “for a more polished look.”
Benefits of using concealer on mature skin
“Concealer has a higher pigment load that allows for more coverage than foundation provides,” explains Spickard. It can also allow you to skip foundation all together, according to Mann.
“No matter what age you are, concealer can work wonders for brightening under the eyes or covering breakouts,” adds Ramzy. “More so, concealer for mature skin targets issues like sun spots, wrinkles, rosacea, or any veins.”
How we chose the best concealers for mature skin
We tapped Omayma Ramzy, a celebrity makeup artist based in LA; Kasey Spickard, a celebrity makeup artist based in New York City; Kindra Mann, a celebrity makeup artist working in LA and New York City to learn what makes the best concealers for mature skin. We also took customer reviews, price, and shade ranges into consideration.
Why trust us
For more than 70 years, Prevention has been a leading provider of trustworthy health information, empowering readers with practical strategies to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Our editors interview medical experts to help guide our health-focused product selections. Additionally, Prevention also examines hundreds of reviews—and often conducts personal testing done by our staff—to help you make informed decisions.
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