Highlighter is one of my favorite makeup products. I don't even remember when this highlighter craze began, because when I was growing up this wasn't one of the essential makeup products. Now it seems like makeup lovers are competing who will have brighter shine on their cheeks. I personally love the effect that highlighters can give to the skin. In my opinion shine on certain parts of the face makes you look fresh and younger. For a heavier application, it can look very glamorous and because I love everything sparkly, I obviously love the effect of it. If you only apply foundation, concealer and a good creamy highlighter, your skin can look amazing and you don't really need much more. Maybe some mascara and lip gloss.
That is why I decided to share my collection of highlighters. I'm sure I have more than some and that I have less than some. I can't even use all of these up and it's not that I need them, I just enjoy collecting them. A lot of these are Limited Editions and then there are some classics that you can still get.
This is perfect shade for very fair skin tones. It's white based with very light golden sheen to it. It's very creamy product, but once it gets on the skin it turns into a powder. It has tiny shimmer in ti which is visible, but gives your skin beautiful glow that still looks somewhat natural. I use this more in the winter time and when I use very little skin products. It looks perfect paired with a BB cream and nothing else.
This is one of the rare liquid highlighters in my collection. It's also great for fair skin tone, because it has light champagne shade with strong sheen. It has small champagne shimmer as well as some bigger gold shimmer. It's a bit chunkier, but on the skin it looks natural because of the liquid texture. Once it dries on the skin it doesn't move.
It's my most used cream highlighter. Whenever I want quick makeup look that looks natural, I always go for this one. It's so easy to apply and looks natural. It's another fair skin option with light champagne shade. It almost looks like a mix of light gold and pink, so it's fairly neutral. This one has dense shimmer which is very small and gives the skin that beautiful natural sheen. It's a cream product that stays creamy on the skin.
It's my least favorite highlighter, because it's not enough shimmery for my taste. It's suitable for fair skin tones, because it has white pinkish toned base to it. It actually looks like a regular powder with some added tiny shimmer. It also has fairly strong white base, so it's not sheer. For me personally this doesn't do much, so I rarely use it. It would be perfect for those that don't really like highlighters, but want to add the slightest sheen to the skin. It's very hard powder texture, so you have to build it up to get the color payoff.
Yes, it says bronzing pearls on it, but it's actually more a highlighter to me. It has a coral base to it that looks more like a very light blush, but on top of it, it also has white shimmer which gives it that pinkish white sheen. I use this more as a highlighter in the summer, when I'm a bit more tanned. That white sheen looks so much like highlighter that I wouldn't use it as a bronzer. You can also use it as a very light blush with a sheen. It's essentially powder in small pearl shapes. Powder is slightly wet, so it gives a nice color payoff.
It has slightly wet powder consistency. The shade is like a champagne mixed with a bit of pink. It's basically like a darker and pinkier version of Kiko's 100 Gold. It's again one of those that I tend to wear when I have a bit more color on my face. It has tiny shimmer that gives it subtle golden shine, but is very pigmented in general.
When I want something more pinkish, I always use this. It's my favorite pinkish highlighter. It has very light white pinkish base with tiny gold and pink shimmer. This is also great for fair skin tones, because the shade is very light. It also has that lovely sheen that looks gold on one side and pink on the other. It's so finely milled and has bright sheen. Powder has a bit more wet texture to it.
It's the most fun looking texture, because it's a gel that feels kind of jelly like. Once it dries on the skin it doesn't move. It has pinkish champagne base to it, but tiny shimmer in it gives it very golden glow. It has super fine shimmer and looks very natural and sheer on the skin. The sheen is quite strong and because it's very gold, it looks best on warm skin tones.
It's perfect for warm fair skin tones. It has very light base, but it's just slightly golden. The base is still very white, so it's perfect for my skin tone. The shimmer in it is so fine that it gives the skin lovely sheen. It's one of those starting to have a nice glow, but is still subdued highlighters.
Hands down the best highlighter by Essence and definitely one of my all time favorites in general. It looks so similar to theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer's texture, but it's a lot lighter in the shade. It has very light golden sheen that can be build up to almost metallic sheen. It's perfect for light skin tones, because it has such a fair gold shade. Powder has again that wetness to it and it's really pigmented. Shimmer in it is really small, but the sheen is very obvious. It's like a more obvious and more metallic version of the Merry Berry version.
It's my favorite highlighter from my whole collection. This is again perfect for light and fair skin tones with warm undertone. It has very light yellow toned sheen to it, but the base looks more champagne. It's very similar to Essence Metal Glam. Metal Glam has more champagne tone to it and Moonstone has more yellow tone to it. Metal Glam is also just slightly more metallic. Moonstone still has quite bright sheen, but looks just a bit more natural. Shimmer in it is super fine. It's that perfect highlighter for everyday use, when you want it to give it glow, but not be too blinding. Powder also has wet feel to it.
Again one of my favorites. but it's just slightly darker than Moonstone, so it's now more reserved for when I have some color in my face (so more spring and summer). It also has that powder texture that feels wet to the touch. Shade is darker than Moonstone, because it's a bit more peachy golden. I would say that this could also be used on medium skin tones. It has tiny shimmer and gives quite metallic sheen to the skin.
Cream highlighter that is a bit darker than my usual choices. It has pink champagne shade, but has a very cool sheen on the skin. It's very pigmented and blends into skin lovely. It doesn't dry down to a powder finish. It's a bit too pink for my personal preference. It sort of looks natural because of the cream texture, but gives quite strong sheen to the skin.
Powder texture is very dry and almost feels like baked powders. It has strong payoff. The shade is light lavender purple, but the sheen is very cool white. It has tiny shimmer and gives intense sheen to the skin. This is perfect if you want to get rid of dullness on light skin tones.
If you have fair skin tone and want intense glow, than this one is for you. It has wet powder texture that is really pigmented. It's very light white based shade with slight yellow tint to it, but the sheen is very white. Shimmer is super fine. It's definitely gives the most intense glow in my highlighters collection.
It has that same dry baked texture as Hemisphere. Base is peach, but has that same white obvious sheen. Because of the peach base, I usually wear it when I am a bit tanned. It still gives the shin very cool sheen. Shimmer in it is also tiny.
Makeup Revolution Vivid Baked Highlighter - Golden Lights
It's fairly light shade, but it has very intense yellow golden sheen to it. It's almost a bit too yellow for my taste, because it doesn't look natural on my fair skin tone. I do love to pair it with more bronzed looks and I especially like to use it as an eyeshadow. Shimmer in it is really small and it has intense sheen. Pigmentation is great. Texture is more dry.
If I think Makeup Revolution is a bit too yellow for my taste than this one is almost unwearable to me. It's even more golden and more yellow tinted. This would probably look amazing on medium skin tones, but for me it's too yellow. I do love it as an eyeshadow or for more creative makeup looks. It has very similar texture to Makeup Revolution. The shimmer is also very tiny and has good pigmentation.
I've been seeing this one a lot on Pinterest. Apparently it has become quite popular. It's in fact lovely highlighter. It looks almost like a bronzer in the pan and if you swatch it on the hand, it looks too dark. Once you apply it with a brush, it looks a lot lighter. It gives the skin subtle wearable sheen that has tiny shimmer and it looks like a pinkish champagne shade. It's really interesting shade that would probably work for light as well as medium skin tones. It's more suited for warm skin tones. It's just slightly too dark for me in the winter, but once I am not as pale and dead looking, it works. Powder has slight wetness to it.
This is my favorite darker highlighter for summer time. It has marbled design, so shades depend on which one you take. If it has more white in it, it will be lighter. Mine has more gold in it, so it's darker. If you want something more peachy golden than Essence Pure Nude, than go for this one. It also swatches darker than it looks like on the skin. It's a more peachier base, but with a true gold sheen. This looks stunning on tanned skin. It has enough sheen and glow, but it's not too obvious.
It could almost be shimmery bronzer for me in the winter. I use it only when I'm tanned. It's liquid and has very fine shimmer in it. It blends into the skin lovely and it can be sheered out. It has bronzy base to it, but has very golden sheen to it. I usually mix it with my foundation or just apply it as a subtle sheen on tops of cheeks. It's really pigmented and can be build up to a metallic sheen.
My personal favorites are Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector - Moonstone, theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer and Essence Le Metal Glam Highlighter Powder - 01 Gold Digger. For my tanned complexion I adore Terra Naturi Shimmer Powder Body & Face - 01 Golden Highlight. My favorite cream highlighter for a more natural look is Kiko Radiant Touch Creamy Stick Highlighter - 100 Gold.
I love everything shiny and that's probably why I fell in love with highlighters. Even though I'll probably never go through all of these, I still have some that I would love to own in my collection. I might still get some, but some are just out of my budget for now. Especially, because I can't justify buying yet another one seeing how many I already own.
Highlighter Wishlist
- Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette
- MAC Vanilla Pigment
- Charlotte Tilbury Film Star Bronze & Glow
- MeMeMe Beat The Blues Skin Illuminator - Oyster Gold
- Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid - Moonstone
- Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed - Opal
- Benefit Whatt's Up! Highlighter
- Jouer Powder Highlighter - Citrine
I would love to know what are some of your favorite highlighters? Have you tried any on my wishlist and would your recommend them?
