We Found the 14 Best Concealers for Sensitive Skin, Starting at Just $5 (2024)

TL;DR

Our Top Picks

Coverage Level: Medium | Finish: Natural | Shades: 20 | Size: 0.16 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

We were thoroughly impressed with this concealer right off the bat. Despite the name, which might imply more sheer coverage, we loved how pigmented it was, effectively covering up dark circles, acne spots, and more. It also earned rave reviews for the perfectly skin-like finish that was neither too dewy, shiny, or too matte. It was easy to apply and blend, and never caked or creased. One tester said, “I’m a tough critic when it comes to concealers—I want something that brightens my under-eyes and covers acne spots without looking cakey. This one was great!”

The only thing we lamented was that it wasn’t slightly more long-lasting, which is why we felt it was best for everyday wear, rather than special occasions where you want something that will stay put for hours and hours on end.

Coverage Level: Full | Finish: Natural | Shades: 24 | Size: 0.40 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This concealer lives up to its name—it offers very full coverage. In fact, it was so much coverage that we could pair it with just a bit of tinted moisturizer and forgo foundation entirely. It was equally great at delivering said coverage to dark circles, acne, and prominent pores. One of our testers with acne-prone skin said, "This is my go-to concealer because of how great the coverage is. It’s just the best! Thick enough to cover any problem areas but it still looks natural.”

There is a bit of a learning curve to figuring out exactly how much product to dispense from the squeeze tube. If you use too much, we found it tends to crease.

Coverage Level:Medium |Finish:Natural |Shades:7; Light to Deep |Size:0.23 oz |Cruelty Free:No

Using a concealer on acne-prone skin can pose somewhat of a conundrum—you want to hide blemishes, but you also don’t want to cake on tons of product that may further clog your pores. That’s what made this pick so notable. It’s noncomedogenic and has a featherweight feel that we love, but still covers what you want covered. It was extremely easy to blend, and acne aside, we were impressed with how well it worked to cover dark under-eye circles.

Coverage Level: Medium | Finish: Radiant | Shades: 21 | Size: 0.17 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you’ve previously had a hard time finding the right concealer color for your skin (#relatable) consider checking out this product. With over 20 different hues, including a variety for darker skin and a wide range of undertones, there’s something for every complexion. Our tester with dark skin was really impressed by how well it blended into her complexion. “This was a really nice color match for me! It did a nice job of smoothing and brightening my complexion.”

Other things we liked: How light it felt while wearing it, a subtle, natural finish, and that it didn’t cause any breakouts. That being said, it’s not very long-wearing; we noticed it had faded and looked a bit cakey at the end of the day; we also felt it could’ve been better at hiding dark circles.

Coverage Level: Buildable | Finish: Dewy Shades: 24 | Size: 0.25 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

We greatly appreciated the dewy (not greasy) finish of this concealer, as well as how hydrating it felt on the skin. It’s also pretty pigmented; our tester only needed a tiny bit to score the coverage she craved. On that note, it worked equally well to hide both dark circles and rosacea-induced redness, as well as generally evening out the complexion. “I think it’s a good fit for those with sensitive skin as it lacks fragrance and didn’t cause breakouts or irritation and left my skin feeling hydrated, not dry," noted one tester. However, despite being billed as creaseless, she definitely noticed some creasing after wearing it all day.

Coverage Level:Medium |Finish:Radiant |Shades:9 |Size:0.1 oz |Cruelty-Free:Yes

With a nice array of options for deeper skin tones (which, unfortunately, isn’t always the case with concealers) this concealer easily earned its superlative. The texture is creamy and hydrating and the pigment—aside from also having a good range of varying undertones—did an excellent job of hiding hyperpigmentation. While our tester generally liked how it felt on the skin, they did find that it sometimes got a bit chalky.

Coverage Level:Full |Finish:Matte |Shades:17; Light to Deep |Size:0.17 oz |Cruelty-Free:Yes

A clean, super-high coverage concealer that you can get at the drugstore? Yes, please. This worked beautifully for covering up a range of complexion imperfections—dark circles, redness, scars, and more. Top tip: It is definitely on the thicker side, so we found that applying it with a makeup sponge yields the most seamless result.

Coverage Level:Natural to medium |Finish: Natural|Shades:12 |Size:0.11 oz |Cruelty-Free:Yes

This (very) affordable pick conceals and neutralizes in one simple swipe, giving you even more bang for your buck. We loved how well the lightweight, almost watery texture, spread so easily, as well as how nicely it covered dark marks and never creased. Just FYI, if you want fuller coverage, you may want to layer this underneath a thicker, more pigmented formula, as it definitely skews toward the sheer side.

Coverage: Buildable | Finish: Luminous | Shades: 17 | Size: 0.2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Our favorite thing about this winner? How beautifully it covered up dark circles and illuminated the entire area around the eyes, making it look nearly air-brushed. It works great for other imperfections too, and while it is on the lighter side, it’s very easy to layer for extra coverage. Bonus points for the fact that it’s fragrance-free and contains white water lily extract to soothe and hydrate skin.

Read Full Review: Reviewed: BareMinerals Original Liquid Mineral Concealer Lasts Me All Day

Coverage:Buildable medium |Finish:Natural |Shades:19 |Size:0.2 oz |Cruelty-Free:Yes

The creaminess of this pick makes it truly ideal for drier skin types; it also helps make it incredibly easy to apply and blend. Still, it didn’t feel tacky or heavy. We were also big fans of the sponge tip applicator, which was great for building up coverage. It is worth noting that it works best (and creases less) when set with powder. And while we loved it for dark circles, it didn’t conceal blemishes quite as well.

Coverage: Medium | Finish: Natural | Shades: 4 | Size: 0.2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Sun protection is crucial for keeping sensitivity and inflammation at bay, which is why we appreciate that this pick safeguards your skin with SPF 35, and smooths and de-puffs, along with the standard concealing attributes. It has extra long staying power, and while it does feel ever-so-slightly tacky, that grip actually makes it great for using on the lids as an eyeshadow primer. We just didn’t love that it creased slightly under the eyes.

Coverage: Sheer | Finish: Radiant | Shades: 9 | Size: 0.2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

You may recognize this winner from social media; it was an instant TikTok fave when it launched a few years ago. It’s sheer for sure; we deemed it better for blurring and brightening rather than delivering full-on coverage. Still, we loved how nicely the gel-like texture blends into the skin. It also touts cucumber extract and squalane to keep irritation at bay.

Coverage Level:Medium |Finish:Matte |Shades:4 |Size:0.05 oz |Cruelty-Free:No

For times when you really need your makeup to stay put all day long, this pick takes the cake. It does indeed deliver a matte finish, but in our experience, it still went on and blended into the skin smoothly—not always the case with matte formulas, which tend to be more drying. It also dries down quickly and can easily be built up if you want more than the medium coverage it delivers.

Coverage Level:Full |Finish:Matte |Shades:30 |Size:0.33 oz |Cruelty-Free:Yes

We absolutely love the texture of this drugstore pick. While it’s definitely on the thicker side, it still feels surprisingly weightless and undetectable once it’s on the skin, a major win in our book. We couldn’t get over how well it knocked out dark circles, particularly given the wallet-friendly price tag. The matte finish makes it ideal if your skin is sensitive and oily or combination. Plus, it only took a few small dots to achieve the desired level of coverage.

FAQ

• What type of concealer looks best on sensitive skin?

  If your skin is prone to redness, concealers that have pigments added to balance or counteract redness (typically green tints) will be very helpful.

• What does sensitive skin look like?

  Sensitive skin can show up in many different ways and as mentioned, can be oily to dry. But one very common characteristic is reactive. That can manifest as anything from bumps to blushing, to a rash-like appearance.

• Is fair skin more sensitive?

  Fair skin is more prone to sunburn, but not necessarily more prone to irritation.

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