CoverGirl vs. Maybelline: Which Stick Concealer Is the Cleanest?
If you’ve ever struggled with undereye concealer that creases or disappears by noon, you’re not alone. While many concealers come in liquid or cream formulas, they often have too much slip. Great for blending, but not always great for staying put. That’s why concealer sticks are underrated: they’re grippy, buildable, and longer-wearing.
But clean beauty fans based in the US know that finding a stick concealer that doesn’t come with ingredient baggage is shockingly hard, especially at the drugstore. So we stacked up two of the most accessible options: CoverGirl vs. Maybelline.
We expected a clear winner. Instead, we got a plot twist.
The Match-Up
🟣 CoverGirl Concealer Stick
Includes: Shea butter, coconut oil, botanical extracts
But also contains:
- Propylparaben – a known endocrine disruptor. Note: The term “endocrine disruptor” can sound alarming, but it’s the dose that makes the poison. At regulated levels, propylparaben poses no meaningful risk, unlike high-exposure chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA) in plastics.
- Alcohol Denat – can be drying or irritating
- Tocopheryl Acetate – mildly controversial in its synthetic form
Verdict: More nourishing on paper, but disqualified for anyone avoiding parabens or irritants.
🔵 Maybelline Stick Concealer
According to the official Maybelline website, this product contains:
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Kaolin, Ozokerite, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Silica, and other basic emollients.
✅ No parabens listed
✅ No PEGs or fragrance
However, on the official Maybelline Amazon storefront, the ingredients tell a different story:
- Propylparaben, Methylparaben, Butylparaben
- Talc
- TBHQ – a synthetic antioxidant with endocrine disruption concerns
So which formula is real?
We reached out to Maybelline for clarification and here’s what they said:
“This product does not contain parabens or any paraben-derived ingredients. The full and official ingredient list is available on our website, which may differ from listings on third-party retailer sites. If the list you saw was from our official Amazon store, we’ll gladly coordinate with the appropriate team to look into it. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.”
🟡 What About Physicians Formula?
You’d think a brand that literally labels itself “clean beauty” would be the obvious winner here.
But surprisingly, Physicians Formula’s stick concealer includes:
- Propylparaben (endocrine disruptor)
- TBHQ and BHT (synthetic preservatives with toxicity concerns)
- Petroleum-derived waxes
- Talc (which can be contaminated unless certified asbestos-free)
Despite the marketing, this formula doesn’t meet any recognized clean beauty standards. And since “clean” is unregulated in the U.S., brands can use it freely—even when the ingredients say otherwise.
Bottom line? This one feels especially misleading.
What This Means From a Regulatory Perspective
All three concealers—CoverGirl, Maybelline, and Physicians Formula—would likely be permitted for sale under EU Regulation 1223/2009, provided:
- Parabens (if present) are used below the EU’s strict limits
- Talc is asbestos-free
- Other ingredients like Alcohol Denat, Tocopheryl Acetate, TBHQ, BHT meet established purity and safety criteria
So if a product complies with EU law, it meets legally defined safety standards for cosmetics sold in Europe.
This means that from a legal standpoint, the formulas may be considered “safe.” But clean beauty standards—and consumer trust—are a different story.
🏅 Who Wins?
If Maybelline’s current formula is accurately represented on their website and confirmed by customer care, then Maybelline is the cleanest option of the three—with no parabens, PEGs, or fragrance to flag.
But transparency matters. As long as conflicting ingredient lists exist on major storefronts like Amazon, clean beauty shoppers are left in a gray zone. And that’s not the kind of confidence consumers deserve.
Until we get consistent, fully verified ingredient info across all retail platforms, Maybelline wins—cautiously.
Update: In-Hand Ingredients Confirmed
Received the Maybelline concealer sticks and can confirm that the ingredients printed on the packaging match the official website’s ingredient list—and the customer service response. No parabens, PEGs, or fragrance were listed on the product itself.
Note: The concealers did arrive slightly melted (we’re in the middle of a heatwave), but given the price point ($6.12!), it’s not a dealbreaker. The product can be transferred into a small container, or applied with with a brush for better control.
See below for photos of the packaging and product.
🛒 Editor’s Picks
Where I Bought It: Maybelline Official Store on Amazon
Shades Ordered:
• 115 Yellow – for correcting undereye circles
• 190 Ivory – for brightening and light coverage
💡 Couldn’t find the Yellow shade locally, so ordered both from Maybelline’s official Amazon storefront.
Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through them, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. I only link to products I genuinely reference or believe add value.
