Givenchy African Light Gold Bouncy Highlighter Review, Photos, Swatches
African Light Gold
Givenchy African Light Gold Bouncy Highlighter Cooling Jelly Glow ($41.00 for 0.33 oz.) is a soft, light-medium gold with warm, yellow undertones and a satin sheen. It’s a new, limited edition cream-based highlighter that has a slightly cool-to-the-touch sensation when initially applied, but it has an overly-emollient texture that seems to dry down incredibly quickly to the point where all it did was catch on texture and separate the more I tried to blend it out. I tried using fingertips, brushes, and sponges to apply and to blend out the product, and I did not feel like anything worked well.
The product seemed to sit on top of my skin, which isn’t usually an issue with cream-based formulas, as they’re often designed to look more natural and skin-like. It worked terribly over any base products as it lifted them up and caused them to turn patchy wherever it touched the base. It did not look dewy or shiny or luminous, even in person; it was barely visible in photos, and it wasn’t much better in person (I felt like it was more visible because it texturized my cheeks but not that visible from giving it dewy sheen). It lasted for six hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Too Faced Blessed (LE, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Milani Summer Glow (P, $10.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- ColourPop Boujee Call (DC, $12.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Becca Moonstone (P, $19.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Linda Hallberg Cosmetics Virgio (P, $21.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Too Faced Happy Face (P, $30.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Bliss (LE, $26.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- LORAC Daylight (P, $23.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Natasha Denona Light (PiP, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Dior Universal (001) (P, $38.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
Ingredients
The “cooling jelly glow” really caught my eye but I am actually glad this scored an F (though from the lovely look on your face, I thought it was going to be one you were happy about!) $49 bucks here and if I’m going to spend that much, I want something that gets an “A” and a “Recommended” from you, Christine. I don’t know if it’s possible but sometimes, I’m just dying to see photos of the worst of products like this – the patchiness and where it’s lifted your base. That’s probably hard to capture (or maybe not) or perhaps not what you want to show but, heck, I’d be so curious to see it.
It took a ton of strength for me to resist this. Wow, I’m so glad I did.
Ouch! For that price what a let down. It looks so beautiful in the compact and the color is my ideal gold but too bad it lifts base products under. I have some products that do that and I end up not using them unless I am only wearing sunscreen underneath.
Anything that lifts or disturbs ones foundation like this, is always no bueno. Definitely more like an insult to the consumer at this HE price point, though! ?
Wow – that is so bad from Givenchy.
OH NO 🙁 I was planning on picking this up with my next bonus. So you saved me Christine!! ?
“Givenchy African Light Gold Bouncy Highlighter Cooling Jelly Glow” – it may be a failure as a product, but SURELY they win something for cramming that many words into its name?!
The best thing about this is the embossing. ‘Cooling’ often indicates a mint/menthol derived ingredient, which can be sensitizing and ultimately not a great ingredient choice. At least i’ve learned something, from back in the day, when Charles of the Ritz Dual Lotion (kind of like a toner, with heaps of alcohol and menthol) was my product of choice. Kind of like a high end 10-0-6. What were they thinking? I didn’t know any better, and was totally crushed when it was d/c’d. Young, foolish, and oily.
Oh – Charles of the Ritz – what a blast from the past. I used to use 2 “gel masques” from them (one was orange-y and I think the other might have been green and both felt wonderful) as well as a toner that was called (I think) “Super Tone”. That company just seemed to vanish very suddenly.
Charles of the Ritz was aspirational for me. But then so was Bonne Belle Ten-0-Six lotion. I spent my school lunch money on the four ounce bottles.
HOW did they make it so bad?!
Can’t say anything but shocked!
Terrible! The name is pretty laughable and so gimmicky. It looks like they aren’t even trying. I haven’t yet bought into jelly highlighters. The Farsali one was a flop for me too. I like dabbing liquid highlight on my cheekbones under my powder highlight sometimes but that’s about as adventurous as I get with my glow.
I don’t think I would ever buy something like this but I was definitely curious about it. I thought it would be along the lines of a Colourpop highlight… but for like $50. I’m glad I can get a way better boomin’ highlighter from Colourpop.