Help me find the Holy Grail of concealers!

[QueenOfTheAndals]

I'm after a concealer that does a good job camouflaging dark circles but also doesn't sink into fine lines under the eyes AND doesn't look too matte. Any suggestions?

Ones I've tried are MAC Pro Longwear, Nars Radiant Creamy, Collection Lasting Perfection and Smashbox Studio Skin. All have various pluses and minuses but all crease unless I use powder to set them. But that also accentuates any lines as it gives my undereye area a very "flat" look. I have a Becca under eye primer but that tends to be too slippery under my concealer unless I set it with powder and then we're back to square one!

Does a concealer that meets all my requirements even exist?

Charlotte tilbury is by far the best one. So much better than touché eclat

I have so many concealers and have the same problem as you even though my undereyes are not dry.

You will have to powder generally as you will crease more without them

The NARS I find quite dry as well as the Tarte ST after its set even though it is initially creamy. I have found that I can go without setting this one.

However I would try the Maybelline Age rewind and if you’ve already tried that then definitely try the new Benefit Cakeless. Compared to Nars and Tarte it’s relatively cheaper at £16.
If you want to set but not for it to look matte try a powder that isn’t flat like either the Hourglass loose powder or one of the Ambient. Also Laura mercier secret brightening powder which is loose

I have pretty bad dark circles and have tried most of the ones you and others have mentioned. Recently I tried Fenty and Too Faced at a kids boots. Both were excellent. The too faced slightly edged it and looked better. Best applied with a brush. It really is the best concealer I have used ever and I really need. The likes of touché eclat are rubbish and just make my eyes look grey. Try it in a big boots near you.

Love boots not kids boots.

Hi Queen the revolution dupe of Shape Tape is not as good at coverage or staying power in my experience, though it's cheap enough to try for yourself. I've never found anything that covers my dark circles, nothing out there works sadly.
Best thing I've found is the discontinued no17 phwoar paint followed by either Mac pro wear or shape tape, followed by a sweep of powder (I use no7 pressed translucent and just sweep a brush over lightly). The maybelline one with the sponge applicator, (age erase possibly?) is lovely but not heavy duty enough for me. Tapping on helps, but it's a bugger to find anything that doesn't settle into those pesky fine lines. Do report back if you find the Grail!

I would recommend Becca colour corrector, which has a peach undertone and then Giorgio Armani precision retouch over the top - creamy and doesn’t crease. Both found after much research on makeupalley!

I use the NARS over an eye cream and a dust of light setting powder with a brush over the top and it doesn't go dry or cakey at all.

The first time I've tried a higher end concealer though. I've made do with the Bougois and Maybelline for ages and the NARS is honestly a revelation.

Sorry to add use a a puff (not the fleecy kind) and press in the smallest amount of powder possible
FYI I found fenty quite dry

I use the Bobbi Brown colour corrector with Collection or Elemis over it. The BB corrector is great, but I find the BB concealer cakey. A lighter brightener over the top works better.

Also agree with PPs about application technique - pat it in - loads of videos on YT.

I have dark circles and oily skin and my go tos are Estee lauder double wear and LA girl. They also comes in a good range of colours

I have the orange LA Girl colour corrector and it's good. I plan on going concealer shopping later this week so will go bare-faced and try on a few.

ByeBye Undereye (good colour range) applied with a brush. I bought the Real Techniques brush that's designed for applying concealer.

Which ByeBye Undereye is better? The regular one or the "illuminating" one?

@Nat6999, is that the Lacura pen one? Don't suppose you have a pic do you please so that I get the right one when I find it? Thank you

I find shape tape sits in every wrinkle.

I quite like benefit boing but keep it away from my problem line area.

Mine is regular; I am too old to illuminate under eyes. Do go to a store to test though; there were two possible colours very close in shade. On skin, one was a much better match.

Moisturising before applying I find works well. Or use a colour correcter rather than hoping a concealer will disguise the dark circles. The Maybelline one with a sponge top is very good.

Bye bye I find as it’s quite thick and it stays tacky - it doesn’t dry down and therefore sits in the lines

Lots of moisturiser/eye cream first. Then gently pat corrector under the eye with the ring finger followed by a soft brush (I use RT setting brush) and then smooth out by patting with a small RT sponge. Repeat with concealer and then finish with a very light dusting of powder.

I find this really helps to reduce any product settling into fine lines. I picked this technique up from Wayne Goss but have altered it to suit. It really helps - I'm in my mid 50s.