This Is The Best $5 Concealer We've Ever Tried

Beauty brands are dropping new makeup products faster than we can test them, and we’ll be real, we get more psyched about some than others. Our latest’s tried and tested beauty product got our attention at first sight; a full-coverage concealer by e.l.f. that cost just $5 – we were SO down to try their new 16HR Camo Concealer. Especially as Reddit readers compared it to one of our all-time fave concealers, the Tarte Shape Tape concealer, $27, which btw, according to the brand, one sells every 26 seconds!!

We’ll dive right in! Our initial reaction was: WOW! This really is full coverage, and Reddit might actually be right!

The formula: When e.l.f. said full-coverage, they meant it. The creamy formula instantly covered our pimples and dark circles, and it blended out beautifully with a damp makeup sponge without losing its coverage. The formula dries down very matte, which means two things: if you have very dry skin, you will need to hydrate and prime well beforehand, and if you don’t have fine lines around your eyes, you may not need to set this.

Because the formula is very thick, we found that applying a decent amount (aka our usual triangle under the eye) meant that it did settle into fine lines. So once blended out with a damp makeup sponge, we immediately set it with a 2-minute bake (a thick layer of powder that we dusted off two minutes later), and we were crease-free for the rest of the day. The coverage remained throughout the day, and we didn’t experience any creasing or movement after setting it with a light dusting of powder all over.

The shades: With 18 shades from fair to rich, there’s a good shade spectrum. However, we did find that the first seven shades were actually very fair, and the collection lacked diversity in the undertones for the medium and deep shades. We recommend testing these in store, and also swatching and allowing the formula to dry down – the brand swatches highlight the fact that the formula does oxidize (it gets darker as it dries) by showing wet and dry swatches.

Source: e.l.f. Cosmetics

The verdict: This gives amazing coverage and lasts really well when set with powder. If you like a more natural look, this concealer is still a great option, but if you have fine lines and don’t want to set your concealer with powder, then this might not be the best product for you. Otherwise, we really think this is a must-try – we’ve been using it for two weeks straight, and we’re obsessed.

The question you all want to know the answer to: Is this a dupe for Tarte’s Shape Tape concealer? Well, we have to say, we are VERY impressed. The shade spectrum definitely isn’t as varied and expansive as Tarte’s, but at $5, you can easily buy two to get the right shade for you, and you’ll still save yourself $17! We slightly preferred the Shape Tape consistency, but for the price point, we really can’t knock e.l.f.’s full-coverage option – it’s actually better than a lot of expensive concealers we’ve tried.

Shop the e.l.f. 16HR Camo Concealer here.

Let us know if you guys have tried this concealer and what your review is, in the comments below.