This hunt for a dupe for Tarte’s Shape Tape concealer first appeared in The Strategist Beauty Brief, a weekly newsletter where our beauty writers share their must-tries, can-skips, and can’t-live-withouts. But we liked it so much we wanted to share it with all of our readers. If you want more first impressions of buzzy launches, quick takes on what’s trending on TikTok and Instagram, and deep dives into the week’s best beauty launches, sign up here. The Strategist Beauty Brief is delivered every Wednesday.
Concealer hasn’t been something I spend a ton of money on. But as I inch closer to 30, my dark circles raise the question: Should I upgrade my under eyes? My current drugstore concealer hasn’t cut it for months — too watery and not enough coverage. I had been considering Tarte’s Shape Tape (a creamy concealer that’s beloved by beauty editors, including Rio Viera-Newton, who first recommended it in 2017 for hiding her raccoon eyes), until I found out (from another story on our site) that Sephora employees themselves call the Sephora Collection concealer is a convincing dupe — for half the price. So I bought a tube of each and put them to the test.
I started with the original Shape Tape on my right eye, swiping it from the inner corner to the middle of my under eye. But as I blended with my Beauty Blender dupe (thanks again, Rio), I realized a small dab would have been better. I tapped the excess onto my temple and cheekbone, but it was way too thick, so I mixed in some foundation along the edges to blend it in. Covered in Shape Tape, my dark circles looked too matte and hidden, like they were veneered. It worked, but it took my makeup on an express to “full glam,” with no stops at “natural” on the way.
The Sephora concealer had a milky consistency that was thinner than Shape Tape, which didn’t seem like much of a dupe at all. I wanted to keep the application process consistent (beauty-writer science), so I did a full swipe of Sephora concealer on my left eye. It was still too much product, but unlike with Shape Tape, it was fine. When I worked the Sephora concealer in, it wasn’t thick or cakey. And when I compared the two eyes in the mirror, my Sephora under eye looked like a bright-eyed version of myself, like those days when I’ve gotten eight hours of sleep and drank my full 64 ounces of water. The Tarte side looked like I was laying the groundwork for a full-on evening look.
I repeated the process the next day, this time with the right amount of product — a dot instead of a swipe. Same results. I couldn’t bring myself to leave my apartment wearing two different concealers. So I wore them on third and fourth days, separately, to specifically test staying power. Tarte’s formula did not budge — even after an entire day playing tour guide around Manhattan and Brooklyn to my out-of-town friends. But it did dry out my skin so that it looked chalklike and white.
Sephora stood up to Tarte when it came to staying put; it didn’t fade after a full Sunday of brunching and hanging outside with my sister. But the best part was that my eyes still looked like that well-rested version of me when I got home at the end of the day.
After days of testing, I’ve realized that Sephora’s concealer isn’t a dupe for Tarte — it’s actually just better. It’s long-lasting and buildable, and it keeps my under eyes hydrated and glowing. And in the time since, it’s blended in seamlessly with my everyday routine: tinted moisturizer, concealer, blush, and brows. So to the anonymous Sephora employee who tipped us off: Thank you. I’ve found my everyday concealer, and it’s only a few bucks more than the old drugstore brand I’d been using.
This article originally appeared in The Strategist Beauty Brief, a weekly newsletter from our beauty writers on their must-tries, can-skips, and can’t-live-withouts. Sign up here.
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