Cover FX Perfect Highlighting Palette Review, Photos, Swatches
Perfect
Cover FX Perfect 6-Pan Highlighting Palette ($39.00 for 0.66 oz.) includes six powder highlighters housed in a slim, plastic compact. The formula is supposed to be “ultra silky” and “highly pigmented.” I’d argue that the texture of the shades included in the palette felt creamier and denser than the standalone powder highlighters by the same formula name, and I found myself enjoying the feel and look of these even more than the standalone formula. All six shades were blendable, pigmented, long-wearing, and flattering on–I was surprised at how metallic some of them appeared on my skin yet did not seem to bring attention to my natural texture.
Value
The Perfect Light Highlighting Powders retail for $34.00 and contain 0.28 oz. when purchased individually (only one shade in the set is available individually, though) or cost $121.43/oz. The palette contains $80.14 worth of product.
Ingredients
Perfect
LELimited Edition. $39.00.
Blossom
Blossom is a light-medium pink with warm undertones and a metallic sheen. It had good color coverage that was buildable to opaque coverage with about half an additional layer and did not emphasize my skin’s natural texture at high coverage levels. The texture was denser, but it was still blendable and easy enough to pick up with a brush. It wore well for eight hours on me before fading slightly.
Top Dupes
- Anastasia Sassy Grape (LE, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- ColourPop Angel Food (DC, $12.00) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- NARS Free Soul (LE, $30.00) (90% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Wattabrat (P, $36.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Love Glow (Diamond Powder) (PiP, ) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Clionadh Clionadh (Medium) (P, $12.50) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace Keep It a Secret (P, $9.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Pink Velvet (PiP, $10.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Glow Burst (LE, $10.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Blonde (LE, $34.00) is warmer (90% similar).
Ingredients
Mica, Isoeicosane, Boron Nitride, Silica, Zinc Stearate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Alumina, Polyisobutene, Lauroyl Lysine, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Synthetic Wax, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Stearoyl Glutamic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Tin Oxide, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Isoceteth-10, Ethylhexylglycerin. May Contain: Aluminum Powder (CI 77000), Copper Powder (CI 77400), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140).
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Blossom
LELimited Edition. $34.00.
Prism
Prism is a bright, bluish white with cool undertones and a blue-to-teal shifting sheen. The color payoff wasn’t quite opaque, but it was buildable to full coverage with one and a half layers. The texture was slightly drier in the pan but remained blendable and flattering on the skin as it did not accentuate my skin’s natural texture. It was one of the least shiny shades in the palette. The highlighter lasted for eight hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Anastasia Snow (LE, ) is warmer (95% similar).
- Milk Makeup Icy Blue (LE, $30.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Makeup Geek Moon Phase (P, $20.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Make Up For Ever 6 Frozen Turquoise (P, $21.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- OFRA Space Baby (LE, $29.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Anastasia Forever Lit (LE, ) is cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Like a Dream (PiP, ) is less shimmery, more muted, warmer (90% similar).
- JD Glow Cloud 9 (P, $16.50) is cooler (90% similar).
- Too Faced Unicorn Tears (LE, $16.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Chillz (P, $36.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
Ingredients
Mica, Isoeicosane, Boron Nitride, Silica, Zinc Stearate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Alumina, Polyisobutene, Lauroyl Lysine, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Synthetic Wax, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Stearoyl Glutamic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Tin Oxide, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Isoceteth-10, Ethylhexylglycerin. May Contain: Aluminum Powder (CI 77000), Copper Powder (CI 77400), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140).
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Prism
LELimited Edition. $34.00.
Rose Gold
Rose Gold is a medium gold with warm, orange undertones and a luminous finish. It had rich pigmentation that applied evenly and smoothly on the skin with a highly reflective finish but did not seem to emphasize my skin’s natural texture. The powder felt smooth, silky, and almost cream-like to the touch, as it was firmer in the pan, but it never felt stiff. It blended out easily and stayed on well for eight and a half hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Persona Zuma (P, $24.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- NARS Gold Leash (LE, $30.00) is less shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- Ciate Celestial (P, $32.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- ColourPop Bigger and Better (LE, $12.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Glow (Original) (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (95% similar).
- Becca Gradient Glow (P, $38.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Chanel Plisse Lumiere de Chanel (LE, $80.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- NARS Double Take (LE, $42.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Becca Champagne Pop (P, $38.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Becca Topaz Flashes Gilt (LE, $34.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
Ingredients
Mica, Isoeicosane, Boron Nitride, Silica, Zinc Stearate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Alumina, Polyisobutene, Lauroyl Lysine, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Synthetic Wax, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Stearoyl Glutamic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Tin Oxide, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Isoceteth-10, Ethylhexylglycerin. May Contain: Aluminum Powder (CI 77000), Copper Powder (CI 77400), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140).
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Rose Gold
LELimited Edition. $34.00.
Golden Peach
Golden Peach is a medium coral with warm undertones and a metallic sheen. It had opaque color coverage in a single layer, though the texture was forgiving enough that a lighter hand or fluffier brush could be used for sheerer coverage if desired. The powder felt smooth, cream-like, and slightly dense but not stiff or difficult to blend out. It wore well for eight and a half hours before fading noticeably.
Top Dupes
- Lancome Rose Twinkle #2 (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- MAC Superb (P, $44.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Huda Beauty Bora Bora (PiP, ) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- NARS Orgasm (P, $28.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Dior Rosewood Glow (05) (P, $50.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Charleston (LE, $7.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- NARS Rêve Salé III (LE, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- OFRA Blissful (P, $29.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Total Package (DC, $12.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Dose of Colors Bathe (LE, $28.00) is cooler (90% similar).
Ingredients
Mica, Isoeicosane, Boron Nitride, Silica, Zinc Stearate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Alumina, Polyisobutene, Lauroyl Lysine, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Synthetic Wax, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Stearoyl Glutamic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Tin Oxide, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Isoceteth-10, Ethylhexylglycerin. May Contain: Aluminum Powder (CI 77000), Copper Powder (CI 77400), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140).
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Golden Peach
LELimited Edition. $34.00.
Celestial
Celestial is a light pink with warm, yellow undertones and a metallic finish. The highlighter was richly pigmented with a smooth, almost cream-like texture that blended out easily and sat nicely on the skin. It lasted for eight and a half hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Urban Decay Luminous (P, $30.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Cle de Peau Delicate Pink (14) (P, $55.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Laura Mercier Highlight 01 (P, ) is more shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
- ColourPop Smoke 'n Whistles (P, $10.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- MAC Snowglobe (LE, $22.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Glazed (LE, $10.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Starstruck (P, $25.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Hourglass Absolute Strobe Light (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- L'Oreal Rose (P, $12.99) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Milani Afterglow (P, $10.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
Ingredients
Mica, Isoeicosane, Boron Nitride, Silica, Zinc Stearate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Alumina, Polyisobutene, Lauroyl Lysine, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Synthetic Wax, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Stearoyl Glutamic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Tin Oxide, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Isoceteth-10, Ethylhexylglycerin. May Contain: Aluminum Powder (CI 77000), Copper Powder (CI 77400), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140).
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Celestial
PiPPermanent in Palette. $34.00.
Gilded
Gilded is a dark bronze with warm undertones and a golden, metallic sheen. The color payoff was opaque in a single layer, but the consistency was soft, smooth, and finely-milled with moderate density (but not so much that it felt stiff or was hard to work with) and could easily be sheered out or applied with a lighter hand for less coverage. It had a highly reflective sheen but did not accentuate my skin’s texture. On me, the highlighter wore well for eight and a half hours.
Top Dupes
- Makeup Geek Sunlight (LE, $20.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Milani Glowing (P, $10.00) is lighter, warmer (95% similar).
- Becca Topaz (P, $38.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Candyman (P, $10.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Wet 'n' Wild Go With the Glow (P, $5.99) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Looxi Beauty Divine (P, $7.50) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- ColourPop Glo Up (LE, $8.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Kaja Chocolate Moon (PiP, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- Anastasia Bronzed (LE, ) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- The Estee Edit Ray (LE, ) is warmer (90% similar).
Ingredients
Mica, Isoeicosane, Boron Nitride, Silica, Zinc Stearate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Alumina, Polyisobutene, Lauroyl Lysine, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Synthetic Wax, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Stearoyl Glutamic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Tin Oxide, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Isoceteth-10, Ethylhexylglycerin. May Contain: Aluminum Powder (CI 77000), Copper Powder (CI 77400), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140).
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Wow! I guess this will replace the Becca palette on my wishlist. Money saved too!
Such a great palette! I am loving mine- my favorite purchase in a long while. This one makes up for my disappointment with BECCA’s holiday releases ?
Wow, these are gorgeous and a Temptalia *recommends. I have seen a couple of YT gurus using these and all have raved about them and what a versatile palette it is even for very fair toned people. I don’t know about medium to darker complexions though and if I picked it up it would be for my daughter who has a medium complexion. I think my daughter is a touch darker than you Christine so I am hoping this works for her. It looks stunning and what 23 year old girl can resist a highlighter palette!!
I bet it will work great on her, Deborah!
These look gorgeous on you! I’ve been looking for a good highlighter palette…how do you think they’d look on a very fair-skinned person with cool undertones? I’m not the most knowledgeable when it comes to makeup (hence why I love that I’ve recently discovered your site) and I get confused with regard to what undertones are flattering on different skin types. Should I stay away from warm-toned highlighters?
I find that part of it is preference – some people do not like the way contrasting undertones look on them and sometimes it can be based on how strong or weak your undertones are, you know?
You probably will find this more of a blush palette than a highlighter one if you are very cool and very fair, though!
Thank you, Christine!
Hi Christine, I’m also very fair with cool undertones and I wanted to buy this palette but now you’ve said that it will be more a blush palette than a highlighter palette I’m not so sure… Can you recommend me a highlighter palette that will suit me more ? Thank you so much!
Hey Audrey,
I can’t think of any highlighting palettes that are out right now that are going to be all highlighters on fair skin! Maybe the Hourglass palette, though I think at least one will still be more blush/bronzer-like.
I’d recommend checking out livloveshermakeup review of the palette on her YouTube channel. She is fair, though not super fair, & says 4 of the 6 work as highlights for her but likes the others as blush toppers & even bronzer. I’m very fair – more so than liv – but w/ neutral to warm undertones & am going to check it out in store this week before deciding so will try to remember to come back & let you know what I think after seeing & swatching it in person. I’m planning to do the same w/ the ABH Sugar & Hourglass Metallic Strobe palettes to help me figure out which one, if any, is worth the buy for me. Hope that helps!
I’m glad that the Cover FX palette got an A! I love Cover FX products in general and not just because they are a Canadian brand; their products are free of parabens, fragrance, mineral oil and talc, among others.
I wanted to love this palette but unfortunately the highlighters were too obvious and too dark on my fair to light skin (with the exception of Celestial), and I was looking for a more subtle highlighting/illuminating effect. I would say that this palette is somewhere between Hourglass and ABH in terms of shimmer/glitter effect.
Yeah, this is definitely not for someone who wants subtle 😉
They look great on you Christine!
I think this is one of the best highlighting palettes I’ve seen here. All the shades are beautiful and quite wearable. Lovely rating and a great price too.
I’m so excited I took a chance and ordered this with my 20% ulta code!
These look delicious!
(I think perhaps Golden Peach and Rose Gold should be the other way around though?)
Based on the back of the palette, Rose Gold is the top right (more orange) and Golden Peach is the bottom right (pinker)!
Sorry, I wasn’t trying to infer that you’d made an error!
The back of the palette is quite clear – I just thought it was odd that the company would label them that way and I phrased my comment poorly!
Ahh, gotcha! I was confused, too, I was like… wait… do I have these wrong??
Wow! Great price, colors, and better quality than the singles?? Yay for CoverFX!
Wow! Thanks for putting this on my radar. Definitely interested in this. I’m looking into doing more makeup as a business venture and I may buy this for my kit.
Happy sigh!!! This is SO stunning oh my goodness. I love every shade here!!!
Prism & Celestial are absolutely beautiful, but I don’t think I’d get much use from the others… It’s just as well, though, I’ve spent waaay too much on highlighters over the past few months!
Wow – Rose Gold is *stunning* on you!
Might could be. Looks great, and being no highlighter queen, not very duped. Think it would be a highlighter-blush on me. Unless it’s too metallic for an old-bie. Prob ought to check it first, and prob the liquid quad would be better, as an add in or highlighter, prob greater control. But, my, is this covetable.
This looks stunning – I love Cover FX and hope this palette comes to the UK soon. It would be the perfect Xmas gift for my sister
I just purchased this through Ulta.com early Thursday morning (like midnight early, lol) while I was grabbing a few of the Whisper of Gilt bundle and a few other MAC holiday highlighters. It had been in my cart for a little while b/c I was waiting to get see something else that I could only get through Ulta so I could get free shipping. There’s really only 1 shade I know I won’t be able to use as a highlighter and that’s Prism. I’m a little iffy on whether I’ll be able to pull off Celestial, but other than that this palette looks really promising and a lot better than these sad holiday Becca releases.
I have not bought a single highlighting palette, but this might be the one! Thanks for the review.
You have shown such restraint – that is impressive! 🙂
I was all set to buy the ABH sugar highlight but now I see this and might get it instead! Do you think it’s similar to the becca Chrissy Glow palette?
I think this is a little more varied than the Chrissy Glow and has a higher shimmer level (since all shades are very shimmery here)!
This palette wasn’t even on my radar until your review. As a woman of color I feel that this palette will look great on deeper skin tones. I also went into Ulta to swatch it this weekend and really loved how creamy the highlighters were. Since I’ve never tried their highlighters this seemed like a great way to try them!
It will be beautiful on WOC, Courtney!!
Hi! I’m very interested to get this palette but i’m just wondering whether they will look similar to each other once applied to the cheek? Or you can easily tell the difference? Thank you so much in advance 🙂
They are all applied on the face in the review, just go through the slideshows!
i will get them for sure!!!
i really enjoying your blog, i got a question though, do you used primers/ setting spray while reviewing products? mainly asking for this palette and viseart palette, thank you!
When testing products on the face, I apply them over bare skin. I do not set or prime for anything unless I’ve specifically stated as much (typically, I will try something with primer if it was particularly weak or dismal without at least to get a handle on whether primer helps).
Thank you so much, wow without primer and both stayed on you for a good 8 hours, how amazing!!
Thank you again, can’t wait to see other reviews by you ❤
I just ordered this for only 25$! Couldn’t believe ulta had this on sale with the amazing reviews. I’m super excited