To help combat Winter face and bestow a healthy glow, we’re relying on these hard-working highlighters to fake a dewy complexion.
If you’re in the market for an intense shimmer and mega-watt shine – bring your sunnies, we’ve got just the thing.
From the barely-there to the super moon bright formulas
And, if serious shine doesn’t speak to your soul and you favour that lit-from-within glow across your brow and upon thy cheeks instead, take a seat. We’ll introduce you to a radiant line-up.
From the barely-there to the super moon bright formulas, meet the holy grail highlighters lighting up our cheekbones and our lives
Maddie
I’ll keep it real, I have a lot of makeup products that all do pretty much the same thing and deliver the same results but highlighters are a product where you can easily justify having more than 1 or 3 or 5. Depending on whether you’re looking for that all over holiday glow or just a dusting of light at the tops of your cheekbones. Basically, you’re going to need options.
A good all-rounder/beginner option is Benefit Dandelion twinkle, I’ve had this for years and it’s failsafe. It has more pay off that the original Dandelion but it’s buildable and very pretty.
If I’m going all out “night out highlight” then the best I’ve tried is Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand in the shade Spotlight. Its easy applicator makes it really simple to pop it on the areas you want to highlight without going overboard and it’s really pretty used as an inner corner too.
My everyday look is a bit of a hybrid highlighter product. Hourglass ambient powder in diffused light is so so gorgeous and worth every penny.
It gives a really subtle soft lift Maddie
Rather than leaving any kind of glitter or sparkle which you might not want for just a day in the office, it instead gives a really subtle soft lift and all over lightness to the areas you apply.
My desert island ultimate hero pick would be the MAC cream colour base in HUSH and I have Nic Chapman to blame for my addiction with this product. It’s a bit of a hybrid between a highlight and a cream blush and is the perfect last step to achieving that really fresh faced dewy look. Basically it’s youth in a pot!
Zoe
I absolutely don’t feel like my makeup is complete without that sheen on my more-than-likely-non-existent cheekbones. I’m also almost certainly a “the more the merrier” kind of girl too and tend to just keep going until I feel like a human disco ball.
I keep going until I feel like a human disco ballZoe
I’ve used a fair few highlighters over the years, and am usually drawn to something that also has a bit of colour to it. I love a bronzey highlight and also very accustomed to a pinky one too, I feel like it’s doing two jobs at once which saves time and generally looks a bit more natural.
An Oldie but a Goldie – Mac Mineralize Skinfinish in “Soft and Gentle”, this is probably my longest used highlighter and one of the first in my collection but it’s perfect for a subtle pretty glow.
Next up is the Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Illuminating Powder Gelee which is a must-have for summer or if you’re away on holiday. It gives you that perfect golden glow!
A go-to everyday staple for me is also the Charlotte Tilbury highlighter in the Filmstar Bronze and & Glow palette. I also love the contour colour in this palette too, in fact, the whole palette is fabulous but the highlight is super pretty.
Stila has a gorgeously velvety highlighter in their super popular shade “kitten” and this looks really glowy on the skin. It has a subtle peachy pink tint to it!
Hourglass has such an amazing range of highlighters (their lighting edit palette is perfect for having that perfect shade range) that can also be used as powders, giving you a bit more of a subtle finish. I love using these during the winter months to bring my skin to life a bit.
A highlighter I featured in my 2020 beauty heroes post is the Pat Mcgrath LABS ChromaLuxe Hi-Lite Cream in pale gold! If you prefer more of a cream/liquid highlighter this is EPIC!
Darcey
I have tried and tested A LOTDarcey
I have been a highlighter advocate for many years now, I have tried and tested A LOT and believe I have now found my top three.
In third place is the Anastasia Beverly Hills Sugar Glow Kit, this was majorly hyped up a few years back, but it is genuinely so good! It has a mixture of icy, caramel and pink-toned highlighters, so it’s really versatile.
In second place is the Mac Hyper Real Glow Palette, this is very similar to the Glow Kit, in the sense it has a mixture of highlighter shades. But, the pigment is arguably better, with more of a stronger shimmer.
In first place is the one and only, Fenty Beauty Killawatt Highlighter, I use the colour duo ‘Lightning Dust and Fire Crystal’. This is the best highlighter I have ever tried, how it reflects under light and especially in the sun is unbelievable, almost brought a tear to my eye the first time I used it. Happy, highlighter induced tears.
Lareese
The Pixi Beauty Layers Highlighting palette is great for giving your skin a natural glow. As you can probably tell, the ‘Lace’ shade is my favourite – it’s great for giving tired skin a radiance boost.
The great thing about this palette is there’s something for everyoneLareese
Layer it with the other shades for a highlight that’s tailored to your skin tone or wear alone for a subtle shine by day. I sweep it across my cheekbones, inner corner of my eyes and down the nose (sparingly).
The great thing about this palette is there’s something for everyone in there from bronze sun-kissed shades for deeper skin tones to the pinky and pearlescent. Take your pick! ZIPPER & TEE are great across the lids, too.
Danielle
A lot of people swear by this and it’s obvious whyDanielle
Look, I’ve been through MANY highlighters in my time and I’ve loved every single one, so really my faves are just the ones I’m currently using that I keep picking up.
If I’m going for a powder that packs a punch it has to be Becca Champagne Pop, a lot of people swear by this and it’s obvious why because a little goes a long way and it’s a real classic shade that suits me no matter what tan I’ve got going on.
If I’m going for a liquid highlight on for a ‘less makeup’ ‘dewy’ day I’ll go wild for the Glossier Play in the shade pale pearl. It’s much more natural and a lovely finish but I find it hard to use this on top of full coverage foundation and powder. Honourable mentions go out to the Charlotte Tilbury highlight and sculpt powder and the Zoella X ColourPop one that sits so nicely on top of blush!
Charlotte
It’s only in the past 6 months or so that my love affair with highlighters began- as an oily skinned gal I was always a bit afraid of adding more glow to my already shiny complexion. But! There is a difference between an oily glisten (TMI) and a (faux) lit from within glow, and this Wet n Wild Megaglo has helped me nail the latter!
Lauren
theBalm Highlighters have been my go-to ever since discovering them. Mary Lou is a classic and great all year round for a nice shimmer, but Bonnie- Lou is my favourite; it’s a lot warmer and has a gorgeous bronze tone which is perfect in summer, but I tend to wear it in winter too as it adds a nice colour to my cheeks and makes minimal makeup days feel fancier than they are.
They are quite spenny but they last AGES Lauren
They are quite spenny but they last AGES so you really get your money’s worth and a little goes a long way too.
Holly
As you’ve probably guessed by now, I’m not overly enthusiastic about buying new makeup so I am still using the Zoella x Colourpop highlight.
If my highlights a poppin, I ain’t stoppin.Holly
But he’s really running low now so I’m getting the alternatives going and I have found some bangers.
The Cover FV Glitter drops in mirage is POPPING. Full-on glitter but in an acceptable way all over my face. I’ve also got some leftover MAC Dazzle Highlighter in Sparkling Rose Gold for the more everyday look which still makes me look somewhat alive. I may not be a frequent buyer but if my highlights a poppin, I ain’t stoppin.
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