Nabla Skin Glazing highlighter

This is the second Nabla review I am posting in a week’s time, but I just so happen to be testing out a few of their products. I put their Skin Glazing highlighter in my Shop My Stash, so it is time to update you how I feel about this highlighter. I have been using it consistently for the past few weeks. Therefore I have been able to make up my mind about this product. Is it the best thing since sliced bread? Click on through to find out.

Nabla Skin Glazing Glass Skin Finish Glow Powder Privilege // Review, Swatch, Makeup Look

The Nabla Skin Glazing highlighters were released at the end of 2019. At this moment their availability seems to be limited as they are out of stock almost everywhere save for a few shades. I don’t know whether these will be brought back and whether Nabla simply has to restock or whether these were limited edition for Holiday 2019. I am hoping it is the first as I can’t find any information about this potentially being limited edition.

All you need to know about this highlighter

What you need to know about this highlighter is that it is made by Italian indie brand Nabla. I love their shadows and I have tried one of their older style highlighters in the past. It retails for €22 and is available from many different places such as Beauty Bay, Ulta and the official Nabla website. In total, it comes in 6 different shades and for a change I didn’t go for the lightest one. Ozone just didn’t seem that special of a shade to me. Privilege is a champagne with a peach duochrome shift and that sounded right up my street as I love a good peach toned highlighter. For very deep skin tones there is even one that looks like a bright red!

What makes this highlighter so special?

For the brand this is a brand new formula. For the makup industry? Not so much. The Skin Glazing highlighters are formulated to not just be an ordinary highlighter but have a gel to powder texture that is supposed to make your highlight look like glass. It is therefore super on trend and much in line with some of my favorite highlighters. The gel to powder texture was pioneered by Dior, but perfected into the glass skin like finish by Nars and Anastasia. The latter two are in my top 5 all time favorite highlighters but are both in a golden toned hue. So you can imagine my joy to find Nabla doing these highlighters in more than your standard highlighter shades.

Why did I buy this highlighter?

The answer to this question is simple: because I already knew I liked Nabla’s highlighter quality and because so many people raved about these. I think that in 2019 and 2020 highlighters are really taken to the next level. Where it used to be metallic sheens, the trend seems to go more into glass like skin and this taps into that very nicely. The fact that it comes in one of my favorite highlighter shades: peach was just an added bonus. In short, I really wanted to try this formula and the shade felt like something truly different to me.

How does the product swatch?

As you can see this highlighter goes on quite intensely when you swatch it with your finger. Of course I apply this with a brush so it doesn’t transfer this full on onto the face. I just think this swatch shows you best what this shade looks like. Privilege is a champagne with a peach duochrome making it one of the lighter peach toned highlighters on the market. Most of the time, champagnes will pull golden so I also think this highlighter shade is indeed more unique than most. However, since the application will not be as intense, how much the shade actually show up on your skin remains to be seen.

How does the highlighter apply?

For my highlighter application I like using the Sigma F03. Especially with gel to powder formulas, a more dense brush is best for applying your highlight. It often helps if you apply it with a dense brush and then diffuse it with a fluffier brush. In general, these glass skin highlighters become more glass like in their application the more you buff them out. One of the great perks of a highlighter like this is that it barely accentuates your skin’s texture. I have quite some texture on my cheeks and this highlighter glides over it and doesn’t make it stand out any more than it already does. The glow is intense, but wearable and because of the peachy tone to it this shade doesn’t look flat on the face.

My final thoughts

The Nabla Skin Glazing highlighter is one that definitely lived up to my expectations. The formula is one that you may have to get used to: I remember being quite confused when I first one of these highlighters. But once you get the hang of it, it is a stunning product that makes for a great highlighter that keeps the middle ground between subtle and blinding. This highlighter truly gives that glowy, lit from within look and I find that the shade is in fact very flattering on my skin tone. I was afraid it may look weird as I have a cool to neutral undertone and this highlighter is quite warm toned. However, I feel this highlighter makes my skin look alive.

Would I recommend the Nabla Skin Glazing highlighter?

If you can still find it at the original retail price, I would definitely seek out the Nabla Skin glazing highlighters. Not only do they come in more shades than many highlighter formulas, with some options for even the deepest of skin tones, these highlighters also get the job done. This is wearable for everyday and has a stunning formula that is easy to blend, wears well and looks stunning on the face. If you are still after a good highlighter that can give that glass like effect to the skin than this is worth tracking down. In any case, it does cost less than the Nars or Anastasia options.

What highlighter is your favorite to achieve that glass skin like effect?