From fit me to instant eraser, Maybelline is known for delivering excellent budget friendly concealers so when a new one was added to its mix, rest assured our ears were pricked. Enter the Maybelline lifter concealer. Where the fit me concealer offers a natural medium coverage and the instant eraser concealer gives a medium moisturising look, the new lifter concealer fills a gap with its promise of a hydrating full coverage.
The hydrating properties come down to its serum make-up: Maybelline's lifter concealer is made with ingredients designed to brighten the skin and leave a naturally radiant complexion and a lifted look. Better still, Maybelline says the brightening effects are both instant and develop over time, as the serum is formulated with a 2 per cent peptide blend and caffeine.
Intrigued? We definitely were and couldn’t wait to give it a whirl on two different complexions – read on for our full verdict.
Read more: 10 best concealers tested on different skin tones to hide blemishes
Maybelline lifter serum concealer
Sabrina Sahota
Rating: 4/5
Shade tested: 50
I usually steer away from full coverage concealers in favour of dewy, lightweight formulas, so I was intrigued to see if Maybelline’s lifter concealer could change my mind. The shade range isn’t vast, so it took me a while to settle on the right one. In the end I went for 50, in the hopes of achieving a brightening effect under my eyes on my medium/warm skin tone.
The large doe foot applicator made it easy to apply the concealer and although it’s a slightly thicker formula than I’m used to, it was easy to blend under my eyes and around my nose. It brightened the area under my eyes without looking too stark or leaving any harsh lines. It layered seamlessly over my foundation too, without disrupting the rest of my make-up.
After a few hours of wear I experienced some light creasing under my eyes, but I’m yet to find a full coverage concealer that doesn’t do this. The coverage lasted and it didn’t require any top ups, which is impressive given its £10 price point. While it won’t replace my more lightweight, dewy concealers for everyday wear, I’ll certainly be reaching for the Maybelline lifter concealer for special occasion make-up looks.
Alice Reynolds
Rating: 4/5
Shade tested: 15
The Maybelline lifter concealer promises a lot for £10: full coverage that is undetectably skin-like and the ability to brighten the look of under eyes instantly and over time. After testing it, I can confirm it’s money well spent.
Applying it to the under eyes, it blends out effortlessly despite its thicker consistency. I found that a brush was the best option for buffing it in over fingertips, leaving my under eyes noticeably brighter. On bare skin and over foundation, it’s buildable and a little goes a long way. While I found the applicator small, its size and angle helped to be precise with the concealer’s placement. A minor quibble from me is that it’s a little clunky bringing out the applicator from the tube.
When it comes to coverage, I would say it leans towards a medium-full instead of very full coverage on the skin (my under eye colouring could still be seen for example), but this does mean it would work in a day to evening transitional make-up look. Shade 15 was a great match for my fair skin tone and I was pleased to note no oxidation throughout the day.
I had really high hopes for its hydrating qualities as someone with very dry skin around my T-zone, but sadly it still clinged to some of my dry patches. However compared to other formulas I’ve tried it did a much better job, so if you have light dryness it would work well.
How we tested
We tested the concealer on two different complexions, where we looked out for its consistency, coverage, ease of blending, finish, how well it lasted and then ultimately, value for money.
Is the Maybelline lifter concealer worth it?
As a full coverage concealer, it impressed us on how easily the Maybelline lifter concealer blended out and layered over make-up. When it comes to its finish, the colour stayed put all day with no oxidation in sight, and we remarked its radiant, brightening finish. While it wasn’t moisturising enough to not cling to very dry patches, it would work well for those who have normal to combination skin. For those who veer on the oily side, it’s best to set it with powder.
We tried Merit’s tinted SPF sunscreen and we’ll ‘definitely be taking it on holiday’
