This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase (at no cost to you!)
Whether you want to cover up a zit, or just want to brighten up your under-eye area, a concealer is a must-have makeup product in any routine but, which is the best drugstore concealer for oily skin?
As self-confessed makeup obsessives, we tested quite an extensive range of concealers in our time. From the cheapest options at the drugstore to the most expensive products — we’ve tried (almost) them all.
After trialing all of these products, we think we have a pretty good grasp on what concealers are worth your hard-earned money and which ones you can leave on the shelf.
If you want to get your hands on the very best concealers for your oily skin type, here are some of the ones we would recommend.
What to Look For in Drugstore Concealer
Just because a concealer is from the drugstore, it doesn’t mean that you should expect anything less than the products that are double, triple, or even quadruple their price.
When we’re looking at concealers, there are a few main factors that we’re mentally ranking; coverage, lasting power, and finish. If a product’s scores were high in all of these areas, we’re onto a winner!
Concealer coverage
Coverage is quite a subjective topic when it comes to concealers. Not everyone wants to use a super heavy coverage concealer on their face. Equally, you don’t want to try and cover up a spot with a concealer that has next to no coverage.
Everyone has a different preference when it comes to concealer. We personally like a medium to full coverage concealer as we usually use a lightweight foundation so need to follow up with something that packs a bit more of a punch to disguise the appearance of redness, acne, or dark under-eye circles.
Concealer lasting power
No matter what coverage concealer you are using, you want it to last all day rather than slipping all over the place and allowing your blemishes to peek through after a couple of hours of wear.
A lot of concealers will need to be set down with some sort of powder for optimal longevity, which is something we’re totally ok with — but extra points if it sets itself down and can be left to do its own thing without having to rely on a powder to hold it in place.
Concealer finish
The last thing we’re looking at is the finish of the concealer. Again, this is something that will ultimately come down to preference on whether you like something that is completely matte or slightly dewy.
Whatever finish you prefer, you want it to look good. For us this means, no creasing or caking, no disruption when used together with other makeup products, no oxidizing, and no flaking.
The Best Drugstore Concealer for Oily Skin: Our Top 10 Picks
Here at Volumes of Beauty, we love a drugstore concealer. In fact, many of the concealers that we reach for on a daily basis can be found at the drugstore for a reasonable price.
If you have oily skin and want to find a concealer that works for you, look no further than our top 10 picks below.
Maybelline New York Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer – $10.99
The Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer may be one of the most iconic concealers in the drugstore — for good reason. The concealer provides the perfect amount of coverage to disguise dark under-eye circles and cover up any imperfections or redness that your foundation wasn’t able to.
Although this concealer is predominately aimed for use on the under-eye area, it can easily be used all across the face. The formula is extremely lightweight; never looking too dry or cakey, which makes it perfect for people with oily skin who may worry about enhancing their pores with a high-coverage concealer.
NYX Professional Makeup Bare With Me Serum Concealer – $11.00
If you want a lightweight and blendable liquid concealer that’s going to be able to cover up dark circles and blemishes, the NYX professional makeup Bare With Me Serum is a great option.
Despite its thinner consistency, it effortlessly camouflages any patches of discoloration. The concealer is infused with a range of nourishing ingredients that will hydrate your skin throughout the day and refresh your complexion.
e.l.f. 16 Hour Camo Concealer – $7.00
If a full-coverage concealer is more your thing, you are going to fall in love with the e.l.f. 16-hour Camo Concealer as soon as your first use it.
This matte concealer offers serious coverage which, you would think, would dry out the skin and make it look cakey — but you’d be completely wrong. This concealer creates a smooth and airbrushed effect on the skin, perfect for those who want to achieve a flawless and shine-free complexion.
Maybelline New York Fit Me! Liquid Concealer Makeup – $7.49
Maybelline really knows how to do it when it comes to base products that offer coverage and a natural finish. The oil-free concealer that made it onto this post is the Fit Me! Liquid Concealer.
One of the nicest hydrating formulas you’ll find in the drugstore, this medium-coverage concealer has a lovely creamy texture and provides just the right amount of coverage to hide any imperfections you may have.
Neutrogena Skinclearing Blemish Concealer – £10.69
If you have acne-prone skin and are looking for medium-coverage concealers for oily skin that offer a flawless complexion while fighting the causes of acne, this is the concealer you need.
The Neutrogena skin-clearing blemish concealer contains salicylic acid, an important ingredient in battling blemishes. Like other creamy concealers, you can wear this as both a foundation and a concealer.
The natural finish will look like you’re not even wearing makeup, just that you have naturally flawless skin.
Covergirl truBLEND Undercover Concealer – $7.99
Do you ever struggle to find the best concealer that has buildable coverage and perfectly matches your skin tone? The Covergirl truBLEND concealer is a lightweight concealer with a natural finish that effortlessly blends into your skin.
You can say goodbye to any imperfections as this concealer can cover dark circles and any blemishes that you’d rather stay hidden away.
FLOWER Beauty Get Real Concealer – $11.99
From one of my favorite drugstore beauty brands, the FLOWER Beauty Concealer is a matte finish coverage that is highly pigmented and offers complete coverage that will work with a good range of skin types.
This product offers surprisingly natural-looking coverage, despite it being pretty pigmented. We love this, particularly for brightening up the under-eye area for a lifted look.
e.l.f. Flawless Brightening Concealer – $6.00
e.l.f is such a good brand that two of their products have made it onto this list. Their Flawless Brightening Concealer may not sound like it would be the most ideal for oily acne-prone skin, but this celebrity makeup artist-approved product is great.
This product works best when it conceals dark circles, but it can also cover acne and acne scars to give flawless skin to all skin tones. It’s a cruelty-free concealer that definitely deserves its spot on the best concealer at the drugstore list.
Revlon PhotoReady Candid Antioxidant Concealer – $8.99
Revlon may have been flying under the radar recently, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have some hidden gem products that are well worth your attention. You can apply their Candid Concealer to any dark spots or skin imperfections as it covers blemishes flawlessly with a natural matte finish.
Full of skin-loving ingredients, this doesn’t crease or look cakey throughout the day so you can be sure that it will look just as good in the evening as it did when you put it on in the morning.
Makeup Revolution Beauty Conceal & Define Concealer – $7.00
Known for making dupes of the most popular makeup products, the Makeup Revolution Beauty Conceal & Define Concealer can be compared to Tarte’s famous shape tape.
Suitable for sensitive skin and dry skin, this concealer offers medium coverage that can cover up acne and other skin imperfections. Even if you don’t typically wear concealer, you will fall in love with this product.
Should You Use a Full Coverage Concealer for Acne Prone Skin?
If you are looking for the best concealers for oily skin, you will probably be quite wary of the products you put on your skin. You don’t want any liquid concealers that are going to be too irritating or that could trigger any acne.
We’d recommend looking for concealers that contain hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid in a nice creamy formula. Although you may want to stay away from dewy products, if you do use something that works to absorb excess oil — like a stick concealer — you may be emphasizing your texture and pores even more.
The best drugstore concealer for oily skin would be an oil-free liquid concealer that contains skin-loving ingredients that will hydrate your skin, smooth your skin, and cover any imperfections.
How to Pick A Concealer Shade for Your Skin Tone
Everyone needs the right concealer to keep in their makeup bag, so it’s important to choose a color that’s going to match your skin tone.
As a rule of thumb, the best concealer for your under-eye area is one that’s a shade lighter than your skin tone. This will work to brighten up your under eyes and make you look more awake.
For natural coverage around the rest of your face, try to find a shade that’s almost an exact match to your skin tone. Check what undertones (warm, cool, or neutral) you are, and shop around for the perfect cream concealer accordingly.
You may also see different colored concealers, like green concealer. These are used for covering up different colors that you can find on your face. For example, a green concealer can counteract redness, and a peachy concealer can help to camouflage the purple tones that you often find in dark circles.
The bottom line
The drugstore is home to a variety of incredible concealers, many of which are perfect for people with oily skin.
Once you know what kind of product you’re looking for, what undertone your skin is, and how much coverage you need, we’re sure you’ll be looking camouflaged and flawless in no time.
What do you think is the best drugstore concealer for oily skin?
