18 Top Concealers That Will Look Amazing on Your Dry Skin

Concealer can be a major savior if you’re trying to hide a new zit or cover up under-eye bags and dark circles. But if you suffer from dry skin, it can be a little tricky to use. When your skin lacks moisture, it can get stuck in creases and cake around the areas you were trying to conceal, seemingly highlighting your imperfections. So, what gives? If you’re frustrated by the way your concealer looks halfway through the day, there are three major culprits that could be contributing to your look: the concealer you’re using, your skincare products, and your application technique.

Choosing the Right Concealer for Your Skin Type

While you might have a skincare regimen for treating dry skin, if you really want to ensure your concealer stays put, it’s crucial to reach for a concealer specifically formulated for your skin type. “Concealer generally gets cakey when it has a high powder content that aggressively absorbs the oils in your skin,” says Jenny Patinkin, a New York City-based makeup artist. Creamy formulas loaded with hydrating ingredients, like hyaluronic acid and vitamin E, can make a major difference on whether or not your concealer keeps up with your day.

Not only is the formula you reach for very important, but the beauty products you use to prep your skin can also play a part in creating a flawless face. Patinkin advises against only using a water-based eye cream because it can “evaporate over the course of the day.” When that happens, your eye concealer starts to sink into fine lines and creases. The worst! In order to prevent this from happening, seal in your beauty products with a little facial oil, which you can do as the last step in your skincare routine, (after you apply serum, moisturizer and SPF), right before you start applying makeup. “Using an oil-based moisturizer, or just an oil under the eyes, keeps the area looking silky,” Patinkin says.

Ultimately, less is (oftentimes) more. If you’re still noticing creases, overapplication may be your culprit. Start with a tiny amount and build up as needed. Patinkin also notes to “dab and not drag,” using a brush, makeup sponge, or your ring figure. That said, if you still struggle with applying concealer to dry skin, rest assured you’re not at a dead-end! Regardless of your skin type, or whether you’re trying to cover-up discoloration or hyperpigmentation, you deserve a nourishing and effective multitasking formula to get the job done. Fellow Ipsters, our own writers, and medical aesthetician Cassandra Bankson, offer up even more tips and the 18 most effective product recs below.

1. BEST ANTI-AGING CONCEALER FOR DRY SKIN:

IT COSMETICS Bye Bye Under Eye Anti-Aging Concealer

Price: $$
Shade Range: 24
Finish: Soft Matte
Coverage: Full

Get your color correct on and start creating those makeup looks you love with confidence! Finding a hydrating concealer is especially important if you want to reduce signs of aging (like fine lines and wrinkles) around the eye area. Instead of having your concealer crease, opt for this Sephora favorite. It’s a full-coverage, blendable liquid concealer that’s packed with hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture, and collagen and peptides to plump and smooth for a brighter under-eye area. Ipster @bamazing_grace has a great tip worth trying: “The concealer works so well and can double as a foundation in a pinch. Excellent coverage!”

2. BEST DARK CIRCLE CONCEALER FOR DRY SKIN:

MAYBELLINE NEW YORK Instant Age Rewind® Concealer

There’s a reason this affordable concealer is a top seller in the country (it’s literally one of the most popular options on the market). And it’s not just the less-painful price tag. Instant Age Rewind Concealer is stellar for brightening under-eye circles without settling into fine lines. It’s also lightweight and buildable, going from medium coverage to full coverage with ease. It’s long-lasting too—up to 12 hours—so there’s no need to reapply. And the sponge applicator? A great bonus.

3. BEST LUXE CONCEALER FOR DRY SKIN:

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

Price: $$
Shade Range: 30
Finish: Radiant
Coverage: Medium

Those with especially dry skin often look for a creamy, luminous concealer over a matte option. It can be found with this NARS best-seller, which leaves skin looking dewy. The medium coverage, buildable concealer has hydrating skincare benefits, as well as light-diffusing technology to minimize the look of fine lines and dark circles. Hello, brightening concealer, goodbye dark spots! Oh, and it’s long-lasting too: up to 16 hours!

4. BEST INGREDIENT-RICH CONCEALER FOR DRY SKIN:

CHARLOTTE TILBURY Magic Away Concealer

Price: $$
Shade Range: 21
Finish: Matte
Coverage: Full

Makeup artist CHARLOTTE TILBURY might be best known for her your-lips-but-better lippies but don’t dismiss this full-coverage, hydrating concealer. It contains Persian Silk tree bark extract to smooth the under-eye area, palmitoyl glycine to help reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles, and extract of Wild Indigo for brightening. The coverage is full without being cakey.

5. BEST WATERPROOF CONCEALER FOR DRY SKIN:

L'ORĖAL PARIS Infallible Full Wear Concealer

Price: $
Shade Range: 25
Finish: Matte
Coverage: Full

This concealer proves you don’t have to spend a lot of money to nail a full-coverage, waterproof look. Fans go crazy for the matte finish that actually goes on creamy, so it doesn’t settle into dry, textured areas. A little goes a long way here, so to keep the under-eye area from looking cakey, use only a dot of concealer and build up from there.

6. MOST BUDGET-FRIENDLY CONCEALER FOR DRY SKIN:

E.L.F. Hydrating Camo Concealer

Price: $
Shade Range: 25
Finish: Satin
Coverage: Full

Speaking of not spending a lot of money, E.L.F. 's ultra-popular hydrating concealer is a known dupe for many higher-end versions. It’s that good. The satin-but-full-coverage finish is rare and very, very pretty on all skin types. It’s easy to find your perfect shade, too, because Hydrating Camo Concealer takes into account your undertones.

7. BEST FOR ALL-OVER COVERAGE CONCEALER FOR DRY SKIN:

TARTE™ Double Duty Beauty™ Shape Tape™ Concealer

Price: $$
Shade Range: 25
Finish: Matte
Coverage: Full

If you’re looking for the holy grail of concealers, look no further than this full-coverage formula that’s like Houdini in a bottle. Not only will it erase dark circles and blemishes, leaving you with a flawless complexion, but it also hydrates and nourishes your skin—thanks to shea butter, mango seed butter, and licorice root extract. Apply it all over the face as contour or highlight. Looking for a formula even better for dryness? TARTE released a more hydrating version of its iconic concealer: Shape Tape Ultra Creamy Concealer.

8. BEST FILTER-LIKE CONCEALER FOR DRY SKIN:

LAURA MERCIER Flawless Fusion Ultra-Longwear Concealer

Price: $$
Shade Range: 22
Finish: Natural
Coverage: Medium/Full

Those looking for a concealer that blurs instead of settles into fine lines will love this medium-to-full coverage option with what the brand calls, “Blurring Powder Blend.” It diffuses light, creating a soft-focus effect that resembles a beauty filter. And even though it stays hydrating all day, the formula is oil-free and never creases.

9. BEST WORKOUT-FRIENDLY CONCEALER FOR DRY SKIN:

OXYGENETIX Oxygenating Concealer

Price: $$$
Shade Range: 9
Finish: Natural
Coverage: Full

This rich, breathable formula is the latest addition to OXYGENETIX’s critically acclaimed line of face products. Following in the footsteps of the brand’s doctor-recommended oxygenating foundation, its concealer is sweat and transfer-resistant, while designed for water resistance up to 90 minutes. It provides full-coverage without irritation or clogging pores.

10. BEST CRAYON FORMULA CONCEALER FOR DRY SKIN:

TRÈSTIQUE Mini Concealer Crayon

Price: $$
Shade Range: 7
Finish: Natural
Coverage: Full

If you’re looking for a concealer that can keep up with your lifestyle, look no further than this hydrating, camouflaging option that can easily fit in your clutch or gym bag for a quick touch-up. It offers medium-to-full, buildable coverage in a creamy, coconut oil-infused formula that provides much-needed moisture. “My favorite concealer ever. It's so quick to use walking out the door to school or work,” says one Ipster. “I love this for on-the-go concealing,” says another.

11. BEST HIGHLIGHTING CONCEALER FOR DRY SKIN:

MORPHE Fluidity Full-Coverage Concealer

Price: $
Shade Range: 21
Finish: Matte
Coverage: Full

If you’re looking for a concealer that can do both (as in camouflaging and highlighting), look no further than this IPSY favorite that offers hydrating, buildable coverage that won’t cake or crease. It serves up sweatproof, water-resistant coverage that lasts up to 16 hours and conceals redness, dark circles, and pimples. Ipsters love the way it covers up “redness” and leaves a natural finish. “Perfect consistency and fantastic coverage. This can be applied flawlessly without leaving a textured or unnatural appearance,” says one Ipster.

12. BEST CLEAN BEAUTY CONCEALER FOR DRY SKIN:

ITEM BEAUTY Air Hug Concealer

Price: $$
Shade Range: 20
Finish: Natural
Coverage: Medium/Full

Addison Rae’s foray into the beauty world hasn’t disappointed, with a slew of effective products that are also cruelty-free, paraben-free, and phthalate-free. If you’re looking for a clean, creamy concealer that will moisturize your complexion and won’t stress your skin, look no further than this good-for-you formula that conceals redness, breakouts, and dark circles. It’s medium-to-full coverage, super creamy, and it won’t crease, cake, or fade away throughout your day. If it can withstand Rae’s signature moves, it’s certainly worth a try in our book.

13. BEST CONCEALER FOR DRY SKIN THAT DOESN’T CREASE WITH LINES/CROWS FEET:

KOSAS Revealer Concealer

Price: $$
Shade Range: 28
Finish: Natural
Coverage: Medium

This super creamy formula is crease-proof and can be used all over the face, to cover imperfections, and even as an undereye concealer—no touch ups needed. “For dry, sensitive skin, finding a concealer that doesn’t settle into dry patches or irritate the skin further seems impossible,” Bankson says. “But Kosas has done it with this formula. I love that it contains peptides, caffeine, and pink algae.”

14. BEST CONCEALER FOR DRY, ACNE-PRONE SKIN:

BAREMINERALS Blemish Rescue™ Skin-Clearing Spot Concealer

Price: $$
Shade Range: 9
Finish: Natural
Coverage: Full

This non-drying spot concealer has an array of acne-fighting ingredients, including salicylic acid, licorice, zinc, sulfur, and kaolin clay. It has a silky lightweight texture that doesn’t dry out the skin. “This formula feels super lightweight, which I love,” Bankson says. “I’ve used it to cover up blemishes alone, and I’ve worn it under foundation.”

15. BEST CONCEALER TO AVOID FLASHBACK IN PHOTOS ON DRY SKIN:

KVD BEAUTY Good Apple Lightweight Full Coverage Concealer

Price: $$
Shade Range: 32
Finish: Natural
Coverage: Full

This formula is lightweight and non-drying. “It’s perfect for photo opportunities like holidays, graduations, head shots, or social media content creation,” Bankson says. “This is a full-coverage concealer that helps you look camera ready, but it’s also feather-light on the skin. If you’re tired of flashing back in photos, or having lines and creases accentuate dry skin, this concealer is a must.” Added bonus? The product hydrates with raspberry stem cells and apple extract, but doesn’t make the skin look greasy.

16. BEST CONCEALER TO COVER SCARS ON DRY SKIN:

WANDER BEAUTY Dualist Matte and Illuminating Concealer

Price: $$
Shade Range: 18
Finish: Natural
Coverage: Full

“This concealer has a mattifying and an illuminating side, but don’t be fooled by the magnifying crayon/stick,” Bankson says. “This is a thick formula that can be used to cover the most purple, red, or brown scars, as well as fill in any extreme divots or ice pick scar holes in the skin.” The illuminating side of the concealer is best for all over the face, as well as any areas that you want to draw attention to, such as the cheekbones, taking away attention from any scarring. It also layers well under foundation, meaning that even if you have scars, this concealer covers, conceals texture, and works great for dry skin.

17. BEST CONCEALER TO COVER ROSACEA ON DRY SKIN:

ERBORIAN USA CC Red Correct

Price: $$$
Shade Range: 1
Finish: Natural
Coverage: Sheer

If you struggle with redness, flushing, and irritation, the ERBORIAN redness concealer will be your new best friend. This color corrector has a slightly green tint that melts into skin, concealing and neutralizing redness so that it can’t be seen. This offers SPF 25 as well, which not only protects the skin from the damage of sun rays, but can prevent flushing from the sun for people who are prone to rosacea or sensitive to the UV rays. This Korean formula is also enriched with Centella Asiatica, which helps hydrate and boost the skin’s radiance. “From boosting radiance to covering color—without drying you out—this concealer has the ingredients as well as the performance to deliver,” Bankson says.

18. BEST BUILDABLE CREAM CONCEALER FOR DRY SKIN:

LAWLESS BEAUTY Conseal the Deal Concealer

Price: $$
Shade Range: 20
Finish: Natural
Coverage: Medium/Full

“If I want a matte finish without looking or feeling dry, I use Lawless Beauty’s Conseal the Deal,” Bankson says. “It has an amazing antioxidant complex with flower extracts and caffeine that nourishes dry skin yet covers blemishes and dark circles.” The formula is buildable and self-setting, meaning no powder is needed. It can be used over a moisturizer and sunscreen, or on its own. It also provides a mattefied look without overly dehydrating the skin. Pro suggestion from Bankson? “Because it's buildable, you can spot treat a little bit on the face,” she says. “Or you can generously use it to get coverage comparable to a foundation.

Want to swoop up some of these concealer recs on your own? Get the IPSY Glam Bag and join in on the fun! Take our Beauty Quiz now to get started. Already an Ipster? Refer your friends to earn points, which you can use toward products. Either way, don’t forget to check us out on Instagram and Twitter @IPSY.

Like this article? Share it with your friends by clicking the icons below!