I've Never Been Blown Away by a Concealer, But This Has Earned a Permanent Spot in My Routine

Concealer certainly isn’t the most exciting makeup category, and I've never really been blown away by one before. However, most of us wear it in our everyday routines, and so the search for the best concealer is something that many take very seriously. When I got my hands on the new MAC Studio Fix 36HR Smooth Angles Concealer, I was apathetic at best. MAC is one of the most popular makeup brands for professional makeup artists, and their Studio Fix foundations are cult products. So, I really should have been more hyped about trying this.

It comes in a whopping 44 shades and promises to even out your complexion ‘from every angle’, concealing dark circles, imperfections, and acne. It advertises that it offers 36-hour waterproof, transfer-proof wear, blurring the look of the skin to create a smooth canvas. I’ve been testing it for a few weeks now, and I need to share my thoughts. This MAC concealer is not to be missed.

What’s so good about the MAC Studio Fix 36HR Smooth Angles Concealer?

As should be the case with all makeup products by default, the shade range of this new concealer is extensive and inclusive. At £25, it’s also not the most expensive concealer on the market, sitting quite nicely mid-range. When you look at the packaging, it doesn't look like you get as much product here as with a lot of other concealers, but you truly don’t need to apply much, so it balances out.

Whilst these are all great selling points, they aren’t the reason that I’m writing a full article dedicated to this new launch. The coverage that this concealer offers, whilst still looking like natural skin, is unparalleled. It hides pigmentation, blurs tonal and textural imperfections like nothing else, and stays in place all day. It’s a silicone-based concealer, so it physically fills pores and lines to create a flawless-like finish. It’s also infused with makeup-setting ingredients, meaning that you don’t need to set it with a powder to get that staying power. It contains moisturising glycerin to stop it looking cakey, and the applicator fits in all the hard-to-reach contours of your face.

How to apply the MAC Studio Fix 36HR Smooth Angles Concealer?

You don’t need to apply much—I start with my main areas of pigmentation from my under-eye area to my jaw, and then I drag the excess to my nose, chin, and forehead. I find this concealer applies best with a soft concealer (or eyeshadow) brush, in a light, sweeping motion to help blend. I don’t need to set it with powder—it just stays in place, crease-free, all day.

I don’t have acne or any major textural imperfections, but I do have a lot of dark spots, as well as redness around my nose, and some dark circles if I’m tired enough. So, what I need from a concealer is one that will brighten and lift my complexion, as well as conceal the areas of pigmentation to make my skin look uniform. It does this so well that my skin looks like a blank canvas. Not glowy, not matte, just natural.

This—the first concealer to really knock my socks off—is so special because it seems to work like magic. And by magic, I mean it manages to conceal and perfect my imperfections in a way that makes me feel like I have new skin. One that still looks, feels, and moves like my own, but oh so much better. I wish I'd had this gem on my wedding day.

Every time I use this, my jaw hits the floor with how smooth and even it makes my skin look. I honestly don’t think I’ll ever use another concealer ever again. And coming from someone who tests beauty products for a living, that’s high praise.