Concealer is a staple in many a makeup routine. It’s used to even out skin tone and cover up problem areas such as dark circles. Ironically, though, conventional concealers tend to contain a multitude of chemicals that can irritate skin further.

Oh, and they’re terrible for the environment. Research shows that nearly half the concealers tested contain fluorinated compounds, “forever chemicals” that never biodegrade.

Ridding your makeup bag of toxic cosmetics is a great way to reduce your daily ecological footprint, but that doesn’t mean you must boycott concealer completely. Instead, make your own with natural ingredients that are good for your skin and better for the planet. As a bonus, you won’t be left with a mound of plastic packaging.

Here are five recipes for DIY concealer requiring little more than a well-stocked spice rack and a double boiler.

Nourishing Almond Oil and Aloe Concealer

Almond oils are highly emollient and packed with vitamins A and E. In this recipe, they’ll help nourish skin while aloe soothes and hydrates.

This concealer contains a range of moisturizing ingredients like argan oil, shea butter, and honey. It highlights with light-reflecting zinc oxide and gets its pigment from natural cocoa powder. 

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon sweet almond oil1 teaspoon aloe gel1 teaspoon argan oil1 teaspoon shea butter1 tablespoon non-nano zinc oxide1/4 teaspoon cocoa powder3 drops raw organic honey (optional)

Steps

  • Melt the shea butter with both oils using a double boiler.Once melted, remove from heat and blend in aloe, zinc oxide, and honey (if you’re using).Gradually add cocoa powder until you reach your desired shade.Transfer to a clean container and let cool completely before using.

Choosing Sustainable Zinc Oxide

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says zinc oxide nanoparticles can harm coral reefs and marine life. When buying zinc oxide, make sure to get non-nano particle sizes.

Color-Correcting Green Concealer

Green concealer is used to neutralize redness and generally even out skin tone. Many store-bought versions contain the naturally green mineral pigment chromium oxide, which is an inorganic compound that doesn’t biodegrade. For an eco-friendlier iteration, you can use the powdered algae often hailed as a superfood, spirulina.

This recipe yields a powder concealer that works well for oily skin.

  • 1 teaspoon sericite mica

  • 1 teaspoon non-nano zinc oxide

  • 1/4 teaspoon kaolin clay

  • 1/4 teaspoon magnesium stearate

  • 1/8 spirulina powder

  • Mix all ingredients together thoroughly, making sure to evenly distribute color and work through any clumps.Transfer to a clean container and apply using a brush.

Full-Coverage Cream Concealer With Cocoa Butter

This recipe gets its richness from beeswax, cupuacu butter, and cocoa butter—the latter two are moisturizing superpowers. Also featured in this formula is sea-buckthorn seed oil, praised for promoting skin well-being.

Precision is the key to mastering this concealer, so some ingredients are listed by weight instead of volume. You will need a sensitive scale for this recipe. 

  • 4 grams beeswax7 grams cupuacu butter5 grams cocoa butter4 grams sea-buckthorn seed oil4 grams rosehip oil1 gram vitamin E oil1 1/4 teaspoon non-nano titanium dioxide1/2 teaspoon sericite mica1 teaspoon zeolite ultrafine clay2 1/4 multani mitti clay1/4 teaspoon cocoa powder

  • Melt your beeswax, butters, and oils using a double boiler.Once melted, remove from heat and whisk in titanium dioxide, sericite mica, and clays.Add cocoa powder little by little until you reach your desired shade.Transfer to a clean container and let set completely before using.

Treehugger Tip

You can use bentonite clay, which is more common, instead of zeolite ultrafine clay and multani mitti clay if you desire a green tint.

Easy Spice-Blend Concealer

One of the easiest ways to make makeup at home—whether it be concealer, foundation, or bronzer—is to throw together some spices from your cabinet, mix in some oils, and voila! In this case, you have an aromatic liquid spot cover-up.

  • 1/2 teaspoon arrowroot powder1/2 teaspoon white bentonite clayOil from two vitamin E capsules5 drops lavender essential oilCocoa powder, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, and ginger powder, as needed

  • First, combine your oils and mix in the arrowroot powder and bentonite clay gradually, stopping before the base gets too thick. Create your perfect shade with spices. Cocoa powder is a classic, but you can play around with nutmeg (the darkest shade), cinnamon (a reddish tint), and ginger (great for fair skin). Start with very small amounts and increase as needed.The consistency of this concealer is up to you. Make it thicker with more arrowroot powder or thin it out with a gentle carrier oil like sweet almond.

Warning

Some find cinnamon irritating to their skin. Test it on the back of your hand before applying it to your face.

Brightening Coconut and Mango Concealer

Mango butter is sometimes used in beauty products to boost lackluster skin and create radiance, especially desirable qualities when trying to neutralize dark circles or redness. It has a firmer texture and milder scent than shea butter—also featured in this formula—but their moisturizing properties are similar. 

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil1/2 tablespoon mango butter1/2 tablespoon shea butter1 tablespoon white bentonite clay1 tablespoon arrowroot powder1/4 teaspoon cocoa powder

  • Melt coconut oil and butters using a double boiler. Once melted, remove from heat and let cool slightly.In a separate container, combine bentonite clay and arrowroot powder.Add powders to the oil mixture.Mix in cocoa powder little by little until you reach your desired shade.Transfer to a clean container and allow to set.