What makes the best concealer for acne scars and blemishes?
Well, besides covering them up, how about providing some kind of treatment at the same time, right? You’d want the concealer to not only hide the spots, but also heal them. Ideally, every time you wash your face at night, the blemishes, infection or redness should be just a tad smaller and less pronounced than they were in the morning.
These natural concealers can help speed up the healing of acne scars and blemishes. I’ve selected concealers from more and less well-known natural & organic skin care brands to be included in my list of ‘best concealer for acne scars and blemishes’, to give you a nice overview of the best natural concealers on the market today.
If you no longer have (m)any actual blemishes and your aim is more to conceal the older acne scars, there’s a special section at the bottom of this page focused on amazing natural concealers that don’t contain specific ingredients for the treatment of spots and acne.
Best Concealer for Acne Scars & Blemishes
Let’s have a look at some of the best concealers for oily skin with acne, acne scars and blemishes. Looking at concealers from a few different natural and/or organic skin care brands, we’ll be going over the ingredients – how natural they are – as well as the specific additions chosen by each brands to not only keep imperfections “undercover”, but treat them at the same time.
1. Coverstick by Dr. Hauschka
Ingredients: Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Manihot Utilissima (Tapioca) Starch, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Beeswax (Cera Alba), Lanolin, Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Oil, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Fragrance (Parfum), Limonene*, Linalool*, Geraniol*, Citral*, Anthyllis Vulneraria Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Tocopherol, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Leptospermum Scoparium Branch/Leaf Oil, Ascorbyl Dipalmitate, Silica, Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Zinc Oxide (CI 77947). (*from natural essential oils)
Dr. Hauschka’s products are always completely natural. This is a lovely brand and I trust them almost blindly not to add anything synthetic in their formulations – whether it be makeup or skin care. I’ve gone through a few of these cover sticks. It is good enough for me to simply buy another one of these when I run out, without looking at other options. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? 😉
On Amazon (follow this link to see all available options) you can normally get one for around $24. At the moment of writing, one seller has these cover sticks for $6.99, which is completely bonkers (and I snagged two, without a moment of hesitation). Not sure how long the offer will last, or if it is still there now.
Completely off topic: I was once able to order a beautiful cotton Pinzon duvet cover set for $18, while these are usually in the sixties or seventies… When I wanted to go back and get another, the listing was completely gone – vanished. Still wishing I got more than one, and wondering if it was perhaps a mistake? Amazon is a bit of a jungle, but quite fun!
2. Blemish Clearing Powder by Juice Beauty
Ingredients, INCI: Organic powders of manihot esculenta (organic tapioca)*, zea mays (organic corn)*, aloe barbadensis (organic aloe powder)*, bambusa arundinaceae (bamboo powder), vitis vinifera (organic grape seed oil)*, vaccinium corymbosum (organic blueberry seed oil)*, punica granatum (organic pomegranate seed oil)*, rubus idaeus (organic raspberry seed oil)*, actinidia chinensis (organic kiwi seed oil)*, vaccinium macrocarpon (organic cranberry seed oil)*, fragaria ananassa(organic strawberry seed oil)*, euterpe oleracea (organic acai berry)*, lycium chinense (organic goji berry)*, tocopherol (Vitamin E), ricinus communis (organic castor seed oil)*, thymus vulgaris (thyme extract), melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree extract), rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary extract) and citrus sinensis (sweet orange oil). May contain titanium dioxide, mica, iron oxides. (* = Certified organic ingredient)
Classic concealers in the way we’ve come to know them either come in a little jar (like eye shadow) or in a tube/stick with an applicator brush. Juice Beauty’s Blemish Clearing Powder breaks the rule. Juice Beauty is a rather famous organic skin care brand though, and this is their product for covering up acne or acne scars. So even though a loose powder may be quite different from what you expect to find when looking for a great concealer, it deserves to be mentioned in this list.
Let’s see what people are saying:
“This product not only heals blemishes but hides them! I am amazed how fast it speeds up the healing time. The powder form is perfect for oily skin and stays put!”
“My skin is combination dry and oily and this is perfect to add to my t-zone over my face makeup to help combat shine all day long. It’s mild enough that it doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin and I love that it’s also helping fight blemishes.”
“This is one of my favorite (one of many) Juice Beauty products. I have battled acne forever. Nothing seems to help, until now. This powder not only conceals my acne, but helps treat it. I see a noticeable difference from morning to night in many cases. It is not thick, clumpy or oily. Also works great on body acne without damaging your clothes.”
Most people seem very happy with the workings of this concealer, despite its unconventional presentation. Complaints are mainly about the size – apparently it is tiny – and the packaging, which is absolutely not travel friendly. My own experiences with (other) loose powders confirm that it is usually a messy business. Not my favorite. For me, this is pretty much a deal breaker, since a concealer is one of the few makeup item I like to keep in my handbag.
The Blemish Clearing Powder’s ingredients contain many botanical extracts, some of which are known to heal inflammation. The aloe vera and bamboo powder, but also extracts of thyme, tea tree, rosemary and sweet orange.
This concealer (or should I still say “powder”) comes in one shade only, a fairly light one. Unless you can get your hands on a sample first, I’d find it to be a risky purchase for ladies with darker skin. Returns are accepted at Juice Beauty though, so if you don’t mind the hassle, go for it!
3. Fruit Pigmented Long Lasting Concealer by 100% Pure
Ingredients (INCI): Zinc Oxide, Shea Butter, Candelelia Wax, Extracts of Organic Green Coffee*, Organic Rice Powder*, Peach, Carrot, Cocoa, Apricot, Lavender Powder, Chamomile, Organic Rosehip Oil*, Vitamin E (a-tocopherol), Vitamin C (ascorbyl palmitate), Cocoa Butter, Extracts of Organic Rosemary*, Organic Oregano*, Organic Thyme*, Organic Grapefruit Seed* and Organic Goldenseal* (* Certified Organic)
100% Pure’s Fruit Pigmented Long Lasting Concealer is not really focused on acne and blemishes, at least as far as marketing goes there is no mention of it being geared toward these issues. When taking a closer look at the ingredients though, you will find some plant extracts in this concealer that are known to be beneficial to healing infections and fighting bacteria: rosemary, thyme, oregano and chamomile.
Also, there are quite a few rave reviews from users who specifically mention this concealer not causing any breakouts and providing great coverage, especially for imperfections, redness and acne scars.
To quote a few comments:
“This concealer goes on smooth and gives good coverage. I have bought a natural concealer in the past that was too watery and acted more like foundation. This one covers dark circles and red spots!”
“This concealer is awesome!! I’ve used it both sparingly, to cover up zits, or in large areas, to cover up things like rosacea flare-ups, and in all cases it blends great and covers well. You can get a really strong, opaque coverage if you need it and put it on thick, or a more sheer effect if you blend it in more sparingly.”
“Perfect for covering acne marks and for evening out redness with out being cakey or heavy, and the color is perfect for any one with fair skin. I love how this is also so great for your skin. Good bye break outs from other make up brands!”
“This is my second one of these and I hope they never stop making it. It is the best concealer for blemishes I’ve found, plus it works great for under eye concealing as well. Made with such great ingredients and does a wonderful job.”
“I love the texture of this concealer! It goes on so smooth and makes my skin feel soft. I use it mostly to cover acne scars and it does just as good of a job as other concealers i’ve used, however, knowing this has all pure ingredients make it so much better! For some of the more severe scars I just apply an additional layer of the concealer.”
Oh, and in case you’re wondering: Yes, some of the reviews aren’t as positive. There are always bound to be a few unhappy people. It is simply impossible to please everyone, right? Besides, few thing are so unique to a person as their skin and its reactions to the outside world. I suppose in the business of skin care and makeup it is even more impossible than in most other areas to create a product that will work for every single soul out there. Ultimately it remains a matter of trial and error to get to know your skin, inside and out. 🙂
So far the sampling of reviews I found about this concealer – hop over to this page if you’d like to read more.
No less than eight shades for this concealer, that’s impressive.
All can be found at “100% pure”, right here.
- Alpine rose (porcelain, rose undertone)
- Creme (porcelain, warm undertone)
- White peach (light)
- Peach bisque (medium)
- Golden peach (deep medium)
- Toffee (tan)
- Mousse (deep)
- Cocoa (rich)
4. bareMinerals Blemish Remedy Concealer
Ingredients (INCI): Polyethylene, Squalane, Methyl Dihydroabietate, Soybean Glycerides, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecanol, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Barium Sulfate, Kaolin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Water (Aqua/Eau), Micrococcus Lysate, Ganoderma Lucidum (Mushroom) Stem Extract, Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract, Propylene Carbonate, Limonene. May Contain (+/-): Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499).
This is a decent contender for the title of “best concealer for acne scars and blemishes with natural ingredients”, but not at the top. The bareMinerals Blemish Remedy Concealer has some fans, while on the other hand a lot of customers were clearly disappointed. Some very different opinions here, varying from “great” to “meh…”, and “terrible”.
What people are saying:
“I love this new line from Bare Minerals. I suffer from adult acne and have scarring. This concealer helps me feel confident in my day to day interactions. Paired with the mineral foundation, my skin almost looks flawless!”
“It’s creamy and goes on smoothly. Just doesn’t do the coverage I expected for sun spots.”
“This was absolutely terrible and not worth $18-$22. This was streaky, uneven, blotchy, and simply did not do what it’s supposed to do which is conceal. Bare minerals used to have the best concealer money could buy, ever, period. Now I guess they are lessening the quality while charging the same.”
Purely based on the ingredients, I would not choose to purchase the bareMinerals Blemish Remedy concealer. At least not if there’s something better available. It does contain some natural ingredients: aspen bark, kaolin clay and tea tree oil, of which especially the last one is a great choice to combat acne and blemishes. Polyethylene is the first ingredient though, and that’s a polymer of ethylene monomers which can contain potentially toxic manufacturing contaminants such as 1,4-dioxane. Further along you’ll see octyldodecanol and propylene carbonate (a carbonate ester derived from propylene glycol). I can’t find much information online about methyl dihydroabietate (the third ingredient) except for one webpage saying it is “not for fragrance use” and “not for flavor use”. All in all, there seem to be better performing (and more natural) options out there than this concealer.
The bareMineral Blemish Remedy Concealer can be found on Amazon right here, and on Beauty Bridge over here. It’s currently $22 on Beauty Bridge with free shipping on orders of over $49, and $21.24 on Amazon with free shipping through Amazon Prime.
Best Concealer For Acne Scars, 2 Extra Options, All Natural & Without “Treatment”
All concealers mentioned above are geared toward acne/acne scars, pimples and blemishes. With ingredients specifically selected to provide some kind of healing, concealers that can fight the infection all while providing coverage to hide things in the mean time are a great choice in this case.
However, you can also achieve great results with a regular natural concealer, and use a separate blemish or spot treatment when needed.
Perhaps you already have other ways of dealing with (and healing) blemishes, or maybe you no longer have ‘active’ acne and prefer to go with a more neutral all natural concealer, one that doesn’t contain anything to treat blemishes. For those looking for the best concealer for acne scars, but without the pimple-fighting part, I’d like to include some of the very best concealers out there, with amazingly natural ingredients.
These are great, no matter what it is you aim to conceal – acne scars, other scars, redness, dark circles or anything else. They work very well on oily, normal and dry skin. These concealers are so completely natural that they bring nothing but goodness to your skin, and there is no reason why you couldn’t also use them on the under-eye area.
My personal favorite of the concealers with treatment is the Cover Stick by Dr. Hauschka, but I have successfully used a few really great “regular” concealers to cover up blemishes and simply treated spots separately with essential oils when needed. At bedtime, for example, or a few minutes before applying concealer in the morning.
1. Miessence Concealer
Miessence has a fabulous all-natural concealer. Unfortunately for darker skin types, it comes in only two shades (light/fair and medium). Apart from this limitation, it is superb. For roughly the same price as Dr. Hauschka’s Coverstick, you get almost three times as much (!) in a cute transparent flat-shaped jar. With all natural and almost entirely organic ingredients, this one is a real winner. From my experience, it works great on dark circles under eyes, spots, blemishes and acne – plus, it provides UV protection. Check out this concealer and its ingredients over here, or maybe you’d like to read my full Miessence concealer review here.
2. RMS Beauty Un Cover Up Concealer
Un Cover Up by RMS Beauty is my second recommendation, even though I haven’t had the opportunity to try it out myself. The reviews are overall very good, the ingredients are equally natural and organic where possible. Even the size is similar to Miessence, although the price is much higher, around $36, compared to $22.85 for Miessence’s concealer. The advantage is that Un Cover Up Concealer comes in seven different shades, so people with dark skin tones should be able to find a good “fit” among the darker shades, which is something Miessence sadly lacks. RMS’s Un Cover Up Concealer can be found on Amazon (it qualifies for free Prime shipping), at and at Spirit Beauty Lounge.
Please share what you think is the best concealer for acne scars, blemishes and other problem areas, we’d love to hear from you! 🙂
