Beauty lab Under-eye concealers
Each month, our beauty team tests the newest products to see what reigns supreme. Here, Kate Pasola’s dark circles finally meet their match...
PS My Perfect Colour Ultra Longwear Concealer, £2.50
Occasionally, Primark’s beauty section launches a surprise hero. This is not one of those occasions. Enragingly sheer with no chance of battling bags, and only available in eight barely distinguishable shades, this concealer needs to take a long, hard look at itself. Save your £2.50 for a Greggs – it’ll probably bring you more joy.
Shiseido Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Concealer, £29
Nerdy names like the above usually set products up for a fall, but Shiseido’s latest is as advanced as it sounds: a masterful combination of blurring coverage and forgiving dewiness. Banished were my self-conscious touch-ups. It boasts the signifier of a decent concealer – when not only the imperfection disappears, but the evidence of wearing make-up does, too. And you can roll your eyes at the name all you like – your concealer still won’t budge an inch.
Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer, £32
This chic, skyscraper-esque packaging makes the tedious task of hiding dark circles feel indulgent; the doe-foot applicator sweeping on product with the elegance of a swan’s feather. Those with oilier eye areas might consider this a winner, as the product holds tight as promised. But for me
– a chronically dry-faced individual – the high pigment levels left things feeling chalky.
Maybelline SuperStay Concealer, £9.99
As far as mid-range concealers go, this one’s impressive: creamy and malleable on application, before transforming into a dark-circle shield when it dries. You’ll need to prep your skin properly first with a good eye cream (it’s not particularly moisturising), but carefully applied, this one comes through with the goods. It claims to last for 24 hours – I’d say it’s more like 14 hours (with maintenance), but frankly, those extra 10 should be dedicated to sleeping anyway.
Benefit Boi-ing Cakeless Concealer, £18.50
Heartbreakingly cute packaging aside, this concealer is the glowiest of its peers, which makes for a satisfying application. Sadly, its cake-free claims didn’t stand up, even when it was applied sparingly. Great if you’re hiding dark circles, less so if your undereyes have the slightest propensity to crease – mine did before I even had the chance to reach for setting powder.
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye, £25
In some ways, this one behaves slightly like an unfortunate romcom protagonist
– it’s intense AF, stubborn and kind of tacky. But if you build it in thin layers and set everything with a little powder, it’ll look after you all day long. Plus, it’s available in 24 shades – could this be love?