The clock struck six and I saw Vogue’s beauty shopping editor Kiana Murden swiping an unfamiliar red tube across her face; then blending with her fingers, to seemingly cover dark spots and brighten her under-eyes. She was headed to a dinner, she eventually told me. This was odd because I know Kiana to typically get ready in the beauty closet. “I’m running so late,” she rattled off, quickly checking in a little compact mirror to make sure everything was blended. Her skin looked great, so I asked what the mystery stick was. Her answer: the TirTir Glide & Hide Blurring Concealer, which has a creamy tint on one end, and a silky balm on the other. Kiana says she likes the balm side—it’s her perfect shade, as she explained, and blends in just a few taps.
The timing was surreptitious; because earlier that day I had learned that Milk Makeup’s next debut was a click-and-go concealer housed in a vibrant blue stick (the same collection as its viral skin tint). True to its name, Hydro Grip Hydrating Gel Stick Concealer which launched this week, is designed for 12 hours of wear—smoothing, evening, and brightening without budging.
It seems the concealer stick has made a 2026 comeback; though, professional makeup artist Lauren D’Amelio Ventre said they never left pro kits to begin with. “What really shifted was consumer trends, not the performance of concealer sticks,” she tells Vogue. “Liquids became popular because they felt lighter and easier, but sticks offer a level of precision, longevity, and reliability that liquids often can’t.” Where sticks shine, she continues, is in their efficiency and longevity—often delivering better staying powder than liquids and creams. Fellow pro makeup artist Catrina Breitweiser agrees, “for everyday makeup routines, they are a smart, multitasking staple that delivers reliable results.”
