This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll earn a commission should you choose to make a purchase through one of these links. This is at no extra cost to you. Read my full disclaimer here.
Let’s talk about Charlotte Tilbury’s Flawless Filter… if it’s not already in your makeup bag, it’s probably on your wish list. It’s so popular, in fact, that the CT website even claims that a bottle of this is sold every two minutes!
The main allure of this product is its versatility. Is it a primer? Is it a highlighter? Or is it a foundation? You can pretty much use it in place of all these things. The brand describes it as a ‘glow booster’ that’s meant to leave your skin looking flawless and radiant. It definitely gives that filter-like effect… but at £39 a bottle is it really worth the spend?
Over the past year, a number of beauty brands have come out with Flawless Filter dupes that seriously rival the original product. In this post I’m going to be comparing the OG, Flawless Filter, with the two closest alternatives I could find: the Elf Halo Glow Liquid Filter and the Collection Gorgeous Glow Filter Finish Primer and Illuminator.
There are of course loads of makeup products out there that claim to give similar results, but I’ve gone with these two as they’re most comparable to Charlotte Tilbury’s Flawless Filter in terms of formula and packaging.
How do these Flawless Filter dupes stack up to the original product? Let’s find out…
The options
Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter £39
The Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter glow booster is a cult favourite for good reason. This smooths and illuminates the skin to give it that Hollywood airbrushed effect.
It contains naturally moisturising ingredients, like glycerin and squalane, which help to create a healthy glow, as well as finely milled powders that blur pores and fine lines.
The coverage is decent and I love that this doesn’t leave my skin looking too pearlescent. It’s also really easy to blend out regardless of the stage you apply it in your makeup routine. I think this looks equally as good over foundation as it does under it.
Elf Halo Glow Liquid Filter £14
Like Flawless Filter, Elf’s Halo Glow is marketed as a ‘complexion booster’ that’s supposed to give the skin a soft-focus glow.
The Elf website claims this is a makeup-skincare hybrid since it contains the classic skin-replenishing ingredients you’d expect to see in some of your fave skincare products. It’s formulated with glycerin, squalane, hyaluronic acid, sunflower seed oil and vitamin E, so expect this to be VERY dewy.
The finish of this is slightly tackier than Flawless Filter and looks a bit more pearly too. If you want a super glowy look then this would be a good fit. I like how much coverage this gives but it’s not as moisturising as I expected given how promising the ingredients list is.
Collection Gorgeous Glow Filter Finish Primer and Illuminator £6.99
If you’re looking for an illuminator with a little less coverage, Collection’s Filter Finish is a great option. This ‘complexion boosting’ primer gives all the glow of Flawless Filter but without some of the heaviness.
Containing ingredients like trehalose, sodium PCA, glycerin and hyaluronic acid, this is a hydrating formula that really delivers on that lit-from-within radiance. It’s thinner, and therefore sheerer, than both Flawless Filter and Halo Glow so it works well as a base layer for your foundation.
This really does leave the skin looking super healthy, but – due to its sheerness – it’s not going to cover any redness or blemishes.
How do they compare?
Applicator
All three of these products have a doe foot applicator but, as you can see from the picture below, the Elf Halo Glow applicator is significantly bigger than the other two. There’s not much in it between the Collection Filter Finish and Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter applicators. They’re pretty much the same size, it’s just that the wand of the Collection one is slightly longer.
I actually quite like the size of the Halo Glow doe foot – it means you can apply the product in just a couple of swipes – but you just have to be careful not to overdo it. The smaller Collection and Charlotte Tilbury applicators make it slightly easier to control how much product you’re using.
Formula & texture
The formula of all three of these glow boosters is quite different. I find the Charlotte Tilbury one to be the creamiest – it definitely blends a bit better than the Elf Halo Glow which can sometimes feel a bit sticky. The Collection Filter Finish is the sheerest so it has less coverage than the other two.
Personally, I feel that the Charlotte Tilbury and Collection products have a nicer finish. The Elf one tends to clings to dry patches (which may not be an issue if you have normal or oily skin). I just think think that Flawless Filter and Filter Finish do a better job of achieving that filter-like look, Halo Glow highlights texture a little too much for me.
Shade range
In terms of shade range, Flawless Filter obviously comes out on top. The Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter comes in 12 different shades, Elf Halo Glow comes in 8 different shades and Collection Filter Finish comes in just 4 shades.
Though these are sheer products, I think it’s still noticeable when the shade is off, especially when you want to wear it as a stand-alone primer/foundation. That’s why it’s disappointing that the Collection shade range is so limited. They’ve got Fair, Fair Medium, Medium and Tan but nothing deeper.
Elf has a more diverse range of shades but I still think they could do with adding more. The lightest shade, for example, is much darker than the 1 Fair equivalents from Collection and Charlotte Tilbury. I’d say Elf’s 1 Fair is probably closer to Charlotte Tilbury’s 2 Fair or 2.5 Fair.
Other Flawless Filter alternatives to check out:
- Maybelline Instant Anti Age Perfector 4-In-1 Glow – This multi-use illuminating primer comes with Maybelline’s signature sponge applicator.
- NYX Professional Makeup Born To Glow! Liquid Illuminator – A versatile complexion booster that’s shimmery but still really natural.
- Kosas Glow I.V. Vitamin-Infused Skin Illuminating Enhancer – A sheer, hydrating formula that guarantees a light-reflecting glow.
- Revlon SkinLights Face Glow Illuminator – This 3-in-1 product promises easy application and brighter, more illuminated skin.
- No7 Skin Illuminator – A non-greasy highlighter that gives a natural-looking glow to the face.
Have you tried any Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter dupes? Which one is your favourite?
Leave a Reply