Blemishes, spots, zits, pimples. Whatever you call them, breakouts are annoying and frustrating and covering them up can feel even more so. This is where the best concealer for acne comes in.
When looking for a concealer to cover spots, it can be tempting to go for the thickest you can find. The problem with this is that it can sometimes draw more attention to the breakout, can clog your pores and, unless you match the tone correctly, can make matters worse.
READ NEXT: What causes acne and how to get rid of it
What’s more, people with breakouts tend to have oily skin – this isn’t always the case, but the two usually go hand-in-hand – and this means the coverage and formula also needs to last. It can be minefield.
To help you out, we’ve tried and tested various products to uncover what we consider to be the best concealer for acne and our resident makeup artist, Victoria Howe, recently revealed her top tips on how to get rid of spots fast with failsafe makeup tricks.
We’ve also previously handpicked the best foundation for oily skin and the best BB cream for oily skin.
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£27 | Buy now from Cult Beauty
Why we love it: Designed with the help of cosmetic surgeons, this absolute wonder product from IT Cosmetics is a spot treatment and concealer in one.
Perfect for acne-prone skin, this camouflage doesn’t crack, dry out or budge all day. Infused with effective spot-fighting ingredients, such as witch hazel and kaolin clay, it’s also as much skin care as it is makeup.
Which goes some way towards justifying its high price.
Buy now from Cult Beauty
£5.99 | Buy now from Superdrug
Why we love it: For this price, it’s hard to find a concealer better for spots than this bargain from Maybelline.
We’re big fans of the FIT Me range, generally, and this concealer leads the pack.
Its gel-based formula doesn’t contain any oils or waxes, meaning that your skin will also thank you for it later when there’s no more makeup-induced breakouts, plus it’s light enough for mature skin and the delicate eye area.
Buy now from Superdrug
£23 | Buy now from Tarte
Why we love it: When it comes to the best concealer for acne, it doesn’t get much more full coverage than Tarte’s iconic Shape Tape.
It’s easy to blend, lasts all day and is filled with nourishing ingredients. What’s more, it’s become a go-to favourite among influencers and makeup artists alike because it’s guaranteed to cover up redness, dark circles and spots.
It also comes in loads of shades, which means that you shouldn’t struggle to find your perfect match. You can read more about this in our guide on how to find the perfect foundation match.
If you’re keen on trying Tarte’s Shape Tape, the brand also sells one for your body. Designed to cover up varicose veins, age spots and more.
Buy now from Tarte
Why we love it: If you’re after coverage on a budget, you don’t need to look further than this little beauty from mamabella favourite, Revolution.
A little goes a long way and this baby, from what we consider to be one of the best cheap makeup brands around, hides everything from blemishes to birthmarks and even tattoos.
It comes in 18 shades and caters for all undertones.
Apply with a small synthetic brush for the most precise application and blend with a damp sponge. For even more staying power, set with a loose powder and finish with a spritz of setting spray. You’ll be amazed.
Buy now from Beauty Bay
£21 | Buy now from Beauty Bay
Why we love it: This one is the perfect all-rounder, particularly if you’ve got scarring but it is quite thick, so it’s worth building up to the coverage you want.
We love using the peach shade underneath our foundation to hide darker marks and scars, and we combine it with the green shade to hide any current redness.
If you need any extra coverage or even highlighting, this concealer comes in shades for the fairest of skin tones and the deepest, so you’re covered for finding those perfect highlight and contour shades.
FURTHER READING: Best CC creams
Buy now from Beauty Bay
Why we love it: This small jar sure does pack a punch.
Creamy and pigmented, the NYX concealer blends like a dream with either a sponge, brush or even your fingers.
It’s available in more than 30 shades to cater for a number of skin colours and, what’s more, for those nightmare breakouts, opt for the green colour correcting shade, which will minimise that redness – just make sure to apply this before your foundation.
FURTHER READING: Discover which colours suit your skin, eyes and hair with our guide to colour theory and makeup
Buy now from NYX
£24 | Buy now from Feelunique
Why we love it: Formulated with a host of great skincare ingredients, this concealer for acne goes a long way in actually treating those spots, rather than just covering them up.
It uses salicylic acid to hydrate the skin, mushroom stem extract to sooth the sore spots, licorice root extract aims to help minimise and fade any scarring, while kaolin clay helps to reduce shine and mattify your skin.
It comes in a handy pencil-form, so you can be sure you’re targeting the right parts of your face. Plus, it comes with a built-in sharpener, so you’ll never go without!
Buy now from Feelunique
£21 | Buy now from Debenhams
Why we love it: For those of us who like to be 100% sure a product is vegan and cruelty-free, look no further than Kat Von D.
Used by the artist herself to cover her tattoos, you know it’s got coverage, but the bit we like the most is the applicator.
Modelled off Von D’s paint brush, it means the narrow tip can get into hard-to-reach places or precise spots, while the base can be used to cover bigger areas, such as your under eyes, in one sweep.
Buy now from Debenhams
Victoria is founder and editor-in-chief of mamabella, freelance journalist and Mum. She has a passion for empowering people to feel beautiful whatever their age, size, skin type and budget
