I, along with many other broke college students, live in a constant state of searching for the *perfect* concealer that won’t break the bank but will make it look like I slept a full 8 hours every night. As an avid viewer of the YouTube beauty community, it seems like every few weeks they’ve found a new, affordable concealer that can do all that and more, so I decided to put a few of them to the test. When attempting to analyze their merits, I came up with a few main categories to rank them in: coverage, creasing, look, shade range, and overall ranking.
1. Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer, $9.99
Coverage: 1/5
Creasing: 3/5
Look: 1/5
Shade Range: 3/5
Overall: 1/5
Maybelline expanded their shade range to now include 12 shades and a deeper shade range. However, deeper isn’t THAT deep and they lack any fair shades, so there is definitely work left to be done. I can’t really explain it, but this is by far my least favorite concealer. It could potentially be because the lightest shade was far too dark for me, but it did absolutely nothing for me. Considering the price tag of almost $10, — being the most expensive one on the list — I can’t put it any higher than last place. However, it wasn’t drying at all and didn’t crease throughout the day, so if you can find a shade that works for you it could be a win.
2. Wet n’ Wild Photofocus Concealer, $3.99
Coverage: 2/5
Creasing: 2/5
Look: 2/5
Shade Range: 2/5
Overall: 2/5
I really wanted this to work out. There’s nothing I love more than a good, inexpensive concealer and as the least expensive product on my list, I was rooting for Wet n’ Wild. However, it was overall very forgettable. I had a similar issue with this one as I did with the Maybelline one, and there wasn’t a shade light enough for my skin and this undertone makes me look a little sickly. If they expand their shade range I’ll give it another go simply because of the price and the fact that I don’t know if I can really evaluate it with a shade that’s so far off.
3. Makeup Revolution Conceal and Define Full-Coverage Concealer, $7.00
Coverage: 4/5
Creasing: 1/5
Look: 2/5
Shade Range: 5/5
Overall: 3/5
With a whopping 50 shades, Makeup Revolution did not come to play. While the shade range and coverage were great, I unfortunately found that this concealer *doesn’t* wear well at all. At the ripe old age of 19, I have relatively few fine lines and wrinkles for my makeup to settle into — and yet this product found a way. With the stellar price point, it’s worth trying out, but it wasn’t for me.
4. Catrice Liquid Camouflage Concealer, $5.99
Coverage: 3/5
Creasing: 4/5
Look: 4/5
Shade Range: 1/5
Overall: 4/5
Now this shade range is just embarrassing. Many drugstore brands have never been very inclusive in their shade ranges, however, Catrice has taken it to a new level. With only four shades that don’t extend past a very light tan, there is absolutely nothing for deeper skin tones there. Oddly enough, the shades they have don’t go very light either and the undertones on the existing shades are, frankly, odd. Do better, Catrice. However, I can’t say that this didn’t wear perfectly throughout even the longest days.
5. Colourpop No Filter Matte Concealer, $6.00
Coverage: 4/5
Creasing: 5/5
Look: 5/5
Shade Range: 4/5
Overall: 5/5
Colourpop really came for our necks with their shade range, and I couldn’t be happier. While Makeup Revolution far surpassed them, Colourpop currently has a whooping 30 shades in their lineup. Personally this is my winner. As someone with a very fair complexion, I honestly gave up on finding a concealer that is going to match my skin tone — let alone highlight my undereyes — that won’t add ten years to my face or take a full day’s paycheck out of my wallet. Hats off to you, Colourpop!
Get ready to pull all-nighters in peace, colliegettes!