e.l.f. Maximum Coverage Concealer

For the most part, I believe that you get what you pay for.

Of course, that might just be my way of justifying spending freely on makeup, skincare, clothing, shoes, etc. but in most cases, I really feel like it's true.  

That's why I get so excited when I find really inexpensive products that deliver the goods like their more costly counterparts -- and I am woman enough to admit when I'm wrong.

I bought the e.l.f. Maximum Coverage Concealer without any real expectations.  

As a whole, the brand is pretty hit or miss -- there are quite a few gems in the line, but there are also quite a few lemons.  I never feel bad about trying an e.l.f. product, though, because they're nice and cheap.

If I buy an eyeshadow and it sucks, what's the big deal?  I only blew $1 to $3.   

I can definitely live with that.

So when I saw the Maximum Coverage Concealer on the e.l.f. website a while back (I must apologize right now -- I bought a ton of e.l.f. products back in November or December when they were having a big sale and I'm just now starting to review them.  Shameful, I know.  My backlog of products to review is ridiculous at this point.), I decided to take the gamble.

I've tried a few concealers from e.l.f. before and they ranged from okay (the Studio Complete Coverage Concealer) to a total waste of time (the Essential Cover Everything Concealer), but in general I'd say that I haven't had good luck with their face products. Their foundations and tinted moisturizers get a pretty enthusiastic thumbs down from me.

On the other hand, the Maximum Coverage Concealer, though, gets a pretty enthusiastic.

The oil-free formula delivers pretty full coverage, but it's still nice and creamy and easy to blend.  In most cases, I wouldn't use a heavy concealer like this under the eyes because I'd worry about creasing but a tiny bit of the Maximum Coverage Concealer works really well for dark circles and doesn't crease when blended well and set with powder. (I always set under eye concealer with something like Laura Mercier's Secret Brightening Powder or Benefit's Powderflage so I can't say how any concealer would perform without it.)

I also use it to cover redness, acne, scars and other hyper-pigmentation and it makes all of that pretty much disappear. e.l.f. claims that the Maximum Coverage Concealer can also hide tattoos and birthmarks, but I'm not sure I believe that.

Because while it covers extremely well, I wouldn't say it offers the fullest coverage of all the concealers that I own. If I wanted to cover my tattoo (I haven't ever tried because it's on the back of my shoulder and I'd have to be a contortionist to pull it off), I'd use my Makeup Forever Full Coverage Concealer or Kat Von D  Lock It Tattoo Concealer. 

That said, I think it would cover most of the things that the majority of us want to on a daily basis.

The Maximum Coverage Concealer comes in a squeeze tube and contains 0.7 fl. oz. of product.  Looking at my other tube concealers, most of them seem to have about 0.5 fl. oz. so e.l.f. is definitely being generous.

e.l.f. Maximum Coverage Concealer

I should also point out that this is a user-friendly squeeze tube, meaning it's very easy to control so you can get squeeze out as small or large an amount of concealer as you need.

The concealer is available in six shades -- Porcelain, Sand, Nude, Beige, Tan, and Almond.  (I think e.l.f. could do a better job with the shade selection.  Just sayin'.) Of course, I went with Porcelain.

e.l.f. Maximum Coverage Concealer in Porcelain

Porcelain is a pretty good match for my fair skin when it's blended in, but it seems to have a slightly peachy undertone that might not make it the best match for all pale-skinned folks.

Oh, and I haven't even gotten to the best thing about this concealer.

It's only $3.

I'm not sure that you'd be able to find a concealer that offers coverage this good and feels as creamy and nice on the skin as the Maximum Coverage Concealer for any cheaper.

It's an ideal option if you occasionally get big honking zits or super dark circles after a night out that require pretty full coverage but you don't want to spend big bucks on a concealer that you'll only use once or twice a month.

It's also a good option if you have a lot to cover on a regular basis and go through concealer really quickly.

You can get it at eyeslipsface.com or your local Target.

I definitely recommend giving it a try. You really can't go wrong for $3.

Have you tried the e.l.f. Maximum Coverage Concealer?  What's your favorite full coverage concealer?