NARS Tinted Glow Booster Review; plus comparison to Hollywood Flawless Filter

Hi friends!

You know how much I loveee the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter, right? If that’s news to you, just check out this post. It’s one of those unicorn complexion products that does a bit of everything. It gives a teeny bit of tint and imbues the skin with moisture and loads of pearly sheen; plus it can be applied in a multitude of ways. So when NARS recently introduced their answer to the Flawless Filter – the Tinted Glow Booster – I was extremely curious to see how it compared in both performance and finish.

I quickly hopped on over to my local Blue Mercury store and snatched the lightest shade available. I’ve worn it every day since, so I’m ready to give you my thoughts and opinions now on the NARS Tinted Glow Booster! To be clear, I will give my full review of the product first and then dive into the comparison to the Flawless Filter.

WHAT IS THE NARS TINTED GLOW BOOSTER?

Introducing limited-edition Tinted Glow Booster, a customizable complexion enhancer with long-term skin benefits that adds an alluring glow and a soft-focus effect to skin while extending the wear of makeup for up to 16 hours. Lightweight and layerable, it can be worn in a multitude of ways—alone, under foundation, or as natural illumination on the highpoints of the face. Featuring NARS’ exclusive Jojoba Complex Hydraglow Complex, a dynamic combination of Jojoba Elixir for deep nourishment, with Jojoba Gel for a dewy finish. Skin-tone colored pearls help to brighten and illuminate skin for a naturally perfected, filtered look. Available in four shades.

Oil-free, Paraben-free, Fragrance-free.

– NARS website

HOW I USE THIS PRODUCT

So, just like with the Flawless Filter, you can apply the Glow Booster in a few ways. You can wear it on its own if you want maximum glow with the tiniest hint of tint. You can also mix it with your favorite foundation to give it a bit more radiance. Or lastly, you can use it as a subtle cream highlighter and apply it on top of foundation to the high points of the face.

Personally I’ve been wearing it either alone with concealer where I need coverage, or mixed in with a moisturizer or foundation. As is usually the case with my makeup application, I just use my fingers to blend and tap the product into my skin.

Read this: How I achieve a light, barely-there base

 

MY THOUGHTS ON PACKAGING

This has standard NARS packaging that’s typical of their other complexion products; a very sturdy square glass container with a soft-touch black cap. Lift the cap up and you’ve got a small pump that carefully dispenses the product. I love me a good pump when it comes to liquids and creams, so this is a big win for me! The only drawback I can see is perhaps with traveling or “on-the-go” application. While the bottle is quite lightweight, it’s still glass so you’ll have to be careful when stashing it in your purse or luggage. (I don’t worry too much about stuff like that, but you might.)

RATING: 5 / 5 ⭐️

MY THOUGHTS ON APPLICATION AND SHADE

The consistency of the Glow Booster is thin but in no way runny. It applies and blends very, very easily into the skin so you really shouldn’t have many problems. I’ve applied this over bare, un-moisturized skin as well as over a primer/SPF. I’ve also mixed this into moisturizer and foundation too. It always applies smoothly; no patchiness or weirdness.

There’s only 4 shades available in this limited-edition line; I have Light or as it’s also known, Kalvoya. It blends pretty seamlessly into my skin without too much of a weird cast. Considering the Glow Booster is in no way a foundation or even a tinted moisturizer-level of coverage, I’d say don’t get too hung up on shades here.

RATING: 5 / 5 ⭐️

MY THOUGHTS ON FINISH

This has a real wet-look on the skin so if you apply it on its own, or just mixed in with a little moisturizer, you’ll definitely appear both shiny and glistening. I say “glistening” because there’s a decent amount of micro-shimmer in this product. At first I thought that was going to bother me. The last thing I want is to look like a walking shimmer bomb! However, it’s much more wearable than I thought – which is a relief – and if you mix it with foundation you can dilute the finish to your liking.

RATING: 5 / 5 ⭐️

Read this: A 5-in-1 foundation?? Iris & Romeo Best Skin Days Review

 

 

 

MY THOUGHTS ON WEAR

This wears perfectly well throughout the day on my very dry skin. If you have oily or combo skin, you may want to be very targeted with a product as shiny as this as it may exacerbate any shininess you naturally produce throughout the day. I need all the help I can get when it comes to skin luminosity, so I definitely don’t mind a little extra boost in that department!

I can’t really attest to the whole claim about the Glow Booster extending the wear of makeup for 16 hours though. Because of my skin type makeup tends to last on me pretty well anyway. Plus since it’s winter now, I’m not sweating much these days.

RATING: 5 / 5 ⭐️

MY THOUGHTS ON PRICE

For 30 mL of product, NARS retails this for $39.00 so we’re definitely heading into more luxury territory. For the effect that you get with it, I don’t take much issue with the price especially when comparing it to cheaper complexion enhancers. Next to the L’Oreal Lumi Glotion or the L’Oreal Visible Lift Luminous Serum Tint (both $14.99) for instance, the Glow Booster is certainly more dramatic and potent. I take my glow seriously people, so I don’t mind splashing out for something that’s unique. But of course you need to decide how much is too much to spend on a product like this.

RATING: 4 / 5 ⭐️

 

 

COMPARISON TO HOLLYWOOD FLAWLESS FILTER

While both products have near-identical uses, the big difference between the Flawless Filter and the Glow Booster all has to do with the finish. The Flawless Filter has much more of a sophisticated pearly sheen, while the Glow Booster is definitely more shimmery. I’d argue that the Flawless Filter has much more of a refined, soft-focus finish than the Glow Booster.

Other differences: the packaging on the Flawless Filter is definitely clunkier as it has a large, doe-foot applicator; the Glow Booster is much more clean and user-friendly with the pump. The Flawless Filter comes in more shades (7 total), and is just a hair more expensive for the same amount of product ($44.00).

I’d say there’s not much difference when it comes to consistency, blendability or performance though.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I’ve really enjoyed using the NARS Tinted Glow Booster. It’s easy to apply and gives my skin lots of radiance that lasts throughout the day, either worn alone or with foundation. HOWEVER, I wouldn’t recommend it over the Hollywood Flawless Filter. There’s still something so incredibly special about the Flawless Filter, and I have yet to find a completely comparable product in terms of finish. The Tinted Glow Booster does come close though, so if you’re interested I suggest snatching it quickly as it’s apparently limited edition.

Have you tried the NARS Tinted Glow Booster? Do you have a favorite complexion enhancer? I’d love to know!

xo, Erica

 

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