The Best NARS Concealer Alternatives

There is perhaps no concealer more popular than the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. But at $32, the beauty award-winner and longtime best-seller is also a bit of a splurge. That might be fine for the occasional treat, but because concealer is such a daily staple, finding an alternative that still delivers on performance and won’t cost you more than $15 is a must. In searching for the best NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer alternatives, you’ll want something that offers buildable coverage, creates a smooth finish, is transfer-resistant, and won’t contribute to breakouts. That’s a pretty tall order, but the drugstore finds ahead have all earned their own cult followings for formulas that do it all without caking or creasing. Many of the recommendations on this list have gone viral on social media for their similar formulas, which even include a few of the same smoothing and oil-absorbing ingredients like dimethicone, glycerin, and silica.

While the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer was developed to be moisturizing in general, if you have dry skin, consider one of the options on this list that includes additional hydrating and nourishing ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid, sunflower seed oil, and green tea extract. And for the most seamless finish (and to prevent creasing), you should always prep your under-eye area with a hydrating eye cream prior to applying your makeup, after moisturizing and/or priming the rest of your skin.

Shop The Best Nars Concealer Alternatives

In a hurry? Here are the best Nars concealer alternatives:

1. Best Alternative According To Reddit: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Radiant Cream Concealer
2. Best Alternative According To TikTok: Maybelline Fit Me! Concealer
3. Best Lightweight Concealer: NYX Bare With Me Concealer Serum
4. Best Alternative Under $5: NYX HD Photogenic Liquid Concealer
5. Best Shade Range: e.l.f. Hydrating Camo Concealer

1. Best Alternative According To Reddit

Spend as much time scrolling through Reddit threads as I do, and you’ll find that there are actually a few recurring drugstore concealers that are recommended as alternatives to NARS. But one that receives especially high praise is the Neutrogena Healthy Skin Radiant Cream Concealer (yes, even its name is similar). Like the NARS concealer, Neutrogena’s formula offers medium, buildable coverage that’s transfer-resistant. Because it’s a noncomedogenic formula, you can use it to cover active blemishes without having to worry about contributing to future breakouts, but the concealer also includes mica and vitamin C to immediately leave your under eyes with a more radiant appearance while brightening over time with continued use. This concealer takes the skin care benefits to the next level, too, with the addition of retinol and peptides to help increase skin cell turnover and boost collagen production.

Available Shades: 15 | Ingredients Shared With The NARS Concealer: Dimethicone, Silica, Vitamin E, Glycerin | Other Beneficial Ingredients: Retinol, Vitamin C, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 | Size: 0.24 oz. | Cruelty-Free: No

Relevant Review: “This is an awesome concealer, it is easy to apply and blends nicely into the skin, it does not dry out your skin and it does not crease or crack. This is comparable, if not better than some moreexpensive concealers made by high end cosmetics brands. Neutrogena knows skin care, they produce quality products that do not break the bank including this great concealer.”

2. Best Alternative According To TikTok

If it’s a beauty product being talked about on TikTok, you can pretty much guarantee that it will be selling out soon (the hashtag ‘makeup dupes’ currently has more than 900 million views alone). This Maybelline Fit Me Concealer passed the side-by-side demo on TikTok for performing similarly to the NARS concealer, but for less than $10 (in fact, the makeup artist who shared her review said that she actually preferred the Maybelline formula, as it leaves behind “more of a glow”). The buildable and noncomedogenic concealer is also a fan favorite on Amazon with more than 40,000 five-star ratings and dozens of reviewers calling it a great alternative to the NARS’ Radiant Creamy Concealer.

Available Shades: 12 | Ingredients Shared With The NARS Concealer: Glycerin, Silica, Vitamin E | Other Beneficial Ingredients: Chamomile Flower Extract | Size: 0.23 oz. | Cruelty-Free: No

Relevant Review: “After using this for quite a number of weeks, I have to say that I think it’s even better than Nars Creamy Concealer. The Nars has a tendency to settle into fine lines and look a little cakey after a few hours, but the Maybelline stays pristine and undetectable! Very impressed! Am definitely going to repurchase.”

3. Best Lightweight Concealer

If your skin tends to be dry or sensitive, this NYX Bare With Me Concealer Serum is a super-hydrating and calming formula that works to camouflage imperfections. Being a concealer serum, it’s also incredibly lightweight, so it’s great for people who don’t love the way thicker, creamier formulas feel on their skin. You get slightly less coverage with this, as it only builds up to medium coverage, but ingredients like sunflower seed oil and tremella mushroom extract help to keep skin moisturized for up to 24 hours. Additionally, the formula uses things like green tea leaf extract, allantoin, and centella asiatica extract (aka cica) to help with everything from soothing inflamed skin to protecting your skin barrier. NYX is also a great option for anyone searching for a NARS alternative that’s cruelty-free (this one is even vegan, too). One thing to note: If a doe-foot applicator is a must-have for you, this concealer has a pump-top bottle instead.

Available Shades: 13 | Ingredients Shared With The NARS Concealer: Glycerin, Silica, Vitamin E | Other Beneficial Ingredients: Sunflower Seed Oil, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Tremella Mushroom Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Allantoin | Size: 0.32 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Relevant Review: “I’m obsessed with this concealer. It wears beautifully under the eyes, it doesn’t dry out or look crepey as the day goes on, it keeps my under eyes looking hydrated and fresh. I almost think this is a dupe for the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer because it wears almost exactly the same and it’s half the price.”

4. Best Alternative Under $5

For a more traditional concealer, NYX makes another option that has been compared to the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. The brand’s HD Photogenic Liquid Concealer is another Internet favorite, with YouTuber Amanda Ensing even noting that the NYX concealer is longer lasting. As Ensing points out, it comes with half the product of the NARS concealer, but even so, its $5 price tag makes it a much more affordable option. You can choose from 20 skin-matching shades, as well as color-correcting concealers in yellow, green, and purple to help with neutralizing unwanted dark circles, cancelling out redness, and brightening.

Available Shades: 20 | Ingredients Shared With The NARS Concealer: Glycerin, Silica, Vitamin E | Other Beneficial Ingredients: Coconut Oil, Aloe Leaf Extract | Size: 0.11 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Relevant Review: “This is by far the best concealer you can get for the money. I’ve used Nars for years, and am very happy to have found a more affordable equivalent. It doesn’t crease or cake and looks natural.”

5. Best Shade Range

One more NARS concealer alternative that Amazon users love, this e.l.f. Hydrating Camo Concealer gets its crease-proof wear from moisturizing ingredients and emollients like dimethicone, hyaluronic acid, and rose flower water. Although it’s especially great for those with dry skin, oily and acne-prone skin types will also like that the concealer is noncomedogenic and offers more of a satin (as opposed to a dewy) finish. While the NARS concealer’s shade range, which includes 30 different options, is hard to compete with, e.l.f. is a close second with 25 colors to choose from.

Available Shades: 25 | Ingredients Shared With The NARS Concealer: Dimethicone, Silica | Other Beneficial Ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid, Rose Flower Water | Size: 0.2 oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Relevant Review: “Amazing coverage at the smallest amount, brightens under eyes, doesn’t dry out on dry skin, amazing thickness and value for money. Defo try this if you love Nars.”

How We Chose The Products

To narrow down the best alternatives to NARS’ Radiant Creamy Concealer, I spent hours poring over Reddit threads, TikTok and YouTube videos, and Amazon reviews. In addition to looking out for direct comparisons to NARS’ formula, I also ensured that these alternatives are made with some of the same ingredients.

About The Author

Marissa DeSantis has worked as a beauty writer and editor for nearly 10 years. Her pieces can be found across print and digital publications like Bustle, Evening Standard, Teen Vogue, and InStyle.