Credit: Sarah Allard
Our eyes are the biggest giveaway when we haven't had enough beauty sleep (damn those dark circles!). We test 11 concealers under £10 so next time you need an under-eye fix you'll be looking wide awake in no time!
Don’t you just hate the way that no matter how hard you try, your eyes are always the first thing to give you away when you’ve had a bad night’s sleep?
From the moment you wake up, getting your peepers to look awake is a bit of a struggle, especially when all you feel like doing is climbing back into bed. And don’t even get us started on those that dare utter ‘Oh you look tired today!’
Well enough is enough, we’re tired of looking tired and it’s time to give that under-eye area and those pesky dark circles a bit of a lift! With so many concealers out there, it can be a little overwhelming about which one to go for, and we definitely don’t fancy spending loads of money to find the right one for us.
That’s why we’ve been busy bees testing 11 popular concealers (all under £10 too, phew!) so that next time you’re at the shops, you’ll know which one to reach for when you need a little help in the ‘looking wide awake’ department.
Is there a concealer you use that we haven’t mentioned? We’d love to hear about it in the comments box below!
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Good Things Instant Dark Circles Concealer – £5.99
Our tester Tara said: I really like the metal roller ball applicator, but that’s only because it tricks me into thinking that the concealer will reduce puffiness around my eyes. The concealer itself is runny and doesn’t have very good coverage. I really didn’t like the raspberry and lychee scent – it smells a bit fake.
It’s more of a cream than a concealer, I don’t think this would become a staple in my make-up bag.
Score: 2/5
Buy it here
Click or tap to zoom into this image
2true 3 In 1 Concealer – £1.99
Cheapest!
Our tester Jess said: I found this concealer to be quite thick so you only need to use one little dab. It was really easy to apply but too thick to spread with the applicator. It did blend well into my skin with my finger although there were a few creases. I’d say it lasted about 5-7 hours and didn’t find it that weather-proof.
The concealer provided a good base layer for my foundation and kept it in place. It would have been nice if the packaging had some intructions on how to use it I think!
Score: 2.5/5
Buy it here
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Bourjois Touche Healthy Mix Brush Concealer – £6.99
Our tester Rosie said: This was really easy to apply with a soft brush that was gentle on my little peepers! I like quite a lot of coverage and the texture was too thin for me – it did slightly brighten the area but I could still see my big dark circles.
It did go on smoothly though, and it didn’t crease, so if you like lighter coverage this could be for you! I reckon it stayed on for half a day too…
Score: 3/5
Buy it here
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Seventeen Phwoarr Paint – £5.49
Our tester Lissa said: This provided very good coverage (if not a little on the thick side), and it would be great for all day under-eye coverage. The pot was small so it was really easy to keep in my handbag. I don’t think I’d pay more than around £5.50 for this as it wasn’t the best concealer I’ve ever used, but not bad value for money!
I’d perhaps use this during the day but a more expensive concealer at night.
Score: 3.5/5
Buy it here
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Max Factor Master Touch Under Eye Concealer – £7.99
Our tester Jenny said: I really liked this concealer pen – it was easy to use as you twist the tube, bringing the liquid concealer up onto a nice, soft padded applicator allowing you to spread the make up easily under your eyes, without having to use your fingers. The concealer itself is a nice consistency and blends evenly, covering up the dark circles under my eyes.
Great value, it made me look less tired (although a little dry by the end of the day so I’d perhaps add some moisturiser). It lasted all day too!
Score: 3.5/5
Buy it here
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Barry M Imperfection Correction Concealer Pen – £5.99
Our tester Charlotte said: This was really easy to apply with good coverage too. It didn’t feel too heavy and it didn’t sit in my wrinkles either! A good Touche Éclat replacement. It needed topping up after an hour or so but yes, I’d say very good value for money and I would use it every day.
Score: 3.5/5
Buy it here
Click or tap to zoom into this image
B.Radiant BB Under Eye Concealer – £7.99
Our tester Anna said: Easy to apply, quite creamy and with good coverage, but I needed to blend, blend, blend to stop it from being too visible. It does have nice eye-brightening pigments. It hid my dark circles but also creased slightly, maybe a little too much.
I’d use this again but mixed with some eye cream to smooth it!
Score: 4/5
Buy it here
Click or tap to zoom into this image
L’Oreal Lumi Magique Stylo Touche De Lumiére – £8.49
Most expensive!
Our tester Clare said: Although initially thinking the concealer would be too dark for my skin tone (it looked a bit orange when it came out of the tube), it was a very good match and looked a lot lighter once applied. The applicator was exactly the same as the more expensive Touche Éclat and effortless to apply. I did have to put a little more on than usual to cover dark circles but it lasted most of the day (although may need topping up on a hot day as it wasn’t overly thick).
I think this was great value for money and I would definitely buy it again!
Score: 4/5
Buy it here
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Collection Illuminating Touch Brightening Concealer – £3.99
Our tester Ellie said: For the price I think this is a really good concealer. It blends well, hides dark circles and had a nice texture (thick but not too cakey) in an easy to apply tube. It lasted half a day so you’d only need to touch up once.
This was just as good as other more expensive brands I’ve tried!
Score: 4/5
Buy it here
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Rimmel Match Perfection Skin Tone Adapting Concealer – £5.99
Our tester Sarah said: I was really pleased with how easy this concealer was to apply – just squeeze the tube and dab on with the little soft brush! The colour was very natural and the texture was smooth, going on easily. It covered my dark circles but did fade a little throughout the day, but a little touch up did the job and it didn’t crease either!
Really great value for money.
Score: 4.5
Buy it here
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer – £6.99
goodtoknow fave!
Our tester Gemma said: I thought this concealer was really good! The texture was a nice consistency, it was really light-reflecting and covered dark circles really well. The brush could have been a little softer. I also noticed that about 10 minutes after applying the concealer had settled into some fine creases under my eyes, but after blending again lightly with my finger it stayed put for the rest of the day.
I’d use this every day – it really brightened up my eyes!
Score: 5/5
Buy it here
Where to next?