It’s not easy to make hyperpigmentation disappear. For example, how do you cover melasma on the upper lip? It’s an area of skin that sweats and gets exposed to eating and drinking. Usually, foundation isn’t enough and you need one of the best concealers for melasma, too.
Depending on your skin tone and type, you might need to correct melasma color and not just cover up the brownish patches. That’s why the best concealer for a melasma mustache might be a peach color corrector followed by a concealer that matches your complexion.
How to cover up melasma
Here’s what the pros do to hide hyperpigmentation:
1 – They start with freshly washed skin and moisturize it. Let the face cream absorb for a few minutes so that the skin doesn’t feel slippery or sticky.
2 – Next, apply sunscreen if it’s daytime because UV rays will worsen melasma. Allow the sunscreen to absorb before applying primer.
3 – Now you need makeup primer because it helps the concealer adhere better and last longer, which is crucial when you’re covering up melasma in the oily T-zone or parts of the skin that move or get touched a lot. Apply primer and let it dry for at least two minutes before putting on makeup. If you hurry too much, everything else that follows won’t turn out right.
4 – Once the primer has set, use color correcting concealer to neutralize the discoloration. Peach or orange corrects the brown patches of melasma while green cancels out redness. Try a darker shade if you have darker skin and a lighter color if you have lighter skin. After color correcting, apply regular concealer (1).
5 – If you don’t have a color corrector, try a concealer that’s one or two shades darker than your skin and blend it outward. (For undereye circles, use a lighter color).
6 – Once the melasma concealer dries, apply a light layer of foundation. You can always put on another layer if you need to build coverage. But if you don’t wait long enough for each layer to dry, you may notice you’ve rubbed off the concealer and will have to start over again. It’s really all about being patient!
7 – If there are still dark spots speaking through, touch them up with a little concealer and blend.
8 – Dust on finishing powder and finish with setting spray.
We truly know how frustrating it is to spend so much time covering up hyperpigmentation. That’s why we reviewed the best concealers that are highly pigmented and long-lasting. They save time because they don’t have to be caked-on or touched up frequently. Check out our top picks below:
| The best concealers for melasma | Why we love them |
|---|---|
| Dermablend Quick-Fix Full Coverage Concealer |
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| Dermablend Cover Care Concealer |
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| bareMinerals Barepro 16-Hour Full Coverage Concealer |
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| LAURA GELLER NEW YORK The Real Deal Concealer for Advanced Serious Coverage |
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| Milani Conceal + Perfect Longwear Concealer |
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| Urban Decay Stay Naked Correcting Full Coverage Concealer |
|
| NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Color Correcting Concealer |
|
| LA Girl Pro High Definition Concealer, Orange Corrector |
|
Best Concealers for Melasma in 2024
Dermablend Quick-Fix Full Coverage Concealer
In our experience, the best makeup to cover melasma is made by Dermablend. This brand is trusted by users with hyperpigmentation worldwide. Not only is it safe for sensitive skin, but it’s also available in a wide range of shades for pretty much everyone on the planet.
Dermablend’s full coverage concealer for melasma lasts for up to sixteen hours of wear if you set it with powder. It’s creamy and looks like a tube of lipstick, only skin-colored. Slide or dot the concealer over the dark patches and blend with your finger or a sponge. Don’t worry about where you need to apply it because it’s non-comedogenic and won’t trigger acne.
The concealer provides excellent coverage with only one layer. Plus, it stays put especially when set with powder. It’s worth it to purchase Dermablend’s setting powder because it’s fragrance-free and allergy-tested just like the concealer. It’s available in transparent or banana shades for all skin tones and it doesn’t cause flashback. Apply a little more powder than you think you need and wait two minutes before sweeping off the excess.
We highly recommend Dermablend’s foundation for the finishing touches. On the other hand, the Quick Fix Concealer blends so easily that you might not decide to not wear any other makeup at all.
Pros:
- Creamy stick concealer that’s sweat and oil-resistant, doesn’t smudge or transfer
- Lasts up to sixteen hours if set with powder
- Available in a wide range of shades for all skin tones
- Can be applied with fingers or sponge, blends easily
- Allergy-tested, non-comedogenic, fragrance-free
Cons:
- None
Dermablend Cover Care Concealer
If you have oily skin, you might prefer a liquid concealer like this one. It comes in a tube with a doe foot applicator. It has a thrifty design – the tube has a lip that scrapes off excess liquid as you pull out the applicator.
This concealer can hide hyperpigmentation for up to twenty-four hours if it’s set with powder. (See the review above to learn more about Dermablend’s Loose Setting Powder).
Choose from sixteen shades for pretty much every skin tone. Dab on the concealer and blend it with a fingertip, sponge, or brush. It doesn’t take much because it’s highly pigmented.
By the way, not only is it safe for sensitive skin, but it’s also cruelty-free.
Pros:
- Liquid concealer that lasts up to twenty-four hours if set with powder
- Available in sixteen shades for practically every skin tone
- Safe for sensitive skin, non-comedogenic, and cruelty-free
Cons:
- None
bareMinerals Barepro 16-Hour Full Coverage Concealer
Here’s another creamy stick concealer that comes in fifteen shades. The shades include warm, cool, and neutral undertones.
As you might expect, the concealer features mineral pigments for long-lasting coverage that stands up to sweat, humidity, and transferring. It doesn’t crease into wrinkles, get cakey, or clog pores either.
The formula has plant extracts and lipids that seal in moisture so it goes on smooth and blends effortlessly. It won’t make the skin look dry, which makes it ideal for concealing under-eye circles, too.
Lastly, the concealer is cruelty-free and contains no parabens, gluten, talc, or artificial fragrance.
Pros:
- Creamy stick concealer available in fifteen shades including neutral, cool, and warm undertones
- Sweat-resistant, transfer-resistant
- Smooth texture blends easily without caking, creasing, or clogging pores
- Cruelty-free with no talc, artificial fragrance, parabens, or gluten
Cons:
- None
LAURA GELLER NEW YORK The Real Deal Concealer for Advanced Serious Coverage
This concealer is silicone-based and viscous – not as thick as a cream, but not as thin as a liquid. Not only is it long-wearing and resistant to water and oil, but it’s also moisturizing. It’s exactly what you need if you want to cover up melasma and then not worry about your makeup for the rest of the day.
The formula blends easily with a brush or a finger. Because it hydrates the skin, it doesn’t call attention to lines or wrinkles. Instead, it helps the skin look firmer and fresher. At the same time, it calms redness in case you’re dealing with acne or rosacea. Besides mineral pigment, key ingredients include brown algae and sea starwort oil that contribute plenty of antioxidants.
For best results, shake or squish the tube to mix the concealer before dispensing it. Just a little dot goes a long way. And because the concealer smooths the skin, it plays nicely with foundation.
As for matching skin tone, the available shades range from porcelain to deep and include neutral, golden, and rosy undertones.
Pros:
- Silicone-based concealer that hydrates and firms the skin
- Resists sweat and oil, long-wearing
- Also calms redness
- Available in a wide range of shades in warm, cool, and neutral undertones
Cons:
- None
Milani Conceal + Perfect Longwear Concealer
This brand makes a shade for every skin tone – there are eighteen total for this concealer. Each one is full coverage and water-resistant to last up to twelve hours.
It’s a liquid concealer with a doe foot applicator. Reviewers suggest blending with a sponge or brush for perfect results.
If there’s any downside, it’s that the concealer can look a little dry on dry skin. This is especially obvious underneath the eyes. On the other hand, it’s a good formula for oily skin as it doesn’t melt off easily. Moreover, this is a vegan and cruelty-free product.
Pros:
- Full coverage liquid concealer that lasts up to twelve hours
- Water and oil resistant
- Available in eighteen shades for every skin tone
- Vegan and cruelty-free
Cons:
- May cause dry skin to look dehydrated
Urban Decay Stay Naked Correcting Full Coverage Concealer
When they say this concealer is suitable for all skin tones, they really mean it. It comes in twenty-five shades that split into nine different intensities, three master tones, and five undertones. If you can’t find the right color here, you might be from another galaxy.
Like all products from this brand, the waterproof concealer is cruelty-free and vegan. It’s a liquid formula that sets matte and lasts up to twenty-four hours. You’ll forget you’re wearing it because it’s so lightweight.
People of all ages love it because it doesn’t settle into lines, cake, or crease like some types of makeup do. Furthermore, if you don’t have a brush or sponge handy, the applicator is handy for blending the concealer. It’s shaped for both small spots and large areas.
What’s more, not only does it conceal hyperpigmentation, but it also doubles as contour. Seriously, some folks don’t even bother with foundation – they just use this concealer instead.
Pros:
- Waterproof liquid concealer that lasts up to twenty-four hours
- Available in twenty-five shades including three master tones and five undertones
- Doubles as foundation or contour
- Lightweight, doesn’t cake or crease
- Vegan and cruelty-free
Cons:
- None
NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Color Correcting Concealer
Here’s the best all-purpose concealer for hyperpigmentation. It’s a drugstore palette that offers incredible value for the money if you have fair skin. (If you have medium to deep skin color, there are other NYX palettes available with peach and orange shades, but no green).
There are six colors including a peachy light shade, pink, yellow, green, purple, and a “deep” shade. These cancel out every kind of discoloration from melasma to dark circles and pimples.
Users suggest warming the concealer with your finger before blending it because it has a waxy texture.
Like everything from NYX, the concealer is cruelty-free.
Pros:
- Inexpensive six-color palette for concealing all types of hyperpigmentation
- Cruelty-free
Cons:
- Palette is best for light-colored skin, but there are medium and deep palettes available as well
- A little hard to blend if it’s not warm
LA Girl Pro High Definition Concealer, Orange Corrector
This brand offers thirty shades of concealer, but we’re focusing on the orange corrector. It’s part of the lineup of ten color-correcting shades and it’s the perfect color for medium to dark skin with melasma. It can also disguise dark circles and other blemishes.
It may be a drugstore concealer, but it covers up just as well as more expensive brands. The creamy makeup comes in a tube and applies easily with a beauty blender or brush.
Pros:
- Drugstore concealer that color-corrects melasma on medium to dark skin
- Also hides dark circles and blemishes
- Creamy texture goes on smoothly with a brush or beauty blender
Cons:
- None
Conclusion
Maybe the day will come when we all feel comfortable without makeup. Until then, concealer is an excellent tool for disguising melasma.
We hope our reviews helped you find the best cover-up for your needs today. If it’s performing as well as you hoped, we’d love to hear about your experience with it. Please leave us a comment below.
Source:
1. https://www.wikihow.com/Conceal-Hyperpigmentation How to Conceal Hyperpigmentation, co-authored by Melissa Jannes, licensed esthetician, updated October 18, 2020