I tried five of TikTok's viral concealer hacks and these are the ones that *actually* work

If you've been wondering which of the viral concealer hacks on TikTok are actually worth adding to your makeup routine, I have the answers. I've put five of the most popular methods that promise to snatch, blur and brighten to the test—and I have some thoughts...

Before TikTok really became our go-to for all things beauty—from the latest lifestyle trends like balletcore, denim midi skirts and the coastal cowgirl aesthetic to roundups of the best non-comedogenic foundations—the app was all about makeup hacks.

To this day, TikTok is still packed with tips and tricks on the best ways to do your makeup, whether it's the best eyeliners for beginners or application methods that could spare you from foundation piling and flaking mascara. Beautytok has it all, but when it comes to concealer especially, it's a treasure trove of intel.

Personally, concealer is the part of my makeup routine that always fills me with dread. Some days it seems to blend perfectly, but others it looks dry—or fails to really cover up my eternally tired eyes. So, as someone who desperately chases that fabled and often elusive flawless base, I've put five of the most-popular concealer hacks to the test, so you don't have to.

But first...where is concealer applied?

Typically, concealer is applied to the undereye and wherever else you want to brighten or literally conceal—so any blemishes, pores or redness you want to blur and tone down.

Most of the TikTok videos dedicated to concealer application show users applying their product to their under eyes, nose and chin but also on their cheekbones to help create a lifted, defined look. 

Application-wise, you can use your finger (preferably your ring finger, as it'll naturally apply less pressure), a beauty blender, or a concealer brush—either flat or fluffy. The order you choose to apply your products and concealer is totally up to you. In most beauty routines, the concealer follows the foundation before getting set by powder, but you can also apply it after your contour and blush for a more snatched look.

A beauty writer's verdict on TikTok's favorite concealer hacks

To date, 'concealer hacks' has over 182 million views to the hashtag, not to mention a long long list of concealer-related hashtags—but which of these methods actually work, or at least, make a change to how our concealers shape and brighten our faces?

I've tried five of the most viral hacks, from the minimal three-dot undereye application to the fuller coverage, face sculpt method. Here's which ones are actually worth incorporating into your makeup routine...

Which concealers did I use for these concealer hacks?

For my vigorous concealer testing, I used the Kosas Revealer concealer, the Hourglass Vanish concealer and the Nars Soft Matte concealer—as it felt only right to use equally as viral products for these ever-so-popular hacks...

For blending, I used a beauty blender, my finger and a small brush (usually when using the Nars concealer). Then to complete the rest of my face, I used Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter and Armani's Luminous Silk for my base, along with Charlotte Tilbury's Cheek to Chic blush, and Airbrush powder—finished off with the Rare Beauty Mascara.

1. The three dot undereye hack

First up is the three-dot concealer hack, ideal for clean-girl-esque, natural makeup lovers as it's all about deliberate placement to try and blur those dark circles.

Less is more with this hack, so if that's your vibe it could be worth a try.

@jreybeauty

♬ jennifer tilly please destroy me - me

To do this hack, all you need to do is dot your concealer in three places, directly under your eye before blending them out. I used my finger for a more natural finish and went for the Kosas concealer—which is a great formula for those who prefer more sheer and glowy makeup. That's it!

Personally, this application is pretty close to my normal routine, though I did find the placement a little restrictive and needed to reapply a little near the inner corner of my eye, where my dark circles are more prominent. It's quick though, easy to blend and does the job well, but if you like really flawless under-eyes, this might be a bit too subtle for you. 

I rate this hack: 3/5—easy, quick and good for natural makeup looks but if you're looking for really flawless under-eyes the coverage might be a little light.

2. The fact lift concealer hack

Consider my face LIFTED! This hack—as demonstrated by user @aliciabreuer0—uses strokes of concealer, angled upwards to give your face a lifted look.

To pull off this hack, you blend the concealer upwards also, to really snatch your face before then applying your blush and bronzer.

@aliciabreuer0

♬ original sound - 𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙛_

This method definitely requires a more glowy/liquid concealer to blend everything out properly, as opposed to a more matte formula as the placement took me a minute to master. I used the Hourglass concealer and a beauty blender for this particular hack and really did find that my face—especially my under eyes—looked lifted. 

That being said, it's a bit too much concealer and blending for me to be tackling on a normal day but definitely a great hack if you've got a party or wedding coming up and want more coverage.

I rate this hack: 4/5—great coverage and lifted effect. If you're a lover of natural-looking makeup, this hack might be a little on the heavier side but if you have an event coming up where you want to look snatched, this hack is *chef's kiss*.

3.The full-coverage face snatching concealer hack

This hack, as shown by @_lilpeet, offers more concealer coverage across your face from your under eyes, right down to your chin.

I used the Nars concealer for this look and my beauty blender.

@_lilpeet

♬ Morning Routine - Tollan Kim

While this method did provide a good amount of coverage, I found the lines—like the 3 dot hack—a little restrictive. Because of the line placements, I felt some areas I would normally conceal were left a little bare, while others had too much. I would also suggest using a glowy, liquid concealer as opposed to a matte one because if you take too long drawing out the shape, the concealer can start to dry out.

It was fairly quick to do, but I'd prefer to apply my concealer to targeted areas and then perhaps under my cheekbone for that snatched look, rather than these placements.

I rate this hack: 3/5—the placement wasn't it for me. Personally, the positioning of these lines, while they look fun, didn't really deliver coverage where I needed it. However, if you're looking for just quick, overall coverage this might be worth a try.

4. The precise paint concealer hack

Now this hack takes a bit of precision...

@deborahruizglam

♬ original sound - kardashianshulu

I followed the above videos as closely as I could, using an angled brush and my pot of Nars concealer to draw two triangles—one directly under my eye and the other, alongside my nose—before drawing a line out, like a winged eyeliner.

This hack really did leave me with a flawless undereye, but personally, I found drawing out the placement a little too time-consuming and a hassle my daily makeup routine could do without. That being said if you like to let your concealer marinate (which is a good trick to achieving better coverage) this hack could be a game-changer for you. Plus for that coverage, a few more seconds of beauty blender action isn't the worst thing in the world. 

This is a hack I'll be reserving for occasions like a party or date night, when I can spend more time perfecting my makeup.

I rate this hack: 4/5—Really great coverage but a tad too time-consuming for a day-to-day morning routine. If you're a lover of baking and giving your concealer time to sink in though, this could be a winner for you!

5. The pink concealer hack

The pink concealer hack went viral in 2022 but it's basically the age-old trick of color correcting. On TikTok, users used their pink and peachy blushes on their undereye (we love a multipurpose makeup product) before then topping it with their normal concealers. Just like how green cancels out red, pink can help to neutralize those purply tones that make our dark circles so hard to blur with a regular concealer.

@yhkayla

♬ Love You So - The King Khan & BBQ Show

I used one of the Revlon Rare Beauty blush dupes for this one and on my first attempt I applied way too much, so the pinkiness was hard to blend out. But on my other eye, I used just one dot—blending it under my eye to the inner corner, before following up with my Nars concealer.

While I was skeptical about this one, it did actually make my under eyes look quite bright and even, though I think the blush I used was too bright for my skin tone as once everything was blended out, I was left with a slightly blushy aura around my face. If you're a lover of the 'cold girl' makeup look though, you might love that!

I rate this hack: 3.5/5—it takes a fair amount of blending to get it looking right but the overall look is effective, just make sure you get the right blush shade for your skin tone!