If you know me, you know I love a good old poppin’ highlight. If it’s not blinding, it’s not enough. I’ve tried and tested so many different highlighters on my way to find my perfect one. I think gold tones work best for my skin, but I do love a little pink as long as it’s not too dark. I once bought a rose gold highlighter from Revolution and it was the worst. From there, I learnt gold was best.
I like to consider myself as a kind of highlight connoisseur – I mean, god knows I’ve spent enough on them….so here are some of my faves:
Anastasia Beverly Hills Gleam Glow Kit (RIP)
This was my ALL TIME favourite highlighter palette. I bought it in New York in 2016 and immediately fell in love with it. It was a mixture of pink-toned shades – the best one was crushed pearl. I have never (still to this day!) found a shade that was so delicate but still strong enough to make an impact. It was such an amazing universal palette, I hit pan on all of the shades except one (hard candy, which was a little bit too dark for me) and I was truly devastated when I realised it had been discontinued. I now have the Sugar glow kit because it has one of the same shades, but it just isn’t the same.
If you’re looking for value for money, I cannot recommend the ABH glow kits enough. You get four different shades for £40, which is £10 each! I still mourn the fact that I missed out on the Nicole Guerriero glow kit because it looked amazing. ABH is one of my favourite brands, I just can’t get enough!
Jouer Powder Highlighter in Citrine
(Ugliest angle ever but we do what we can to get the highlight poppin’)
Jouer was a brand I hadn’t heard of until Nikkie Tutorials posted swatches of this highlighter. It was bloody gorgeous. Light gold with the slightest hints of glitter, it was truly stunning and I knew I needed it. Sadly at the time, the shipping was super high, so cue my excitement when Jouer finally landed on Beauty Bay. I finally, after about six months of waiting, got my hands on it. It was everything I hoped for – blinding. I mean seriously, I think the aliens in Mars were shielding their eyes from the light. It showed up on camera (notoriously difficult, I’ve found), didn’t emphasise my skin texture and it was just my absolute number one – until it smashed. Yep, one day, I opened my beloved compact and my beautiful, expensive powder had crumbled everywhere. Apparently, this is quite common when you look at reviews. Since then, I haven’t bothered to replace it but I think when my Fenty Beauty hits pan I will because I miss having that flattering glow in my life.
Fenty Beauty Highlighter Duo – Mean Money/ Hu$tla
A few months ago I popped into the Harvey Nichols Beauty Bazaar in Liverpool, having not been in since the launch of Fenty Beauty. I headed over to the counter thinking that I’d have a look at the Stunna Lip Paint (which I did buy) but the highlighters also caught my eye. Fenty Beauty’s highlighter duos are in a little compact with a mirror. There were so many colour choices, but I most liked the look of Mean Money/Hu$tla – Mean Money was a champagne shade and Hu$tla had more of a peachy tone. At £26, I thought they were worth a try – I’d previously had my makeup done where the MUA used Fenty Beauty and I knew the highlight was up to my standards of glow. Well, dear readers, I haven’t put it down since. Mean Money goes all over my cheekbones, whilst the more subtle Hu$tla goes on my cupid’s bow, under my eyebrows and just about everywhere else. It’s incredible. Layer it on top of a liquid highlighter (see below!) and you’ll need to start handing out sunglasses like they give out 3D glasses at the cinema.
Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlight – Starlight
Liquid highlighters aren’t for everyone but if you’re looking to dabble in them, I highly recommend starting with the Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlight. They’re a good dupe for those crazy expensive Cover FX drops and I love the colour Starlight, which is like a silvery pink. The dropper itself is a bit flimsy, so I find the best way to apply it is to put it on the back of your hand and use your fingers. It can be a bit troublesome as it sometimes makes your foundation come off, especially on the nose, so I’d avoid blending it with a beauty blender, at least until you’ve patted it in. Patience and persistence will pay off, I promise!
Doll Beauty Like a Diamond
Ok so I haven’t tried this yet, but I am DYING to, so I had to include it. It looks like the perfect blinding highlight and every makeup artist I follow raves about it. It’s my birthday next month so if anyone’s struggling with what to get me, I’m just saying….
What’s your favourite highlighter? I’m still so addicted (I think my cheekbones will still be visible from space when I’m 84) so I’m always looking for recommendations!
Fashion and Faces 