The 9 Best Drugstore Concealers for Color-Correcting Dark Circles

While dark circles can sometimes be a dead giveaway of last nights spicy margarita(s) or a restless nights sleep, our bad habits are not always to blame. Makeup artist Katie Mellinger explains thata wide range of things can cause discoloration under the eyes, including “genetics, thin skin, eczema, rubbing your eyes, dehydration, hyperpigmentation, stress, and smoking.” And annoyingly, it’snot the easiest area of the face to apply concealer. “The skin is very sensitive and thinner than the skin on the rest of the face,” explains Mellinger, “so it usually involves some sort of color correction to properly conceal dark circles.”

Thankfully, there are plenty of products on the market to lend a helping hand in the matter (i.e.,blend, blur, and banish any residual traces of our bad bedtime habits—hey, were working on it!). And the better news is, some of our favorite formulas are available at most drugstores. We conducted tons of research on the best drugstore concealers for covering dark circles, evaluating them on coverage, longevity, blendability, and skincare benefits. After consulting with a makeup artist, and trying several ourselves, we landed on these concealer heroes.

Best Overall

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Concealer

Walmart

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As much as we love the Magic Eraser effect of a good under-eye concealer, wed be lying if we said some of our favorite formulas havent led to parched, creased, and flaked under-eyes—not exactly the look were going for. However, we didn’t face this issue with thislusciously hydrating pick from Neutrogena, which contains hyaluronic acid.1

Lightweight and effortlessly blendable, thenon-greasy texture provides ample coverage and, ultimately, an overall appearance thats refreshed, revived, and circle-free. It comes in five shades and offers buildable coverage that won’t go cakey, though some reviewers with fair skin found the tone too orange for them.

Who It’s For

This silky formula glides on,hides dark circles well, and hydrates the under-eye area effectively. We would recommend it to virtually anyone except the super fair.

Best 2-in-1

Rimmel Match Perfection 2-in-1 Concealer and Highlighter

Amazon

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Rimmels concealer-and-highlighter duo is one of the best drugstore under-eye concealers in our immense product stash. The liquid formula emerges from asoft-brush tip and blends wonderfully, banishing dark circles for up to 13 hours.

We like that it contains an antioxidant in the form of vitamin C and anti-inflammatory properties in the form of vitamin E tobrighten the under-eye area and tackle the signs of photoaging and UV damage.23Our one complaint is that there isn’t a lot of product in the tube so itruns out fast.

Who It’s For

If you find yourself reaching for a highlighter in addition to a concealer for the tricky under-eye area, thisbrightening two-in-one product will save you the extra step.

Best Long-Wear

LOreal Paris Infallible Pro Glow Concealer

Amazon

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Featuring eight different shades and an impressive 16 hours of wear, the name of this drugstore under-eye concealer from LOréal says it all. We love it for our dark circles, but it also makes for a stealthyhighlighting tool if youre in a pinch, thanks to its illuminating formula. Before you buy,  know that some reviewers complain even the lightest shades were not a match for fair skin tones.

Who It’s For

Seeking a concealer that only needs to be applied once? This ultra-long-wearing formula won’t let you down.

Best Cream

Physicians Formula Concealer Twins 2-in-1 Correct & Cover Cream Concealer

Walmart

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Were always up for a dynamic multitasking concealer, especially when it has asmooth, creamy consistency, and this one from Physicians Formula doesnt disappoint. The color correcting yellow formula on one endhelps neutralize dark circles while the concealer formula on the other end helps blur leftover shadows with swift, water-resistant efficiency.

Who It’s For

This color correcting concealer allows you to customize tone, for a perfectly matched final result. It’s got avelvety texture but goes on thick, which can be too heavy for dry skin or those with fine lines and wrinkles.

The 8 Best Under-Eye Concealers for a Smooth, Awake Look—Loved by Testers

Best Applicator

Maybelline New York Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer

Amazon

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Considering this formula is constantly touted as one of thebest under-eye concealers(from makeup artists and bloggers alike), its astonishing how affordable it is. Armed withradiance enhancers like goji berry and haloxyl(an anti-aging peptide), puffiness, shadows, and even fine lines dont stand a chance.45

But the standout feature of this concealer, in our opinion, is theultra-plush sponge-like applicatorwhichmakes blending a breeze. Despite loving the applicator, the packaging itself is a little flimsyand prone to breaking, which annoyed some reviewers.

Who It’s For

Thanks to its handy sponge applicator, this concealer is easy to apply and blend wherever you are.

Brighten Under Eyes With The 12 Best Dark Circle Concealers We Tested & Reviewed

Best for Blending

Revlon PhotoReady Concealer

Amazon

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We love a concealer that blends seamlessly into our other makeup, and thisluxe cream formulafrom Revlon was made for that. Itscreamy, buildable formula glides on via an angled tip and blends nicely using just your fingertips. Despite itshigh-coverage consistency, it always looks natural and photographs flawlessly(hence the oh-so-appropriate name). We do hope the brand expands the shade range to include darker tones.

Who It’s For

This creamy formula blends best for those with light and medium skin tones. It is, however, important to note that reviewers with deep skin tones felt the darkest formula was too light and left a white cast.

Best Full-Coverage

L.A. Girl HD Pro Concealer

Amazon

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Reviewers praise the coverage prowess of this concealer and its ability to camouflage hyperpigmentation. It also comes in a wide range of shades, including color-correcting hues of green and orangedesigned to be worn under your usual concealer shade (that’s for when you’ve got super dark circles going on). We love how therich, full-coverage formula provides a flawless finish’

Who It’s For

If you’re looking for full-coverage concealer that will completely mask dark circles, this formula is the one for you. Some reviewers with fair skin did struggle to find their perfect tone match though.

Best Color Corrector

Pixi by Petra Correction Concentrate

Target

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This peach-toned corrective concentrate will help mask dark circles with a blue hue. Enriched withvitamin C and E to brighten, and rose hip extract to moisturizeand calm inflammation, it’s the perfect base prior to applying your favorite concealer.6We love how it blurred our fine lines and made kept our skin super hydrated. Some reviewers found ithard to blend, so try applying an under eye cream first for added glide.

Who It’s For

If your dark circles have a blue-gray pigmentation, this salmon toned corrective concentrate will  help mask them.

Where We Stand

Overall, our favorite drugstore concealer for dark circles was the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Concealer thanks to its lightweight finish withhydrating hyaluronic acid. We also loved our budget pick, Rimmel Match Perfection 2-in-1 Concealer and Highlighter, which has a creamy, long-lasting formula thattackles hyperpigmentation with vitamins C and E.

How We Researched

To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best concealers for dark circles on the market, evaluating their key features, such as coverage, ingredients, and skin benefits. We also scoured reviews from customers and other trusted sources, such as our edits who took the products for a skin. Finally, we consulted experts for their opinions, and then used this research to choose the best picks to inform this article.

Attributes we evaluated each concealer on:

CoverageLongevityBlendabilitySkincare benefits

What to Look for in a Concealer for Dark Circles

The correct undertone: Half the battle with dark circles is toneutralize the discoloration, which can be achieved using a concealer with the right undertone. “This is usuallysome version of peach or orange depending on your skin tone,” explains makeup artist Katie Mellinger. Orange is better for medium and deep tones, while lighter skinned folks should look forpeach-hued products like Pixi by Petra Correction Concentrate. Hydrating ingredients: Because the skin under our eyes is thinner than elsewhere it tends to bemore prone to dryness.A moisturizing concealer can helpboost hydration, smoothing and protecting the delicate under eye area. Mellinger recommends looking for products that contain hyaluronic acid, such as theNeutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Concealer.  Medium to full coverage: For effective masking of dark circles you’ll want to select a concealer withmedium or full coverage capabilities. Mellinger likes cream concealers like Physicians Formula Concealer Twins 2-in-1 Correct & Cover Cream Concealer

best for their thicker texture and more pigmented, full-coverage finish.

FAQ

Can I use my usual concealer for the under-eye area?

“In most cases, you will want a different concealer than the one you use on the rest of your face,” explains Mellinger. “The reason is that the blemishes you are covering on your face have a different undertone than under your eye—usually red rather than a blue-gray hue.” Stick with peach and orange-toned concealers for your dark circles.

How can I ensure the concealer wont look dry or emphasize creases?

When it comes to concealing dark circles, Mellinger says to start with a less-is-more approach and build up as needed. “Also, you want to focus on covering the dark areas only, not the entire under eye,” she explains. “Often it’s just the deep part of the occipital bone that needs coverage.” For the most natural and radiant look, leave a little space below the lower lash line.

Whats the best way to apply under-eye concealer?

According to Mellinger, you should start by applying a few dots of concealer to the inner eye corner and blend them outwards using an angled brush like bdellium tools golden triangle 788 BDHD Phase III brush. If needed you can also add more product to the outer eye area.

“Then, depending on the skin type, I like to either set with Koh Gen Do Mainfanshi pressed powder for lighter skin or Lys beauty triple fix translucent setting powder for darker skin,” she explains. “And for more mature skin, I will use a medium sized fluffy brush like the Morphe V111 to dust a coat of loose powder.”

The 21 Best Concealers of 2023, Tested & ReviewedEdited by Ally Hirschlag