Tarte Glowlight Skin Filter Reviewed by a Beauty Editor

I learned a few weeks ago that my penchant for medium-full coverage foundations skewed my understanding of what a skin tint is and should look like. (Thank you, rude Instagram commenters!) As a result, I have been revisiting the dozens of products on my makeup shelves looking for an actual tint, something that blurs some of the imperfections and evens out my skin tone but doesn’t completely provide a new canvas. And there is one I keep wearing — Tarte’s Glowlight Skin Filter.

I try at least a hundred products a month as a beauty editor, and during this stint with skin-tint testing, I tried at least nine. Some were good but too sheer, wherein they felt like a primer. Others were too glittery and seemed like a product for underpainting or highlighting. Tarte’s Glowlight is the sweet spot and really is best described as a filter. 

Shop now: $30; tartecosmetics.com

This is a shimmer- and glitter-free formula that imparts a glow by making skin catch light and look dewy though not oily. The last point is very important to me as someone with a chronically oily complexion. It reminds me of a popular celebrity-used product that is almost twice as expensive. 

On my bare face, it evens out my skin tone, neutralizes redness, lessens the appearance of dark spots and zits, and makes me look naturally luminous. It sets into my skin quickly and looks and feels seamless. It looks like my skin on the best, most well-rested, healthy, happy, and clear days, even when in reality, I’m sleep deprived. 

Although those are unequivocal pros, it does mean there’s a small learning curve when first using Tarte Glowlight. If you plan to use it all over your face, it works best to apply it in small sections to ensure you’re not missing spots and that it’s not drying before you’ve had time to blend. 

It comes in six shades, which is a little bit limited but may be explained by how sheer and filter-like it is. In my current pale state, I’m using shade Glimmer but in a few months when my skin has seen the sun again, I’ll probably switch to Illuminate. 

Head to Tarte to shop the Glowlight Skin Filter. 

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