nyx hd concealer review
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NYX HD Concealer Review: Which Shade Is Perfect For You?

NYX is arguably one of the most popular cosmetics brands today. The company is worth $500 million. Their products are effective (for the most part) and are super affordable. You can find NYX just about anywhere, from your local pharmacy to Target and online.

I’ve tried many NYX products with mixed results. I absolutely love their Jumbo Eye Pencil but am not the biggest fan of their regular eyeliners. Their eyebrow pencil works okay, but it’s too pigmented and doesn’t look natural. However, I would say they’re one of the better drugstore and affordable makeup brands, so I was curious to try their HD Photogenic Concealer.

HD Photogenic Concealer

nyx concealer

Features

  • Best-selling concealer
  • Available in a wide variety of shades, even color-correcting shades
  • Doesn’t cake
  • Natural-looking
  • Vegan and cruelty-free

Pros

  • Wide shade range
  • Extremely affordable
  • Easy to apply
  • Blends well

Cons

  • Doesn’t cover well
  • NYX doesn’t offer any color match tools

Product Description

The HD Photogenic Concealer is a natural-looking concealer that’s in wand packaging. It’s a very smoothing and blendable concealer, ideal for a variety of skin tones. NYX also carries a massive shade range (though they don’t offer many tools for finding your shade) and even color-correcting options. I would like it if NYX included information on its HD benefits, such as if it contains blurring HD technology, but I can’t find any.

Finding My Shade

For being one of the biggest makeup brands today, I’m shocked that NYX doesn’t offer more shade-finding tools. They have a “try it on” feature on their website, but it doesn’t work for me. So I was forced to attempt to match myself using the color on the product and pictures of the models on their website.

Unfortunately, I was left with a lighter color. It’s not a big deal for me; I mainly use concealer under my eyes and as a highlighter, but I’m pale as it is and prefer using concealers that match my skin tone.

Coverage

I’m very disappointed by the coverage. NYX emphasizes this is a natural-looking concealer. But you can make a natural-looking concealer that still covers well. In all due respect, I was using Nars before (which is my HG), and going from Nars to NYX is like going from Olaplex to Suave.

Does that mean you shouldn’t use these concealers? If you want coverage, I would suggest Nars or Tarte concealers. Even Sephora Collection concealers offer impressive coverage. But these NYX concealers would be perfect for contouring. They offer a wide shade range, so you can find a contour and highlight shade. That and they’re so cheap, you’ll seriously spend less money on two concealers compared to a contour palette.

Blendability

The one thing I will give this concealer, and why I especially recommend it as a contour concealer, is the blendability. It blends effortlessly, even better than the Sephora Collection concealers I was using before. I simply applied a small swipe under my eye, and it blended quickly with a concealer brush. I did have to apply a small dab more on my undereye circles because I didn’t think it did the job well.

Another reviewer described the product consistency as emollient, which I have to agree with. It’s very smooth on the skin and blends like butter. Because of this, it doesn’t cake at all.

Longevity

The other positive I will say about this concealer is it does seem to last all day. Again, the coverage was less than desired, so the longevity doesn’t amount to a lot. But I didn’t have issues with this concealer creasing, slipping off, or fading. Keep in mind, I do set my concealer with the Make Up For Ever HD Powder, which has been my HG for years. I suggest still using a high-quality powder to set this concealer.

Price

The other reason I recommend this product is the price. At $6, you can’t really beat that price. But a part of me wonders why NYX is so cheap. While we don’t know for sure, there are a few theories as to why NYX prices their products so low. Their amazing sales and smaller advertising budgets are the main theories.

But doing some more digging, reasonably priced yet high-quality cosmetics was the main goal for NYX. That was the vision that founder Toni Ko had. Using her connections in the cosmetics industry, she first started with a few eyeliners and lipliners that sold out in 30 days. She continued to grow her line and made $2 million in profits in her first year of business.

But after all of these years, NYX products are still priced low. While the theories mentioned above could be true, Ko reveals some secrets. First, her packaging is very simple. And yes, she has a very small advertising budget. To this day, NYX thrives on word-of-mouth.

They do use modern marketing strategies that are affordable, such as social media marketing. They also partner with unpaid influencers, entrepreneurs, designers, and more, who receive free products and review the products. This has also helped their engagement soar.

So just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean it isn’t good, but I still have mixed views of NYX. I would spend $6 on lipstick or something similar that I wear occasionally. But a concealer? Something I wear constantly? I would rather spend extra on a good quality product.

Alternatives

As you can see, I’m not the biggest fan of this NYX concealer. That’s why I’m recommending some other brands. I’m including both expensive and affordable products here just so readers get a mix of different recommendations at various price points.

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer

As I’ve been saying time and time again, this concealer is my HG. Nars offer a variety of shades, and they all have great coverage. It covers both my undereye circles and any pimples I have perfectly. If you’re unsure of your shade, Sephora offers the Color IQ service, where they match you with any concealer or foundation in the store.

Sephora Make No Mistake Full Coverage Concealer

Make No Mistake Full Coverage Concealer

I always tell people, if you want high-end but don’t have the money to spare, buy Sephora Collection. I use their eyeshadows, lip products, eyeliners, and the list continues. Even their skincare is great. At $14, this concealer is only slightly more expensive than the NYX concealer but is still over half the price of the Nars concealer (which is $30).

While I don’t use this concealer (I still have some of the Make No Mistake Foundation and Concealer Stick that they discontinued), I would recommend this to clients when I did work at Sephora.

While the consistency is a little liquidy, a little does go a long way. And when they say full coverage, they seriously mean full coverage. No matter what you need to cover, this concealer can handle it. I will say, because of the consistency, I wouldn’t recommend it for dry skin types. Sephora Collection does have other concealer options if you would rather look through their catalog.

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Self-Setting Concealer

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Self-Setting Concealer

I love Make Up For Ever’s HD line. The reason why is MUFE actually uses HD benefits. Their HD line diffuses light, so your skin looks flawless. While they changed this concealer since I’ve last worn it, it seems like it’s similar to the HD Invisible Cover Concealer (the one I’m familiar with). It has great coverage, and the self-setting benefits actually work. Plus, this concealer is ideal for dry skin.

Smashbox Studio Skin Flawless Oil-Free 24 Hour Concealer

Smashbox Studio Skin Flawless Oil-Free 24 Hour Concealer

This concealer has many of the same benefits as the NYX HD Concealer, except it’s just better. It’s extremely long-wearing, thin, but easy to blend, and Smashbox offers a variety of shade options. Because it is thin, I won’t recommend it to those with dry skin and mature skin. It has medium-to-full coverage, but it looks very natural and doesn’t cake.

nyx 

Nyx Bare With Me Concealer

I do want to give NYX another chance, and this concealer has some good reviews. As with the HD concealer, it’s available in a variety of skin tones and stays on for a long time. While it’s a hydrating concealer, many reviewers said it didn’t do much for their dry skin. However, it does have a smooth texture, so it’s good for a variety of skin types. You can also use this concealer on your body.

Elf 16 Hour Camo Concealer

Elf 16 Hour Camo Concealer

The one drugstore brand that has never failed me is Elf. While many reviewers complained these concealers don’t have the fullest coverage, they have a massive shade range. The reviewers are saying this is more of an undereye concealer since it offers many brightening benefits. It’s also ideal for all skin types.

A little goes a long way, so you’ll spend less for more product. This concealer also lasts all day and is the same price as the NYX HD Concealer ($6).

FAQs

Question: Does This Concealer Oxidize?

Answer: First, let’s find out what concealer oxidation actually means. “Oxidation” is a fancy word that means the concealer will turn color when applied to your face, usually either turning orange or even darkening. I personally didn’t experience this with the NYX concealer. However, other reviewers said they had this issue, so they recommend you buy a shade lighter. Maybe I didn’t experience this because I accidentally bought a lighter shade.

Question: Is This Concealer Waterproof?

Answer: NYX says it’s waterproof and lasts 24 hours. I wouldn’t be surprised because this concealer did last all day and night for me.

Question: Is There Another NYX Concealer I Can Use for My Undereye Circles?

Answer: I recommended the Concealer Serum because it got good reviews. Looking on the NYX website, the Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Concealer seems like the better product if you want to cover undereye circles. It can also be used as a contour concealer.

Question: Is This Concealer Non-Comedogenic?

Answer: I think so. I have sensitive and acne-prone skin. If I don’t use specific products, my skin freaks out. Surprisingly, this concealer didn’t cause my skin to break out at all. From reading around the internet, it does seem like this concealer is non-comedogenic.

Question: Should Your Concealer Be Lighter Than Your Foundation?

Answer: It depends. If you’re only using concealer to brighten your eyes, then absolutely use a concealer lighter than your skin color. However, only choose a shade that’s one shade lighter than your skin color, no more than two shades lighter. But if you’re using concealer to cover acne, red spots, or any other discoloration, then it should match your skin color.

NYX HD Concealer Review: Bottomline

NYX is a very popular cosmetics company because its products are affordable and are generally of good quality. Their HD Concealer is one of their best-sellers, but I honestly don’t understand why. NYX offers no way to match you to this concealer, and it doesn’t cover well at all. While I do like the packaging and the natural look, you can buy way better concealers.

• NYX Color Correcting Concealer Review: Should You Try It?

• NYX Dark Circle Concealer Review: Can It Cover All?

• NYX Concealer Line Guide: How Well These Products Cover?

• Best Concealer Makeup Guide: Which Formula Is Perfect For Your Skin?

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