Thanks to several years of fairly extreme acne as a teen, I became accustomed to wearing the highest coverage foundation I could get my hands on—every day without fail. Now, I can think of nothing worse. I’ve retired almost every traditional foundation product in favour of a lightweight glow enhancer, and my skin has never looked better.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s certainly a time and a place for a full coverage base. I have countless friends who swear by these formulas, and they look incredible with the right skin prep. But if there’s one thing to know about my approach to makeup, it’s that laziness prevails. I want low effort products that will make me look my best with minimal steps. A glow enhancer does exactly that, without clinging to any dry patches, feeling uncomfortably cakey on my skin, or creasing throughout the day—all problems I frequently encounter with traditional foundations.
But I’m not talking about the glow you get from face tans or a night cream, more like the effect of an illuminating primer with a hydrating finish that lasts all day long. From tinted formulas with enough coverage for blemishes to SPF with a dewy look, these are the glow enhancers I use on a daily basis as my base product to make my skin look refreshed, healthy, and radiant.
Shop the best glow enhancers
e.l.f.
Halo Glow Liquid Filter Highlighter
My everyday makeup almost always relies on e.l.f.’s Halo Glow. I use it all over my face for instant radiance that isn’t at all shiny or unnatural—it provides a lightweight and your-skin-but-better finish that will make you look like you’ve just had a facial. What I love it how quick and easy it is to apply. I just need a few swipes of the doe foot applicator and it blends like a dream in seconds. It comes at a great price point, and a little really goes a long way.
Supergoop!
Mineral Glowscreen Soft-Radiance Drops SPF 30
Supergoop’s new Mineral Glowscreen is the latest addition to my collection, and it’s quickly becoming one of my favourites. It’s probably the glowiest SPF I’ve ever used, but without that greasy finish you often get with suncream. It offers subtle shimmer with an enhanced all-over glow that melts seamlessly into the skin, perfect for the summer season. It also provides instant protection, but doesn’t have the chalky finish that often comes with mineral formulas.
Charlotte Tilbury
Hollywood Flawless Filter
You’re no doubt familiar with Hollywood Flawless Filter. It’s another one of my daily go-tos, and I find that it offers more coverage than other glow enhancers. It won’t cover extreme blemishes, but it does even out skin tone and minimise redness whilst remaining lightweight. It can be worn under foundation, but I love how it looks alone or with concealer over the top. When I want compliments on my skin, this is the formula I turn to.
Saie’s Glowy Super Gel can be used to prime, highlight, or mix with foundation for a glowier result. I use it for all of the above, but also on its own when I want a really simple skin boost. It’s extremely light thanks to the gel texture, and it offers a comparable glow to a heavy duty moisturiser without the sinking in time. It’s something I can just rub into my face when I don’t need full makeup, but still want an enhancement.
Glow Recipe
Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops
As a makeup-skincare hybrid, these Glow Recipe drops give you the best of both worlds. They warm up the complexion with a bronzy finish, add instant radiance, and use niacinamide to brighten and even skin tone at the same time. This is another glow enhancer that can be layered under makeup, but I prefer to wear it alone on no makeup days or on holiday when I know I won’t be wearing base products.
Skin Dew is for those who want their skin as radiant as humanly possible (me). I adore everything about this formula, but most of all its finish that is purely glow—no glitter or shimmer where it’s not needed. I typically use this to highlight the high points of my face, but I’ve also worn it alone and mixed it with moisturiser before to create my own glowy base. It also works wonders applied to the body too, providing a truly beautiful shine.
L’Oréal Paris
Paradise Lumi Glotion
I haven’t met anyone that’s tried Glotion and hasn’t fallen in love. It’s an affordable base product designed to enhance glow without looking heavy. Think summer skin, year-round. It blends in extremely easily so you’re never left with unblended lines, and it’s seriously affordable. Not to mention, very comfortable on the skin.