Best melasma concealer?

October 25, 2017 11:25 AM

I’m looking for recommendations for an effective, blendable spot concealer for meslasma.

Looking for recommendations for the best concealer to cover melasma (it came with pregnancy but never left and it has been over three years; I have tried various treatments unsuccessfully). I have tried a number of cover-ups, some expensive, and so far I have not been satisfied with any. None that I have tried have successfully concealed the discolored areas. Rather than wasting more money, I’m looking to the hive mind for make-up recommendations. To be clear, I’m looking for an effective, blendable spot concealer, not a heavy all-over foundation.

posted by amro to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (13 answers total)

Clé de Peau. Significant drawbacks: stupid-high price, limited palette (you may have to mix shades). But it's super-concentrated so a dab blends out quite a bit, making the stick last, and it's all-day coverage.

I've known people with hyperpigmentation who swear by Dermablend foundation; the company also makes concealers, but I can't personally vouch for them.

You might want to book an appointment with a makeup rep (at Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom, etc.) to try several kinds over the course of one sitting. (If a product works well in the store, take a moment to step outside to see the effect in natural light.)
posted by Iris Gambol at 11:38 AM on October 25, 2017

I love Laura Mercier's Secret Camoflage, because it's so blendable and customizable. I don't know how well it'd work for not-fair skinned people, and you might look into the concealer kits with the green/purple/orange cremes. I've generally been impressed with NYX's quality for trying new things out, here's their color correcting palette.
posted by ApathyGirl at 11:43 AM on October 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I should add that the best I have tried so far have been Dermablend and Clinique, but I’m not entirely happy with either.
posted by amro at 11:43 AM on October 25, 2017

Have you tried Kevin Aucoin's "sensual skin enhancer"? It's an intensely heavy-duty concealer (that can also be spread out/mixed to be foundation if you want) that might work for you.
posted by jouir at 12:32 PM on October 25, 2017

I have pretty intense under eye veins and when I'm really in the mood to make them disappear I bust out the Vichy Dermafinish Corrective High Coverage Concealer Stick. This is extremely high coverage though, and most days I don't even bother. I believe I bought this at CVS.
posted by ancient star at 12:46 PM on October 25, 2017

I have hyperpigmentation on my cheeks, under my eyes and a big brown spot, like, quarter-sized, on my left temple.

I prep with a Smashbox primer, then dab on a colour corrector - Urban Decay Naked Color Correcting Fluid in peach - which does a decent job of neutralizing the brown. I previously tried the Becca Color Corrector in papaya, which also works. Then I pat on Nars Soft Matte Cream Concealer using a brush. Then I pat a full-coverage foundation over the works to blend in with my skin.

With this layered approach, I really don't need the full coverage foundation, but I'm using it up before I try a different one.


I hit Sephora a few times and did their 15-minute free makeover session and specifically asked for help on this.
posted by sillymama at 12:55 PM on October 25, 2017

Seconding Cle de Peau, I used this for melasma and it provided great coverage that blended in seamlessly - it became totally invisible on my skin. For me very much worth the expensive price!
posted by Mallenroh at 1:01 PM on October 25, 2017

One of my favorite YouTuber's Emily Eddington has a video on full coverage makeup for melasma. She not only recommends a few products like Estee Double Wear foundation but also suggests some good application tips.
posted by AdagioCantabile at 1:14 PM on October 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

You might find that it's easier to cover the melasma with a color corrector + medium coverage concealer instead of trying to find a super opaque concealer. I'd go to Sephora and ask for assistance. Make sure you get a store employee and not a brand rep - brand reps are only there some of the time, but they'll steer you to their own line rather than just picking out what they think will work. Get samples so you can test it out at home without spending $$$ on things that don't work. You can also try Ulta, but they won't make samples (though they do have a good return policy).

In terms of products, Tarte Shape Tape is one of the more opaque concealers I've tried, but is an Ulta exclusive - but I suspect the Dermablend or Clinique you like over a color corrector would work just as well or better. Urban Decay color correctors get good reviews, though I don't use them myself.
posted by insectosaurus at 2:22 PM on October 25, 2017

Seconding the Laura Mercier mentioned above. I developed melasma in my 30s and tried everything; I really didn't want to look like I was wearing makeup and it came closest. The woman at the makeup counter put it on for me to show me what worked best (only on the spots, and with a surprisingly light application).
posted by sophieblue at 2:31 PM on October 25, 2017

I really like the texture and consistency of Maybelline anti age line eraser. I have no idea how it works on lines but it works really well on the dreaded melasma. Its cheap and comes in quite a few shades too.
posted by RandomInconsistencies at 1:27 PM on October 26, 2017

FYI: Everything is 20% off at lauramercier.com with no promo code until 11/2.
posted by ApathyGirl at 3:13 PM on October 31, 2017

Response by poster: Thank you all, you’ve given me a lot of options to try! I will update if I find the perfect concealer!
posted by amro at 6:39 AM on November 7, 2017