Highlighters

Highlighters are a product that are loved, adored and hunted down by many. For a long time, I did not like highlighter, for the sheer reason that they accentuate every bump and lump on your face and I used to have quite many of those. By now, I own a very modest collection of 6 true highlighters. I have two MAC Mineralized Skinfinishes too, but I tend to wear those as blush. And one of the highlighters I am showing you here is actually a face powder, but I like using it as a very subtle highlight.

This is them! Two super budget options are part of the collection, but most of them are high end. Below you can find each product close up, as well as swatches. Underneath every picture are links to a review and/ or look if I have posted about the product before. The only product that still has a pending review is the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick, so I took the liberty of adding pictures of this product on my face, so you can see what the effect is.

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Pink Quartz

The Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks are a true cult product: any beauty lover has one, or aspires to buy one. I finally bought mine last spring. For the longest time I did not know what color to go for. The Bobbi Brown MUA advised buying Pink Quartz as it best compliments my skin tone. Pink Quartz is a very intense pink shimmery highlight. It has a rose gold undertone and looks great paired with pink blush shades.

Dior DiorSkin Nude Tan Transat Edition (review, look)

The most expensive highlighter in my collection is this limited edition Dior Transat Nude Tan highlighter. It nearly cost an arm and a leg, but it was well worth the money. This highlighter is a true gold and looks stunning in combination with bronzed up or tan skin. It is anything but subtle: when you put this on, everyone will see that you wear highlighter. I especially like wearing this around the holidays as the golden glow is especially nice under candlelight.

The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer (review, look)

Quite possibly my favorite and for the longest time my every day highlight is The Balm’s Mary-Lou Manizer. Another beauty product that is coveted by many and I just so happened to pick it up for mere pennies when I found this at & Other Stories in Kopenhagen, who were discontinuing the entire The Balm line from their stores, selling everything for 2 euros each. This highlighter has a champagne/ golden shine to it and again is very out there. It does give that true ‘lit from within’ look, which is why I understand why this product is so loved by many, including myself.

Too Faced Candlelight Softly Illuminating Translucent powder (look)

A very subtle highlight powder can be useful for days where you don’t want to resemble a disco ball or when you have oilier skin. This Candlelight powder by Too Faced has been floating around my collection for a long time. It contains minute shimmer particles that makes this a bit too much for all over the face, but which does make for a subtle highlight that can be pretty at times. I don’t use this often, but seeing it was one of my first Too Faced products, I hang on to it for sentimental reasons.

Make Up Revolution Vivid Baked Highlighter Peach Lights (review, look)

My favorite budget highlighter is the Vivid Baked Highlighter in Peach Lights by Make Up Revolution. The reason why I like this so much is because it is less intense than The Balm’s Mary Lou and the color is a warm peachy pink, which I find is the most flattering against my skin tone. I have been giving this a lot of love lately as I have changed up my face routine after an MUA from Sephora applied product in a certain way and I find this highlighter to fit best in that routine. If you would like to see my current contour & highlight routine, then click here.

MUA Undress Your Skin Shimmer Highlighter (look)

Finally, there is the MUA Undress Your Skin highlighter. This looks almost exactly like the MAC Extra Dimension Skin Finishes, but I find this to be a bit more intense than those. This is a little less intense than the MUR highlighter and also a bit cooler toned. Because of it’s cool undertone, this doesn’t always suit me: it nearly has a blueish tone to it and thus it only looks good on me if I pair it with the right blush. Since I’ve been wearing more warm toned blushes lately, I haven’t been reaching for this one a lot.

Bobbi Brown – Dior – The Balm – Too Faced – MUR – MUA

Swatchy swatch time! You can see a clear difference between the first three and last three highlighters I showed you today. The three high end, full on highlighter ones are intense and shimmery. All three feel creamy and go on smoothly. The Too Faced one is clearly more of a face powder than a straight up highlight but used the right way it still works. The MUR one is a great budget highlighter, whereas the MUA one swatches a tad patchy, especially compared to its high end companions.

What is your favorite highlighter?