Testing Under Eye Concealers for Mature Skin

The under eye area is one of the hardest to deal with as skin ages. Dark circles can easily be camouflaged on younger skin, but once wrinkles and puffiness start to appear, makeup just makes them all look worse. Even so, the area still needs some coverage, so I’ve tested 6 concealers to see how they cover, blend, and wear.

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Brightening Eye Perfector Liquid SPF 25:  $13.50 for .17 oz, 4 shades 

The Marketing Claims: Bright eyes are the secret to a rested, refreshed look, yet the delicate eye area is often the first place to show fatigue, such as puffiness and dark circles. Discover a do-it-all product that not only brightens and conceals with a patented blend of anti-oxidants including Vitamin E, wild chamomile and soy, but is also clinically shown to de-puff and treat the appearance of dark under eye circles.

Neutrogena Brightening Concealer

The Reality: The inclusion of Vitamin E, chamomile and soy can be effective over time, and the spf 25 is great for the undereye area! But, the formula is thick and tacky feeling. It was more difficult to blend and made wrinkles look worse. Not great coverage. It got shiny after 3-4 hours.

Mac Pro Longwear:  $18 for .30 oz, 15 shades

The Marketing Claims: A lightweight fluid concealer that provides medium to full coverage with a comfortable, natural matte finish. Colour-true formula lasts up to 15 hours. Helps conceal and correct the look of under-eye circles, and discolorations. Comes in a clear glass vial with a matte black pump.

Mac Pro Longwear

The Reality: This never got to the natural matte finish promised and stayed too dewey looking all day. It was not long wearing, was all worn off after 5 hours leaving a spotty, drying and flaky film under eyes. This was the thickest of the formulas so made wrinkles more apparent.

Revlon ColorStay Under Eye Concealer: Spf 15, $7.99, .04 oz., 3 shades

The Marketing Claims: Exclusive ColorStay™ formula and soft-touch applicator work to gently conceal dark undereye circles and discolorations, while giving you natural looking coverage all day. Provides a lightweight, comfortable feel. Oil-free. Non-pore-clogging. Non-irritating.

Revlon colorstay

The Reality: Thick greasy feel going on, but used sparingly, it offers good coverage. Settled into wrinkles a little, but less than Mac or Neutrogena. Stays matte. Long wearing… was still covering after 8 hours.

Lancome Magicomplet: $30

The Marketing Claims: This creamy, liquid concealer hides flaws, blemishes and dark circles with full, natural-looking coverage. Enriched with a hydrating botanical complex, anti-oxidant protection, and light-diverting agents. Minimizes the appearance of under-eye circles and wrinkles, while protecting against free radical damage. Natural-looking finish. Ideal for all skin types.

Lancome Maquicomplet

The Reality: Has the same concealer feel as most, but a little less stiff. Blends easily, and is a good color. Medium coverage, but if you have really dark circles, it may not cover. Satin finish, so it brightens up the under eye area. Very little settling into wrinkles, but because it’s thick, wrinkles appear larger. Wears 6-7 hours.

Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti-Aging Concealer: $23 for .2 oz., 1 shade

The Marketing Claims:  Get younger-looking eyes with Total Effects Line and Dark Circle Minimizing Brush. It contains a daily under-eye moisturizer that hydrates to firm skin’s appearance and minimize the look of fine lines. A hint of tint instantly reduces the appearance of dark circles.

Olay

The Reality: Only one shade is a problem for most, and it’s expensive for a drugstore brand, but is such a light, non-greasy forumula that blends so easily. Feels more like a tinted moisturizer than a concealer. Very sheer coverage, so it doesn’t settle into lines and wrinkles. Matte finish. A long-time favorite of mine.

Armani Master Corrector: $37 for .14 oz., 2 shades

The Marketing Claims:Corrective concealer in four color-balancing shades designed to target specific complexion concerns. Exclusive micro-fil technology allows for targeted correction, visibly concealing imperfections while light-reflecting pearls impart a halo of light imparting a seamless, flawless facial canvas.

Corrective concealer shades include:

1. Pink: counteracts sallow, dull skin and effectively corrects yellow and olive pigmentation.

2. Orange: targets olive or darker skin tones to conceal under-eye circles, freckles, dark spots and hyper-pigmentation.

Armani Master Corrector

The Reality: So lightweight, it blends amazingly, but the colors are so bright, it can be weird. Can only be used on darker areas to correct color… looks too orange under the rest of the eye area. Doesn’t gather in wrinkles. Has a satin to matte finish.

Here’s a photo montage for comparison:

Composite UnderEye Concealers

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