Kaja Beauty Stardust Mochi Glow Bouncy Blendable Highlighter Reviews & Swatches
Stardust
Kaja Stardust Mochi Glow Bouncy Blendable Highlighter ($19.00 for 0.15 oz.) is a medium copper with strong, warm undertones and a soft, golden sheen. It had semi-opaque pigmentation that could be sheered out but not built up much beyond that. The consistency was smooth with slight slip when initially touched, but it quickly felt more like a powder product on my fingertip and on my cheeks wherever applied. The product blended out nicely on bare skin, and there was very faint lifting if I wasn’t careful over base products. It yielded a noticeable sheen but nothing overtly shimmery nor entering pore-emphasizing territory. This shade lasted well for eight hours on me before fading visibly.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Wet 'n' Wild Let It Glow (LE, $4.99) is cooler (95% similar).
- ILIA Fame (P, $34.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Lisa Eldridge Celestial Fire (P, $38.00) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Any Wonder (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Clionadh Credne (P, $12.50) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Beauty Beam #1 (LE, ) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Bobbi Brown Bronze Glow (P, $48.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Marc Jacobs Beauty Tantalize (54) (P, $45.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Kosas Helios (High Intensity) (Highlighter) (PiP, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- MAC Bronze FX (LE, $31.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$19.00/0.15 oz. - $126.67 Per Ounce
The formula is a "cream-to-powder highlighter" that "feels like a cream and finishes like a powder." It has "natural-looking radiance" designed to be applied with "fingertips." The highlighters had a smooth, denser consistency in the pot with a light sponginess if pressed firmly. They had subtle slip but felt more powder-like than cream-like, especially as soon as my finger swirled the product once or twice. The product applied well to bare skin and decently over base products, but I found the thinner, quick-dry texture didn't always play well with base products and could lift them up.
They were blendable and had "natural-looking radiance" as described. The pigmentation was more semi-sheer to medium, slightly buildable, while they were described as buildable, so it was mostly accurate. They lasted between seven and eight hours on me.
Browse all of our Kaja Mochi Glow Bouncy Blendable Highlighter swatches.
Ingredients
Dimethicone, Mica (CI 77019), Talc, Triethylhexanoin, Diisostearyl Malate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Silica, Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Pentylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Lauroyl Lysine, Aluminum Hydroxide.
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.
Stardust
PPermanent. $19.00.
Explore Temptalia
See all of this year's holiday products rated from best of worst! Plus, our gift guides! Read now.
Thankfully, I do have some better quality dupes that don’t lift up base products! PMG Bronze from the permanent highlighter trio, UD Rhaegal and CP Pose all fill that niche for bronzey cheeks.
A bronzer that lifts up the base product is not really ideal, a pretty shade though.