There have been mixed reviews for the Maybelline Lifter Serum Concealer ($13.99, 18 shades), and I’m honestly shocked by the negative reviews that I’ve seen. Due to the polarizing reviews, I wanted to give this some extra attention before posting my review, but my thoughts haven’t changed. For my dry, eczema-prone, early 40s skin, the Maybelline Lifter Serum Concealer is a hit! It is easy to use, has a satin finish, wears incredibly well with minimal creasing (even without powder), and has great coverage. I do agree with the complaints that it is not full coverage; it is pretty solid medium coverage. However, I do think it builds to a high-medium coverage. Of course, if you don’t have much to cover, you’ll likely experience it as a full-coverage concealer because it has a lot of pigment. In my opinion, as this formula blends out, it also sheers out, so it just never fully covers my dark under eyes or hyperpigmentation. But it still does a great job, and with the satin finish, it looks really nice under my eyes and as a foundation.
TL;DR – scroll down for a chart that sums everything up.
As I’ve mentioned in the past, creasing will happen, especially as we age and expression lines and wrinkles deepen. With the Maybelline Lifter Serum Concealer, I can get about 3 hours of wear before it settles into the deepest crease under my eyes, but you can not see it from a normal viewing distance. For me, when the pigment starts collecting in the lines so much that I can see it from a distance, I’m not happy. When worn unset, the Maybelline Lifter Concealer stays put really well for me. I do pat out minor creasing that I see, but it wasn’t necessary until almost 6 hours of wear, and it isn’t a big deal for me to do that. When I pair this concealer with my go-to NARS Light Reflecting Powder, creasing was a little worse by the end of the day (about 10 hours), but it was nothing super noticeable. The LA Girl Yellow Brightening Setting Powder (not affiliated) pairs really well with this concealer, and I only had creasing in the deepest crease under each eye. However, it is a drier, more mattifying powder than NARS Light Reflecting, so the combination does sacrifice the beautiful satin finish.
While I personally think the formula is easy to use, I do want to warn you that it dries quickly for a concealer that isn’t a matte finish. It has a dry-down and sets, which help its longevity, but if you don’t get to blending soon enough, you may have some trouble moving it around. I blend it soon after I put it on my face, so I can’t say for certain, though. It has a thicker texture with a slight tackiness, but I haven’t found it to be an issue for application or wear. It blends out well with both a brush and my fingers. I do prefer how it sits on my dry skin when I use my fingers to apply this concealer. It dries down more matte when I apply it with a brush. I’ve used both the Morphe M131 Round Paddle Concealer Brush and the Sigma F64 Soft Blend Concealer Brush without issues.
The highlights – claims vs my reality
| Maybelline Lifter Serum Concealer Claims | Do I agree? |
| Hydrating (78% skincare formula) | No. This doesn’t feel drying to wear or look dry (particularly when I don’t set it with powder), but on my dry skin, it doesn’t feel hydrating. I do want to point out that it can look dry when paired with some powders, but I don’t have to set this with powder, so I’m not holding that against the concealer. |
| Full coverage | Maybe for some. For my darkness and hyperpigmentation issues, I feel like it is medium coverage and can be built up to a high medium coverage. |
| Naturally radiant finish | Yes, it has a slight sheen on my dry skin type. I don’t think it accentuates my texture too much. I also like how it looks all over the face as a foundation. |
| Brightens the look of undereyes instantly and over time (clinically tested to improve radiance after 2 weeks of daily use) | There is a sheen to this concealer’s finish that can look brightening, and if you choose a shade lighter than your skin tone, you can also achieve a brightened look. As for improving radiance over time, I’m unsure, and I can’t honestly see myself using it daily for 2 weeks to find out. |
| Feels lightweight | Yes, though it might feel heavier depending on how much you apply and what types of moisturizer you typically use. The texture is somewhat thick and tacky, so if you aren’t used to heavy skincare, you may feel it more than I do. And if you build it up, it feels and looks heavier. |
| Up to 12 Hr wear | Maybe. I can get 10 hours without losing coverage and only seeing minimal creasing. |
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Swatches – **Maybelline Lifter Serum Concealer ($13.99)
For shade reference, my best foundation matches are the NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation in Tahoe and the old formula of the Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation in 4W4 Hazel.
My best match among the 18 available shades in the Maybelline Lifter Serum Concealer is shade 85 Warm. I was curious whether coverage could be improved with a better shade match, so I also purchased Shade 80 Warm and Shade 90 Neutral. With a mix of shades 80 and 85, I was happier with the coverage, but I still don’t feel like I got full coverage. I do wish that shade 90 wasn’t so close to shade 85, but the undertone difference should still be helpful for people.
 | $ 13.99 SalePrice $ 13.99 RegularPrice |
| Maybelline Lifter Serum Concealer – 85 | |
Comparison Swatches – Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer 5W, Maybelline Lifter Serum Concealer 85, Colourpop Pretty Fresh Concealer Medium Dark 145W
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Nikki From HR 