Meet The New Hydrating Concealer Replacing Our Foundation This Summer

Concealers are a lot like London apartments; even when you find one you like, you never really stop keeping an eye out for something better. You’re only as loyal as you need to be, until the opportunity to jump ship arises. Speaking of London real estate, Tarte (which founder Maureen Kelly famously started from her one-bedroom apartment) has been cooking up a new concealer launch — and of course, we leaped at the chance to try it. (Perhaps you’ve heard of another Tarte concealer called Shape Tape?)

World, meet Maracuja Creaseless Creamy Concealer; the new launch is billed as a full-coverage formula with a “seamless natural finish,” and is rumored to have taken a year and a half to get just right. Like Tarte’s TikTok-beloved juicy lip gloss-balm hybrids, the Creaseless Creamy Concealer features maracuja oil as a hero ingredient, in addition to ingredients like cloudberry (a potent source of vitamin C), omegas 3 and 6, vitamin E, and bakuchiol, commonly known as a plant-based alternative to retinol. (And for those wondering, what sets it apart from the OG Creaseless Concealer is its dewier, creamier texture and skin-like finish.)

With 34 shades to choose from across a variety of six undertones (warm, neutral, beige, honey, sand and golden), Tarte is making sure that anyone can rock some Creaseless Creamy. (In addition to the concealer, Tarte is expanding its Creaseless range with a line of colour correctors, along with an Undereye Setting Powder that debuted earlier this year.) 
As longtime Tartelettes, the Refinery29 beauty team wasted no time in finding our perfect match and putting the concealer to the test. Below, read what four staffers had to say about the new launch and whether under-eye concealer really is “dead”.

Shade: 34S Medium Sand

"I’m a big fan of Tarte’s iconic Shape Tape concealer, so when I embarked on my testing journey with Maracuja Creaseless, let’s just say there were very large shoes to fill. But spoiler alert: it was love at first swipe for me. I just can’t get over this formula — and it takes a lot to impress me! The shade match is flawless on my medium olive skin and it blends like a dream. I don’t usually wear concealer on my under eyes (not because I think that practice is “dead”, but simply because I don’t really have dark circles; this, I attribute to my eight to 10 hours of sleep a night.) However, I dotted a tiny amount below my eyes to test out the “creaseless” claim and sure enough, it was completely undetectable, save for the evened-out, visibly brighter, smoother skin around my eyes.

In the few weeks since I’ve been testing Tarte’s new concealer, it’s completely replaced my foundation. My summer base makeup now consists of Drunk Elephant’s newly-reformulated tinted SPF and strategic dots of Maracuja Creaseless where needed (usually along my T-zone, where most of my acne scars live). The finish isn’t dewy or shiny, but not matte, either; it’s truly skin-like and looks like you’re not wearing makeup. The texture is also hydrating on my drier areas (like cheeks and forehead), which I attribute to ingredients like vitamin E. (I’m not a fan of dupe culture, but I find this very similar to NARS’ beloved Radiant Creamy Concealer and like a more full-coverage alternative to another fave of mine, the Saie Slip Tint Concealer.) All in all, Tarte made the impossible (outdoing itself) a reality with this concealer." — Karina Hoshikawa, Senior Writer

Shade: 22N Light Neutral

"A truly creaseless concealer is an impossible feat. We all have skin texture and fine lines, and even the smallest facial movement can disturb painstakingly-applied makeup. That’s entirely normal and perfectly natural. Makeup isn’t meant to be a mask. That said, this new concealer is far less prone to obvious creasing compared to the hundreds of others I’ve tried. It’s all in the hydrating, moisturising ingredients including niacinamide, vitamin E, and omegas 3 and 6. To really put it through its paces, I used it in place of foundation, dotting it all around my face as well as my under-eyes. While the coverage isn’t as substantial as the brand’s Shape Tape Concealer (my ride or die — seriously, it’s incredible) it sank into my skin quickly with no need for vigorous blending. It felt so comfortable on my skin, I totally forgot I was wearing it. Here’s the real test: It survived London’s hottest day of the year so far (30 degrees) and even a swim. Another thing I love about it is the skinny, precise doe-foot applicator, which makes light work of concealing dark circles and breakouts. I love this — so much so, it has replaced the Kosas concealer that I’ve been using for months." — Jacqueline Kilikita, Deputy Beauty Director

Shade: 35N Medium Neutral and 29N Light-Medium Neutral

"As a long-time fan of the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer — I bought my first tube at 17 years old, after saving up for months — I am game to try any product that has the potential to dethrone it. Tarte's newest concealer launch, with a creamy formula that promises zero creasing, is a serious contender. I typically use concealer to coat my under-eye area, so I need a product that adequately moisturises without looking cakey. I'm happy to report that this new kid on the block passed with flying colours: the concealer had a satiny texture that almost felt like whipped cream, and was very effective at camouflaging my dark circles. Thanks to maracuja passion fruit extract sourced from the Amazon, a hydrating ingredient the brand is known for, the product had the nourishing consistency of an eye cream. I would say that this has medium coverage, perhaps slightly less than the NARS concealer; I find the latter a bit more efficient at tucking away the redness of my blemishes. However, this Tarte concealer will be my new go-to for eye makeup. The stretchy and weightless formulation glides over my dark circles so beautifully without sinking into my fine lines. It's my new secret weapon to a crease-free eye look this summer." — Venus Wong, Senior Writer