Are you looking for makeup to cover dark spots or melasma? It’s frustrating to deal with hyperpigmentation whether it’s acne scars, sun damage, or plain old dark circles. It’s crucial to match the makeup to your skin type, color, and tone while also making sure it lasts all day long.
The best concealers for dark spots are highly pigmented but easy to blend with plenty of staying power. Check out our top picks below and scroll down to see in-depth reviews and how-tos.
| The best concealers for dark spots | Why we love them |
|---|---|
| Stila Correct And Perfect All In One Color Correcting Palette |
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| Physicians Formula Gentle Cover Concealer Stick, Yellow |
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| Revlon PhotoReady Color Correcting Pen for Dark Spots |
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| NYX Cosmetics Color Correcting Liquid Primer |
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| NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer |
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| Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Multi-Use Concealer |
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| Dermablend Quick-Fix Full Coverage Concealer |
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How to choose concealer for dark spots
Which color concealer is best for dark spots? Professional makeup artists recommend neutralizing hyperpigmentation with color-correcting concealer then using a concealer that matches (or is a shade lighter) than your skin tone.
For example, if you have light or medium skin and want to cover up purplish acne scars, start with a yellow concealer. It’s the color theory where you apply the opposite color on the wheel from what you’re trying to conceal.
To continue, yellow also works for undereye circles, but peach may be a better choice if the dark circles are more green or blue instead of purple.
Lastly, green will neutralize redness caused by rosacea or blemishes.
But what if you have olive or dark skin? Then the makeup pros suggest orange to cancel out dark spots.
Now, let’s talk about how to manage this rainbow of colors on your face.
How to cover dark spots on face with concealer
It’s always easier to apply makeup after cleansing, moisturizing, and priming. Think of it as prepping the canvas for your masterpiece. It keeps makeup from caking and helps it last longer. Give the primer a minute or two to absorb before starting with a color-correcting concealer.
Next, apply the color corrector with your tool of choice, whether it’s fingers, the applicator, a sponge, or a brush. If it’s a cream concealer, brushes are more difficult to use, but a sponge is very helpful, especially if you dampen it first. We like to spritz a sponge with setting spray and use that to build layers.
Let the color corrector set for a couple of minutes before applying a concealer that matches your skin. Since concealers tend to come in a smaller selection of colors than foundation does, you might not find a perfect match. We’ve been known to blend two colors to get a better result. But if you’re wearing foundation, this is not such a big problem.
On the other hand, using a lighter shade of concealer instead of one that matches your skin will make the area around the eyes look brighter.
Most importantly, take the time to blend the concealer into the skin so that it looks natural. This avoids uneven texture, cakiness, and a patchy appearance.
Finally, you might find that using the same brand of concealer and foundation gets better results because they are formulated to work together. Let’s begin the reviews with color correctors for all sorts of hyperpigmentation.
Best Concealers for Dark Spots in 2024
Stila Correct And Perfect All In One Color Correcting Palette
Although NYX’s palette is much cheaper, we like Stila’s better because it has both cream correctors for small spots and dark circles plus colored setting powders for overall brightening and evening skin tone. There are five colored creams and two finishing powders in the compact.
Take a look at the selection: orange, peach, pink, yellow, and green to neutralize scars, acne, broken capillaries, undereye circles, and more on both light and dark skin tones. Interestingly, you can set the pink correcting cream with the lavender powder to make yourself look like you just had the best night’s sleep ever.
Just a little goes a long way, so apply only a light layer of concealer at first. It may not completely cancel the blemish, but it will make it much easier for regular concealer and foundation to finish the job. If you pile on too much of the color concealer, it will settle into lines.
One final note: as you may already know, Stila is certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny. They do no animal testing whatsoever.
Pros:
- Palette suitable for light, medium, and dark skin
- Has five colored creams and two finishing powders to neutralize all types of dark spots
- From a cruelty-free brand
Cons:
- Less is more – applying too much will cause it to settle into lines
Physicians Formula Gentle Cover Concealer Stick, Yellow
We compared this stick to Maybelline’s yellow concealer and it came out a little bit ahead. Both look like a tube of lipstick and have a creamy texture. However, Physicians Formula was slightly easier to blend with fingers and less likely to settle into lines. It’s great for making undereye circles less noticeable and neutralizing purplish veins, capillaries, and acne scars.
Happily, this concealer stick looks like it’s going to last a long time. It doesn’t take much to brighten up the skin, and it wears well underneath concealer and foundation. Plus, it’s fragrance-free and pretty much odorless.
In conclusion, it’s made by a brand that avoids over one hundred fifty unnecessary ingredients found in other cosmetics. Of course, it’s hypoallergenic and won’t clog pores, either.
Pros:
- Creamy concealer stick that neutralizes acne scars, dark circles, and purple blemishes
- Hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and non-comedogenic
- Blends easily and doesn’t settle into lines
Cons:
- None
Revlon PhotoReady Color Correcting Pen for Dark Spots
In search of the perfect concealer, you’ll run across liquid, cream, and powder formulas packaged in all sorts of ways from palettes to tubes and jars. Some apply best with brushes, others with sponges or fingers. But here’s a unique solution – it’s a pen with a precision brush tip. Twist the pen to dispense the liquid concealer and use the brush to apply and blend it.
It’s lightweight and fast-drying and easy to cover with foundation once it sets. The formula features “high-definition filter technology” so that it doesn’t just color correct, but also diffuses light for a soft-focus finish. If you don’t expect full coverage, you’ll likely be pleased with the results.
On the downside, we saw lots of complaints about how the twisting mechanism dispenses too much (or too little) concealer at once. Unfortunately, it requires practice to get it right.
Choose from green, peach, and lavender shades to neutralize all sorts of blemishes.
Pros:
- Available in green, peach, and lavender to neutralize under-eye circles, dark spots, and more
- Precision brush tip pinpoints small blemishes and blends the formula into the skin
- Lightweight, fast-drying, and wears well under foundation
- High-definition filter technology provides a soft-focus finish to blur blemishes, too
Cons:
- Tricky applicator either dispenses too much or too little and until we got the hang of using it
NYX Cosmetics Color Correcting Liquid Primer
Most articles about color correcting concealers list the NYX palette, but we prefer these tubes of primer instead. We selected peach to correct bluish undereye circles, but there are other colors available like pink, green, orange, and yellow.
Okay, it’s only cheating a little bit because even though it’s a primer, it conceals dark spots. It’s excellent for neutralizing large areas of hyperpigmentation, but can also be blended on small spots with a brush or finger.
It’s a liquid with a silky texture, but it’s a bit runny so a little goes a long way. It plays nice with both liquid and powder foundations.
What’s more, although it’s not fragrance-free, the silicone-based formula is paraben-free and enriched with skin-friendly nutrients like vitamin E and panthenol.
Pros:
- Liquid primer available in color correcting shades like peach, yellow, green, orange, and pink
- Silky texture and moisturizing formula with vitamin E and panthenol
- Silicone-based with no parabens
Cons:
- Thin liquid is best for larger areas, but still works well for pinpoint application
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
We hate it when concealer cakes, cracks, and settles into lines on dry patches. If that describes you, try the color correcting liquid primer above and follow it with this stick liquid concealer. You’ll be impressed by the results.
NARS promises the concealer will last up to sixteen hours without creasing, rubbing off on clothes, or melting. It’s water-resistant and made for all skin types. Even though it starts with medium coverage, you can build it and it still looks good. That’s because it goes on smooth and sinks into the skin with a natural finish.
What’s more, it comes in thirty shades to match pretty much everyone on the planet. Each one has been tested by dermatologists and ophthalmologists and none contain parabens, fragrances, or alcohol.
Pros:
- Available in thirty shades to match almost every skin tone
- Liquid concealer with a stick applicator and creamy texture
- Non-comedogenic, no artificial fragrance, alcohol, or parabens
- Dermatologist and ophthalmologist-tested for sensitive skin and eyes
Cons:
- None
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Multi-Use Concealer
This drugstore concealer is recommended for hiding dark circles, but it also makes blemishes disappear. It’s a liquid in a tube with a sponge-top applicator, and that applicator is surprisingly handy for blending it. Twist the tube to dispense more of the formula.
Swipe it on and get on with your day. You might not even need foundation after applying it. We like that it doesn’t cake or crack. However, we wouldn’t say that it’s full coverage, but it’s buildable. It’s also available in color correcting versions like green.
The non-comedogenic concealer features Haloxyl and goji berry to resolve dark spots, lines, and undereye circles at the source. It’s non-comedogenic, but there’s a dark side. It contains parabens to keep the formula fresh and the applicator free of contamination. (Maybelline calls it “an antimicrobial system”).
Pros:
- Liquid concealer that’s straightforward to use with a sponge-tip applicator
- Has goji berry and Haloxyl to gradually erase fine lines and dark spots
- Buildable coverage that blends easily and doesn’t cake or crease
Cons:
- Not paraben-free
Dermablend Quick-Fix Full Coverage Concealer
Our final pick is one of our favorite concealers. It’s available in a decent range of shades, but not as many as Dermablend’s full coverage foundation.
It keeps dark spots under wraps for up to sixteen hours if you set it with powder. The powder will keep it from transferring, smudging, or otherwise letting you down. Seriously, bake it and forget it.
The highly pigmented, creamy formula can cover everything from dark spots and dark circles to tattoos. Furthermore, it doesn’t clog pores or irritate sensitive skin. That’s not surprising since the concealer was developed with the collaboration of a makeup artist and a doctor.
Pros:
- Excellent staying power (up to sixteen hours) if set with powder
- Creamy and highly pigmented formula is non-comedogenic and safe for sensitive skin
- Developed by a makeup artist and a doctor
Cons:
- The current range of available shades doesn’t suit deep skin tones
Conclusion
Get the right concealer and make dark spots disappear. Let yourself feel confident and comfortable once more.
We hope our reviews helped you find the best cosmetics for your needs today. Feel free to leave us feedback, suggestions for new articles, or questions below.
