January 24, 2019

E.L.F. 16HR Camo Concealer Review & Swatches

I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.
1 stars out of 5

I’m going to the bad guy and give E.L.F. 16HR Camo Concealer a bad review. Go ahead, throw tomatoes at me, boo me, hiss at me, I’m going to try to take it without sobbing 🙂

E.L.F. 16HR Camo Concealer is currently be hauled across youTube as a Tarte Shape Tape dupe. It’s a highly pigmented concealer available in 18 shade selections that will set you back a mere $5 bucks each. Impressive right? Five bucks for a Shape Tape Concealer dupe? Sign me up!

It promises full-coverage in a long-wearing formula that has a creamy formula which can be used to conceal imperfections such as dark circles. I admit I was pretty excited about this even though my past experiences with E.L.F. Concealers hasn’t be great. I have tired, puffy eyes and I really rely on my concealer to brighten them up and conceal my puffiness! Typically, I’m all about pigmented, full-coverage concealers even though I like my foundation formulas lighter and sheerer.

This seemed like a great pick up and the price was brilliant.

E.L.F. 16HR Camo Concealer does indeed aim itself as being a Shape Tape Concealer dupe as it comes housed in the same chunky barrel with the oversized sponge applicator. For five dollars you get 0.2 oz of concealer. Shape Tape is larger at 0.33 oz but way more expensive as well at $27.

Aside from the packaging I wouldn’t call it a Shape Tape Concealer dupe. I use Shape Tape, I like Shape Tape, and I’m not feeding into the Tarte frenzy here when I say that I think it’s a great product. It’s also a surprising one since I have dry eyes and I’m always looking for a hydrating concealer. Shape Tape is matte as hell but still it manages to work for me.

That being said, 16HR Camo Concealer has the same characteristics as Tarte’s formula but it just doesn’t work for me.

First off, this shade range is weird to me. I did blind buy four shades and three of the four were were SUPER pale. I noticed that in promo images but thought nothing of it as I just figured the promo images were off but believe me the paleness of the shades is a real thing. What I can’t figure out is how people on youTube are reviewing this and not looking like ghosts. I watched a girl that appeared to have a skin tone that was about three times darker than my own applying one of the shades I purchased and it look really natural on her. I applied it and looked like Casper the pissed off concealer ghost. We the Unicorns had posted a photo of Jeffree Star, James Charles, and Jaclyn Hill that had a good deal of flashback in it and might have been photoshopped by someone to look bad. Anyway, that’s PRETYY much what I look like when I’m wearing this concealer! Really chalky, really pasty, just really bad flashback without the flash haha!

E.L.F. 16HR Camo Concealer (Medium Beige)

E.L.F. 16HR Camo Concealer (Medium Peach)

E.L.F. 16HR Camo Concealer (Medium Sand)

E.L.F. 16HR Camo Concealer Swatches (Medium Beige, Medium Peach, Medium Sand)

E.L.F. 16HR Camo Concealer Swatches (Medium Beige, Medium Peach, Medium Sand)

The shade names are highly misleading. Medium Peach, nothing peach here and nothing medium either. It’s more of a pale, pasty cream shade with a hint of a yellow undertone. Medium Sand, nothing medium or sandy here either. Medium Beige, that should have been a good pick for me or at least some sort of Light Medium. This was fair too orange toned but hey, at least not pale phew! The first ten shades appear to run very, very, very, very light. I haven’t seen them in stores mind you but based on the ones I purchased these would be great for Snow White skin tones but not my own. It’s great if you’re a person with a very fair complexion who struggles to find a foundation or a concealer shade but anyone in a light medium shade range might struggle with some of the shades.

To me, this is Instagram makeup. If you do a lot of heavy contouring under your eyes and you sort of even things out with foundation plus bronzer this formula might work out great for you. But an average, everyday makeup user like me, not so much!

As for the formula, it’s interesting and it showed promise but isn’t without faults. This is a very thick, creamy texture much like Shape Tape. It felt a little creamier compared to Shape Tape but it applied and blended poorly. It sets very quickly which didn’t give me a lot of time to blend it. This resulted in a bit of patchiness and it automatically migrates right into the finer lines under my eyes and starts to crease within seconds of application and blending. I don’t have crow’s feet or laugh lines at the corners of my eyes but this stuff cracks and makes it look like I do. I tend to blend up toward that area when I apply my concealer and this dried and just started to crack and looked awful. I have drier skin and the matte finish just wasn’t working for me. Perhaps if you’re more oily you won’t experience these issues. The wear time felt like a cop out since it started cracking and creasing within the first few minutes and the formula just migrated deeper into my finer lines as time went by. At the end of the night I looked like I had streaks of off color concealer under my eyes. It just didn’t match up with my skin or my foundation that I had applied.

After testing and wearing this out for nearly two whole weeks I think almost everyone I know told me I looked tired or I looked really pale.

$5 is a great deal and there’s no doubt E.L.F. really made an effort to make 16HR Camo Concealer into some sort of Shape Tape duplication but as a girl with drier skin and finer lines under my eyes this just didn’t work out. Not to mention the shade range just seems wayyyyyyyyyy off to me. It might work better as a concealer on your face but I didn’t test it as such since I don’t use concealer on my face but for under eye use, avoid it.

Have you tried E.L.F. 16HR Camo Concealer?

I’m really curious to hear what others think!

Where to buy

Ulta E.L.F.

E.L.F. 16HR Camo Concealer is a new, permanent matte full-coverage concealer that’s an obvious nod to Tarte’s cult-favorite Shape Tape Concealer. It’s a mere $5 in price and 0.2 oz in size and comes in 18 shade selections. I think E.L.F. did a fairly good job with the thick, creamy texture but sadly, it sets to quickly and gives little time to blend well which for me resulted in creasing and patchiness as well as a drier look around my eyes. The color range seems to run really, really light and I couldn’t get down a good match for myself from the shades I purchased which resulted in a very pasty, chalky look.

Pros

  • Very affordable.
  • Very nice creamy texture.

Cons

  • Sets to quickly, no time to blend well.
  • Creases within minutes of application.
  • Looks cracked and patchy within minutes of application.
  • Very weird shade range that runs very, very light.

Who

E.L.F. 16HR Camo Concealer might be better left to the contouring wizards and makeup geniuses out there that know how to highlighter, contour, and apply super light concealer in a way it looks natural. It might also be a suitable for younger or oily skin.

I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Lacy

    Glad I haven’t been able to find this! Definitely a pass. So sorry these didn’t deliver. Will you be reviewing the new L’oreal Concealer that just launched that also has the dupe buzz for shape tape? It has the same doe foot applicator…. count me curious one concealer junkie to another

    • Isabella Muse

      there’s so much potential here! SO much! But failed for me sadly 🙁 I haven’t which one?

  • kjh

    always said I’d try every one that had no allergy provoking ingredients, but maybe not. the list looks very ‘coney. But didn’t see any chem sunscreen that left shape tape out for me. clicked over, and oy, vay! even for Ulta, it’s laughable. The whole upper row looks light sulfuric gray. Not the pop up pseudo swatches, but the circles. Hope it’s the angle of the laptop, but wiggling it did not help much. I might check this out in person, but would never blind buy online. Funny how much we rely on online blind, when we know it can be mega off.

  • Vickie M.

    I received this product as an Beauty Squad A Lister from ELF. I agree with your review but I have pronouced redness on my cheeks and nose and use the product only in those areas. The product does conceal those areas and after applying BB Cream or foundation, the results are nice.

    • Isabella Muse

      I didn’t technically use on my face, only under my eyes! I can see it might perform better in those areas especially if you put your own shade of BB Cream/foundation under it. But under my eyes was awful 🙁 no go sadly for me! Did you try it under eyes by chance?

  • Vickie M.

    No, I didn’t use this product under my eyes as I have dry/combo, mature skin.

    • Isabella Muse

      Thanks! If you ever do I’d be curious to hear your thoughts on it!

  • Annie

    Everything you wrote in this review makes me think this was supposed to be an answer to/dupe for Tarte Shape Tape.

  • Susan Huff

    I totally agree this concealer dry way too fast didn’t have time to blend I’m 33 and look like I’m 50 when I wear it it looks promising when I put it on very full coverage but I looked like a ghost and no a matter of fact I look like a 80 year old ghost I really really wish it was going to work but it didn’t for five bucks I honestly would rather spend more money on a better concealer I love elf products so I’m really disappointed that this didn’t work for me thanks for trying but this is a pass

    • Isabella Muse

      I’m SO glad you wrote this Susan because I keep watching raving reviews and I feel like I’m doing something wrong. It’s SOOOO light! Very pasty and it blends horrible on me. Not to mention it ages my eyes awful! It’s a shame as it has promise! 🙁

  • Macy

    I’ve been testing it for a week or so. I really want to like this because the coverage is so nice. HOWEVER, it is just way too dry. Even mixing it with oil or other concealers it still makes everything look like a desert. I also think it’s causing my under eye to break out in tiny red bumps. Won’t be using it anymore. I gave it a fair chance. Your review is spot on!

    • Isabella Muse

      I’m sorry Macy 🙁 I feel your pain! Really wanted to like it but too dry for me too!

  • Sarah Mizell

    i have very oily skin. the new elf concealer ALSO dries out my skin, cracks and overall doesn’t look good. i’ve noticed no matter what primer, foundation and powder i use, the concealer eats away the products, leaving holes around my eyes. i will say it’s a good base for eyeshadow and good with color correcting concealer if you want to cover up acne, but under the eyes, it does NOT look good. i always draw 3 lines on my forehead to brighten, and it straight up left a marjuiana leaf shaped mark on my forehead. i’ve tried building the coverage, i’ve teied issuing different foundations, primers and powders and it just is NOT doing me justice.

    • Isabella Muse

      that’s sad! 🙁 I’m sorry to hear it. I’m seeing all these raving reviews for this one but I disliked it. Formula was just too drying for me!

  • LAUREN SMITH

    It was a huge fail in my opinion! It doesn’t blend at all. It just sits there under my eyes and clumps up. It provides no coverage bc of that. I’ve never tried face tape, but it’s next on my list. I have never been so displeased with a product.

  • Erin

    I just got it. On first application it was horrible. I washed it off and went in with a lighter hand, less product and blended it out with my finger. Underneath my makeup I used a beauty oil and a little primer. It came out great, a little pale but great. Cant wait to buy one a couple shades darker.

  • Paige

    The same thing happened with me!! I thought something was wrong with my under eye when I applied the concealer (which was way too light) and it dried almost immediately and worsened my lines under my eyes! I was so frustrated and confused after I had seen so many good reviews on this product so I’m glad to find someone who had the same problems with it.

    • Isabella Muse

      aw man that sucks Paige! I feel ya on this! It was awful 🙁 I’m still TRYING hard to love it but it just isn’t meant to be!

  • Raisa Nawar

    OMG! You spoke my mind! Few months ago I ordered this concealer, I ordered it online and I chose a medium shade but when it arrived, it looked very pale! I did not like the formula at all! It’s really hard to blend and My skin type is dry-combo and it did not work for me! 5 USD is a good deal for those who live in the US but in my country (Bangladesh), 1 USD is equivalent to 85 taka (our currency) and when we order it online then it costs even more! So, for us it’s not cheap either. I really liked your review and it was pretty honest, loved it.

    • Isabella Muse

      aw thank you I’m glad you enjoyed the review. That sucks 🙁 I’ve since tried finding a good color match and I can’t! All the shades seem way too light for me 🙁 And the formula, ugh too dry!

  • Grace

    I read your article and completely agree! I purchased (2) different 16HR camo concealers – Light Sand and Medium Sand. Light Sand – kobuki theater pale! Medium Sand – dark, orange, unnatural. Very unhappy with both. Are you photos and product names from Left to Right? Thanks for your article!

  • Lisa

    Ok, I have to post because I just got this concealer in the hydrating formula in shade Medium Sand. I’m a long-time reader of your blog, so I was pleased to see this entry, sometimes I’m late to the party. 🙂

    Would you review the hydrating version of this, pretty please? From what I’ve seen, the shades do NOT correspond to the original Camo. The Medium Sand I bought would be best suited to a MAC NC47! For reference, I’m NC25, not that I’ve worn MAC this decade.

    The formula of this one doesn’t dry down very fast and it was even and not patchy. However, WRONG color, not even close to the original Camo Medium Sand. I’m considering getting the Light Sand to blend with this one. If a concealer that is inexpensive doesn’t work out for whatever reason and you have a few of these, how are you saving any money (and time) compared to just getting a tried and true like Tarte Shape Tape in light-medium, for example? I’m mainly asking myself this, haha.

    My current hydrating concealer that I like is the L’oreal Age Perfect Radiant Concealer. It’s very good but I’m always on the hunt for my holy grail.

    Keep up the great work and I’ll go and peruse some other posts while I’m here. 🙂