HQ Review: We Tried Marc Jacobs Beauty’s New Medium-Coverage, Long-Wearing Concealer

About the Marc Jacobs Nude Awakening Concealer

Welcome to Cosmo HQ Review, the corner of the internet where our team of beauty-obsessed editors shares their unfiltered, honest thoughts on the latest and greatest launches in skin, hair, makeup, and nails…just for you.

A few months ago, I sat in a line of beauty editors and experts to learn about the relaunch (and reimagining) of Marc Jacobs Beauty. At this preview, I got to test all the brand’s upcoming makeup launches, many of which were released back in June when the brand officially debuted at Sephora. But my favorite wasn’t officially coming until September: the Nude Awakening Concealer.

I’ve been dreaming of this concealer since I first swiped it on my hand last spring. So when we could finally get our hands on samples for the whole Cosmo team, I enlisted two other editors to try it out with me, each of us with different concealer needs, skin types, and skin tones.

Marc Jacobs Beauty Nude Awakening Hydrating Medium Coverage Concealer

Marc Jacobs Beauty Nude Awakening Hydrating Medium Coverage Concealer$36Sephora

I vividly remember the first Marc Jacobs Beauty line, with its sleek black packaging and high-fashion inspiration. So when everyone was claiming “Marc Jacobs Beauty is back,” that’s what I expected. It turns out we got something totally new under the same name. Instead, this brand is fueled by the whimsy and cheekiness of the fashion line, playing on many of the motifs in the brand’s fragrance collection (i.e., the iconic Daisy Eau de Parfum, referenced in the bottle design of this concealer and the brand’s blush stick).

There are a few standout qualities of this concealer. First of all, the brush applicator. Unlike a traditional doe-foot sponge, Nude Awakening has a slanted brush to help offer precise application, as well as so that the product can be used as both a pinpointed concealer and an all-over foundation. It’s small, so I wouldn’t expect it to work like an actual foundation brush, but it definitely feels different on skin (more on this below).

The formula is also pretty unique. With a thin, serum-like consistency, this offers medium coverage to help conceal under-eye bags, dark circles, breakouts, hyperpigmentation, and more—all without feeling heavy on skin. Inside, there’s soothing niacinamide, hydrating hyaluronic acid, and de-puffing caffeine.

Our reviews

Beth Gillette, beauty editor

Who knew a brush applicator was the key to the smoothest-looking skin? Not me. But I credit it to how well this concealer glides on, whether it’s under my eyes, on top of acne scars, or evening out texture on my forehead. The brush loads up quite a bit of product, so I always have to scrape it along the sides to get only the little bit that I need. And a little bit really is all you need with this consistency. It spreads like butter (likely thanks to all those silicones in the formula). I’ve been using it mostly under my eyes because it smooths, hydrates, and covers up my dark circles. But it looks skin-like and fresh on the rest of my face , too.

Beth Gillette for Cosmopolitan

I’m also floored at how much product you get. There’s a full half ounce in here, essentially half the size of a standard foundation. Since the product spreads so far, I feel like I’ll have this bottle for a long time, justifying the higher price point.

Mikhaila Archer, editorial assistant

My main concealer concern is my under-eyes, and this sIts nicely in that tricky area. it doesn’t feel like something is piled on, and this is really easy to quickly blend with my fingers. The finished product (without much added makeup on top) is very subtle but clear enough to me that I’ve done something small to look more awake.

Mikhaila Archer for Cosmopolitan

I also gave it a try on some of my tattoo-removal sites—not the perfect match and requires more setting steps to really work, but has a decent matte finish on its own. Overall, this isn’t going to replace my go-to daily concealer, but I was definitely impressed, especially by the interesting applicator and cute packaging.

Jasmine Hyman, assistant beauty editor

I typically hate a full-coverage concealer because they’re too thick or drying on my always-thirsty skin, but Marc Jacobs’s surprisingly had a nice serum texture while still covering up all the purple under my eyes and the blemishes on my chin. It stayed put and smooth truly for a 12+-hour day, and it’s my new favorite for my bags.

Jasmine Hyman for Cosmopolitan

I wIll say that it’s got a ton of pore cloggers, so i won’t be using it to cover up my hormonal acne to avoid exacerbating my breakouts, so under my eyes, where I’m not acne-prone, will be my go-to.

Why trust Cosmopolitan? 

Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with eight years of experience researching, writing, and editing hair, makeup, nail, and fragrance stories. She enlisted two other Cosmo editors to test this concealer ahead of launch to get their take on different skin types and tones.

Beth Gillette

Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.