E.L.F. Just Launched an $18 Sunscreen Version of Its Viral Halo Glow Filter

02.06.2025, 16:18 allure.com

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If you thought E.L.F. Beauty would stay under the radar for a while after acquiring Hailey Bieber’s Rhode brand last Wednesday, you aren’t giving the brand enough credit. On the heels of the headline-inducing sale, the beloved beauty conglomerate is already on to its next project—and I think you’re going to love it. Team Allure certainly does, which is why we’ve deemed it our new One to Watch honoree.

In 2023, E.L.F. released one of its most popular products to date: the Halo Glow Liquid Filter. The illuminating base product—kind of a concealer/highlighter hybrid—promptly took over FYPs and sold out in stores. In fact, according to the brand, one bottle was sold every four seconds globally in 2024. That might sound hyperbolic, but if you were on TikTok that year, you know the hype was justified—to the point that we awarded the glow-inducing, multiuse product a Best of Beauty award.

E.L.F. Cosmetics

Now, two years later, the Halo Glow range is welcoming a new illuminating friend to the family: E.L.F. Cosmetics Halo Glow Skin Tint Mineral SPF 50. The tinted sunscreen comes in 18 shades, and although lightweight in texture, it’s super buildable. Honestly, the coverage is what surprised my coworkers and me the most. (More on that later.) Don’t expect to swap this for your full-coverage foundation and get the same results—unless, of course, lighter is what you’re going for—but it can definitely conceal redness and even out skin tone if you apply a couple layers.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Halo Glow Skin Tint isn’t just that it’s a sunscreen, but a mineral one at that. The Halo Glow Skin Tint Mineral SPF 50 is made with 12% zinc oxide, a mineral blocker, which “works mainly by reflecting UV rays off of [the skin] before [they] penetrate into skin cells,” Loretta Ciraldo, MD, a Miami-based board-certified dermatologist, previously told Allure. (That’s as opposed to chemical SPF, which works by absorbing UV rays into the skin and converting them into non-damaging heat.)

Take a closer look at the full ingredient list and you’ll likely recognize a few familiar ones, like redness-inducing niacinamide and soothing allantoin. It’s also formulated with an ingredient called bisabolol, which, if I’m honest, I’ve never actually heard of before. (And that’s saying something considering I’ve been working in beauty for 12-plus years and write a weekly newsletter about skin care, but I digress.) Turns out, it’s an extract derived from chamomile that's known for its anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties.

Associate beauty director Sarah Kinonen before applying shade 4 (Light Neutral).

Associate beauty director Sarah Kinonen wearing shade 4 (Light Neutral).

In a recent Skin Check newsletter (told you I have my own newsletter—please subscribe!), I mentioned I didn’t particularly enjoy tinted sunscreen. It has nothing to do with coverage, but instead, because I’m paranoid of potential pigment transfer onto clothes. As a foundation-wearer, I know this makes no sense. But on days when I don’t feel like applying a full face and want to bop around town in just skin care, I’d rather not have any sort of color or tint on.

However, I was pleasantly surprised by Halo Glow Skin Tint, hence why I’m writing this review. (A girl can change her mind, okay?) I found a little goes a long way, and I used about two to three squirts of shade 4 (Light Neutral) from the palm-sized bottle to cover my entire face.

Because it’s sunscreen, I made sure that those dollops followed the two-finger rule, which, as Carmen Castilla, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, previously told Allure, is an application tactic in which sunscreen is dispensed down the length of your pointer and middle fingers to get the ideal amount of product to protect both your face and neck.

Shade 4 seamlessly blended into my fair skin and didn’t leave any sort of chalky finish behind. Instead, the result was more dewy than I expected. I have combination skin, so my baseline is a bit oily, but Halo Glow only added to my natural sheen and covered redness from my rosacea. I really like the finish and would absolutely wear it solo or as a makeup base. It’s long-lasting, too. I didn’t experience any product separation while wearing it.

The only gripe I have with Halo Glow Skin Tint is how small the bottle is. Clocking in at 3.4 fl. oz., I fear I’d finish the tube faster than SPFs I’ve tried in the past. At least it’s cute, though! I can see myself tossing that little pink bottle into both my makeup and gym bags, or even in a carry-on.

Senior beauty editor Jesa Marie Calaor before applying shade 9 (Medium Cool).

Senior beauty editor Jesa Marie Calaor wearing shade 9 (Medium Cool).

“Oh my gosh, I’m sooooo (five o's there) glowy!” says senior beauty editor Jesa Marie Calaor. “I can apply it with my fingers, it's easy to blend, and makes my redness less visible. For me, the issue with skin tints is having to be super careful when applying around my hairline, so it doesn’t get in my roots. But because this one isn’t super runny, the application process is easy and mess-free.”

Wears: Shade 12 (Tan Cool)“I have patches of hyperpigmentation and acne scarring, as well as uneven texture. This creamy formula provided medium coverage—enough for my mom to immediately notice a difference. She said my skin tone looked even in a natural way versus the way skin can sometimes look with a full beat. While I agreed, if you prefer a lightweight, no-makeup makeup look where your skin can breathe, this might not be the tinted SPF for you.”

E.L.F. Cosmetics Halo Glow Skin Tint SPF 50 retails for $18 and is available on elfcosmetics.com.

E.L.F. Cosmetics

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