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Which ingredients to look for, and which to stay away from.
Danielle Fontana Dooley
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Acne is, among other colorful adjectives, frustrating. While covering up the redness and blemishes with a heavy concealer seems like an easy, albeit temporary, fix, certain formulas can actually be doing more harm than good beneath the surface, and can end up setting us back on our clear-skin journeys.To find out which concealers are safe—and in certain cases, encouraged—to be used on blemish-prone skin, we turned to the experts to find out the best concealers for acne.
Featured Experts
- Julie Russak, MD is a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
- Lee Ann Klausner, MD is a facial plastic surgeon based in New York City
- Shereene Idriss, MD is a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
Ingredients to Look For
When shopping for the best concealers for acne, be sure to scan the ingredient lists for some key ingredients. Lucky for us, more and more concealers spiked with potent skin-care ingredients are hitting shelves, and some of them are even tailored to help spot treat blemishes.
New York dermatologist Julie Russak, MD recommends acne-prone patients to look for a concealer containing salicylic acid, a proven anti-inflammatory that works to clear up congested pores. New York dermatologist Shereene Idriss, MD says to keep an eye out for oil-absorbing ingredients when shopping for a concealer, including zinc oxide, kaolin clay, sulfur or a gentle AHA/BHA complex.
Ingredients to Avoid
When scanning a concealer’s ingredient list, Dr. Russak says to stay away from formulas that contain mica, silicones and oils, as these may exasperate existing issues. More ingredients to scan for and avoid, according to Dr. Idriss: “Fatty alcohols such as cetyl acetate and Cetearyl alcohol, and certain oils like coconut oil, and lanolin.”
“If you’re not someone who is into reading ingredient lists, then stick to products that are marketed as oil-free and/or non-comedogenic,” adds Dr. Idriss.
Expert-Approved Picks
1 / 10
Colorescience Mineral Corrector Palette SPF 20 ($59)
New York facial plastic surgeon Lee Ann Klausner, MD gives her stamp of approval to this concealer palette, which she says “helps to cover a variety of colors that may be seen with acne and acne blemishes.”
2 / 10
Erno Laszlo Limited Edition Shake-It Tinted Treatment ($56)
Dr. Russak says she uses this iconic shake-then-apply treatment herself. It absorbs oil instantly and creates a confident, super-soft finish.
3 / 10
Yves Saint Laurent All Hours Creaseless Precise Angles Concealer ($39)
For a covers-everything formula that won’t budge even on the hottest summer day, Dr. Russak also recommends this aptly named concealer that stays put for hours.
4 / 10
Dermablend Quick-Fix Full Coverage Concealer Stick ($29)
Dr. Idriss calls this formula a favorite. Noncomedogenic and sensitive skin–tested, this stick formula offers serious yet breathable coverage you can use anywhere.
5 / 10
Glo Skin Beauty Oil-Free Camouflage Concealer ($35)
Free from oils, talc and sulfates, this kind-to-skin concealer is buildable enough to spot treat single pimples or cover a frustrating acne flare up.
6 / 10
Tower 28 Beauty Swipe All-Over Hydrating Serum Concealer ($22)
Formulated more like skin care than makeup, this silicone-free serum formula is noncomedogenic, fragrance-free and made with ingredients like hydrating hyaluronic acid and calming centella asiatica leaf extract.
7 / 10
Saie Slip Tint Radiant All-Over Concealer with Niacinamide ($28)
Forget chalky concealers that only accentuate pimples. This smooth, hydrating formula is made with moisturizing hyaluronic acid and glycerin plus soothing and brightening niacinamide to treat your skin while you wear it.
8 / 10
Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer ($40)
Free of oils, fragrance and pore-clogging additives, this multitasking concealer-foundation hybrid checks all of the boxes for the girl on the go.
9 / 10
Iris & Romeo Best Skin Days Treatment Concealer ($32)
Your skin deserves a concealer that does more than just cover. Powered by vitamin C, licorice root and niacinamide, this brightening concealer tackles stubborn discoloration, too.
10 / 10
Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Flawless Wear Concealer ($32)
For a natural-meets-matte finish that lasts all day and night—we’re talking up to 15 hours—this oil-free, noncomedogenic formula delivers every time without exacerbating active breakouts.
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