Melasma is incredibly common, and just like freckles, there’s no rule that says you have to cover it up. But the best melasma concealers can work wonders if you’re looking to disguise it. Unlike your average dark spot, “melasma is a pigmentary disorder that appears as lacy, reticulated brown patches,” Corey L. Hartman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist, previously told Allure. The good news? Often triggered by sun exposure, hormones, or heat, these patches are no match for today’s pigment-packed, makeup artist-approved concealers.
The best of the bunch don’t just cover; they brighten, smooth, and seamlessly blend into skin for a natural finish. Some pair beautifully with a peach or orange color corrector to neutralize discoloration: “By using a corrector, you would still need full-coverage concealer but less of it, which creates the illusion of more natural-looking skin,” says Thalia Sparrow, a makeup artist based in London. Other concealers are true multitaskers infused with skin care ingredients like brightening vitamin C, blurring minerals, and tranexamic acid to target pigmentation. No matter which one you choose, you can expect skin that looks even, fresh, and radiant while still looking effortlessly like you.
Our Top Melasma Concealers
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Overall: Lancôme Teint Idôle Ultra Wear All Over Concealer
Why it’s worth it: Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear All Over Concealer is a do-it-all formula that delivers natural-looking coverage, and it’s especially effective at camouflaging melasma, sunspots, and other forms of hyperpigmentation without looking heavy. “This concealer is long-lasting yet hydrating, thanks to moringa seed and rose extract, which makes it incredibly comfortable on dry or mature skin without emphasizing texture,” says Kelly McClain, a makeup artist based in Paris. And if constant touch-ups aren’t your thing, “it’s crease-resistant and impressively long-wearing, yet still feels completely weightless,” says Ray. This concealer stays flawless for up to 24 hours—proof of just how enduring this formula really is.
“I had high hopes for this concealer since the foundation version topped our list of best full-coverage foundations—and it did not disappoint. During the winter, I use prescription tretinoin to fade melasma, but since it leaves my skin more sun-sensitive, I rely on concealer for a smooth, even-toned finish the rest of the year. It offers full coverage, but it’s so breathable and skin-like that I can forget I’m even wearing makeup with this on.” —Christa Joanna Lee, contributing commerce writer
- Key ingredients: glycerin, water lily extract, moringa seed extract
- Coverage: medium to full
- Shades: 24
Best with SPF: Ciele Conceal & Protect SPF 50+ Spot Concealer
Why it’s worth it: Melasma is notoriously worsened by sun exposure, which makes daily sunscreen non-negotiable, but Ciele Conceal & Protect SPF 50+ Spot Concealer delivers both defense and coverage in one. The buildable, full-coverage formula disguises hyperpigmentation without feeling heavy, while zinc oxide provides broad-spectrum SPF 50+ to help keep discoloration from worsening. Infused with tranexamic acid to visibly target dark spots and niacinamide to brighten and even tone, its creamy texture blends effortlessly, whether worn solo or layered over foundation. While this concealer offers solid SPF protection, you’ll still want to apply sunscreen underneath to cover the rest of your face.
“As a lover of Ciele’s Tint + Protect Serum Foundation, I was already bought into Ciele’s concealer—but when I put it on over my lingering melasma from two pregnancies? Sold! Despite having such an amazingly strong SPF, this formula feels so elegant—no splotchiness, no scent, and it’s the Goldilocks texture for me. It’s a bit creamy while still being lightweight, which is so nice since thin concealers tend to just sit in my wrinkles or accentuate my eczema patches. It has nice, buildable coverage, which I like since I do not like to look like I’m wearing makeup. That said, I wouldn’t blend out with my fingers since it can go full-coverage—instead I use Ciele’s dual-Ended Brush.” —Shanna Shipin, shopping director
- Key ingredients: tranexamic acid, 12% zinc oxide, niacinamide
- Coverage: full
- Shades: 20
Best Hydrating: Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer
Nars
Radiant Creamy Concealer
Why it’s worth it: Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer was a repeat favorite among many of the experts we chatted with, and it also snagged a 2024 Readers’ Choice Award. “This concealer has the ability to correct and brighten hyperpigmentation while staying creamy and hydrating for dry areas,” says Carl Ray, a makeup artist based in Washington, D.C. If your skin is on the oilier side, you’re also in luck, since “it’s a self-setting concealer with buildable coverage,” adds Tomy Rivero, a makeup artist based in New York City and Los Angeles. “This means you can color correct while still wearing lightweight makeup that doesn’t require a powder to lock it in.” Mineral tone-balancing powders optically correct (not mask) imperfections for a fresh, radiant look, while light-diffusing mineral powders blur fine lines and even skin tone. Plus, grape seed extract keeps the formula creamy and skin hydrated.
- Key ingredients: mineral powder, vitamin E, magnolia bark extract, grape seed extract
- Coverage: medium, buildable
- Shades: 30
Best Buildable Coverage: Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Concealer
Armani Beauty
Luminous Silk Concealer
Why it’s worth it: Just like its famous Luminous Silk Foundation, which launched 25 years ago and became an instant icon, Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Hydrating & Brightening Concealer delivers that same radiant, skin-like finish in a medium-coverage formula. It’s one of Ray’s go-to picks for dry skin, thanks to a hydrating formula packed with glycerin, vitamin E, and caffeine that smooths and plumps. It also helps diminish puffiness and dark circles, making this cream concealer a smart choice if those concerns come hand in hand with melasma. The lightweight texture blends as effortlessly as the product’s name suggests—like silk—melting into skin without settling into creases and leaving a luminous, natural finish.
“It’s easy to find a cover-up that can mask the discoloration, but what’s not-so-simple is finding one that does the job without creasing.” —Dianna Singh, features director
- Key ingredients: glycerin, caffeine, sunflower seed oil
- Coverage: medium
- Shades: 23
Best Full Coverage: Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer
Hourglass
Vanish Airbrush Concealer
Why it’s worth it: Some days you might not mind your melasma peeking through your complexion products, but other times—like a photo-heavy event or wedding—you want it to vanish entirely. Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer, a 2024 Best of Beauty Award winner, does just that with a full-coverage formula that still looks like skin. “I love how lightweight the formula is, too. It delivers beautiful matte, complete coverage that never looks or feels cakey,” says Ray. Infused with squalane for lasting hydration, centella asiatica to soothe sensitive skin, and licorice root extract to help visibly brighten discoloration, the highly concentrated formula is especially effective for dark spots and melasma. Waterproof, sweat-proof, and available in an impressive 32-shade range that the brand routinely expands, it locks in that even-toned look from morning to night without budging.
- Key ingredients: squalane, centella asiatica extract, licorice root extract
- Coverage: full
- Shades: 32
Best Waterproof: Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Concealer
Charlotte Tilbury
Beautiful Skin Concealer
Why it’s worth it: The formulators behind Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Radiant Concealer plucked the best of the best ingredients for brightening hyperpigmentation and melasma—think smoothing niacinamide, antioxidant-rich vitamin C, light-enhancing peptides, and skin-blurring silica—and wrapped them up in one product. “It’s also very hydrating thanks to hyaluronic acid and camellia oil and offers medium coverage that’s buildable, yet still looks natural and skin-like,” says Ray. It’s a multipurpose concealer that not only blurs imperfections and treats skin, but also stands up to the elements with a waterproof, sweat-proof finish that keeps your coverage locked in.
- Key ingredients: niacinamide, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, peptides, vegan collagen, camellia oil, silica
- Coverage: medium, buildable
- Shades: 30
Best for Touch-Ups: Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Correct and Brighten Concealer Duo Stick
Laura Mercier
Secret Camouflage Correct and Brighten Concealer Duo Stick
Why it’s worth it: The Secret Camouflage Correct and Brighten Concealer Duo Stick takes the brand’s iconic Secret Camouflage palette and reimagines it in a portable, dual-ended format. One side holds a corrector to neutralize discoloration (like melasma or dark spots), while the other delivers a brightener to add radiance and lift. The creamier texture blends quickly and effortlessly, making it ideal for on-the-go touch-ups, while still offering the long-lasting precision of the original. “The dual-shade design makes it easy to customize coverage for different areas of the face, helping you correct and conceal without adding excess layers,” says McClain. However, if you have oily skin, Sparrow notes that the original Secret Camouflage’s slightly drier consistency makes it “a great option for covering areas like the cheeks or nose that tend to get more slick,” says Sparrow.
- Key ingredients: lotus flower extract
- Coverage: full
- Shades: 16
Best Palette: MAC Conceal and Correct Palette
MAC
Conceal and Correct Palette
Why it’s worth it: If you have discoloration in different shades, the MAC Conceal and Correct Palette makes it easy to tackle them all in one go. “With this palette, you can correct before concealing. It’s a total time- and space-saver,” says Sparrow. And if you’re someone who can’t shade match by just eyeballing, “it allows you to mix and customize shades to match undertones seamlessly,” adds McClain. Inside each palette is a mix of six concealers and color correctors that can be used alone or layered to camouflage dark spots from melasma, plus blemishes, moles, under-eye circles, and rosacea.
- Key ingredients: vitamin E, vitamin C, silica
- Coverage: medium to full
- Shades: 6
Best Brightening: Kosas Revealer Super Creamy + Brightening Concealer
Kosas
Revealer Super Creamy + Brightening Concealer
Why it’s worth it: Kosas Revealer Super Creamy + Brightening Concealer is a skin care-infused formula that’s perfect for dry skin or dullness. And, it doubles as a treatment for discoloration, making it a top choice for concealing melasma and dark spots. “It’s incredibly hydrating, yet once it sets, it stays. It blends beautifully into foundation for extra coverage and never looks cakey or dry on mature or dehydrated skin,” says Rivero. Packed with brightening caffeine and pink algae extract to help fade discoloration, hyaluronic acid for deep hydration, and arnica to soothe, it leaves skin looking fresh, even-toned, and glowy all day.
- Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, peptides, caffeine, pink algae, arnica
- Coverage: medium
- Shades: 38
Frequently Asked Questions
What cancels out melasma?
To cover melasma, the key is to start with the right color corrector for your skin tone. “I would use a colour corrector first on the darker parts of the skin—depending on skin tone, a peach, yellow, or orange corrector is needed to neutralise the discolouration, and green for any redness,” says Kelly Cornwell, a makeup artist based in London.
After applying primer, Cornwell suggests starting with your foundation to see how much it covers. Then, apply concealer to build up the coverage until the darker marks start to disappear. “I like using a brush to place and build the color, then going over it with a damp sponge to seamlessly blend and create a natural finish—without lifting too much product,” says Rivero. “Finish with a light dusting or pressed application of translucent setting powder to lock everything in place,” says Cornwell.
Meet the experts
- Kelly Cornwell, a makeup artist based in London
- Corey L. Hartman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology, based in Birmingham, Alabama
- Kelly McClain, a makeup artist based in Paris
- Carl Ray, a makeup artist based in Washington, D.C.
- Tomy Rivero, a makeup artist and CEO of Tomy Rivero Beauty Lab, based in New York City and Los Angeles
- Thalia Sparrow, a makeup artist based in London
How we test and review products
Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range inclusive of consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?