Glossier's Haloscope Highlighter Gave Me an Instant Glow

We put Glossier's Haloscope to the test after receiving a complimentary sample from the brand. Keep reading for our full product review.

Whether you’re a makeup minimalist or maximalist, a little glow never hurt anyone, am I right? Enter Glossier's popular Haloscope, a stick highlighter that includes actual crystals to give you the glazed skin of your dreams. To see if it really lived up to its rave reviews, I tried it myself—and reader, my skin was dewy for days.

Keep scrolling for my honest review.

About My Skin: Sensitive, combination skin

I have combination skin that tends to be a mix of oily and dry/sensitive. I don’t always wear makeup, but when I do, I usually opt for foundation, blush, concealer, mascara, sometimes eyeshadow, lipstick or gloss, and highlighter. I always like my skin to look glowy or dewy, so it's an important step in my routine—if I’m wearing makeup, I never skip it. (Some of the brands I wear consistently are Clé de Peau Beauté, Armani Beauty, RMS Beauty, Alima Pure, and Grande Cosmetics.)

I wore Glossier's Haloscope for four days and used it as my highlighter after applying all my other products.

Ingredients: There are actual crystals

This product comes in three shades: Moonstone (which I tested), Quartz, and Topaz. Each one is full of good-for-the-skin ingredients like coconut and castor seed oils, which are rich in vitamin E, as well as sweet almond oil, which delivers a boost of hydration. And yes, there are real crystals in the mix, too—the outer ring of each highlighter is enhanced with rose quartz or golden topaz extract, which I felt was unique and unlike any other highlighter I’ve tried. This formula is also dermatologist-tested and does not contain fragrance.

How To Apply: Right from the twist-up tube

Glossier recommends using this product by applying it directly to the face in an upward motion and blending it out with your fingertips. I applied this highlighter straight from the twist-up tube packaging, used my fingers, and also experimented with using a brush to apply it to my cheeks and eye area. I noticed that the product felt a tad stiff, so I also experimented with warming it up first by rubbing it on the top of my hand to get it softer before applying it to my face.

This highlighter can be applied under the brow bone as well along with the cheekbone area. After applying, you can lightly tap your fingers on the cheeks to smooth out the product, or dab a blush or highlighter brush on the product and apply directly to cheeks that way. It gives a dewy finish so you will only want to apply it to areas of the face where you want that effect. 

The Results: The glow-up was instant

I wore this product both at home and outside, applying it early in the morning and removing it when I washed my face at night before bed. When I first applied it, I noticed instantly that my skin was very dewy right away. Moonstone is not as shimmery as the other two shades, so it leaves behind more of a glow than it does a glittery finish.

The consistency feels a little sticky to the touch, and on the cheeks, I noticed throughout the day that my skin looked and felt more oily (but I have more of an oily skin type, so this is normal for me).

The Value: Worth it

In my opinion, this is a very budget-friendly item for the amount of product you get and how long it wears. Compared to other stick highlighters, the fact it’s under $25 makes it quite affordable. What you’re getting is a long-lasting highlighter that looks dewy all day and can be worn with or without makeup. 

Similar Products: You've got options

RMS Beauty Living Luminizer ($38): If you’re looking for a comparable product to this one, RMS Beauty’s Living Luminizer has a translucent satin-pearl finish and a similar texture to Glossier's Haloscope in Moonstone—however, the price is significantly higher for the category. Also, the finish of Living Luminizer has more shimmer to it while Glossier’s product is more of a glaze. In other words, it's all about your preferences.