After nearly a decade of searching, I’ve found the best long-lasting concealer for *all woes*—plus, it doesn’t cake

It is fair to say that out of all the assorted beauty tasks, finding a concealer that really works and blends to look naturally flawless is up there with one of the trickiest. I have spent a long time trying to find a product that will cover up under-eye bags as well as disguise blemishes or uneven tone... And on top of that it needs plenty of staying power, so my face looks as fresh as it does at the start of the day.

On my quest to find the perfect cover-up, I have tried dozens and dozens of concealers over the years. I have liked a few of them, but there’s always something that lets it down; sometimes a product will do well under eyes but not so well on spots and vice versa. Or sometimes I will find a long-lasting cover-up, but the shade range is a bit limited, so I struggle to find my match. It has been a long, old journey, but I think I have found my complexion BFF with NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer.

A colleague recommended this little pot last year when I was moaning about yet another concealer that had failed me, and it was one of the best recommendations ever, as I genuinely love everything about it and I’ve used it every day since.

What made this one such a winner? Well, firstly, I like the silky cream texture as it's a little thicker than many other concealers I’ve used, but when patted onto skin with my ring finger, it blends and settles into a very fine texture that can easily be topped up for fuller coverage. The slightly heavier consistency works particularly well over spots but is light enough to go under my eyes, without creasing.

Plus, it blurs away dark shadows as well as any redness, and I can apply it before or after my foundation for the same natural finish. Once on, it sticks around brilliantly too—I can trust it to be there all day and it manages to make me look fresh even if I have been lacking on beauty sleep or if my hayfever eyes are feeling a little watery and irritated. I'm always very impressed by how long-wearing it is.

As well as keeping my complexion looking clear, it also looks after it. The velvety cream contains a blend of peptides, hyaluronic acid and vitamins to nourish skin and keep dryness at bay. The hydrating ingredients help it to sit more smoothly on my skin too—it has a gentle matte finish but there’s never any powdery feel or chalkiness.

The shade range is also worth highlighting as there’s a whopping 30 wearable shades to choose from which makes it much easier to find a good match for your skin tone. If you’re unsure with where to start, there is quite a lot of helpful imagery and matching advice on the NARS site to make it all a little easier.

At £28 it may seem expensive for a small pot of makeup, but my first tub lasted me a good six months as you only need a minimal amount each day—I just lightly press my finger on to it and find that it’s often the right amount of product for under my eyes. The smallest amount goes an impressively long way, and I like that I can use the same product for my whole face rather than having to buy multiple cover-ups for different areas.

If you can’t already tell from all of the above, I love this concealer. It has been a daily essential for me for over a year, and I'm not the only one as NARS is the no.1 concealer brand in the UK. Whether you’re looking to hide a late night, cover a break out, or a bit of both, this little pot's promise of complete coverage can be trusted.