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We’ve all been there: You have an important work event, wedding, or date, and a pimple rises to the surface. The best concealer for men provides a practical solution to this age-old problem — if you’re brave enough to use it. We get it: men aren’t “supposed” to wear makeup, or so many of us have been told since birth. But thanks to social media, we’re all constantly on display, and a lot more of us are waking up to the fact that gender norms are overly rigid, arbitrary, and totally optional. So, if you want to dab on a little concealer to cover up acne, blemishes, dark circles, or just even out your complexion, then more power to you.
To find the best concealer for men, we tried a selection of different products. Some of the picks below were designed specifically for men, while others are traditionally marketed to women. Cosmetic products like tinted moisturiser or sunscreen can be used daily, while other concealers are made for emergency cover-ups. Let's dive in.
SKIP TO: How to use concealer for men
The best concealer for men, at a glance:
- Best overall concealer: Horace Concealer for Men, £19
- Best concealer for dark circles: GentleHomme Concealer Stick with brush, £19.99
- Best concealer stick: Stryx Concealer Stick Tool for Men, £36.71
- Best traditional concealer: e.l.f. 16HR Camo Concealer, £7
Best overall concealer for men: Horace
Horace is a French skincare brand that uses as many natural ingredients as possible in its formulas, and it makes a discrete concealer with a matte finish. Unlike some of the other concealers we tried, the product doesn't shine, providing a subtle camouflage for blemishes and dark circles. While you have seven different color options, it doesn't come with an applicator, but you can blend the product with your finger or a Q-tip in a pinch.
Best concealer for dark circles: Gentlehomme
Concealer Stick with Brush
GentleHomme's concealer was a close runner-up for the best overall spot. It's a unique product with a concealer on one end and a fine-haired makeup brush on the other. We liked that the concealer is about the size of a penny: the wider diameter makes it easier to apply to dark circles in particular. The built-in brush here lives under a cap, and it quickly blends the concealer into the surrounding skin. Although we recommend this as the best concealer for dark circles, it did have a very slight shine upon close inspection, which is why it's in the runner-up spot.
Best concealer stick: Stryx
Concealer Stick Tool for Men
Concealer sticks are a great thing to keep on hand, since they're practical tools for quick coverups. The Stryx pen was made for men's skin, and it's easy to use — even for cosmetic newbies.
Best traditional concealer: e.l.f. Cosmetics
This concealer brush costs just £7, and it's a good option for makeup beginners — e.l.f. Cosmetics is a brand that's well known for its affordable and reliable beauty products. This concealer lives up to its name, providing all-day coverage that won't require constant touchups, even if you start to sweat. You can also choose from over a dozen colour options. The colour will likely seem too light at first, but it blends surprisingly well once you spread it out. Crucially, it has a true matte finish.
More concealers we love…
Glossier
Stretch Concealer
A buildable corrector that covers everything from dark circles to blemishes and redness, Glossier's ‘Stretch’ concealer is pretty much undetectable and encourages a natural-looking finish
Tom Ford
Concealer For Men
Designed to help camouflage redness, blemishes, under-eye circles, or razor nicks, this practical twist-up-stick delivers natural-looking coverage and has been formulated to seamlessly blend into the skin as it hides the imperfections.
Yves Saint Laurent
Beauty Touche Eclat High Cover Radiant Concealer
This updated version of the original Touche Eclat, ‘High Cover’, is more masc-friendly than its shimmery forebear, and as the name would suggest, has been designed to offer even greater coverage.
How to use concealer for men
Before we get into step-by-step instructions, let’s cover the basics. If you’ve never applied a cosmetic product like this before, don’t be intimidated: it just takes a little practice. You can also find a world of advice on YouTube and TikTok, or by asking your more makeup-savvy friends. First, as with any job, you need the right tools. Some concealers come with a brush built into the product; others require a makeup brush or sponge to properly apply. You’ll also need some type of cleansing balm or wipe to remove concealer at the end of the day, for the sake of your pores. Note: since concealer is a waterproof product, regular facial cleansers won't be enough.
Your first assignment is to pick a concealer that matches your skin tone. Don’t just look at the skin on your face, either. Look at the colour of your palms and the inside of your arms. If you’re covering up dark circles, you’ll want to err on the side of a lighter tone (but not too light). Once your concealer arrives, gently pat or rub a small amount of the product to the desired area. Then, using a makeup brush or sponge, gently pat it into place. Keep going until the product blends into your skin. You can also use a tinted moisturiser or sunscreen instead of concealer. This provides an all-over coverup and evens out the skin tone of your entire face. Use a conservative amount of product at first, and build from there.
