Best overallBest valueDupe alert

Halo Glow Liquid Filter

A $15 liquid glow booster in 15 shades, widely compared with Charlotte Tilbury's Flawless Filter for a fraction of the price.

8.3

Great

Beauty score

#1 of 8 complexion

Community

—/10

Format: Highlighter
Finish: Radiant
Shades: 15
Price tier: Drugstore

Brightening Dullness Dewy Sheer coverage Blurring

Made for: All skin types · Dry skin · Oily skin · Combination skin · Mature skin

Key ingredients:Squalane Hyaluronic acid Glycerin

Check price on Amazon Buy from the brand$15.00

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Last reviewed November 2, 2026 by our editors · How we score

The verdict

A $15 liquid glow booster in 15 shades, widely compared with Charlotte Tilbury's Flawless Filter for a fraction of the price.

Halo Glow Liquid Filter is e.l.f.'s multi-use complexion booster, worn alone, under or over makeup, mixed into foundation or as a highlighter for a soft-focus, glowy finish. It is infused with squalane and hyaluronic acid, comes in 15 shades and costs $15 for 1.06 fl oz. Creators routinely test it as a budget alternative to Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter. On oily skin, e.l.f. itself recommends a mattifying primer and powder to manage shine.

Best for

Budget shoppers who want a glowy, soft-focus base
Dry or dull skin that wants radiance under or over makeup
Anyone who wants to try the liquid-filter look before spending more

What we love

Very low price for a glow booster often compared with Charlotte Tilbury
Four ways to wear: alone, under makeup, mixed in or as highlighter
15 shades covering fair to rich skin
Vegan, cruelty-free and contains squalane and hyaluronic acid

Worth knowing

Brand recommends extra primer and powder on oily skin to keep the glow from reading as shine
Light coverage; not a foundation replacement for covering blemishes
No non-comedogenic claim on the product page, so acne-prone skin may want to patch test

How it scored

The breakdown.

Five factors, weighted for makeup. Here’s our working.

8.3Great

Beauty score out of 10. Brands can’t pay for placement — ever.

Payoff & performance30%8.1
Creator comparisons with Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter repeatedly find a very similar glow, though one self-described e.l.f. fan published a notably critical review.
Wear time15%7.0
e.l.f. says it is designed for long-lasting wear but recommends setting powder and setting spray to lock it in and touch it up, especially on oily skin.
Shade range & inclusivity15%8.0
Fifteen shades after an expansion from the original lineup is broad for a glow booster, with fair through rich options.
Value20%9.5
At $15 for 1.06 fl oz it costs less than a third of Hollywood Flawless Filter's $50 for a 30 ml bottle.
Community love20%8.6
Launch-era dupe videos drew hundreds of thousands of views, and Reddit users still recommend it as a light, dewy base, though one preferred another brand's Flawless Filter dupe.

Beauty profile

Inside the bottle.

Texture

Brand describes a multi-use liquid glow booster with light, buildable coverage and a luminous, soft-focus finish

Format

Highlighter

Finish

Radiant

Coverage

Light

Shade range

15 shades

Size

1.06 fl oz / 31.5 ml

Key ingredients

Ingredient encyclopedia →

What’s in it: Squalane and two forms of hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate and hydrolyzed sodium hyaluronate), plus glycerin, sunflower seed oil, tocopherol and calendula extract; synthetic fluorphlogopite and bismuth oxychloride give the glow. No percentages are disclosed.

How to use

Wear it on its own, under or over makeup, mix it with your favorite foundation for a dewy finish, or use it as a highlighter on the high points of the face.

Free from (brand-stated)

phthalates
parabens
triclosan
hydroquinone

Claims & certifications

Vegan
Cruelty-free (brand-stated)
Leaping Bunny certified
Paraben-free

Full ingredient list (INCI)35 ingredients · key actives highlighted · as listed by the brand

Water (Aqua),
Hydrogenated Didecene,
Squalane,
Propylene Glycol,
Glycerin,
Octyldodecanol,
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite,
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone,
Dimethicone,
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate,
Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate,
Isoamyl Laurate,
Hydrogenated Styrene/Isoprene Copolymer,
Sodium Chloride,
Phenoxyethanol,
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride,
Disteardimonium Hectorite,
Propylene Carbonate,
Ethylhexylglycerin,
Caprylyl Glycol,
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil,
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate,
Sodium Hyaluronate,
Disodium EDTA,
Tocopherol,
Polymethylsilsesquioxane,
Aluminum Hydroxide,
Triethoxycaprylylsilane,
Tin Oxide,
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract,
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate | May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891),
Yellow Iron Oxide (CI 77492),
Red Iron Oxide (CI 77491),
Black Iron Oxide (CI 77499),
Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163)

Formulas change. Always check the packaging, and patch-test if your skin is reactive.

Official product page

Creator video reviews

Watch it in action.

Real reviews, try-ons and wear tests from independent creators — verified with TikTok and YouTube and labelled when sponsored.

We don’t pay creators for reviews, and they don’t pay us. Nothing from TikTok or YouTube loads until you press play.

What people say

Straight from the source.

Verbatim from Reddit, forums, blogs and the beauty press — linked, so you can read the whole thread.

3 verbatim quotes · 2 positive · 1 critical

r/drugstoreMUA

The elf halo glow liquid filter - it’s even lighter than a bb cream. It evens out tone and gives a bit of a dewy glow but is barely detectable. Some people put it under makeup but I use it alone/instead

u/Background-Koala-689r/drugstoreMUA · 2026-101Source

r/Makeup

I started using the elf halo glow liquid filter a while back and it's been my go-to … I mix a tiny drop into my moisturizer and it gives a nice dewy finish but never settles into the dry patches around my nose

u/Mediocre_Score_9868r/Makeup · 2026-101Source

r/drugstoreMUA

Interesting I found their flawless filter dupe much better for me than for example the elf halo glow

u/Nomadbratr/drugstoreMUA · 2026-091Source

Price & value

Is it worth it?

Typical price

$15.00

for 1.06 fl oz / 31.5 ml

Per ounce

$14.08

DrugstoreMid-rangePrestigeLuxury

About 75% less per ounce than the typical complexion we review. Our value score: 9.5/10 for a drugstore pick.

Price checked November 2026 at a non-Amazon retailer. Prices change — retailers show the current one.

Where to buy

Check price on Amazon Buy from the brand$15.00

We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. It never affects our scores or what we recommend. How we make money

Community

What members noticed.

Ratings, skin types and the benefits people actually saw — logged on the Benefit Wheel.

No member ratings yet.

Tried it? Your score — and your skin or hair type — helps the next person decide.

Highlighted: what it’s built to do.

Discussion

No discussions yet.

Tried e.l.f. Cosmetics Halo Glow Liquid Filter? Ask a question or share how it’s working for your skin or hair — you’ll be the first.

FAQ

Good questions.

Is Halo Glow Liquid Filter a dupe for Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter?

e.l.f. does not call it a dupe, but many creators compare the two side by side and find a similar glowy, soft-focus effect. The e.l.f. version is $15 for 1.06 fl oz versus $50 for Charlotte Tilbury's 30 ml bottle.

Can it be used as a foundation?

e.l.f. says it boosts glow without the full coverage of a typical foundation. It can be worn alone for a minimalist look, but it will not cover blemishes the way a foundation does.

Is it good for oily skin?

Yes, according to e.l.f., but because it is a glow booster the brand recommends prepping with a mattifying primer such as Power Grip Matte Primer and setting with Halo Glow Setting Powder or Halo Glow Powder Filter to manage shine.

Is Halo Glow Liquid Filter vegan and cruelty-free?

Yes. e.l.f. says the product is designed to be vegan and cruelty-free, and that all e.l.f. products are free from phthalates, parabens, triclosan and hydroquinone.

Sources we checked (7)