Fenty Beauty Lightning Dust/Fire Crystal Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter Duo Review, Photos, Swatches
Lightning Dust/Fire Crystal
Fenty Beauty Lightning Dust/Fire Crystal Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter Duo ($34.00 for 0.24 oz.) contains a light, pearly biege and a warm, metallic gold. The left side had a more subtle finish, which sat well on the skin, while the right side was more intense in coverage as well as finish, and there was some accentuate of my skin’s texture.
Look Using this Product
Lightning Dust/Fire Crystal
PPermanent. $34.00.
Lightning Dust
Lightning Dust is a light, golden beige with a pearly sheen. It had semi-opaque, buildable color payoff with a smooth, thinner texture. I noticed that after a few uses, the color payoff seemed to decrease a bit to more medium, buildable coverage, though I didn’t notice any visual cues of the powder hardening on the surface. The powder blended out easily and lasted for eight hours on me. There was a visible sheen but it did not emphasize my skin’s natural texture.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Dior Precious Rocks (001) (DC, $56.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Seductive Beauty (Highlight) (LE, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- bareMinerals The Brilliant Sunset (LE, $26.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Medium-Deep #2 (PiP, ) is darker (95% similar).
- Chanel Or Rose (LE, $70.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC She's a Rainbow (LE, $34.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Spotlight (LE, $26.00) is darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop Beach Party (LE, $10.00) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Illuminating Glow (LE, ) is brighter (90% similar).
- Dior #001 (DC, $56.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$36.00/0.28 oz. - $128.57 Per Ounce
The formula is described ranging from “subtle dayglow to insanely supercharged” with a “cream-powder hybrid” formula that feels “weightless” and is long-wearing. They can also be used on the eyes, body, lips, and so forth, per the brand. They feel like a traditional powder, but they have a smooth, moderately dense texture that doesn’t kick up a lot of excess product in the pan but also does not feel stiff or difficult to pickup with the brush. The finishes varied from shade to shade; where Metal Moon was the most subtle and had a satin-to-pearl finish, Trophy Wife was the most over-the-top with chunky, obvious glitter and less base color compared to the other shades.
The duos featured a light-to-moderate highlighter on the left and then a more sparkly, metallic highlighter on the right with the exception of Ginger Binge/Moscow Mule, where the left shade (Ginger Binge) was more intense (possibly owing to the richer color and payoff). In general, I found the left, more subtle side of each duo to be sheer to semi-sheer, somewhat buildable, whereas the right, more metallic side was substantially more pigmented. All of the more intense highlighters (Trophy Wife and the right side of the duos) did accentuate the look of my skin’s natural texture to some degree.
For use on the eye, they worked better with a slightly dampened brush, as it gave the powder a bit more binding powder for better adherence to the lid, but the ones I tried on the lid were blendable and easy to apply with no real concerns from the application itself other than the potential for fallout over time.
Browse all of our Fenty Beauty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter swatches.
Ingredients
Talc, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, Tin Oxide, Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Carmine (CI 75470).
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.
Look Using this Product
Lightning Dust
PiPPermanent in Palette. $36.00.
Fire Crystal
Fire Crystal is a light, yellowed gold with warm undertones and a sparkling, metallic sheen. It was richly pigmented with a smooth, almost cream-like consistency that blended out nicely on the skin and picked up well with a brush. While the texture felt finely-milled, the shimmer used in it did emphasize my skin’s natural texture to a noticeable degree even at medium to semi-opaque coverage. It lasted for eight hours on me before fading slightly.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Viseart Ablaze (Highlight) (PiP, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Tarte Hi-Fi (-, ) is less shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- Tarte Champagne (LE, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Tarte Authentic (LE, $28.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Beauty Beam #2 (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop Chisme (LE, $7.00) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Bobbi Brown 24 Karat (P, $46.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Get It Glowin' (LE, ) is warmer (90% similar).
- Jouer Molten Glow (LE, $28.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Linda Hallberg Cosmetics Virgio (P, $21.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$36.00/0.28 oz. - $128.57 Per Ounce
The formula is described ranging from “subtle dayglow to insanely supercharged” with a “cream-powder hybrid” formula that feels “weightless” and is long-wearing. They can also be used on the eyes, body, lips, and so forth, per the brand. They feel like a traditional powder, but they have a smooth, moderately dense texture that doesn’t kick up a lot of excess product in the pan but also does not feel stiff or difficult to pickup with the brush. The finishes varied from shade to shade; where Metal Moon was the most subtle and had a satin-to-pearl finish, Trophy Wife was the most over-the-top with chunky, obvious glitter and less base color compared to the other shades.
The duos featured a light-to-moderate highlighter on the left and then a more sparkly, metallic highlighter on the right with the exception of Ginger Binge/Moscow Mule, where the left shade (Ginger Binge) was more intense (possibly owing to the richer color and payoff). In general, I found the left, more subtle side of each duo to be sheer to semi-sheer, somewhat buildable, whereas the right, more metallic side was substantially more pigmented. All of the more intense highlighters (Trophy Wife and the right side of the duos) did accentuate the look of my skin’s natural texture to some degree.
For use on the eye, they worked better with a slightly dampened brush, as it gave the powder a bit more binding powder for better adherence to the lid, but the ones I tried on the lid were blendable and easy to apply with no real concerns from the application itself other than the potential for fallout over time.
Browse all of our Fenty Beauty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter swatches.
Ingredients
Dimethicone, Isododecane, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Talc, Diisostearyl Malate, Polyethylene, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Cetyl Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Silica, Tin Oxide, Aluminum Calcium Sodium Silicate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Carmine (CI 75470).
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.
These are $42 in Canada and for that price, I think I’ll make do with the dupes I already have. If this had garnered an A+ or even an A, I might have considered it.
Ouch, $42!!
I know – OUCH indeed!
I’m shocked that it wore so long for you. I swatched these in store on my arm, and they faded within the hour. I haven’t had this problem with other highlighters I’ve swatched in store. Do you think it was because these had been sitting out open? (Even though it was the day after the collection officially launched.) Or because your foundation helped “anchor” it? Thank you!
I’m not familiar with how long something would last on an arm or not – I only test products for wear on my face, so that’s the area I’m familiar with. I don’t test for wear on cheek colors over foundation, FYI!
Also, how did you feel was best to apply these? With fingers? With a brush?
I used a brush – don’t think fingers would work better than brushes as these are a powder product, so you would be adding a lot of oil to a powder over time that could cause hardening.
I think I have to see this one in person as I’m not sure if Lightning Dust would be too dark on me.
Let me know if it is!
I’m very fair skinned, and I’ve been interested in this. Do you think this duo would be light enough for me, or should I go for Metal Moon instead?
Metal Moon would be lighter.
Hmmm was debating this one. Jury still out..
I think some will LOVE how intense these duos can be but if that’s not your cup of tea, I feel like these are a miss.
I’m definitely going to get a highlight from this collection. Haven’t decided which yet, although not trophy wife. Been waiting for your reviews. Will you be reviewing the brushes as well? I’m interested in the highlight brush. Can’t go see it before buying.
Sorry, I did not purchase the brushes.
My comment isn’t directed at this brand but I can’t help but wonder if/when the highlighter trend will die down, though I’m sure many will say that this isn’t a trend any longer but a part of the beauty world
I’ve been using highlighters for almost a decade and has always been a favorite in my routine 🙂
Fire Crystal is a gorgeous seen from the ionsphere highlight! I’m thinking that I probably have something close enough around here, perhaps CP Lunch Money will do in that capacity?
I think it would be close enough!
IDK, I swatched all of these in store. The testers were only 2 days old, as it had just launched the day before, and the left side was dry and hard, very hard to rub pigment off of. The right side was fine. I’m worried the left side is very sensitive to oily fingers. I would only buy if I can easily return.
The left side would seem to be more prone to hardening due to oil.
I skipped this one b/c it’s too light for my skin tone. I picked up the other 5, and I’ve decided to just keep Ginger Binge/Moscow Mule & Trophy Wife. Girl Next Door has too silver of an undertone for me to pull off & while Chic Freak is gorgeous, I wasn’t going to pay $34 for half the product. I wish that Chic Freak had been a full pan, like Trophy Wife and Metal Moon. Mean Money & Hu$tla Baby weren’t different enough for me to justify keeping it; especially, after swatching some of my other highlighters. Plus, the color payoff for Mean Money wasn’t all that great. Metal Moon was too light for me; although, it is a beautiful color and it went onto the skin really nicely. I was sad about that one not working out. I definitely think that Ginger Binge & Moscow Mule is the best duo that was released.
Glad you found a duo to enjoy!
Cute!
It is!
Oh! I really do like this!!!
Yay!
These are gorgeous shades that would suit porcelain shaded complexions. A good start to the line, with a great rating.
It should!
I’m pretty fair NC20 and I love mine. I will say that the wear time is rather short compared to my other highlights. I am going to try it over a cream highlight to see if that can improve things.
I really like the packaging of this, but I’m not sure if I love the shades in this one!