26 Best Tried and True Japanese Concealers for Dark Spots in 2022 (Fancl, Etvos, and More)
Whether you have dark spots like freckles, age spots, or birth marks that you're dying to conceal, it can be hard finding a concealer that won't make them stand out even more.
That's why we gathered our team of editors to search Japanese e-commerce sites like @cosme, Amazon, and Rakuten to find the best concealers for dark spots online. We then chose the 26 most popular products and tested them.
We focused on three things: how well it concealed discoloration, how good the durable it was, and how it felt to use. We then compiled everything we learned into a buying guide about and list of the best Japanese concealers for dark spots available online.
Quick List - Top Japanese Concealers For Dark Spots
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How to Choose a Concealer for Dark Spots - Buying Guide
Here are two big things to look out for.
Consider Your Desired Finish and Area of Coverage
Concealers usually come in one of five main types. We'll tell you which ones are better suited for the kind of dark spots you're dealing with.
Pencil Types are Great for Freckles or Small Dark Spots
If you have small dark spots or freckles that you want to cover up, a pencil-type concealer will do wonders for you. They have small tips for detailed work, which means you'll be able to cover up scattered spots on your cheeks easily.
However, since they tend to be a little stiff in texture, they're not great for the sensitive skin around your eyes and mouth.
Stick- or Cream-type Concealers Will Help Erase Particularly Dark Spots
Stick types are notorious for their reliable coverage. They tend to look heavy when layered, though, so be careful to not apply too much.
Cream types will also cover darker spots while giving you a natural-looking finish. They're also quite versatile since you can use them for small spots or large areas. The only downside is that you'll need a brush or your finger to apply them.
We Recommend Liquids or Powders for Large Spots or Areas
While it's difficult to pinpoint coverage with liquid- or powder-type concealers, they're great for larger areas of light spots or freckles. They don't have that much coverage, though, so these types are better suited for those that prefer a natural-looking finish.
Prevent Melt-off by Choosing a Concealer That Suits Your Skin Type
Your own skin type matters just as much as the type of concealer you use. If you have dry skin, liquid-type concealers are a good choice; if you have oily skin, a stiff cream-type will stay on your face all day.
Makeup melt-off will occur no matter how durable it is, so it's also important to find a concealer that's easy to use for touch ups like a stick- or pencil-type concealer.
Choose a Shade That Will Effectively Conceal Your Spots
Both spots and skin come in all different shades, so it's important to find a shade that will fit your specific needs. Here's what we advise.
For Particularly Dark Spots, Go One Shade Darker Than Your Skin Tone
If your spots are pretty dark, it's a good idea to pick a concealer that's either the same tone or slightly darker than your natural tone. Choosing a color that's too bright can actually make them stand out even more. Check your normal foundation for reference.
Palette-type Concealers are a Lifesaver to Those with Different Kinds of Spots
If you're dealing with red spots, brown spots, freckles, age spots, or a whole rainbow spectrum of spots, a palette-type concealer will save you with its array of different shades that can accommodate different kinds of spots. It takes a bit of technique to master, but you'll be pleased with the results after some practice.
26 Best Japanese Concealers for Dark Spots
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | MiMC Mineral Concealer | | The Very Best Japanese Concealer for Dark Spots | |
2 | TV&movie Moist Mineral Concealer UV | | The Best Dark Spot Concealer for A Wide Range of Skin Tones | |
3 | Etvos Mineral Concealer Palette | | The Best Dark Spot Concealer for a Matte Finish | |
4 | Cle de peau Beaute Correcteur Visage Concealer | | The Best Concealer for Point Coverage | |
5 | Muji Concealer Stick｜Natural | | The Most Durable Dark Spot Concealer | |
6 | Nov Concealer｜02 Light Beige | | The Best Dark Spot Concealer for Brightening Skin | |
7 | Aqua-Aqua Organic Stick Concealer｜389 Natural Beige | | A Great Discoloration Concealer for a Pinpoint and Natural Finish | |
8 | Fancl Spots Cover Concealer｜01 Light | | A Good Concealer for Light Discoloration and Blemishes | |
9 | Etvos Mineral Concealer｜Light Beige | | The Best Concealer for Forehead and Chin Spots | |
10 | Tokiwa Pharmaceuticals Maikohan Concealer｜02 Beige | | The Best Dark Spot Concealer for Dry Skin |
The Very Best Japanese Concealer for Dark Spots
The task of hiding dark spots on your skin becomes super simple thanks to MiMC Mineral Conealer's sponge-like tip, and you'll end up with a professional-looking finish to boot.
It has the perfect texture and feels light on your skin, and it corrected the color on our entire test color spectrum (brown, blue, and red), meaning it can work for freckles, shadows under your eyes, and more.
The Best Dark Spot Concealer for A Wide Range of Skin Tones
This TV&movie concealer, which also earned a high score in our other concealer rankings, comes in a palette of three colors that you can mix and match to achieve your ideal shade.
It has a texture that adheres to your skin well, so it's also an option to pat it on sensitive areas rather than spread it and risk further skin irritation.
Our biggest tip is to spread the orange shade onto spots and cover it with the beige after. We also loved its SPF 50+/PA++++ sun protection and light rose scent.
The Best Dark Spot Concealer for a Matte Finish
We liked that this concealer has a double brush-and-sponge tip that you can use to pinpoint dark spot coverage.
We weren't crazy about the fact that it didn't blend into oily areas very well (especially since it has a nice matte finish), but it's easy to conceal what you want to underneath your foundation.
The Best Concealer for Point Coverage
This lipstick-like concealer has a creamy texture that wasn't completely easy to spread, but it gave us a nice matte finish. It comes in five different shades so it's easier to find your perfect tone.
Since it didn't stand up very well to oil, we would recommend this more for point concealing than wide coverage.
The Most Durable Dark Spot Concealer
Muji's Concealer Stick is easy to carry, but the loose cap made us afraid it would pop open in our bag in transit. It also has a stiff texture that takes a bit of work to blend into skin.
However, we did like how easy it was to pinpoint areas like under our eyes and around our mouths with the slanted cut of the stick. It was also fairly durable, so you could use it in hot weather without a problem.
The Best Dark Spot Concealer for Brightening Skin
Though the lid to this concealer was a bit stiff and it didn't come with an applicator, we absolutely loved its soft and creamy texture.
Its coloring is a bit bright, so we'd suggest this for brightening slight discoloration rather than really dark spots. You'll look more lively when it's all applied and done.
Aqua-AquaOrganic Stick Concealer ｜ 389 Natural Beige
A Great Discoloration Concealer for a Pinpoint and Natural Finish
We thought this concealer blended well into our skin and gave the concealed spots a natural finish. It is a bit on the yellow side, though, so we wouldn't recommend it if you have pink undertones.
It won't cover all of your spots completely, but you can still use it effectively for spot treatment!
A Good Concealer for Light Discoloration and Blemishes
Honestly, we had a hard time spreading this uniquely-textured concealer, and we didn't like that the opaque container made it hard to see what's inside. However, it's extremely durable and covers light spots.
The Best Concealer for Forehead and Chin Spots
We really liked that this concealer comes in two shades that have a good balance of pink and yellow in their beige colors. It's also easy to carry on and apply on the go, so it'd be great for touch ups.
We thought the texture was a tad too stiff to use for sensitive areas like around your eyes and mouth, so we'd recommend them for use over wider areas like your forehead or chin.
The Best Dark Spot Concealer for Dry Skin
This concealer comes with the added bonus of beauty serum, which would make it great for your under-eye area that dries out easily.
Its flat, pencil-like lead makes it easy to fill in fine lines, but it comes off a bit more easily than we'd like. But if you want a concealer that will treat your skin as well as cover it, consider this as an option.
A Good Concealer for Yellow-toned Skin
If you have spots on your yellow-toned skin, you'll love how well the slightly stiff texture of this cream palette blends well and hides your discoloration.
We also liked the brush included, which allowed us to pinpoint where we wanted the concealer to go.
Not the Best at Concealing Dark Spots, but Amazingly Durable
This concealer has a lot of glitter that can make your dark spots stand out in the wrong way, so we think this would be best used to tone up skin in joint with another concealing product.
It's also pretty durable against sweat and oil, so we think this would be a good product to use in summertime as well.
A Concealer with a Wonderful Texture for Normal Skin
This crayon-type concealer is easy to use (especially for targeted areas) and it has an incredibly soft and easy-to-blend texture.
If you have oily skin, however, you may find it melting off halfway through the day; that's why we'd recommend it for those with normal to dry skin.
How We Tested the Concealers
We put each of the concealers through a series of three tests, each designed to gauge a different factor. The first test measured each product's ability to conceal dark spots and discoloration while the other two gauged their durability and ease of use.
Test ① Concealing Power
First, we tested each product's concealing power by drawing circles on our arm that mimicked the common shades of brown that freckles and age spots tend to be.
The concealers that hid the appearance of dark spots the best were those that were slightly darker than our natural skin tone. We also found that products that were a more yellow tone helped us as well.
Test ② Durability
Next, we wanted to see how durable each concealer was. We sprayed some fake sweat (a mixture of warm water and horse oil) on each concealer and then wiped it with a tissue to see how much came off.
Our test results showed that stick-type concealers tended to be more durable against sweat and friction as they adhered to our skin more. However, if it has a light texture, it will probably rub off easily.
If you use a liquid-y concealer, you may have to wait a bit before applying your foundation over it; it's likely your concealer will rub right off if you try to layer before it's dry.
Test ③ How it Felt to Use
Finally, we judged how it felt to use each concealer. That included applying each concealer to our skin to see how much effort it took to blend the product in. We also checked the convenience of each container.
Again, the stick-type concealers proved to be the easiest to use since it allows you to easily pinpoint coverage without any special technique.
In contrast, a lot of people in our test claimed that tube types were not especially simple to use since you had to either use your finger or a brush to apply it. If you're in a rush, this could eat up valuable time.
Tips for Applying Concealer to Dark Spots
Even if you buy an amazing concealer, it won't do you much good if you're not using it correctly. Here are some of our best tips for getting the most out of your product.
Decide When to Apply Concealer Based on the Type of Foundation You Use
The order in which you apply your concealer and foundation can greatly effect your makeup's staying power. If you have use a liquid foundation, you should apply concealer after your foundation; if you use a powder foundation, concealer should go on before it.
A face powder will help set your finished look and make it last longer as well.
Change Your Application Method Depending on Your Spots Range
Using a pencil-type concealer to cover individual spots will work for light blemishes.
For cream types, lightly stamping product onto spots with a thin brush will help cover spots. We also recommend dispensing liquid-type concealers onto your (clean) palm and dipping a brush in there when applying.
Sponges or large brushes will help cover a large area of spots. Spread it on an area slightly larger than your spots to help it appear more blended.
How to Cover Spots of Differing Shades
When dealing with different shades, we recommend covering the dark spots first and then moving on to lighter spots. If you're using a palette type, start applying the dark shades before the lighter ones; it will make the finish look more natural.
How to Effectively Touch up Concealer
When your makeup is starting to lose its steam due to sebum, it won't do you much good to just pat on more foundation.
You should first use a face lotion or hand cream to rub the makeup off the messy spots. When it's all soaked in, then you can reapply it. That's why it's a good idea to always have some cotton pads and hand cream in your makeup pouch.
Perfect Your Look Even More with These Makeup Products
Don't settle for only having the best concealer. Make every product your best one!
Top 5 Japanese Concealers For Dark Spots
No. 1: MiMC｜Mineral Concealer
No. 2: TV&movie｜Moist Mineral Concealer UV
No. 3: Etvos｜Mineral Concealer Palette
No. 4: Cle de peau Beaute｜Correcteur Visage Concealer
No. 5: Muji｜Concealer Stick｜Natural
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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