- Beauty
- Makeup
Paid Content For
e.l.f. Cosmetics
By
Stephanie Nguyen
Paid Content For
e.l.f. Cosmetics
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From hiding dark circles to covering up redness to helping perfect a cat-eye flick or eyebrow arch, there are a lot of things we expect from our concealer. So when it only costs a few bucks a pop, it's only natural that we'd be a little skeptical that it really can do it all. But there's one exception to this rule: the e.l.f. Cosmetics 16HR Camo Concealer.
To say that the internet loves this product is an understatement. One Google search yields thousands of reviews and a near-perfect star rating, with many users touting that its results are comparable to more expensive products. Even our editors love it. While the OG formula has been around since early 2019 and has since earned its cult status, it's the recent release of the new Hydrating Camo Concealer that has put both formulas on our radars. When consumer feedback pointed toward the desire for a more hydrating formula for dry skin, e.l.f. Cosmetics listened and delivered, remixing the 16HR formula to create the hydrating formula. It features the same lightweight full coverage as the original, but in a hydrating, satin finish, plus the star ingredient of rose water.
To compare the two formulas, we asked two beauty editors new to the products and with different skin types, one oily and the other dry, to put the concealers to the test. Did they live up to they hype? Did they last all day? Were they the answer to dark circles, blemishes, and beyond? Spoiler alert: all of the above.
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16HR Camo Concealer
"When your base consists of only some tinted moisturizer and concealer like mine does, you really need your products to put in the work. My ideal concealer needs to lighten, conceal, and correct. When the tube I had been using ran out, I decided to switch up my line up and add the very affordable 16HR Camo Concealer ($6) to my routine. After all, at only $6, what could I lose, right?
Turns out, the answer is nothing — if anything, I gained a new favorite concealer and flawless-looking skin with every wear. I have oily skin, so I like that this particular formula is oil-balancing and leaves behind a matte finish. I apply it under my eyes to lighten the shadows, around my nose to conceal redness, on my chin to correct the hyperpigmentation there, and then use it to spot correct any blemishes (in this case, the healing pimples on my forehead and nose). It never feels heavy or looks creased or cakey, even after a full day's wear." — Stephanie Nguyen, style editor
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Hydrating Camo Concealer
"If you had asked back in April (that feels like a lifetime ago, amirite?) if I was ever going to wear face makeup again, I would have emphatically told you "Nope, nah, never again!" Then my skin rebelled. It did not appreciate my sudden lack of routine, and I've been dealing with uneven texture and dryness ever since. I upped my skin-care game significantly, but unfortunately, the damage was already done, and I needed makeup to help hide my splotches and breakouts. Cue TikTok. (Another bad habit I took up during lockdown.) I saw video after video of the Hydrating Camo Concealer ($6), and I decided that anything with that big of a fan base and that cheap of a price tag was worth a shot.
Similar to it's 16HR counterpart, the Hydrating Camo Concealer is made to be lightweight and long-lasting. But the notable difference is that it's infused with hyaluronic acid and rose water to give your skin the moisture surge it needs. The area I need the most coverage is my nose, but traditional concealers either dried my skin out or started flaking off shortly after I applied. This concealer goes on so smooth and instantly absorbs into my skin, providing even coverage without emphasizing my dry patches.
I'm still of the mindset that less is more this summer, but I love that I've found a concealer to enhance my natural complexion while giving my skin the radiant boost it needs every now and again." — Amanda Elser Murray, associate style director
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