The Best Concealers For Sensitive Skin

When you have sensitive skin, finding makeup to help cover up signs of sensitivity, such as redness and dryness, without exacerbating those symptoms can be tough. Makeup artist Omayma Ramzy tells Elite Daily that it can be especially challenging if you don't know what's causing your sensitivity in the first place. While you figure it out, you can still use concealer to cover up any signs of irritation — you just want to be a bit pickier about the concealer you use. According to Ramzy, the best concealers for sensitive skin are made without fragrance and alcohol, “which can be stripping and drying to the skin," she explains. For those with oily or acne-prone sensitive skin, look for a concealer that’s noncomedogenic, which means it’s free of pore-clogging ingredients. "For rosacea or redness, you want to avoid ingredients with alcohol, witch hazel, menthol, camphor, eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil, or glycolic acid," Ramzy adds.

The Expert

Omayma Ramzy is a celebrity makeup artist and skin expert based in Los Angeles. Her work includes editorial shoots, advertising campaigns, and red carpet events. Ramzy is also the founder of Omayma Skin.

How To Soothe Skin Sensitivity

"Having sensitive skin can really send you in circles if you are not sure what your skin is sensitive to," Ramzy stresses of the importance of trying to address the underlying cause. "For some, it might be fragrance, heat or sun exposure, a particular food, a skin disorder like psoriasis or eczema, or some combination of these factors," she explains. "Establishing what your skin is sensitive to or what triggers skin sensitivity is a total game-changer, but sadly, it can take a process of elimination to figure it out."

While you work (ideally with a dermatologist) to figure out what your skin is sensitive to, you can look for certain ingredients in your makeup products to help soothe irritation, in addition to avoiding some of the common irritants mentioned earlier. "Look for hydrating skin care ingredients like squalane and hyaluronic acid, or soothing botanicals like jojoba oil, argan oil, and aloe vera," Ramzy says. "Ingredients with anti-inflammatory properties like vitamin C and antioxidants will also soothe irritated skin," she adds.

And before you apply your concealer (or any makeup for that matter), don't forget the SPF. "It's important to use mineral sunscreen, as well as covering up and avoiding the sun during its top hours of UV exposure," Ramzy says. "Dry skin or dry patches, eczema, and even perioral dermatitis flare-ups can be triggered by sun exposure," she explains, adding that mineral sun blockers, like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, are better suited for those with sensitive skin.

Shop The Best Concealers For Sensitive Skin

In a hurry? Here are the best concealers for sensitive skin:

1. The Overall Best: Dermablend Cover Care Full Coverage Concealer
2. Best For Sensitive, Dry Skin: Jane Iredale Circle\Delete Concealer
3. Best Drugstore Concealer For Sensitive Skin: NYX Bare With Me Concealer Serum
4. Best Concealer For Sensitive, Acne-Prone Skin: Clove + Hallow Conceal + Correct
5. Best Green Concealer To Cancel Out Redness: Hero Cosmetics Rescue Balm + Red Correct

1. Expert’s Pick: The Overall Best

"If you like a heavier concealer, I love the Dermablend Cover Care Concealer," Ramzy says of one of her go-to concealers for sensitive skin. The matte-finish concealer is waterproof and transfer-resistant, with a long-lasting wear time of up to 24 hours, and the noncomedogenic formula is free of parabens, alcohols, and fragrance. "It's great for spot concealing acne without irritating it further, and it really stays put," Ramzy adds.

Relevant Review: “I am very happy that this Dermablend cover care concealer is fragrance-free and allergy-tested, being safe for sensitive skin. My skin had NO negative reaction when using this moisturizing formula. The formula has high-performance pigments and covers extremely well with only one application, all day! A great fact that drew me to this beauty brand is that it was created by dermatologist—the professionals of skin! It put my mind at ease to know this and made it a trustworthy product, for me! [...]”

Shades: 16 Coverage: Full Key Ingredients: Glycerin, Sunflower Seed Oil, Vitamin E Cruelty-Free: Yes

2. Best Concealer For Sensitive, Dry Skin

If your skin is sensitive and dry, finding a concealer that actually conceals and doesn't just crease up after a few minutes is half the battle. Jane Iredale Circle\Delete Concealer is packed with moisturizing ingredients like avocado oil, sunflower seed oil, and grape seed extract, making it more akin to a moisturizer. The mini compacts come with two complementary shades that can be used on their own or blended together to create a concealer that perfectly matches your skin tone. Because it's customizable as well as moisturizing, the medium-coverage concealer is especially helpful along the under-eye area, as it brightens and neutralizes unwanted discoloration without creasing.

Relevant Review: "I love this Jane Iredale Circle Delete. I have always had darker circles under my eyes. I love the coverage it gives and goes on smoothly and doesn't crease. It will cover other imperfections such as blemishes too. It works very well without clogging my pores or causing irritation. I love that the ingredients are natural too. I would definitely recommend this for sensitive skin. I continue to be impressed with Jane Iredale products and have to say they are worth the price you pay for them.”

Shades: 4 Coverage: Medium Key Ingredients: Moringa Seed Oil, Avocado Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, Castor Seed Oil, Cucumber Fruit Extract, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Bisabolol, Grape Seed Extract Cruelty-Free: Yes

3. Best Drugstore Concealer For Sensitive Skin

For those who like a simpler approach to concealer, there's NYX’s Bare With Me Concealer Serum. The super-lightweight, serum-like formula combines skin care benefits with buildable, medium coverage, and can be used as a traditional concealer, or blended over your entire face for sheer coverage with a boost of hydration. The water-based concealer includes ingredients like green tea leaf extract, sunflower seed oil, tremella mushroom, and centella asiatica to keep skin moisturized for up to 24 hours while also soothing stressed-out skin.

Relevant Review: "I am very glad that I tried this NYX concealer. I have combination/oily skin but am dry underneath my eye area and most concealers I have tried in the past are simply too drying and made the darkness I am trying to conceal look even worse. This was a pleasant surprise. You need the absolute smallest amount of product to brighten under eyes [...] It gives natural, skin like medium coverage and is buildable. [...] It is long lasting and doesn't irritate my sensitive skin. I also like the applicator as I feel it's more hygienic than a doe foot but that's just my preference.”

Shades: 13 Coverage: Medium Key Ingredients: Glycerin, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Sunflower Seed Oil, Centella Asiatica, Allantoin, Vitamin E Cruelty-Free: Yes

4. Best Concealer For Sensitive, Acne-Prone Skin

Whether your skin is oily and prone to acne or you're looking for a concealer to help cover up a current breakout without causing more blemishes in the future, this Clove + Hallow Conceal + Correct is a solid option. The formula was designed to camouflage blemishes (and the redness that they cause), and it contains silica to help absorb excess oil. All of the brand's products contain 15 ingredients or less, and in this concealer, you'll find noncomedogenic jojoba esters and argan oil to keep skin moisturized without clogging your pores.

Relevant Review: “Wow! This concealer feels great, covers well, doesn’t look fake, and doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin. A little bit goes a long way.”

Shades: 16 Coverage: Medium Key Ingredients: Coconut Alkanes, Jojoba Esters, Vitamin E, Argan Oil Cruelty-Free: Yes

5. Best Green Concealer To Cancel Out Redness

More of a camouflaging treatment than a traditional concealer, this Hero Cosmetics Rescue Balm + Red Correct uses green pigments to neutralize unwanted redness, whether it’s caused by a condition like rosacea or a current acne flareup. You can use this to spot treat areas of concern or as an all-over primer that doubles as your moisturizer, thanks to ingredients like shea butter and panthenol. No matter how you use it, the corrector should be applied as the last step of your morning skin care routine. For added coverage, you can go in with your favorite concealer on top.

Relevant Review: "Unlike a lot of green concealer, this blends into my skin really well without actually leaving a green color on me. It lessens the redness as you rub it in and the green tone dissipates. [...]”

Shades: 1 Coverage: Light Key Ingredients: Shea Butter, Panthenol, Vitamin E Cruelty-Free: Yes

Expert:

Omayma Ramzy, celebrity makeup artist and founder of Omayma Skin