I know, I know, I’m late to the party. The Tower 28 Swipe All Over Hydrating Serum Concealer has been hyped up for a couple years now. But at $22 a tube, I wrote it off as a probably overpriced, run of the mill concealer with nourishing ingredients thrown into the formula. Big whoop, right? Wrong. Finally giving it a fair shake, I’ve realized that this is actually the concealer I’ve been searching for: the best concealer for dry, sensitive skin that can replace foundation.
The Tower 28 Swipe Serum Concealer is a vegan and cruelty free concealer that’s safe for sensitive skin, fragrance-free and silicone-free. It’s non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores) and made with hyaluronic acid to hydrate, centella asiatica leaf extract to sooth and calm sensitive skin, and lysine to support the production of collagen and repair/prevent dryness.
It boasts medium buildable coverage but the claims that really stood out for me: “a skin-like natural finish that doesn’t cling to dry patches,” and “even skin tone and smooth the look of texture without silicones.” I mean… that sounds like a unicorn concealer, right?
As someone who deals with acne, dry patches, hyperpigmentation and large pores, I often feel like I can’t get away with only wearing concealer for a light makeup day, because it almost has the opposite effect: it can accentuate the areas I try to spot-cover because it either doesn’t blend seamlessly, or it settles around dry texture… making it super obvious.
The first thing that surprised me about the Swipe Serum Concealer was the texture vs. coverage ratio. The formula feels so thin and lightweight as you swipe it on and blend it out, but the coverage starts at a solid medium level. Two thin layers of this can easily get you nearly full coverage on dark spots and redness without feeling like a heavy layer on the skin.
Blending out the formula is a breeze– in the right shade, the borders of spot application will be imperceptible. The natural finish is slightly radiant, and surprisingly smooths over my largest pores around my nose area. I currently have dry patches and texture around my chin and cheeks due to some healing acne, and this did not make those areas look crusty like other concealers do! It smoothed over and actually… concealed them… go figure!
Personally, I found that using this concealer over my dark spots and redness gave the same smooth and even appearance as wearing a medium coverage foundation… but with so much less product! I do need to set it under my eyes with a light layer of powder to avoid creasing, but overall it feels weightless on the skin. Several times I forgot I was wearing makeup.
Watch the video below to see how this and other Tower 28 makeup lasts throughout the day!
Set with my favorite drugstore setting spray, the smooth finish and strong coverage lasted 9+ hours on me. There was no patchiness or separation, even in my oily spots like on my forehead and around my nostrils. I did get shiny throughout the day, which isn’t out of the ordinary for me as I have combo skin. A quick blot refreshed the look for another few hours of wear.
I currently wear the shade 6.0 I.E., which is described as a medium with light neutral undertones. In the summer, I may be closer to 7 or 8.
This concealer is definitely making its way into my regular makeup routine– especially when I want just a quick and lightweight face. I can absolutely see myself traveling with this alone and skipping foundation altogether for a streamlined on-the-go routine as well. I feel like this formula was designed to check all my personal boxes, and so I will definitely be eating my words. It’s *totally* worth the $22.
You can find the Tower 28 Swipe All Over Hydrating Serum Concealer at Sephora.
– Miranda
