I think that its safe to say that I am a bit of a highlight addict! Long before it was on trend to highlight, I was doing it! My mother gave me a little pot of creamy gold highlight that was attached to a magazine she bought when I was in my late teens - she said she didn't know what to do with it so I applied a little (probably a lot!) along the tops of my cheekbones and it was instant love! I remember my brother asking me if I wanted my face to be so shiny & my answer was yes! Since then, there has only been the rare occasion (if ever!) when I haven't used highlighter. I love a glowy, dewy look and highlighter is the finishing touch, for me. Today I want to share my highlighter collection with you. I will tell you in advance that they are all easy to work with in terms of blendability and texture and they might all look very similar but they are different enough to warrant me having all of them (at least that's what I'm telling myself!). They are not in order of preference as I really love them all!
Top to bottom:
MAC Soft & Gentle: Part of MAC's permanent line, this Mineralize Skinfinish product is a warm beige with a hint of gold. It looks beautiful when applied lightly for daytime wear for a subtle highlight but can be amped up for a night out.
DIOR Diorskin Nude Air Summer Glow Shimmer Powder: This was released last summer so may not be available everywhere but DIOR release a new version every Spring/Summer. This is very golden and looks good with a red lip and a pared back eye look (apart from lashings of mascara, of course!) but also looks great in summer with golden/bronze toned eyes.
theBalm MaryLou Manizer: This is a super pigmented powder that is so soft, it is almost creamy to touch! I love the yellow gold colour, especially when I'm (fake) tanned. It's probably the least expensive highlighter here, but one of my favourites.
Make Up For Ever Pro Light Fusion Highlighter Golden Pink: This is a recent addition as it was a Christmas gift and it is quite different from my other highlighters due to its pinky/golden tone, but I absolutely love it! The gel-powder texture is so easy to work with and it really gives my face a healthy glow. This colour would work well on fair skin tones too but if you have a darker skin tone, they also sell it in a Golden colour.
BECCA x Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed - Champagne Pop: The cult classic is a firm favourite of mine for many reasons including the soft texture, the warm peachy/champagne/gold colour and the staying power. I only need to use a tiny amount each time so I can never imagine hitting pan on this!
Top to bottom:
MAC Whisper Of Gilt: This blush/highlight duo was part of the Nutcracker collection and I immediately put it on my Christmas wishlist because I previously owned it as a single highlighter but accidentally gave it away during one of my clear outs! I love the full on gold colour of this highlight and it is best suited to when I have a full face of makeup on, rather than for an everyday look.
Kevyn Aucoin The Celestial Powder Candlelight: This is a very subtle, elegant highlight - perfect for those who want a little shimmer but nothing too full on and I love it for daytime wear. It would be perfect for those with mature skin because it doesn't settle into fine lines or accentuate the area too much.
Natasha Denona All Over Face & Body Shimmer 01 Light: I wish that I had bought Medium because I think that it would suit my skin tone better, but I really love the texture of this highlighter - it is buttery soft and very easy to blend into the skin. I also love to dust this along my collar bone if I am wearing a top that shows that area off. It gives a glow without any particles of glitter and I just love the overall look I achieve with this.
Laura Geller Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator Peach Glow: I was absolutely obsessed with this highlighter last summer, paired with Milani Luminoso Baked Blush. The soft peach suits my skin tone and gives a healthy glow when I have some colour in my cheeks.
Anastasia Beverly Hills So Hollywood Illuminator: This is very similar to Whisper of Gilt in that it is a true gold and not for the faint hearted due to the pigmentation. However, I find that with a very light hand and by dabbing off the excess, I can achieve a faint shimmer. Sadly, this particular shade is no longer available.
Anastasia Beverly Hills That Glow Palette: This is another very hyped Anastasia product, which is currently sold out. The pans in this palette are bigger than I thought they would be and are easily removed, which is perfect if you want to bring a small/medium Z palette on holiday with just your favourite products. The four shades (from top to bottom) are: Sunburst, Golden Bronze, Bubbly and Dripping in Gold. The bottom two are very similar and I would have preferred some more variation between the two but overall, I love this palette.
From top to bottom:
Too Faced Sweet Peach Illuminator: I probably didn't need this as it is very similar to Laura Geller Peach Glow, but I couldn't resist buying the palette. The soft peach colour flatters my skin tone ad works well with the blush in the palette.
Becca Prosecco Pop: This was part of the limited edition Jaclyn Hill palette last year but it is also available in the split pans with a blush, which is what I probably would have bought if Becca had told us in advance of releasing the main palette! This is a warm gold and has the same beautiful texture as Champagne Pop, but I find that I don't reach for this as often as Champagne Pop, but maybe I will use it more during the summer months.
Hourglass Surreal Strobe Light: This highlight is part of the Surreal Lighting Edit released late last year. It is quite subtle and doesn't look very much in the pan but when applied in conjunction with the other powders and blushes in the pan, it gives a very "lit from within" look to the face. I'm not sure that I would buy the full size though.
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow: This is a very subtle, flattering highlight and is very similar to Kevyn Aucoin Candlelight. The soft, pale champagne colour adds life to the skin without being glittery or too obvious. I love this for daytime wear.
Finally, I have two cream/liquid products. Top to bottom:
Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Skin Liquid Lighting Candlelight: I love this product! I sometimes use it before my foundation, sometimes mixed with foundation, sometimes dabbed on over foundation for a highlight and sometimes on no- makeup days to brighten my complexion. It can be dabbed in easily without disturbing my base and it really adds some luminosity to my skin.
Natasha Denona Face Glow Cream Shimmer: I bought this late last year and have only used it a few times but know that when summer arrives, it will get a lot more use. The stick formula means it is easy to run across my collar bone or down my legs but I personally wouldn't use it directly on my face. I like to dab a little bit on with my fingers for a more subtle look. I find cream highlighters very easy to work with, especially on my dry skin.
I have linked as many of these products as I can in the product titles. They are available from Beauty Bay, Cult Beauty, Space NK, Precious About Makeup & Debenhams so hopefully you will find somewhere that will ship to your country. None of the products mentioned were sent to me - they were all bought either by me or a friend/family member.
Are you a fellow highlight addict? Are there some highlighters that you recommend I try? (because I clearly don't own enough!) I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Thanks for reading!
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